Covet, Ohhms, As Everything Unfolds and more New Noizze – The 10 Must-Listen Tracks Of The Week

From math rock splendor to gore speckled prog riffs; here's the best singles released this week.

Covet – Firebird

The gentle, yet familiar guitar pickings of Yvette Young brings a comfortable air of peace, as if soaring through a calm sky on a warm, sunny day. ‘Firebird’ sounds like adventure, one that’s both invigorating and soul-healing of nature. It’s also an apt analogy for a band that’s just gone through a near complete change in lineup, rising from the ashes as if born anew, yet still carrying the same core DNA from the previous iteration. Uplifting, with a crisp guitar tone, Firebird is a gentle, life-affirming listen, perfect for a stroll amongst nature, it’s warm and heartening, and comes from the bands forthcoming record Catharsis, indicating that perhaps we can expect more tracks of this ilk to come in the near future. – Elliot Grimmie

Ohhms – Blood Feast

The third track to be taken from their forthcoming record Rot – released March 31st via Church Road Records – the latest single from prog prog riff maestros Ohhms is a bloody good time. Drawing upon themes nostalgic of bands such as Baroness, Black Lung and label mates Tuskar, ‘Blood Feast’ is a plate full of riffs offered up with visceral haste. A documentation of the horror-based media that shaped their collective psyche as a creative entity, the single sees Ohmms treading more progressive hard rock pastures whilst restring the more progressive and ponderous sound evident within in their previous work. But seriously, all you need to know is that if you like riffs, one will definitely enjoy this – Dan Hillier

As Everything Unfolds – Flip Side

British Metallers As Everything Unfolds are gearing up for the release of their new album and this week have released their single ‘Flip Side’, which is as crushing as it is vibrant. The Post Hardcore unit from the UK have taken the success of their debut album Within Each Lies The Other and crafted an album diverse and ambitious. The track is the fourth single from their upcoming second album ‘Ultraviolet’, due for release on 21st April via Long Branch Records. Sonically expansive, ‘Flip Side’ is the equivalent of someone releasing the valve on bottled up frustration, subtly shapeshifting between rousing verses and it’s explosive chorus. The connecting sections between and the bridge of the song are impactful, heavy hitting and the give every member of the band the spotlight. The result is earth-quaking. With three singles already under the band’s belt and more to come, there’ll be no stopping As Everything Unfolds once the album drops. – Jac Holloway

Handcuff – El Ganso

Tantalisingly lo-fi and refreshingly raw, the second single from London’s Handcuff is welcome return to the core foundations of UK punk. Void of any pretence, the track sees the quartet drawing inspiration from all four corners of punk, indie, hardcore and DIY noise to create a zesty and high octane short of punk energy. The band may be in their infancy, with the group only forming less than a year ago, but with tracks like this and their previous single ‘Holiday’ it’s crystal clear that Handcuff are a band shivering with promise. Anyone with an interest in bands such as GEL and Teen Mortgage will find plenty to resonate with here. – Dan Hillier

Telos – Bastion

Taken from their forthcoming record Delude – released March 7th via seven different record labels – ‘Bastion’ reveals why Telos are such a topic of equal parts revere and fascination. Combing elements of sludge, hardcore, mathcore and sounding akin to mashup of The Locust, Converge, Frontierer and Helpless at the hands of David Cronenberg, ‘Bastion’ is a sonic mauling of all things harsh and blistering. Of course, given how the band is formed of members of LLNN, Demersal and Regarding Ambiguity, such an extreme experience is to be expected; but even with these credentials, ‘Bastion’ still exceeds expectations and will shatter resolve. If you enjoy technical hardcore and mathcore in in its most severe form then this is a must listen. – Dan Hillier

