Wow. I have been putting off writing this wrap-up because I was not sure how to go about it. I write for other sites, so I have put out lists of my favourites for the year but for NOISE ‘N’ VISUALS, I wanted to do something a little different.

In 2020, I created a blog for a university project called NOISE ‘N’ VISUALS, focusing mainly on Japanese heavy music. Inspired by my love for noise, heavy music and visual kei- that is where the name came from. Quickly though, combined with a weekly radio show playing metal from around the world, I realised that my heart wanted to go further. Despite this, I was able to interview quite a few bands from Japan and South Korea, some bands I’m still in contact with today.

When life got busy though, I let the former NOISE ‘N’ VISUALS fall to the wayside- mainly because I did not believe I was experienced enough or had enough talent to carry this publication another further than a hobby. Despite this, at the end of January 2024, after spending 7 weeks in Japan I decided that NNV was not dead. It just needed a new focus.

That focus? Asia Pacific Metalcore. (With a little hardcore/deathcore/posthardcore- basically all ‘core’).

I hesitated to pull the trigger. Could we build this? Well, all it took was a trip back to Japan for the PROMPTS RITES OF PASSAGE TOUR with Prompts, ANNALYNN, KNOSIS and Defying Decay. With the love, support and backing of those bands- and the inspiration from their own journeys I thought. Why not? Let’s do it.

That is when NOISE ‘N’ VISUALS was reborn.

Our first article was interview and single premiere with FRAGMENTS from the Philippines. This triggered a wonderful domino effect of not only a new found partnership with their amazing band, but it was the start of a community. The radio show helped this too and in the 9 months of just getting out into the communities, reaching out and connecting with so many different artists- NNV has grown beyond what I could have imagined in the first year. So let’s do a little month by month flash back.

APRIL

• Relaunched as a publication WITH the NNV radio show
• Came out the block swinging with Fragments ‘ALLINSANE’ (1st time premiering a single)
• Interviewed DISTRICT 105
• Travelled to Japan for the KNOSIS: The Eternal Doom Part 2 show
• Collaborated with Lambda TV to discuss Australian Music Videos

MAY

• Revisited one of our first bands we covered back in 2021, The Cards I Play
• Reviewed our first show, Australian band Vilify
• Launched our weekly new music articles
• Got our first guest writer, Connor Lane from Palisade Weekly

JUNE

• Launched a new look/logo courtesy of KNYA Creative from The Philippines
• Travelled to The Philippines for the first time to cover The WACKEN METAL BATTLE
• Teamed up with Philippines FINITE FAM to help bring to light more great music from The Philippines

JULY

• Went back to Japan as a media guest for KNOSIS’ One-Man Japan Tour
• Covered part of the CROSSFAITH ‘ARK’ Japan Tour
• Also covered PALEDUSK’s Epic One-Man Tour final
• Recruited a new guest writer Cerrin Hendricks 

Photo by: Takashi Konuma

AUGUST

• First time in Thailand, covered ANNALYNN’s EP Launch Party
• First media sponsorship by sponsoring FRAGMENTS Japan Tour
• Recorded first interview as an interviewee with Sadie G and Friends
• Started working with SGAF and Harajuku Fashion Day

Photo by Mayks. Go

SEPTEMBER

• First time in Vietnam, linking up with the Vietnamese scene
• Back to Thailand, this time covering Thailand’s Rock Alarm Festival
• Interviewed Diarsia
• Linked back with another one of the NNV OG’s, Clarity
• Finished up the NOISE ‘N’ VISUALS radio show

OCTOBER

• Took a last minute trip to cover Paledusk’s Melbourne pop-up show
• Travelled to China for the first time to cover the EAST SEA METAL FESTIVAL
• Back to the Philippines, this time as a guest of Finite Fam and to cover THEO‘s tour of Manila

NOVEMBER

• Introduced our NEW NOISE weekly feature
• Dropped our big feature article on Ryo Kinoshita/KNOSIS
• Started our country highlight features

DECEMBER
The month is not over yet but so far:

• Did our first big Australian festival coverage at GOOD THINGS FESTIVAL
• Back in Japan to work on some more projects
• Will be covering EARTHISTS. One-Man Show

+ a whole lot more coming.

So to finish this little wrap up before jumping into my lists, I just wanted to say a huge thank you to so many artists, promotors, writers, photographers, creatives and just anybody who has even clicked like on an Instagram post. There are too many names to list- but you have all played a huge roll in making NOISE ‘N’ VISUALS have an insanely successful first REAL year.

In 2025 we will be doing things bigger, better and broader- with trips already lined up to Thailand, Hong Kong, Indonesia and of course, back to Japan. This vision remains the same: community building, supporting the scene and working together to build something special. A rising tide floats all ships and we plan to be sailing for a very long time.

So without further ado, here are my top 5 releases from each country NNV visited this year.

TOP 5 RELEASES FROM AUSTRALIA:

1. Make Them Suffer- Make Them Suffer
2. Bloom- Maybe In Another Life
3. Void of Vision- What I’ll Leave Behind
4. Signals- Poetry of Spite
5. Alpha Wolf- Half Living Things

TOP 5 RELEASES FROM JAPAN:

1. KNOSIS- Fuhai feat. Yukina (Hanabie.)
2. CROSSFAITH- ARK
3. PALEDUSK- Palehell
4. SABLE HILLS- Odyssey
5. PROMPTS- Suneater

TOP 5 RELEASES FROM THAILAND:

1. ANNALYNN- Bathed In Sin
2. Whispers- Yom-Ma-Lok
3. G6PD- All Eyes Under God
4. Carry On- Impermanence
5. The Creation of Adam- Look At My Feet

TOP 5 RELEASES FROM THE PHILIPPINES

1. Arcadia- Gloom
2. Fragments- Allinsane
3. Orca- Counting Timelines
4. SHVRIKEN- Oni
5. Astra- Resolute

TOP 5 RELEASES FROM VIETNAM

1. DISTRICT 105- Sad Melody (ft. PK from PROMPTS)
2. Diarsia- Armageddon
3. GAI 荄- Viva La Deception
4. DISTRICT 105- Lặp Lại (Repeat Yourself)
5. Resurged Temptation- Break Their Rules

TOP 5 RELEASES FROM CHINA

1. An Empty City- a fleeting mind captive in a shattered dream/cure
2. 赤潮REDTIDE- A Hill To Die On
3. Cancer Game- Obey
4. The Will On Kill- 无尽界限
5. Scarlet Horizon- Undefined

If in 2025 you are interested in becoming part of the NOISE ‘N’ VISUALS team in any capacity, please get in contact. If you are located in the Asia Pacific Region and play music loosely under the core umbrella, please also get in contact.

There are big plans in motion for next year and I would love to have as many people involved as possible.

Once again, thank you with all my heart.

See you in the pit!

Kayla Hamilton (@kaylazomboid)