Since starting Above Average, I have ended up speaking to far more bands than I ever expected.
Some conversations started because of merch. Some came through social media. Others happened because I heard a track, liked it and wanted to know more.
I am not a music journalist, and this is not meant to be a definitive list of the best emerging bands in the UK. It is simply a collection of bands I have come across that I personally think deserve more attention.
You might listen to them and hear something completely different from me. That is part of what makes finding new music interesting.
The bands here do not all sound alike. There is indie rock, emo, alternative, hard rock, metal and electronic influence. Some are further along than others, but every one of them has given me a reason to keep listening.
These are seven emerging bands working with Above Average I think are worth your time.
Blade of Thorns
Blade of Thorns are a North West London band formed in 2019. Their sound sits across hard rock, post-grunge and metal, with influences including Tool, Incubus, Nine Inch Nails, Led Zeppelin and Pearl Jam.
For me, the interesting part is the atmosphere behind the heavier guitars.
There is clearly an industrial side to what they do, but I can also hear grunge and electronic influence in there. It does not feel like straightforward hard rock. There is more mood around it, which is probably what made me want to listen further.
Guitarist Mosh grew up listening to trance and electronic music, including Paul Oakenfold’s Goa Trance mixes, and that influence still shapes the band’s sound. The band also talk openly about mental health, wellbeing and emotional expression, with their music tied closely to individuality and processing difficult experiences.
I like that this does not feel bolted on as a message after the music was made. It seems properly connected to why the band exist in the first place.
They have already had some memorable moments too. Fans joined them on stage to sing along to Alone, and playing the O2 Academy Islington helped them realise the project could become something bigger.
I think Blade of Thorns are worth hearing if you like heavier music but still want atmosphere and emotion around it.
CATALYSTS
CATALYSTS are a South Wales band formed in 2020. They describe their sound as heavy rock, emo and alternative rock, with influences including Paramore, Bring Me The Horizon and Funeral For A Friend.
They also describe themselves as South Wales’ elder emos, which probably gives you a decent idea of their personality before you have even listened to them.
What I like about CATALYSTS is that they are able to take the music seriously without acting too serious about themselves.
Their profile talks about big feelings, loud guitars and knees that click when standing up. That says more about the band than a paragraph full of industry language probably could.
The band is made up of David Challenger on vocals, Elliot Blake and Craig O’Connor on guitars, Paul Owen on bass and Haitham Alhardan on drums.
There is plenty of humour around them, from questionable coffee consumption to pre-show toilet planning and arguments about what actually counts as too emo. Underneath that, though, they seem very clear about what matters to them.
They talk about honesty, vulnerability, catharsis, community, Welsh pride and connection over vanity metrics. Their view is that 100 people who genuinely care mean more than a million empty plays.
That part really stood out to me.
There is so much pressure now for bands to look successful online before they have even had the chance to build something meaningful. CATALYSTS seem more interested in whether the music connects with people than whether the numbers look impressive.
To my ears, there is a clear nod to 2000s emo and alternative rock, but it does not feel like they are simply trying to recreate that era. The songs feel modern enough, while still carrying the emotional weight people loved about that music in the first place.
Cancel the Transmission
Cancel the Transmission are a Cardiff-based rock band formed in 2016.
Their sound sits between hard rock, classic rock and modern rock, with influences including The Darkness, Guns N’ Roses, Def Leppard, Foo Fighters and Led Zeppelin.
The line-up is Justin Crowe on vocals and guitar, Jason Jenkins on drums and Jacob Henry on bass.
I think the appeal is fairly straightforward.
They like proper rock music, they are not embarrassed about it, and they are not trying to strip out all the things that made it exciting in the first place.
There are big guitars, strong melodies and a clear classic rock influence, but I do not think they sound stuck in the past. There is enough modern hard rock in there to stop it feeling like a tribute act.
What also comes through is that they care about what sits underneath the heavier sound. The band take pride in the detail around melody, lyrics and dynamics, rather than relying only on volume.
That matters to me because plenty of bands can produce a big guitar tone. The harder part is writing something people remember after the noise has stopped.
One of their best live memories came at a rock festival at Butlin’s, where they played to a large crowd and heard people singing the lyrics back louder than expected.
They have also had the less glamorous side of band life, including one show that ended with them walking off midway through the set after serious sound problems.
That probably tells you more about being in an independent rock band than any polished press release ever will.
Their own values are simple: authenticity over trends, connection over numbers and music over everything. They are not trying to chase whatever is popular. They are trying to keep rock music alive and make sure it still says something.
Discover Cancel the Transmission
EchoBridge
EchoBridge are a Shropshire duo made up of Adam Ford on vocals, guitar, bass and synth, and Lloyd Crabb on drums and percussion.
Their sound combines alternative rock with electronic influence. The band reference Pendulum, Enter Shikari, Foo Fighters, Billy Talent and Don Broco, which gives you a decent idea of the energy they are aiming for.
What I like most is the combination of electronic sounds and proper live drums.
To my ears, there is a bit of Pendulum and Enter Shikari in the mix, but I do not think they sound like they are just copying either of them. The electronic elements give the music movement, while the guitars and drums stop it feeling too programmed or polished.
There is also a lot less ego around EchoBridge than you sometimes get with rock bands.
