Lancashire Loud: 14 Local Acts to Get on Your Playlist
6 Nov 2026
Across Lancashire, local bands and artists are releasing original music.
When we started Lancashire Loud, our ultimate goal was to showcase talented, local acts. One way we did that was by creating a website that gives people a spotlight and the chance to shine in the digital world, as well as the real one.
Our Lancashire Loud features are now gaining traction across search engines and social media, and generating international views from across the UK, Europe, the US, and beyond.
We wanted to take things one step further by helping bands to get their music out there. That’s why we created the Lancashire Loud Spotify playlist, which features the artists and bands who are helping to keep the local scene loud.
Over the last two months, we’ve been posting features to draw attention to our Spotify playlists. We covered a different genre each week, and to round things off, our final feature brings the focus back to Lancashire.
Showcasing 14 local acts, covering everything from acoustic songwriting to metalcore and alternative, here are the artists who are making Lancashire loud, in no particular order.
Skye — “What Am I”
Skye brings together alternative rock, metal and progressive influences. Their latest release is My Reflection, which you can check out here. The band have also released tracks like “What Am I ” “Visions” and “Ascend”.
Their live shows have seen them share stages with other artists on this list. In September, Skye joined Aphotic Sky at The Underground in Bradford for Shadow Fest Promotions’ final show before its planned hiatus. Skye are also playing Sanctuary Rock Bar on the 27th of November for those who want to catch them in person.
Official band links:
Aphotic Sky — “Isolated”
Preston metalcore band Aphotic Sky have been steadily building their catalogue. Their EP, Choices, includes our playlist pick “Isolated”. The EP also contains the eight-minute “A Day He Died (ADHD)”. With musical inspiration taken from early-2000s metalcore, the band reached the Manchester Metal 2 the Masses grand final at Rebellion in 2026 and have numerous gigs in the pipeline.
Official band links:
Ward XVI — “Imago”
Preston’s Ward XVI combines heavy rock and metal with horror storytelling and macabre theatre. “Imago” is from their 2020 album Metamorphosis, which is part of a three-album story that began with The Art of Manipulation and concluded with 2025’s ID3NTITY.
Ward XVI have been incredibly busy as of late, playing numerous festivals, which include Boomtown Fair, Mangata, Uprising and Firevolt. The band also recently played Slammer in Manchester, where they went down a storm.
For local fans, Ward XVI are playing The Ferret in Preston. Deck the Balls takes place on Saturday 19th December with Matt Jones in support.
Official band links:
Coyote Black — “Crystalline II”
Lancaster’s own Coyote Black carries the weight of Black Sabbath with the swagger of Queens of the Stone Age, combining heaviness and melody to create a unique and distinctive sound. “Crystalline II” is from their debut EP, From the Sea, alongside “The Wychwood”, “Veil” and “Dopamine”.
With their follow-up EP, Through the Fire, planned for November, there's plenty more to come from the Lancaster band.
Official band links:
Rachel Wyche — “What Would You Expect From Me?”
Lancaster singer-songwriter Rachel Wyche’s musical influences range from Lzzy Hale to Alanis Morissette, with personal storytelling being central to her songwriting. “What Would You Expect From Me?” follows on from July’s release, “Somethin’ Bout You”, and is the second release from a three-part series. “Back to Square One” is due in November, ahead of an acoustic EP which is going to land in 2027.
Rachel has had a very busy year, appearing at Morecambe Music Festival, and performing six gigs during Lancaster Music Festival. She’s also set to play Kendal Rocks in 2027.
Official links:
Rockateurs — “From the Darkness”
Blackpool’s Rockateurs have previously supported Los Angeles punk band The Hellflowers at The Ferret, alongside 25th Hour. More recently, they played a Cancer Research charity rock night at the same venue, sharing the evening with fellow Lancashire artists like Fallen North. “From the Darkness” is a catchy song that really channels the band’s energy and is one you should check out if you’re a fan of heavy rock.
Official band links:
Apriori — “Love Tonight”
Blackpool hard rock act Apriori’s Love Tonight was released in October and is the first single from their upcoming album, Bad to the Bone, which is due in Summer 2027. The song hit 10,000 Spotify streams in the first week of its release, and the band has also announced a 2027 show which is taking place at the Waterloo in Blackpool. Apriori have made numerous festival appearances, including Maid of Stone, HRH, Firevolt, Love Rocks and Call of the Wild.
Official band links:
Damnation’s Hammer — “Sutter Cane”
Damnation’s Hammer represents Lancashire's darker sound. Their approach pays homage to avant-garde metal of the 1980s. “Sutter Cane” opens Into the Silent Nebula, and features a contribution from My Dying Bride’s former vocalist, Aaron Stainthorpe.
The band marked the album's release with a show at Sunbird Records in Darwen. Lately, they’ve been teasing new music on social media, giving fans plenty to look forward to.
Official band links:
Shadow Company — “Saturated Mind”
Shadow Company’s “Saturated Mind” sits alongside releases which include “Hydra”, “Icon of Sin” and “House of Moths”, giving fans a growing catalogue of original tracks to work through. The band won Burnley's Metal 2 the Masses competition at Sanctuary and played Bloodstock’s New Blood Stage on Saturday 8th of August. Their festival set included “Icon of Sin” and “Saturated Mind”, taking music that’s been developed on local circuits to national audiences.
Official band links:
n0trixx — “narc (i’m so happy that you’re dead)”
Lancashire-based artist n0trixx combines alternative metal, industrial electronics and rap. Our choice of song comes from the album “A Catalogue of Madness and Melancholia”, which also includes songs like “Revenge on God”, “harmless” and “St. Chaos”. The self-written and produced record explores mental health, and personal experiences.
Official band links:
Evil Blizzard — “Are You Evil?”
Preston’s Evil Blizzard’s “Are You Evil?” opens their second album, “Everybody Come to Church”. The album also features tracks like “Stupid People”, “Sacrifice” and “Spread the Fear”. After being under consideration for a Mercury Music Prize for their fifth album, Death Songs & Lullabies, the band have gone from strength to strength.
“Everybody Come to Church” has received a tenth anniversary reissue with a limited-edition purple vinyl pressing.
Official band links:
Massive Wagons — “In It Together”
Lancaster’s Massive Wagons’ song “In It Together” is from the album House of Noise. The song also makes an appearance on their 2026 live album, Live at the Great Hall, alongside “Pressure”, “Nails” and “Back to the Stack”. The band is gearing up for their Roar of the Roses tour, which is set to take place in 2027, with a date in Manchester at the O2 Victoria Warehouse.
Official band links:
Lythium — “Shotgun”
Preston’s Lythium cite Queens of the Stone Age, Foo Fighters and Audioslave as their inspiration. Shotgun arrived in July, and was followed by their very recent release of “One Way Ticket”. Their catalogue also includes “Artificial Negligence” and “Help Me”.
Official band links:
Fallen North — “White Lies”
Preston’s Fallen North have a strong local connection. “White Lies” appears alongside “Monster”, with their wider catalogue including songs like “Nothing Left to Say”, and “Crisis”. The band recently performed at the Cancer Research charity event at The Ferret, which was organised by Fallen North vocalist Colin Hope. The event brought together seven bands from the local scene, and helped to raise money for a very important cause.
Official band links:
Our intention is for the Lancashire Loud playlist to be updated over time, as artists continue to release original music, and as new bands emerge on the scene.
About the Author
Siobhan Jackson is a Lancashire-based writer with 12 years of experience in marketing. As a contributor to Lancashire Loud, she covers everything from emerging talent to established artists.
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