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Fixation are a Norwegian melodic metalcore band with a taste for big, expansive sound. Heavy riffs, electronics, expressive vocals and choruses you can easily imagine thousands of people singing together. Their influences include Bring Me The Horizon, Architects and Muse. That last name makes perfect sense: Fixation have plenty of drama of their own, and the ambition to turn a song into something much bigger.

It all came together on their debut album More Subtle Than Death, released in September 2023. They gave themselves plenty of freedom, moving from straight-ahead rock to heavier, almost symphonic arrangements. Beneath the sound are themes of anxiety, trauma and the world around them. Clearly, they had found enough to worry about to fill an entire record.

One of the best reasons to give them a listen is vocalist Jonas Hansen: a beautiful, emotional voice with a powerful melodic delivery. On their next release, Speak in Tongues, he added much more harsh vocal work to his repertoire. The songs gained extra bite, tension and unexpected turns.

That 2024 EP could easily provide the plot for a psychological thriller. Its protagonist goes looking for somewhere to belong, joins a cult, becomes disillusioned and starts one of his own. Along the way, the need for acceptance turns into a hunger for power, and he gradually loses himself. The band cited Dune and Don't Worry Darling among their inspirations. So beyond the striking sound, there's a story to piece together.

OOMPH! went on to become pioneers of Neue Deutsche Härte, a style that brings together heavy guitar riffs, electronics, mechanical rhythms and German lyrics. It's hard-edged and imposing, yet often surprisingly danceable. Rammstein would later bring the style to a much wider audience, but OOMPH! were shaping that sound earlier and played a real part in the genre's development.

That's the combination I've always loved about them: the electronic foundation, the powerful riffs, the strong melodies — songs that can feel heavy, rhythmic and almost sensual all at once.

For more than thirty years, OOMPH! were fronted by Dero Goi, born Stephan Musiol. He founded the band with Crap (Thomas Döppner) and Flux (René Bachmann). Dero left in 2021, and Der Schulz (Daniel Schulz) became the new singer in 2023. It was the first change to the band's core lineup in its history.

The new lineup sounds strong, and the band keeps moving forward. Personally, though, I'm still drawn to the Dero era. His voice was central to OOMPH!: that unmistakable tone, the restrained menace in the verses and the full force of the choruses. For me, that was when the band sounded most complete.

Truth or Dare deserves a mention too: an English-language album featuring reworked songs from across their career. Which versions you prefer is a matter of taste. German gives the music extra bite and character, while the English versions may feel more familiar to some listeners. The album includes Labyrinth, Sex Is Not Enough and The Power of Love.

If the name is new to you, that's no surprise. He isn't widely known in Russia yet. Jutes is a Canadian musician and songwriter whose path has been far more interesting than the usual rock-artist origin story.

What caught my attention is that he hasn't always made rock music. Jutes started out recording hip-hop and R&B, then began blending genres and experimenting with his sound, gradually moving towards alternative rock, pop-punk and heavier music. To my ears, that's why his songs feel a little different. You can hear several musical worlds in them, rather than just one scene.

His lyrics often deal with relationships, inner conflict, mistakes, anxiety and trying to understand yourself. No overblown drama, and no pretending to be someone else.