Brighton-based trio slashes are proving themselves a force to be reckoned with in the UK’s underground heavy scene.

Their latest track, “false//hope,” is a relentless onslaught of crushing Djent riffs and raw emotion. Since forming in late 2021, the band, Daniel Muffet (vocals), Jack-Daniel Teasdale (guitars, production), and Bryn Davidson (guitars, mixing/mastering), have been honing a sound that feels both razor-sharp and emotionally unfiltered.

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From the first note, “false//hope” refuses to hold back. Teasdale’s groove-laden, low-end riffing lays the foundation for a track that shifts between suffocating heaviness and eerie, atmospheric breaks. Davidson’s finish touching on the song, which he mixed and mastered, gives the track a shifting weight, ensuring every chug, squeal, and drum hit lands with punishing clarity.

“It’s a deeply personal one for me,” Jack opens up on slashes Instagram, “we wanted to really delve into the emotional side of things and kinda create a world for [false//hope] to live in“.

Having worked with Brighton punk firebrand Nathan Buscher-Welsh, Davidson brings a raw, almost live energy to the track while keeping it polished enough to hit hard.

At the heart of the chaos is Muffet’s monstrous vocal delivery. His guttural, fry-heavy screams sound like they’re being torn from the depths of frustration and despair. The sheer intensity and emotion in his voice elevate the track beyond technical prowess, this is music that feels lived in, raw, and necessary. His vocals give the song an urgency that propels the song forward without ever dragging.

Lyrically, “false//hope” is deeply rooted in the complexities of mental health, offering an honest and raw portrayal of the emotional struggles many face. Their songs dive into themes of self-doubt and the battle for acceptance, capturing the internal battles that often go unspoken.

“The majority of the final lyrics were written in the space of an hour at about 3am,” Dan Muffet admits, “it became something so uncomfortable I knew I needed to release it.”

Teasdale’s groove-heavy guitar work anchors the track, alternating between explosive moments of intensity and eerie, atmospheric shifts that draw you in. The way the song ebbs and flows keeps the listener engaged, making the time seem to disappear. One moment, you’re lost in the brutality of a massive breakdown, and the next, the track has seamlessly transitioned into a hauntingly melodic interlude.

In an exclusive interview, Teasedale reflects on how “false//hope” explores the journey of coming to terms with poor mental health, confronting the painful realities that often go unspoken; “When I wrote “false//hope” I was in a really bad mental state, I was struggling with a lot of family issues at the time… “false//hope” is essentially my way of coming to terms with that and facing it head on“.

“false//hope” unconventionally incorporates a harp, which plays a pivotal role in the song’s emotional depth, and its impact is felt powerfully by listeners.

Jack Teasedale shared that it tales a lot to move him to tears, but Artemisia Nathair’s haunting work on the harp during the recording session had a profound effect on him. With minimal direction, only the key of the song to guide her, Artemisia’s unrestrained playing left a lasting impression on the band.

As they played the track back, the haunting melody she created opened up a deep, emotional vulnerability; “it left a massive hole in my chest” Jack shared. The harp is the catharsis, its dichotomy to the heavier instrumentals serving as a powerful reminder of the push and pull of struggling with inner turmoil

At 5 minutes and 20 seconds, “false//hope” isn’t a long track by many metal standards, but it absolutely flies by. The song doesn’t waste a second; every riff, every scream, and every break in the song feels essential.

Teasedale’s production and Davidson’s mix ensures everything cuts through clearly, even in the densest parts of the track, adding to the sense that “false//hope” is constantly building. The balance of technical precision and powerful emotion is so engaging that the song feels shorter than it really is.

slashes have crafted a track that proves length isn’t about how much time passes, it’s about how quickly you’re pulled into the experience. And what an experience it is. I could physically feel my soul leave me, it’s truly and out-of-body experience.

The writing process for “false//hope” wasn’t easy, as the band faced the difficult task of translating their personal struggles into music. The emotional weight of addressing mental health challenges made it a slow and often painful journey.

“I think it’s one of the pitfalls of creating something so personal with other people, you’re constantly butting heads. But this project is only around because of love, for the music and the people I make it with.” Muffet opened up, “Jack is like a brother and Bryn is a fucking miracle of a man“.

slashes are bringing fresh energy to the underground music scene in the South of England, merging precision with unrelenting emotion. “false//hope” is a devastating, cathartic listen, proving that alternative heavy music’s future is in bold, uncompromising hands.

slashes intend to keep up the momentum; “We have a lot of music in the bank,” Teasedale told Disloyal Order, “we spent the first couple years of our ‘life’ just experimenting, writing, finding sounds that work for us… we have an EP’s worth of material we want to release in the summer”.

Fans of Loathe, Gaerea, and early Northlane should take note; slashes are just getting started.