The year’s best new hardcore band and album… already!? It’s here if you want it with the debut full-length from Feels Like Heaven, an album that actually doubles as the perfect transitional statement from where the corners of the post-hardcore scene left off in 2025 — especially that of the fiercely anthemic arrival of Stockholm’s Speedway, who put out one of the year’s best with their own debut in the Ned and Ben Russin-produced A Life’s Refrain.

Featuring three of Speedway’s members in their own five-piece alongside members of peer Swede scene bands like Blood Sermon and Settlement, Within Dreams is a gear-shift from the metallically-reinforced Revolution Summer hardcore of its kinship and one that instead steps on the gas pedal fueled by the human heart (and overthinking head) hard — or as guitarist Jens once referred to it in speaking with hardcore site No Echo some years back — “100% real emo hardcore.”

The brothers Russin’s early era Title Fight influence is still apparent in their style’s fast aggressions (see: “World Clock”, “All That I’ve Got”), but the crisp-riffed distortion popping off on standouts like “Volvo (On the Road)” and “Sandra Bullock” are offering some sorely missed Lifetime anthemry to meet the moment of what it serves in heavy feelings.

“Will you still frown when the sun smiles? / Please take the rain even though it’s too late,” vocalist Emanuel screams out on its punctuative closer “Take the Rain”. It seems like it’s been forever since we’ve heard unapologetically earnest emo lyrics for the dejected on this scale. The annual winter spell of SADs calls for it, however, and Feels Like Heaven are doing their most to make it an emocore Dream come true.

Highlights: “Volve (On the Road)”, “Sandra Bullock”, “Take the Rain”

Feels Like Heaven’s Within Dreams is available now on Scheme Records.