Better Lovers – 30 Under 13
What do you get when you mix the best parts of Every Time I Die and The Dillinger Escape Plan, and throw Will Putney in the mix for good measure? You get Better Lovers and their debut single ’30 Under 13′, which is without a doubt one of the hardest singles of the year. Opening up with riffs very fitting of a Greg Puciato project, the song eventually delves into the kind of sound we usually expect out of Every Time I Die. Will Putney also makes a very fitting contribution with his wild guitar playing and stellar production skills. Full of chaotic hardcore goodness that only the ETID boys can pull off, along with Puciato’s scabrous screams, if you were a fan of Dillinger or Every Time I Die before they broke up, this song is exactly what you need to fill that everlasting void that both bands have left in your heart. – Nathaniel Maure
Lambrini Girls – Lads Lads Lads
Exuding the undiluted feminist energy of the ‘90s riot grrl movement, Brighton based queer punk collective Lambrini Girls have never shied away from voicing their opinions on their oft uncomfortable but necessary subject matter. With new single ‘Lads Lads Lads’, they don’t just take aim at ever pervasive toxic masculinity and lad culture, they go straight for the jugular. Vocalist Phoebe Lunny is clearly enraged, their manic and passionate vocal delivery of some incredibly in your face lyrics painting the picture of the exact type of lad we all know and hate. ‘Wifebeater vests, passing the blame, you can say what you want but she came on to me mate’. As abrasive as the subject matter of the lyrics, the instrumental is equally as uncompromising, made up of frenetic and discordant punk riffing, dynamic and fast paced sliding bass lines saturated in thick distortion with direct and methodical drumming. Lunny’s final scream of ‘’cause I’m out, with the Lads Lads Lads’ sucks what little air is left out of the room, perfectly encapsulating the energy that often surrounds their legendary live shows. – Harry Shiels
Coldbones – Breathe
In their own words; “Revisiting the sounds and theme of our debut EP Distance, we have expanded on an idea featured at the end of our song ‘Summit’.” Coldbones‘ latest track ‘Breathe’ is a return to fresh energy, a breeze of crisp, cool air arriving after their apocalyptic full length The Cataclysm blew our minds in 2020. It’s interesting the band have chosen to revisit the stylings of their debut release, almost as if signifying life beginning anew after the destruction foretold in the previous chapter. This track is solemn, yet hopeful, it washes over you like wisps of fresh ocean breeze, little details like the birdsong paint a greener, more natural landscape. Coldbones have an uncanny ability to capture the essence of mother nature within their music, even when the full force of electric guitar, drums and bass kick in, their music still finds a way to remain pensive and all encompassing. ‘Breathe’ feels like those shots you see in movies, after the characters overcome arduous environments and barren landscapes, when a new horizon is crossed and life, hope, beauty all begins to flourish again. ‘Breathe’ is at once the gentle pause, and the euphoria of taking it all in. – Elliot Grimmie
Julie Christmas – Not Enough
Coinciding with her Roadburn set, Julie Christmas has released ‘Not Enough’, her first new solo music in 13 years through Cult Of Luna’s Red Creek. It’s immediately apparent this can be the work of only one person; sighing, shrieking, it’s a towering assault of post-metal with Christmas’ idiosyncratic voice. Written in collaboration with Andrew Schneider, who forms part of her band alongside Cult Of Luna’s own Johannes Persson, John LaMacchia (Candiria), Laura Pleasants (Kylesa), Tom Tierney and Chris Enriquez (Spotlights), it’s an all-star cast of some of metal’s finest, all unified by that singular characterful tone. Of the song, Christmas said “I started to sing ‘Not Enough’ while riding in a car on the highway in Brooklyn and seeing all these water towers along the tops of the buildings. Some of them are so beautiful, but I like the dented ones just as much. The sun was blazing hot that day and throwing crazy shadows under the towers. In my head, for a minute, It struck me that the towers were very, very brave. They were there ready to do what they were intended to do against incredible heat. And more importantly, they were there all the time. If they can do it, I can do it, too.” – Will Marshall