PENGSHUi – Madman

Threatening thrash punk riffage layered under a barbarian rage cry, PENGSHUi have gone as raw as it gets on their latest track ‘Madman’. A bass riff with sharp metallic tones, drum crashing that invokes danger and frantic fight or flight action, frontman Illaman seeths with the vitriol and discomposure of a man scrapping for his life in total darkness. The track breaks in the middle, an engine-tickover bassy wobble builds tension before the war cry blares out again. There’s a dark energy present on the track that feels like a mosh-call for the most violent and menacing of pits, this is unfiltered punk ardour, a full blown inferno of sound in retaliation against hopelessness. The duality of Illa’s agonistic tone married to his nothing-to-lose fighting spirit is something the charismatic frontman has toyed with on tracks before, but with Madman it’s really pushed to the forefront to create an almost visceral, uncomfortable, yet formidable listening experience. This is artistry in its purest, most innate form. – Elliot Grimmie

Rise Of The Northstar – Third Strike

Rise Of The Northstar throw it back to their hardcore roots on bone shattering new track ‘Third Strike’. From the get go, the track throws a barrage of noise, an unrelenting riff right out of the gutter, intense guttural vocals from frontman Vithia, this track goes nought to 100 real quick. A defiant fight song with an utterly disgusting breakdown thrown in for good measure; “don’t bow down, it’s a fucking trap”, the callout before an unholy volley of crushing hardcore noise lets loose in your earholes, double bass pedals hitting like a pillowcase full of bricks to the face. The second single from the bands upcoming record Showdown, this is Rise Of The Northstar at their most brutal, high energy intensity, the type of track people leave a crowd with fractured bones and bloody noses to, with a smile still wide on their face for the sheer adrenaline. – Elliot Grimmie

Isadora Eden – Haunted

Isadora Eden may be a new proposition for many, but for those with even a passing interest in showgaze, gothic folk or indie, it’s a name that will clearly be welcomed. Alchemising the genres aforementioned into an intoxicating sonic concoction she dubs ‘fuzz folk’, Eden’s music is deeply gorgeous whilst intensely intimate. ‘Haunted’, her latest track, wondrously showcases this. The lead single of their forthcoming record Forgot What Makes It Glow – released July 14^th – the single truly highlights why Eden is quickly becoming a such a dotted fixture in her local Denver scene and the wider US circles as a whole. – Dan Hillier

Krooked Tongue – Velociraptor

Bristol based Rock trio Krooked Tongue have released their new track ‘Velociraptor’ which is the second single taken from their upcoming second EP, due later this year. November’s single ‘Lupines’ saw the band embrace their brooding, cool and refined side but with ‘Velociraptor’ the band are encouraging finding and letting loose of our inner animals and throwing some caution to the wind. The song is a bustling and raucous punch with fuzzy riffs, catchy hooks and confidence exuding from every note, riff and drum fill. It’s as brash as it is lively and shows off Krooked Tongue’s versatility to create a song that is as much disruptive as it is laden with more accessible rock sensibilities. You wouldn’t necessarily associate the musical tone with the song’s darker, more visceral lyrical tone but its this juxtaposition that makes this release all the more impressive. With the diversity displayed so far, it’s safe to say Krooked Tongue are looking to make an impact with their EP later in the year. – Jac Holloway

Bobby Wolfgang – Ten Foot Tall

Within a week of retiring the Strange Bones name, electro-punk trailblazer Bobby Wolfgang has dropped a futuristic, darkened cyberpunk banger. Ten Foot Tall marks an explosive entrance for Bobby as a solo artist, and cements his impressive credentials as a one person production machine. A departure in name only, Ten Foot Tall is every bit as high octane, rough and ready as Bobby’s previous endeavours, with distorted vocoder-esque vocals, a big Mick Gordon style riff that serves as the foundation for the track, and brooding, pulsating electronics fit for the darkest, dingiest, most raucous of club shows. Tastefully edgy, the track has a doom and gloom vibe that’s carried with such swagger that turns it into an uplifting, motivational force of power, the kind of track that would fit flawlessly on CD Projekt Red’s Cyberpunk 2077 soundtrack. – Elliot Grimmie