UK Artist NATIVE JAMES Releases New Grime-Metal EP, CONFESSIONS OF A SINNER

Yes, Native James started as a rapper.

It's impossible not to when growing up around a city somewhere in England. Grime is everywhere – it's an entire cultural. But, as Native James told Kerrang! last year, “I started to listen to grime, and my heart was telling me I needed something heavier with it," suddenly grime and metal just made sense. And to anyone who loves a bouncing bass alongside chunky riffs, Native James embeds his smooth flow into the sound like an instrument of its own, and it's simply raunchy in all of the best ways.

Real name Aaron James (or AJ) has just released his second grime-metal concoction this past Friday (3rd of October), evolving and intensifying the riffs he developed on his first EP, Rebirth (appropriately titled), into something far more monstrous than expected. Rebirth itself was nothing short of a venture well done as AJ successfully incorporated the bouncy attitude of grime with the intensity of metal, however, CONFESSIONS OF A SINNER, not only levels up sonically but successfully achieves creating an experience.

Cinematic interludes link together a storyline that details trials and tribulations as AJ explains the EP and its story is meant to "[entice] the duality of oneself while taking you down a path of reflection. It's connected with rage and all the above – a sinner and his thoughts.” 

The focus track for the EP, "PRY AWAY," specifically elaborates the trials and tribulations of addiction and mental health: “I wanted to peel the scars off and show wounds with this song. It’s about the internal struggles of mental health, addiction, being comfortable with talking about what is wrong with us, and us going back to the dark place out of habit.”

Nominated for Best Alternative Act at the MOBOs, with performances at Glastonbury Festival, Burn It All Down, and Decolonise, and support for letlive. at their last two London shows, alongside praise from BBC, Spotify, Kerrang!, Rock Sound, and Louder, 2025 was kind to Native James, but with CONFESSIONS OF A SINNER under his belt, it feels like 2026 will be even better.

You can stream the new Native James EP here, and find the tracklist below.

1. "RAISE THE ALARM"
2. "FALLEN"
3. "FIRE PON DEM"
4. "AS THE CROW FALLS"
5. "DO WHAT YOU WANT"
6. "GTFU"
7. "JUTSU"
8. "YOU'RE NOTHING"
9. "ASPHODEL MEADOWS"
10. "PRY AWAY"
11. "ADMIRAL'S ARMS"
12. "KIRIN"
13. "GTA"