The Ocean – Subatlantic
If you could hear while still in utero, the intro to the new single from The Ocean might just take you back to those days. The post metal stalwarts have returned with another psych infused block of riffs and tortured vocal lines. The opening slides into a Ravi Shankar like lead line accompanied by spoken lyrics that despite their lack of volume still pack a punch, clear and crisp over the sparse background. As if to satiate our hunger the heavy guitars come in for the chorus alongside harsh screams. Finally were treated to some metal proper with an off kilter riff and full tortured vocals. As the songs signs off with a hopeful message of exploration and settlement you’re left with a sense of fulfilment and completion. – Rob Bown
Sleep Token – DYWTYLM
It’s been one hell of a year for everyone’s new favourite masked band, Sleep Token. After selling out their UK headline tour, the band went viral on TikTok with their mammoth progressive metal track ‘The Summoning’, and have become the arguably hottest name in metal right now. Now with third album Take Me Back to Eden firmly on the horizon, it would have been easy for the band to drop one final hard hitting metal anthem to whet everyone’s appetites for May 19th, but Sleep Token are a band with their own rules, and this week gifted us with the gorgeous lo-fi pop track ‘DYWTYLM’. Simple electronic beats gently loop in the background whilst Vessel’s softly autotuned vocals deliver a sublime performance, displaying a powerful vulnerability. On top of that, the lyricism here is some of the band’s strongest to date, with genuinely heart-breaking bars such as ‘And my reflection just won’t smile back at me likе I know it should’ and ‘But I cannot hope to give you what I cannot give myself’. – Ryan Ward
Bleeding Through – War Time
Not the first band to introduce keyboards to the metalcore spectrum but certainly one of the best, Bleeding Through are back with their brand new single, ‘War Time’. Last year’s Rage EP whetted the appetite for more since the band made their fiery comeback, and this is more of what makes the band so great. The flashes of black metal influences and keyboards provide glorious flourishes to their brand of confrontational metalcore. Vocalist Brandon Schieppati sounds his usual pissed off self, the drumming is relentless and the symphonic elements weave in and out seamlessly. At times the band sound like they’re taking cues from their Declaration era which is frankly wonderful to hear. Hopefully this is the sign of another full length on the horizon, as since their return the band have recaptured the magic that made them one of the greatest unsung heroes of the noughties metalcore scene. – Chris Earl
KEN Mode – I Cannot
Canadian veterans KEN Mode follow up ‘Painless’ with ‘I Cannot’. Channeling pure ‘90s sludge, the song opens with wailing feedback, feeling like an ode to early Crowbar and HELMET, with its thick distorted textures, punchy rhythms and groovy riffs. KEN Mode still weave their uncomfortable noise throughout, taking regular discordant melodic lead guitar lines over the bass grooves. Jesse Matthewson’s emotive vocal barks convey the spite and anger in his lyricism. Breaking into full blown noise territory for the last minute or so, the drums and bass holding a methodical groove wailing feedback overwhelms the track from the guitars as a very loose, frenetic and noisy saxophone solo from Kathryn Kerr takes centre stage as the instrumental continues to degrade into noise as the track closes. – Harry Shiels
Skindred – If I Could
Summer is coming, and with it, a new Skindred album filled with larger than life tracks guaranteed to make you bounce and bang your head while holding an ice cold beverage. The band, known for their solid, well journeyed approach to crafting songs that belong on a festival main stage, have just released their third single, ‘If I Could’, from upcoming August album Smile. Written around their experiences and feelings that came about during the pandemic lockdowns, the track features some typically great vocal work from powerhouse Benji Webbe and a humongous chorus built for being belted out at full volume in the middle of a field on a sunny day. There’s a classic blast of their unique brand of reggae metal near the end which is guaranteed to start a few pits and on the whole, it’s another Skindred song. And in these times, songs this huge are just what we all need to make us smile and bang our head. – Chris Earl