Their values are described as connection over ego and fun over posturing. Their unofficial rule is simply, “Don’t be a prick.” Success, for them, is not only about charts or impressive numbers. It is about making good music, enjoying the process and building a real connection with the people who turn up.
I like that approach.
It is easy for bands to become so focused on growth that they forget to enjoy what they are doing. EchoBridge come across as people who want to build something properly, but still remember that music is supposed to be fun.
The duo already had history together before EchoBridge became a serious project. Their previous band, Kotonic, supported Space, and one of their favourite memories was hearing a crowd sing their songs back at VicFest.
They also originally bonded over horseboarding, which is probably one of the stranger band facts I have come across so far.
The High Life
The High Life are an indie rock band built between Oxford and London.
Their sound mixes indie rock, indie pop and big melodic hooks, with influences including The Royston Club, The K’s, The Reytons, Catfish and the Bottlemen and Neck Deep.
The band is made up of Dan on vocals, Zac and Ben on guitar and James on drums. Zac and Dan are the main songwriters, while the rest of the band build their own parts around the initial ideas.
For me, The High Life sound like a band made for busy rooms.
There is a loose, slightly chaotic energy to them that feels closer to a good night out than something overly controlled. The choruses are big enough that I can imagine them working well as the venues get larger.
I have not seen enough of them to make grand claims about where they are heading, but I can hear and feel the ambition in the songs.
They have Wembley and Glastonbury firmly on the dream list, and would love to support bands such as The Royston Club and Catfish and the Bottlemen.
What I also like is that the band’s outlook is not complicated.
Their main idea is good music plus good people equals good times. They care about community, respect and making sure people are treated equally, regardless of background.
Sometimes that is enough.
Not every band needs a dramatic manifesto. Sometimes the goal is to write better songs, put on better shows and create nights people remember.
The Seam
The Seam are an indie rock band from Barnsley, Yorkshire.
They formed in 2025 and describe their sound as indie rock and alternative, with influences including Wunderhorse, KEO, Bleech 9:3, Catfish and the Bottlemen and Arctic Monkeys.
The line-up is Freddie Chapman on vocals and rhythm guitar, Vinnie Chapman on lead guitar and backing vocals, Burt Fraser on bass and backing vocals, and Oliver Bougnot-Robinson on drums.
They are still very early in their journey, but I think that is part of what makes them interesting.
This is not a band with ten years of history and a finished story. You are hearing them while things are still taking shape.
Members grew up only streets apart, but did not properly cross paths until The Seam started to form. The band say the line-up finally felt complete when Oliver joined them for a rehearsal and everything clicked into place.
That local connection gives them a natural identity. They do not feel like people brought together to tick a set of boxes. They feel like a group of friends trying to see how far they can take something.
There is a wide mix of musical taste in the group too. Oliver listens to everything from Skepta and Elton John to deathcore and underground heavy music, while Burt grew up in South Africa and played in another well-known band before moving to the UK.
I think that range could become important as their sound develops.
Their values are friendship, loyalty and respect. When asked what matters most, their answer was impact. They believe meaningful music creates connection, and that connection helps a band grow.
The Seam are still at the point where following them now means watching the band develop rather than arriving after everything is already established.
Too Red
Too Red are a two-piece rock band from Glasgow made up of Darcy Brook and Emily Irving.
They formed in 2019 and combine rock, metal and modern alternative influences. The band reference The Pretty Reckless, Royal Blood, Spiritbox, VUKOVI and Biffy Clyro.
The first thing that stood out to me was how much sound they manage to create with only two people.
Emily handles drums, bass and synth duties, while Darcy moves between lead guitar, rhythm guitar and vocals. Emily usually develops the instrumental foundations, then Darcy adds melodies and lyrics before they shape the finished song together.
It sounds much bigger than a duo.
There are heavy riffs, strong vocals and a lot of atmosphere, but the songs still have enough melody to stop them becoming one long wall of noise.
They have already started building real momentum. In March 2026, they sold out their headline EP launch at Nice N Sleazy in Glasgow.
I also like that they have a clear idea of what they stand for.
Equality, inclusion, mental health awareness and supporting grassroots music all matter to them. As a queer band, representation is an important part of their identity, and they want music to be a space where people feel welcome and able to be themselves.
Too Red also mean something personally to me because they were the first band to believe in what I was trying to build with Above Average.
They understood the idea before there were multiple collaborations or much proof that it would work. They saw the value in doing something around identity, community and supporting independent music.
That is why their place in this article matters.
Why I think emerging bands are worth supporting
Every established band started somewhere.
At some point, they were playing small rooms, releasing songs without knowing how many people would hear them and trying to persuade a few more people to come to the next show.
That stage matters.
Emerging bands help keep local venues going. They work with photographers, producers, promoters, designers and other artists. They give people the chance to find something before it has already been pushed everywhere.
Supporting them does not need to involve some massive gesture.
Listen to a song.
Follow the band.
Add them to a playlist.
Buy a ticket.
Share a release.
Tell someone else about them.
Buy merch when you can.
Those small things genuinely help.
Blade of Thorns, CATALYSTS, Cancel the Transmission, EchoBridge, The High Life, The Seam and Too Red all make different kinds of music and are all at different stages.
I am not claiming every band here will be for everyone.
I just think they are all worth hearing.
Give them a listen and make your own mind up.
You might find your next favourite band before everyone else does.
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