Hacktivist

The U.K. metal/grime quintet Hacktivist came together in 2011 when guitarist Timfy James assembled the project several months after exiting Heart of a Coward. With no clear plan ahead, James withdrew to his studio and began crafting tracks for acquaintances. One of those acquaintances, grime MC Jermaine "J" Hurley, made use of the space, prompting James to share an in-progress metal piece. Already accustomed to delivering rhymes across varied styles, Hurley proposed layering vocals over the track, which fell into the intricate, groove-driven djent style of metal. The resulting fusion proved effective enough that the pair decided to develop the approach with a complete lineup.

Hacktivist issued their first single, "Unlike Us," by 2012, and it reached the summit of the iTunes metal chart within hours. The group’s profile climbed further in 2013 after they were invited to open for Enter Shikari across Europe. During the making of the band’s debut album Outside the Box in 2016, Enter Shikari’s lead singer Rou Reynolds contributed guest vocals in return.