Spring is here! Kind of, anyway - the days certainly seem to be getting brighter, even if the weather hasn't quite settled down yet. With another big release landing on the decks this week - that'd be Into Oblivion by this month's Hammer cover stars Lamb Of God - it feels like we're well and truly into the meat of 2026 now, meaning it'll only get more hectic from here.
So first, the results of last week's vote! Welsh reggae-metal stars Skindred proved popular as ever as they took a healthy third place in the poll, while returning alt. metal/core heroes As Everything Unfolds took second place. But our overall winner for the week were black metal godfathers Venom, Lay Down Your Soul tapping into the primordial nastiness that helped spawn metal's most evil subgenre in the first place.
This week we've got a varied stack for you to peruse. From stoner metal shenanigans from Corrosion of Conformity to prog metal madness from Devin Townsend, plus a whole heap of new and emerging acts, we're keen to see which tracks excite you most. Don't forget to cast your vote in the poll below - and have an excellent weekend!
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Sabaton - Yamato
Sabaton do a thumping tune about a battleship. Again. But lets have no misunderstandings here: the Swedes are the absolute kings of this stuff and Yamato is yet another stirring, oh-so-epic tune to be added to their arsenal. The tie-in for online naval battle game World Of Warships, Yamato taps into Sabaton's base elements, taking a big, chest-beating chorus and chucking in giddy guitar solos and stabby, flourishes that make the track feel massive.
Devin Townsend - Enter The City
Did someone say epic? Heavy Devy's never let us down in those stakes and with new album The Moth under development for over a decade, it stands to reason that he'd go above and beyond. A thumping, symphonically-enhanced track that feels like Tim Burton by way of Sparks, it's just a taste of things to come when the album drops May 29.
Necrofier - Fires Of The Apocalypse, Light My Path
If the name wasn't enough of a giveaway, Texas's Necrofier are all about black metal at its most gothic, shredding, necro best. New single Fires Of the Apocalypse, Light My Path starts out with some arch, grandiose guitars that feel like they're being issued from atop a spiked tower in a crumbling castle before the track devolves to a furious assault of snarls and blastbeats. It's ridiculous, over the top and fucking great. The band's latest album dropped the end of Feb and is well worth a look if you're loving Worm this year.
Draconian - Cold Heavens
Gothic metal veterans Draconian are winding the clocks back by bringing back vocalist Lisa Johansson, who sang on their first five records. Cold Heavens is striking not just as a throwback to 00s gothic doom, but also for just how fresh and vital it sounds, modern production polish perfectly capturing the desolate, oft-mystical nuances of their sound. New album In Somnolent Ruin drops May 8 and is well worth the time for any fans of miserable melodies and crushing heft.
Revnoir - Red Ice
Metalcore is an increasingly saturated field, making it more important than ever to find ways to sound fresh and unique. France's Revnoir certainly fit the bill; drawing on techy structures, djent-like skronks and weightless, crowd-baiting choruses, they're taking elements from across the genre's broad church and smashing them together in a fascinating way on Red Ice, feeling like the bastard child of Periphery and Architects.
Fleeting Joy - Unravel (ft. Amariah Cook)
From the first crashing riff of Unravel, it's hard not to be hooked in by Fleeting Joy. Aussie prog metallers, the band have recruited Amariah Cook of Future Static for the track, her voice soaring and snarling while the track clatters and crashes like a rocket ride through an asteroid belt. Considering this is just a debut single, we're genuinely fascinated where the band will go next.
![Fleeting Joy - Unravel (feat. Amariah) [Official Music Video] - YouTube](https://img.youtube.com/vi/3pZxVCtGxxE/maxresdefault.jpg)
Corrosion Of Conformity - You Or Me
Sludgy riffs, or wailing lead guitars? Corrosion Of Conformity clearly couldn't pick on head-thumping new single You Or Me, so clearly opted for both in an almighty collision that shows how they rose to be stoner metal icons in the 90s. That last 90 seconds seriously kicks off too, rewinding right back to CoC's hardcore/crossover past. Keep your eyes out for double album Good God Baad Man on April 3.
UnityTX - Lucid
UnityTX might stomp around in the realms of hardcore, but there's also a fair dip into the nu metal spirit in how they adopt hip hop into their sound. This isn't commercial-minded slop however; Lucid is pure visceral fury, howling and swinging with total ferocity like they've found the perfect balance between Biohazard and Rage Against The Machine. New album Somewhere, In Between is out today.
Celavi - MORGΛNΛ
The UK didn't have a great track record with homegrown nu metal the first time round, and Wales even less so (unless you count Jeff Killed John - the band who would later become Bullet For My Valentine). Celavi may yet change that. The Welsh-language nu revivalists are offering up something fresh, new single MORGΛNΛ all angular downtuned riffs and surprisingly soft vocal melodies.
Filth Is Eternal - Hellfire
They might be drawing heavily on alt. rock and grunge for new album Impossible World, but Filth Is Eternal's latest single Hellfire is undeniably metal. There's an echo of shoegaze in the luscious effects, but the guitars and rhythms are hard hitting alt. metal at its finest, creating a sense of sonic disconnect that is totally fascinating. The album drops next week and is well worth your time.
Eville - Fetch
Call it brat metal, bimbo baddie-core, one thing's clear: Eville hit different. There's something to the fierce, dry humour of Scene Queen in new single Fetch, but the Brighton band sound distinctive in their own right, new single Fetch perfectly highlighting the unique sonic direction they're taking, mixing filthy low-end heaviness and clean, floating melodies.
Never Better - Evilviolentshame
Another fresh new debut single for your consideration, UK newcomers Never Better are offering a decidedly fresh spin on nu metal that brings to mind revivalists like Ocean Grove or Pengshui. Blaring, siren like riffs give way to frantic flows and bounding beats, resulting in a track that makes you want to launch yourself around like a pinball even as the walls close in around you.
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