As spring continues and the weather only gets warmer and warmer, we can’t help but find ourselves in a sunny disposition. Summer’s about to come, the festivals are about to kick off – oh, and we have another week of magnificent metal songs to think about.
But first, let’s look at the results of last week’s poll. We got new tracks from Lorna Shore, Nova Twins, President and more, but the voting was an absolute landslide, with more than 50% of our readers saying that Sing Like A Siren from Within Temptation was the best new release of those seven days. Congrats to the Dutch symphonic metal masters!
Now, the cycle begins again, and we have new stuff from Electric Callboy, Blackbraid, Ithaca, Malevolence and many more for you to sink your teeth into. Listen to them all, then use the genius little widget below to name your fave.
Electric Callboy – Revery
Electric Callboy have embraced the dark side! Since their 2022 album Tekkno, the German gang have been all-smiles and synths, up to and including January’s bounce-a-thon Elevator Operator. Revery, however, is a metalcore rager with keyboards that sound like they’re fresh from an 80s horror movie soundtrack. The band haven’t announced an album yet, but they’ll more than likely play this song on their European festival dates, which kick off at Slam Dunk in the UK this weekend.
Blackbraid – Wardrums At Dawn On The Day Of My Death
One of the most popular new names in all of black metal, Blackbraid are a Native American project screaming about the sanctity of nature and narrating parts of their Indigenous culture’s past. Wardrums… is their first new, original song in two years – a comparatively long turnaround for this prolific outfit – but more will soon come. Its sharp riffing, shrill vocals and thunderous drumming precede the arrival of new album Blackbraid III, coming out on August 8.
Sinsaenum – In Devastation
Almost a decade on from their debut, death metallers Sinsaenum are back and eyeing up an August 8 release for their third album, In Devastation. Their first without Joey Jordison behind the drums, the band have said the album will be a tribute to their fallen bandmate, recruiting Breed 77's Andre Joyzi to clatter the kit. Lead single In Devastation continues the old school death metal vibes the band have traded in thus far, a raging, sweeping tide of malevolence.
Ithaca – Ithaca
RIP Ithaca. The British metalcore heroes have bowed out with a self-titled track ahead of their final performance at ArcTanGent festival in August. It's a howling farewell to a brilliant and distinctive band, the guitars coming out like a distorted wail of the national anthem while the breakdowns and howls evoke a sense of apocalyptic finality. God, we'll miss 'em. "Don't cry because it's over/smile because it happened" indeed.
The Armed – Well Made Play
Hardcore might be blowing up in the mainstream, but some bands are keeping it avowedly underground. Aural terrorisers The Armed certainly fall into that latter camp, unyielding squeals and howls aplenty unleashed in a whirlwind of fury and anguish. The first single to be taken from their upcoming album The Future Is Here And Everything Needs To Be Destroyed, due August 1, it's a punishing exercise in extremity complete with squalling, atonal sax. Ouch.
Malevolence – Salt The Wound
If The Armed represent hardcore's most extreme tendencies, then Malevolence are representing metalcore's ability to blend heaviness with anthemia. Salt The Wound treads a line between melodic serenity and vicious, powerful thunder. New album Where Only The Truth Is Spoken drops in just under a month - June 20 - and judging from this, it's gonna be massive.
Unleashed – War Comes Again
One of Stockholm’s OG death metal bands, Unleashed have announced their first album in four years, Fire Upon Your Lands, will drop on August 15. War Comes Again doesn’t so much offer a taste of what’s to come as it does an unrepentant punch in the mouth. “I dream of your death!” singer/bassist Johnny Hedlund roars, backed up by blasts of chug-along riffing and scraping but melodic lead lines. Ready your neck for when the rest of the album comes.
The None – At Hope
Lurching basslines and grotesque imagery characterises the noisy new single from newcomers The None. A band featuring members of British alt underground acts like Cassels, Bloc Party and Youth Man, the band's sound sits somewhere between the abrasive clang of Shellac or Jesus Lizard and the oppressive post-punk of The Fall. Menacing and magnificent, we can't wait to hear more.
Igorrr – Blastbeat Falafel
When you've got a band as avowedly weird and experimental as Igorrr, you have to expect some left-turns. Even so, Blastbeat Falafel is all wild-eyed nerves and skittering energy, the recruitment of Mr. Bungle's Trey Spruance feeling oh-so-right in a track which seems to meld Middle Eastern melody, surf rock, death metal and all-out prog. Taken from the band's new album Amen, due September 19, it's a tooth-gnashing beastie.
Death Pill – Phone Call
Scattered around the world by the Russian invasion right as they released their self-titled debut in 2023, Ukraine's Death Pill have nonetheless continued to triumphantly and defiantly make joyful music. Phone Call reduces some of the spiky, Discharge energy of their debut in favour of something more melodic as they prepare for the release of Sologamy on June 20.
Vower – Deadweight
Composed of former members of Palm Reader, Toska and Black Peaks, Vower wowed the UK underground with their wonky alt-metal EP Apricity last year. Since then, they’ve played a number of fests in their native land and expanded internationally, touring across Germany earlier this year. Deadweight is set to continue their expansion, striking with their heaviest and most immediate strikes to date. Spin it and learn the words for when the band grace Donington’s legendary Download festival in the middle of June.
RinRin – Gunmetal Black
Taking cues from Bring Me The Horizon and Babymetal, Aussie newcomer RinRin shows a disregard for genre on latest single Gunmetal Black. There's bouncy, nu metal like riffing and quickfire rap flows, bleeping electronica and thumping metalcore breakdowns, all blended into a massive, meaty package.
