Hardcore had a level of violence I was really interested in': the thrash solos and beatdowns of False Reality

"One of the surprise success stories of the last year has been the resurgence of hardcore. From the ascent of the young, Grammy-nominated bands Turnstile and Knocked Loose to the comeback of Deftones and their fresh grip on gen Z, as well as the growth of the UK festival Outbreak, heavy guitar music is enjoying a renaissance. After releasing their debut album, Faded Intentions, in November, False Reality might seem like a new name to watch in this world but they have deep roots."

"Vocalist Rachel Rigby started out as a teenage gig promoter in Essex and London before putting on festivals in her early 20s. After a decade of witnessing a chronic lack of female representation among the countless bands she saw live, she decided to give fronting her own a shot. I felt that it was important to send a message, she says. I've made most of my friends through hardcore; the only thing I hadn't done was be in a band."

"Guitarist Dave Connolly, the oldest member, earned his stripes in crews like Ironed Out, 50 Caliber and Bun Dem Out. They all orbit Rucktion Records, a London label that started in the late 1990s, aiming to form a comparative scene to that of New York City. London bands such as Knuckledust became local versions of New Yorkers like Madball; all in, the musical equivalent of a roundhouse kick to the head."

Hardcore has enjoyed a notable resurgence over the last year, propelled by young bands like Turnstile and Knocked Loose, the comeback of Deftones and growth of the Outbreak festival. False Reality released debut album Faded Intentions in November and performs at Collision festival in Bedford on 11 April. Vocalist Rachel Rigby transitioned from teenage gig promoter to frontwoman to address chronic lack of female representation. Her voice is raw and upfront in the album mix, giving tracks a live immediacy. Guitarist Dave Connolly came up in crews such as Ironed Out, 50 Caliber and Bun Dem Out. The band connects to the Rucktion Records lineage that shaped London hardcore's physical, precise and sometimes violent intensity.

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