On a chaotic Easter bank holiday weekend as Storm Dave bears down on the UK it would be a fair cop to say that 2026 festival season hasn't quite started yet. Although we may be a little while away from fields and camping (and mud) the start of April is the perfect time for the Guildhall in Portsmouth to get everyone warmed up for a summer of debauchery and play host to a few dozen raucous bands across two days and three stages.

Transatlantic pop-rock quartet As It Is have today announced the release of their self-titled fifth album, due out on 17th July via FLG. To mark the announcement, the band have also unveiled their brand new single, ‘Ruin My Life’, featuring a guest appearance from Murray Macleod of The Xcerts.

The award-nominated independent rock and metal event Takedown Festival has today unveiled a new wave of bands for its 2026 edition. Returning to Portsmouth Guildhall on Friday 3rd and Saturday 4th April 2026, the festival once again promises two days packed with heavy music on the south coast.

This week’s New Noise (12/09) roundup is stacked with genre-defying releases and unexpected comebacks. Chase Atlantic dive deeper into their dark, hypnotic alt-R&B lane with a sleek new single, while Demi Lovato continues her return to pure pop, delivering a polished, infectious track. Limp Bizkit crash back onto the scene with a chaotic blend of nostalgia and nu-metal energy, and Twenty One Pilots drop a cryptic, emotionally layered track that pushes their narrative further into uncharted territory.