Mastodon – Your Ghost Again
Last year, former Mastodon member Brent Hinds sadly passed away. Even though he’d been out of the Georgian sludge/stoner-prog outfit for a few months in less than desirable circumstances by that point, his loss was felt so deep and wild across the world, you just knew it would impact the band’s future material. ‘Your Ghost Again’ is the result of those feelings and in typical Mastodon style, its emotionally heavy message is buried within swirling riffs and baffling drums. A track about seeing someone everywhere despite them being gone and the turmoil that it can bring, it’s a heart wrenching track that celebrates Brent as much as mourns him and should pave the way for one of Mastodon‘s most devastating albums yet. – Chris Earl
Employed To Serve – Dead Reckoning
Just over a year removed from their latest album Fallen Star, British metallers Employed To Serve clearly have an itch to scratch because they’ve just dropped a ludicrously heavy new track. ‘Dead Reckoning’ sees the band return to the style and sound of the critically acclaimed Eternal Forward Motion, that being a stomping metallic hardcore crunch. Justine Jones sounds more pissed off than she has in a long while and the guitar work is nothing short of phenomenal. Possessing an epic edge akin to their more recent work, this seems to be the band’s statement that they intent to blend their crushing past and melodic present together for what should be an interesting future. Oh, and the final breakdown is stupid fun too. – Chris Earl
The Ocean – Light Pollution
At first listen, you’d be forgiven for thinking The Ocean persuaded Loïc Rosetti not to step down from the band, but as comeback single ‘Light Pollution’ goes on to show, this is a whole new lineup indeed. New singer Enrico Tiberi often has a more dramatic timbre to his voice, and Lane Shi joins him to offer melodic counterpoints. ‘Light Pollution’ otherwise feels like a natural progression from the more electronic-driven Holocene, pulsing synths ebbing and flowing as the track builds and crescendos in a way that’s still unmistakeably The Ocean. With new album Solaris incoming on 25 September, it’ll be an interesting build as we begin to see the new lineup in action. – Will Marshall
Protest The Hero – Mouthpiece
It’s been six long years since Palimpsest reintroduced the legends Protest The Hero but we’re finally seeing a follow-up; Within releases 17 July independently, and its first taster ‘Mouthpiece’ is, as ever, a stone cold stunner. Intricate, technical melodic riffs? Check. Frantic, whiplash timing changes? Check. Killer vocal hooks? Check, check and check again. Never afraid to speak out, ‘Mouthpiece’ takes aim at those utilised by the powerful to spread their messages, from hack podcasters to newsrooms that parrot talking points without question, once again reinforcing why Protest The Hero remain so loved and respected for their refusal to be cowed. And, again, it’s a fucking tune. – Will Marshall
AV Sunset – Maat Mons
Taken from the band’s upcoming record Vs Reality – released 4 September via Vandalism Lives at Home Records – ‘Maat Mons’ sees London instrumentalists AV Sunset releasing what can only be described as the closest thing to a banger that the meditative styles of the post rock sound can offer. Taking direct influence from the synthetic drive of 65daysofstatic and containing the kind of riffs synonymous with bands such as And So I Watch You From Afar and Russian Circles, ‘Maat Mons’ is a rush of instrumental dynamism that’s layered as it is immediate. Perfect listening for any of the references aforementioned. – Dan Hillier
DazGak – Trixie
Imagine the human personification of Title Fight landing the sickest kick-flip possible while using a board covered in stickers from bands from the UK’s and Ireland’s math rock scene. Congrats, you’ve just envisioned ‘Trixie’, the new single from post-skate punks DazGak. Ripped from their upcoming EP Stimpy – released 27 July via Floodlit Records – ‘Trixie’ is an organic and off-the-cuff trick of a single that takes as much inspiration from post-hardcore, emo and math rock as it does from skate culture as a whole. The end result is an organic sound that carries the bruises of a life spent on the board and in the sweaty confines of the post-hardcore scene. – Dan Hillier