Snake Eyes – Crybaby
A bombastic post-britpop banger from one of the UK’s most promising indie bands, the latest single from Brighton’s Snake Eyes is a good time that urges one to make peace with the bad ones. The latest single from the band’s recently unveiled EP health – released June 16th via Alcopop! Records – ‘Crybaby’ see’s Snake Eyes infusing their lo-fi take on indie-pop with added swagger and wry humour in order to address their own metal health issues and to urge others make peace with their own personal demons. “We doubled down on our love of britpop with this one to make our most bombastic & obnoxious ripper to date”, states vocalist Jim Feffy. “All of us in the band struggle with our mental health from time to time. It’s become much less of a taboo subject which is a really healthy change but i do still think there’s some way to go. I’ve accepted myself as someone who struggles with keeping my head above the waves. Sometimes it feels like being happy or content is always just out of reach. Having an outlet to express yourself can be crucial in getting out of a dark place and this band is that for me. I’m very fortunate. I wrote this one as a reminder to myself (and anyone that needs to hear it) to accept all facets of yourself and stay optimistic.” – Dan Hillier
False Hope For the Savage – Cinders
From Welsh instrumental post-rock band False Hope For the Savage comes new single ‘Cinders’. Dripping with atmosphere and subtle guitars, it shines as one of their most impressive to date. The group’s trio of guitarists come together with intertwining harmonies to create a heady fog of emotive ambience that builds to a grand, cinematic crescendo. Refreshingly for a post-rock band, False Hope For the Savage seem unconcerned with virtuoso style solos or extravagant technicality, instead working as a cohesive unit to curate subtle details within the track. ‘Cinders’ is an elegantly straightforward piece and would act as a perfect gateway to anyone interested in exploring post-rock for the first time. – Tom Bruce
Calva Louise – Opportunista
“Oportunista is about facing the mistreatment of those who pretend to help when in reality they seek their own benefit.” Calva Louise continue their blistering foray into the world of heavier music, lashing out at all the fake friends and two faced people, the backstabbers who have nothing but their own self interest at heart. Chugging riffs and pounding drums make up the bulk of the track here, with a Final Fantasy soundtrack style keyboard melody making an appearance mid track. The song is angry, without sacrificing its more melodic moments that allow room for the music to ebb and flow between all out rage and tension building. This track doesn’t tie in as directly to the story Calva Louise have been weaving with previous releases ‘Third Class Citizen’ and ‘Feast Is Over’, but it does still serve as a key track in the bands musical evolution, in their career evolving through punk and indie-rock elements, to incorporating progressive and synth elements until this new era, where they combine all of this into hardcore and metalcore tinged bangers, Calva Louise are soaring to new heights, propelled by their own incredible ability to master all kinds of sounds and fuse it into something only they could create. – Elliot Grimmie
Oxbow – 1000 Hours (Feat. Roger Joseph Manning Jr)
Truly inimitable and forever untainted by the exhausting and trivial ongoings of the alternative scene as a whole, bonafide pioneers Oxbow have returned with their first release in six years with ‘1000 Hours’. The first track to be taken from the band’s forthcoming body of work Love’s Holiday – released July 21st via Ipecac – ‘1000 Hours’ feels like a dusk-lit ode on retrospection from the band. Through the feverish, beguiling and mantric vocals of Eugene S. Robinson, one can feel the legacy that Oxbow have constructed over the decades, with the band’s history as pioneers of the modern avant-rock and noise-rock scene being evident within Robinson’s crooning. It may be somewhat defeatist in tone, but ‘1000 Hours’ showcases how Oxbow still have plenty to give even after all these years. – Dan Hillier
Attendant – Mortal Coil
