New music review with singles from WREX and Coilguns
- Julia Mason aka The Decibel Decoder
- Apr 29
- 4 min read
Our weekly fix of the best new music as Julia Mason (aka The Decibel Decoder) brings us her new music review with singles from Coilguns Peace Trader and WREX 111
Artist: Coilguns
Track: Peace Trader
"What is the meaning of laws, when our nations negotiate all?" Coilguns Peace Trader
Switzerland's Coilguns release new single Peace Trader, a track which admits to a growing cynicism and despair at the actions of their own government. This is a band born out of the DIY hardcore scene and their version of "pissed off inspired" noise making sadly resonates with us all.
The band explain further: “We grew up being told that our country was a safe nest for human rights conventions, a historical hub for humanitarian organisations, a neutral haven for diplomacy, a shelter for those in need, and a centuries-long advocate for peace. Yet the older we get, the more often we see this image turn into a Dorian Gray portrait.
"We recently witnessed our federal representatives minimise dual-use goods exportations, or support partial views on major international law violations. We discovered that our asylum system had silently turned into a racist and humiliating discouragement plan. And we still haven’t been able to hold our international companies accountable for their colonialist crimes. Looking back at our school history manuals, we wonder where this whole fairy tale has gone — or if it ever truly existed. But we’d like to allow ourselves, and invite you, to keep believing in the idea that a peace-making Switzerland might one day become a reality.
"We wrote this track last summer and recorded it between tours in our studio in La Chaux-de-Fonds with Scott Evans (Thrice, La Dispute, Neurosis). Ben Chisholm (Chelsea Wolfe, The Armed) contributed additional production, and the track was mixed by Tom Dalgety (Ghost, Pixies, Royal Blood, Tiger Cub). We wanted Peace Trader to be punchy and sad - something that could carry both urgent empathy and hope."
Coilguns Live Dates
April
30 - Winterthur (CH) - Kraftfeld
May
1 - Thun (CH) - Mokka
2 - Martigny (CH) - Les Caves du Manoir
7 - Guadalajara (MX) - Beat 907
8 - Queretaro (MX) - Back Room
9 - CDMX (MX) - Foro Hilvana
15 - Baden (CH) - Royal
16 – Brussels (BE) – Obsidian Dust
22 - Den Haag (NL) - Sniester Festival
28 - Lucerne (CH) - Konzerthaus Schüür
29 - Bienne (CH) - La Coupole
30 - Basel (CH) - Kaserne
July
4 – Belfort (FR) – Eurockéennes
* * *
Artist: WREX
Track: 111
Rising Brighton-based duo, WREX release the final track from their EP which drops next month. 111 is a blistering track that lasts for 1 minute and 11 seconds!!
The band explain: "111 was written in and for the chaos of the live room. We wrote it during that burnt-out stretch after touring, and since then it’s become a real turning point in the set - the moment where everything suddenly locks in together. It feels like an anthem for our neurodiverse friends: a purge of energy, a release, and a reflection of that ADHD itch you just can’t scratch - that restless pressure, that impulse to self-destruct when you’ve been holding everything together for too long."
The band are gearing up to the release of their EP SADWORLD on 20 May. The EP spans 5 rip-roaring tracks exploring some pretty dark themes. These include uncertainty, anxiety and self-doubt, but glimmers of hopefulness and optimism are threaded throughout.
WREX hit the ground running in 2026 and have played a whole host of live shows and festivals already. They have just been added to the Bloodstock Festival lineup for August. Showing no signs of slowing down, the two-piece have a further slew of headline gigs and support slots confirmed for the rest of the year, as well as more festival appearances.
The alt rockers are comprised of friends Mae Seaton (vocals) and George Donoghue (co-vocals and guitar), who formed in 2020 in Brighton following a chance encounter years after meeting on a night out. Their debut EP, This Hell Goes A Long Way Down, arrived in 2024 and spans themes such as isolation and disconnection brought on by panic attacks, the suffocating nature of social media, and deep-rooted childhood trauma.
WREX make alternative rock music, which blends elements of punk and nu-metal. When it comes to experimenting, there are no rules, and their shared passion to create helps them push the boundaries and make the music they’ve always wanted to share with the world.
WREX Live Dates
May
2 - The Fighting Cocks, Kingston - Supporting Nuns Of The Tundra
3 - Rebellion - Manchester
8 - VII Volcano Fest - Tenerife
23 - Cursus Festival - Dorset
June
15 - The Hope & Ruin - Brighton
27 - The Pig - Hastings
July
24 - Hammerdown Festival - Worthing
31 - The Frog & Fiddle - Cheltenham
August
1 - Bay Days Festival - Chelmsford
7 - Club 85 - Hitchin
8 - Rebellion Festival - Blackpool
9 - Bloodstock Festival - Derbyshire
September
12 - Lumiere Cinema - Romford (Short film and Q&A, no live show)
October
10 - Brickmakers, Norwich
23 - Female Fronted Is Not A Genre Festival - Berlin
24 - Female Fronted Is Not A Genre Festival - Hannover
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