From Wellington’s exploding heavy scene comes Brainwave, a band determined to bulldoze everything in their path. Their debut album Ill Intent arrives October 22, 2025, and delivers a vicious mix of thrashing crossover and raw hardcore—a sound that recalls Toxic Holocaust, Mindforce, and Drain while remaining uniquely their own.
Formed on personal trauma and sharpened against daily brutality, Brainwave’s music thrives on violent riffs, breakneck pace, and a delivery that makes every lyric matter. The band has become a cornerstone of New Zealand’s hardcore community in recent years, bridging generations of fans with relentless energy and no compromise. Ill Intent marks their next step forward, capturing the full weight of their sound and vision across ten punishing tracks.
The album’s themes are stark: hopelessness, grief, and the unrelenting violence of modern life. Yet buried in the wreckage is defiance, a determination to overcome both internal struggles and external obstacles. Cam Parker’s striking artwork mirrors this duality, balancing despair with resilience in one image.
The writing and recording process became a transformative era for Brainwave. In March 2025, they expanded from a four-piece to a five-piece with the addition of guitarist Ian Moore, whose arrival sharpened the band’s already volatile edge. The lineup now stands as Rob Thompson (vocals), Joram Adams (guitar/vocals), Ian Moore (guitar), Caleb Webb (bass), and Angus Crowe (drums).
That foundation is strengthened further by guest contributions from across the hardcore landscape. Aaron McPhail (Lucre), Arnold Kim (Molosser), Sam Andy (Martial Law), and Luke Manson (Xile) lend additional firepower, while Ateo Buhne (Dole Bludger/Star Time) provides auxiliary percussion. Together, these collaborations expand the sonic arsenal without diluting the raw urgency at the band’s core.
Recorded in close partnership with Melbourne producer Lewis Noke-Edwards, who also mixed and mastered the record, Ill Intent carries the grit of The Armory studio sessions for drums alongside guitar and vocal tracking helmed by Adams. The result is a record that balances personal confession with political fury, unflinching in its depiction of struggle yet unwavering in its call to resist.
With Ill Intent, Brainwave plant their flag as one of the most uncompromising forces in New Zealand heavy music today.