Bringing a thunderstorm of riffs and confident early 2000s swagger reminiscent of Queens of the Stone Age’s Rated R, British alt-rock band Attendant fly in all guns blazing with their latest single ‘Mortal Coil’. Taking plenty of inspiration from the UK alt-rock/post-hardcore scene around the turn of the millennium, even going as far as recruiting ex-Reuben drummer Guy Davis who hugely elevates the track with a relentlessly catchy groove, ‘Mortal Coil’ would’ve fit in perfectly among tracks from bands like Hundred Reasons and Hell is for Heroes. At close to the five and a half minute mark ‘Mortal Coil’ does enough to stay fresh throughout without losing focus on its booming guitar riff. – Tom Bruce
The Acacia Strain – Chain (Feat. Jacob Lilly)
Have you got a minute? Great, because 1 minute (and 11 seconds, but who’s counting) is how long it’ll take for the new The Acacia Strain track ‘Chains’ to beat you black and blue. Featuring scorching guest vocals from Jacob Lilly of Chamber, ‘Chain’ is a no nonsense short sharp shock of brutality. This song contains probably the hardest vocal line of the year “use a chain so the noose won’t snap” and if that doesn’t make you want to windmill through a shopping centre, nothing will. Musically it’s 70 seconds of abrasive percussion, buzzsaw riffs and the breakdown rivals anything they’ve done previously. Caveman music in the best possible way. – Chris Earl
The Amity Affliction – Not Without My Ghosts (feat. phem)
The Australian metalcore legends are back with the title track of their upcoming album, ‘Not Without My Ghosts’. The song also features vocals from indie-pop artist phem, who currently can be found on tour with the pop-punk queen herself, Avril Lavigne. The whole affair is a powerful ballad from start to finish, with the vocals of Joel Birch and phem perfectly complimenting one another over a background of gentle acoustics and sweeping strings. The choruses will take you back to the very best of the late 00’s heavy music, with soaring vocals that are just begging to be belted at the top of your lungs, punctuated by echoing screamed verses. The track builds to a rapturous close, with swirling harmonies and thunderous percussion, certain to tie the rest of the album up on a perfect note. – Ryan Ward
Against The Current – “Good Guy”
Following on from 2021’s Fever EP, Against The Current have departed from their label and have embraced the independent life. Last year saw them drop their first independent single in the form of ‘blindfolded’, and this week the trio have followed it up with the fantastically catchy ‘”Good Guy”‘. Chrissy Costanza cements her place as one of the strongest vocalists in pop-punk with a powerful performance on this killer break-up anthem; her delivery of the lyricism is loaded with venom, whilst her vocals pack a punch from start to finish. The guitar riffs are simple but immensely infectious, whilst the percussion gives the track that danceable energy that Against The Current have honed to perfection. Their independent era is looking brighter than ever. – Ryan Ward
’68 – The Captains Sat
Atlantan two piece ’68 announced their signing to Pure Noise Records with new single ‘The Captains Sat’. A song all about groove and simplicity with no frills attached; all it needs is a couple of deep groovy riffs on repeat and a drum beat that feels loose, but is firmly in the pocket. With the iconic vocals of Josh Scogin (formerly of the legendary The Chariot) it’s hard to go wrong here. Alongside drummer Nikko Yamada they work as one mind and are a cohesive unit. This is rock n roll at its purest. – Adam Vallely
Losing Sight – Vehement (feat. Mike Parsram)
Canada’s Forest City has been making quite a name for itself lately when it comes to music. But nobody is making as much of a name for themselves as London, Ontario’s Losing Sight. Always ones to impress listeners with their straight to the point style of metalcore, ‘Vehement’ being no exception. The Ontario four piece team up with Mike Parsram (Cold Shoulder/Street Justice) to show exactly why the attention they’re getting is well deserved. A perfect blend of metal just enough hardcore in there to two step and crowd-kill your friends to, there almost seems to be no slowing down for these guys. That is until around the 1:50 mark when Mike Parsram graces us with his talent just in time to slow it down a hair and end the track on a bang. With this independent release, it’s guaranteed one won’t want to sleep on what these up and comers have for us next. – Nathaniel Maure