Onryō UK will self-release their five-track debut EP, Exit Here, on 23 October 2026. Drawing on experiences of bullying, distrust and workplace exploitation, the south of England four-piece connect the resentment left by those experiences with the vengeful spirits of Japanese horror.
The songs began taking shape before the band settled on their name and horror aesthetic. Those choices subsequently gave a visual identity to themes already present in the writing.
“The band name and horror theming came a little after writing a few songs,” vocalist James Moffatt told us. “However, it soon became apt as a lot of our songs deal with times where I feel like I’ve been wronged, the resentment that has built as a result of that and the frustration I have for how the world works in general.”
Onryō UK – Exit Here. The EP artwork was created by Ed Moffatt and inspired by the manga Kakegurui: Compulsive Gambler.
The band describe their music as Metalcore incorporating Nu-Metal, technical and modern Metal elements, with compact, progressive songs that move between Deathcore and nu-Metal vocal styles.
Tongues Of War explores how bullying can leave a lasting distrust of other people and make close relationships difficult. Within that resentment, however, the song finds room for love and trust.
“I’ve found it really hard to enter into a trusting relationship,” Moffatt says. “However, this song has a positive spin in that I have found people I can love and trust.”
Soul Factory directs its anger towards employers who fail to appreciate their workers and companies that accumulate wealth while giving little back to society. Its starting point was Moffatt’s experience of working in retail, where appeals to workplace loyalty could become requests for unpaid labour.
“This was inspired by times when I worked in retail and employers would say ‘we’re like a family here.’ But all that was a way to try and get you to do a bit more work for them for free,” Moffatt says.
The Japanese horror influences extend to the band’s videos. The official video for Exit Here, released on 18 September 2026, takes inspiration from The Grudge, while In Ignorance draws on both The Grudge and The Ring. The latter video is scheduled for release alongside the EP on 23 October.
The EP artwork was created by Ed Moffatt and inspired by the manga Kakegurui: Compulsive Gambler.
Exit Here will be self-released digitally on 23 October 2026, available on all major streaming platforms and Bandcamp. You can find Exit Here on Bandcamp.
Onryō UK – Exit Here Tracklisting:
1. Exit Here
2. Monochrome
3. Soul Factory
4. Tongues Of War
5. In Ignorance
About Onryō UK
Onryō UK are a four-piece metal band from the south of England. Their name and visual identity draw on the vengeful spirits of Japanese folklore, connecting horror imagery with songs about resentment, exploitation and defiance.
The band comprise James Moffatt (vocals), formerly the vocalist for Gaia; John Corney (guitars), guitarist for Seething Akira; Dave Rae (bass), who performed as Harper’s live bassist for her Download Festival set; and Tom Way (drums).
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Onryō UK Turn Resentment Into Metalcore Horror On Debut EP Exit Here first appeared on
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