Formed in 2015 by Matt Reynolds and Tom Marsh, former members of UK noise-hardcore band Heck, Haggard Cat initially operated as a side project before becoming their primary creative vehicle following Heck's dissolution. Their sound trades Heck's frantic extremity for a rawer, blues-influenced hard rock attack informed by Jack White and Death from Above 1979, documented on the 2018 Earache Records debut Challenger and its follow-up Common Sense Holiday (2020). The duo self-released further material including the Cheer Up EP in 2021.

Leeds hardcore band Higher Power formed in 2014 when drummer Alex Wizard relocated from London and began writing music with his brother Jimmy Wizard, who eventually took on vocal duties. Their debut Soul Structure (2017) earned strong reviews, and 27 Miles Underwater — released through Roadrunner Records — broadened their reach by incorporating alternative rock and melodic post-hardcore elements alongside New York hardcore-influenced grooves. They are frequently cited as a leading act in the new wave of British hardcore.