South Wales has always had a knack for producing heavy bands that feel both familiar and fiercely individual, and Asidhara is no exception. With the release of their self-titled LP this past October, vocalist Chuck Bradford and his bandmates have taken the bold step of combining older material with new tracks, giving fans a comprehensive look at where the band is now—and where it’s heading next.
“We felt collectively that we’d be doing a disservice to the older material if it never ended up being released on vinyl,” Chuck says. “We had such a nightmare with the previous label never actually putting the record into production and misleading everyone about it. So we wrote a few new tracks, jumped into the studio, and spoke to The Coming Strife Records about releasing it all as a full-length. It felt like the right way to do it and gives people the chance to have those tracks in physical form.”
The gamble has already paid off: the band celebrated the LP’s release with a sold-out show in Cardiff, and they’re already back to writing new material.
Asidhara’s beginnings were modest—Chuck and guitarist Adam trading demos back in 2019—but the songwriting process has retained its raw, collaborative edge. “It’s not too dissimilar now to be honest,” Chuck explains.
“Most tracks start with a rough recording of an idea, then we try to build on it in a practice room or, fortunately, Tim (Woodcroft Audio) sometimes lets us use his studio space to build songs. We’re a bit more adventurous with what we write now, though, compared to when we wrote Killing Rites in 2019.”
Lyrically, Chuck continues to mine the rich worlds of fantasy and literature that have always inspired him. “I try to use medieval, biblical, and fantasy imagery as metaphors to depict how I’m feeling or what I’m seeing in the world,” he says. “I often like how one person might perceive a song in one way and someone else in another.”
Wales may be the Land of Song, but its hardcore scene has grown into something expansive and inclusive. Chuck notes that when he first discovered South Wales hardcore, it felt insular and fiercely protective—a scene that didn’t always welcome the outside world. Today, that sense of community has expanded alongside global interest in hardcore.
“There’s such a huge variety of bands here—some heavy, some not at all—but it’s a complete melting pot,” he says. “It allows Asidhara to often share our music with other creatives or fans who may never have even stepped foot into the world of hardcore before.”
He points to the wide array of bands making waves locally, from Shell, Ysbrydnos, The Dogs, Violent Offence, Bigfoot, Mellt, to honorary Welsh acts like Still In Love and Perp Walk, while giving a nod to grassroots venues and independent promoters keeping the scene alive.
For 2026, Asidhara isn’t slowing down. With a few shows in the works, new music on the horizon, and plans to finally take their sound abroad, the band is keeping its momentum rolling. “We try to just take things in stride surrounding booking shows,” Chuck says. “We book everything ourselves, so if people want us in their town, just message or email us and we’ll try to make it work.
"I’d love to get across to Europe for a few shows as well as getting further up North—we’ve not played Scotland yet. Those kinds of things would be cool to tick off the list.”
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The self-titled Asidhara album is available on vinyl via The Coming Strife Records.
Asidhara on social media: Instagram
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