GlassCastles – Digital:Heart

GlassCastles – Digital:Heart (2025)

Available September 19th on all platforms.

Every so often a debut arrives that feels less like a first step and more like a fully realised mission statement. Perth’s GlassCastles have delivered exactly that with Digital:Heart, a four track EP that positions them firmly among the most promising names in modern metalcore.

From the opening notes of “Decay”, the band establish their approach — a meticulous balance of cinematic electronics, razor edged riffs, and soaring vocal hooks. It’s a track that manages to be both immediate and expansive, setting the stage for what follows. “NYASA” pushes further into emotional territory, confronting themes of depression and isolation while never losing sight of melody and catharsis. The interplay between Aaron Azariah’s searing screams and the cleaner vocal passages highlights the band’s dynamic range and their instinct for tension and release.

“The End Of Us” is a showcase of contrasts, aggressive verses that drive at full speed, offset by choruses built to fill larger rooms than the band are currently playing. It demonstrates a confidence in pacing and arrangement that belies their short history. Closer “Grave Stones” is the most ambitious piece here, layering dense synth textures against crushing breakdowns and melodic passages. It’s a striking finale that underlines the band’s ability to create both impact and atmosphere.

Listen to GlassCastles on Spotify.

What distinguishes Digital:Heart is not simply its combination of heaviness and melody, plenty of bands chase that formula, but the precision of its execution. The electronic elements are not ornamental, they are woven seamlessly into the fabric of each song, enhancing rather than distracting. Lyrically, the record avoids cliché by grounding itself in real emotional weight, with themes of disconnection, mental health, and resilience given genuine depth.

For a debut EP, Digital:Heart feels remarkably assured. It nods toward influences like Architects, Polaris, and Bring Me The Horizon, but never leans too heavily on them, instead carving out a space that is distinctively their own. If this release is any indication, GlassCastles are not just another name in Australia’s crowded heavy scene, they are a band with both the vision and the ability to push far beyond it.

Solid 10/10 🤘🏾

Pre-save Digital:Heart here.

GlassCastles linktree.