“Empty Hands” - Poppy
Released January 23, 2026 through Sumerian.File under: pop metal
Ever the musical chameleon, Empty Hands is Poppy’s seventh full length album, in which she leans heavily into metalcore, pop, drum n bass and industrial sounds, delivering 13 powerful songs in just under 40 minutes. After recently teaming up with kawaii metal superstars Babymetal, Poppy’s music spans many genres; opening with Public Domain, a robotic marching tune, then Bruised Sky which is a more traditional metal track, likewise Guardian and Constantly Nowhere (3 and 4), and then on to track 5 Unravel sporting a drum n bass rhythm track, and ending in fierce metal screaming, followed by the unrelenting onslaught of track 6 Dying to Forget. And so on it goes through track 7 Time Will Tell, a softer dancier melody with a deep bassline, track 8 Eat The Hate which is a punk-metal instant hit, et al.
The album slows somewhat toward the end, with the softer and more introspective Blink (track 11), but picks back up again with the climactic title track Empty Hands (track 13) a speed metal scream-fest, and really highlighting what this album is all about; frustration, anger, fear, terror and revenge. The instrumentation is heavy with kickdrums and distorted metal guitars, and the vocals work on many levels; often the melody is sung withe a screaming backing track behind it, sometimes processed with a vocoder, at other times the screams are in the fore with a melodic backing track.
Poppy’s legacy is only getting stronger with the release of Empty Hands. As her musicality matures, and her production sensibilities are honed, so too her music becomes deeper and more emotive. This album really is a culmination of her work to date.
For those who like Spiritbox, Jinjer, and Babymetal.
Listen to “Empty Hands” on:Apple Music }|{ Spotify }|{ Tidal
“IT’S NOT REAL” - Ella Red
Released January 23, 2026 through Nettwerk.File under: alt pop
Ella Red has popped up in pop seemingly out of nowhere with her debut album IT’S NOT REAL, a scathingly honest and brutally personal pop album with an edge. At only 22 years of age, Ella has crafted an album of pop bangers with lyrics that cut deep. Much like the Poppy album above it covers subjects like life, death, catacombs, funerals, self destructive behaviour and revenge. It’s like witnessing a post-teen trainwreck, and the listener can’t help but engage in it.
Musically it’s kind of predictable, but that’s part of its appeal. This album is shiny on the surface, but dark within, and I’m totally here for it.
From the title track IT’S NOT REAL:
“Please make it stop, make it go away, the sleepless nights and lonely heartachesThe chaos of not being in control is slowly chipping away at my soulBeing forced to pick and choose our roles is a scam and curse we cast, I knowBut why do we still follow those who made us pick and choose those roles?”
It plays like a pop opera, a transformative experience where the artist walks away a different creature than when they started it. And in the right light, this alum can do the same to the listener. All in all it’s an exciting debut foray into pop music for Ella Red, and one that I hope she can follow up with the same energy and grit.
For those who like ROSALÍA, FKA Twigs, Erika De Casier, Rebecca Black and i.
Listen to “IT’S NOT REAL” on:Apple Music }|{ Spotify }|{ Tidal