Mouth Ulcers announce debut album ‘You’re Not In Heaven’ (pre-order here), set for release April 23rd via LAB Records (Friendly Fires, Basht), and share pulsating lead single ‘Lady Rust’ (video here), out today (October 15th).
Emanating from the capital’s shadowy underground with acclaimed debut EP ‘Silent Pictures’, the fast-rising four-piece are redefining modern goth through a lens of post-punk revivalism and cinematic atmosphere and gathering a significant following as they go.
Formed in 2025 by vocalist/guitarist Zak Watson, alongside Josephine Rose (guitar/vocals), Jamie-Lee Culver (bass), and David Zbirka (drums), the group have quickly evolved from a spontaneous studio experiment into one of the UK’s most talked-about acts.
Blending the stark emotional minimalism of Joy Division with the romantic gloom of The Cure and the angular intensity of Bauhaus, Mouth Ulcers craft a sound built on melodic bass-lines, wiry guitars, and cavernous baritone vocals, and have already attracted praise across the press landscape from the likes of The Line Of Best Fit, So Young, Rolling Stone UK, Rough Trade, Under The Radar and Louder Than War as well as significant radio plays including BBC 6 Music (Lauren Laverne, Chris Hawkins, Steve Lamacq, Deb Grant), BBC Radio 1 (Daniel P. Carter), KEXP and Radio X (John Kennedy).
Positioning themselves at the forefront of a new gothic resurgence – one that feels both reverent to the past and urgently contemporary – their ascent has been swift; whilst their aesthetic, rooted in atmosphere, vulnerability, and emotional intensity, suggests a band built for longevity.
On their new single, frontman Zak Watson added: “‘Lady Rust’ tells the story about an ancient vampire that guards the land of a former Manor House. The house is slowly deteriorating, walls are falling apart and collapsing like the skin on her bones. ‘Lady Rust’ continues to live on as a legend of the land with many trying to visit the house but few managing to escape.”
Mouth Ulcers’ ‘Lady Rust’ is out now via LAB Records and available on all digital platforms.