Carsick – Social Smoker
Harkening the kitchen-sink sleaze of early-days Artic Monkeys, the new single from Carsick is a classic ode to spending your Sunday comedown in the arms of a loved one who is equally as hungover as you. Whilst previous work from Salisbury indie-punks has primarily revolved around ruminations on the ills of our national drinking culture that’s juxtaposed by their love of pints, here, Carsick focus on the quiet, albeit aching bliss that can come from the comedown. ‘Social Smoker’ is a love song”, say the band on the track. “It’s about spending your Saturday nights with somebody who has contagious positive energy and having a good time no matter where you find yourselves.” – Dan Hillier
Split Dogs – Be Somebody
Despite a clear shift in production, Bristol’s finest punks Split Dogs return with another classic that’s high-energy, and combines the anarchic energy of the late 70’s that’s synonymous with bands such as Stiff Little Fingers, The Damned, and The Undertones, whilst putting a modern spin on their sound with lead singer Harry Martinez’s trademark raucously upbeat performance. ‘Be Somebody’ is a battle cry and a positive spin on nihilism, and the bluesy guitar against a mosaic of tight bass grooves and charismatic drumming makes the track an instant repeat. Their sophomore full-length release Nice N’ Rough is set to release late September and hopefully the rest of the tracks are as energetic as ‘Be Somebody’. – Ez Luscombe
Blood Command – Flowers To A Knife Fight
Norwegian and Australian death poppers Blood Command have been on a creative roll lately, dropping new tracks on the regular and for the most part, they’re all bangers. Their latest effort ‘Flowers To A Knife Fight’ is a summer tinged, punky anthem that brings to mind classic bands like Descendents and The Distillers while retaining the band’s own swagger. As usual, the vocals of Nikki Brumen drive the track along, her knack for finding melodies on full display here as she croons her way through a track about dealing with broken trust and betrayal, while the punchy chords behind her voice sound more akin to a summer anthem and in the end, it’s the juxtaposition of those two elements that makes this track one of the band’s recent highlights. – Chris Earl
Future Palace – Resurge
Alongside news of brand new album Resurgence (due 31 July via Century Media), German modern metalcore outfit Future Palace have unveiled their latest single in ‘Resurge’. As has come to be expected from them, it’s a heady blend of electronic textures, crunchy guitars and catchy melodies, while vocalist Maria Lessing’s screams have also improved with some acerbic shrieks of the track title throughout. There’s a nu metal edge to it, with jagged riffs that bounce as much as they buzzsaw and record scratches in the background at times. Joining three other singles so far, it’s a tantalising glimpse into their continued musical growth as a band. – Will Marshall
Harm – Heaven
The next taste of their upcoming album As Age Begins To Shape Us, which they’re releasing in stages over the coming months, ‘Heaven’ embodies Harm‘s more esoteric, shoegazey tendencies. Washy guitars underpin gliding melodies, though aggression lurks just beneath the surface as the occasional bursts of screamed vocals rupture forth. Flowing from the more aggressive ‘Amber Wave’, it offers a glimpse into the post hardcore outfit’s ambitions and scope for their second album as they unveil it. – Will Marshall
Hairpin – Framing
Fresh off of the bill from Weymouth’s Goat Fest alongside Noizzefest alumni Orchards, Pupil Slicer, and Weatherstate amongst others, south coast post-hardcore, indie, and emo outfit hairpin’s latest single release ‘Framing’ is their first output into the scene since their Modern Day Living EP last year, but it’s another worthy addition to their growing catalogue. Recorded and engineered by frontman Adam Edwards at Community Noise Studio, Edwards masterfully combines the nostalgia of 2000s emo acts such as Reuben and Rival Schools with introspective lyricism which hits the nail on the head perfectly. It’s always a good day when these guys release new music, and hopefully there’s much more to come. – Ez Luscombe