The time for Sabbath is almost upon us! After months of stories, revelations and speculation, this weekend Black Sabbath and Ozzy Osbourne return home to Birmingham for a farewell performance with quite possibly the most stacked metal bill ever assembled. But while the eyes of the metal world will be on the gig, that doesn't mean other bands are resting.
First up, the results of last week's vote! Extreme metallers Fates Warning took a healthy third place with the furious Eternal War, while Lorna Shore's Unbreakable nabbed second. But the gold - and crown - goes to Norwegian black metallers Witch Club Satan, whose incendiary You Wildflower nabbed top spot.
If last week was ruled by extremity, this week could well go to misery. We've got doom metal, post metal and at least one very explicit tribute to Black Sabbath. As ever, we need you to tell us which song excites you most, so don't forget to cast your vote in the poll below - and have a great weekend, Sabbath or no!
Judas Priest - War Pigs
Birmingham bands unite! Judas Priest might be open about how gutted they are they can't be part of Sabbath's big day at Villa Park, but that hasn't stopped the Metal Gods putting their own stamp on Sabbath classic War Pigs. Unsurprisingly, it's a beefed-up rendition with Halford gleefully belting out over the top, faithful whilst adding their own spin to the track.
Lord Of The Lost - Ghosts (ft. Tina Guo)
Even the oft-colourful Lord Of The Lost aren't above showing their bleak side this week, new single Ghosts absolutely immersing itself in the trappings of goth metal with guest cellist Tina Guo adding a baroque twist to their sound. It's not entirely unfamiliar realms for the German band: LOTL have been tinkering with goth/industrial tones for years, but it's another marker for new album OPVS NOIR VOL. 1 offering a new spin when it arrives August 8.
Warkings - Hangman's Night (ft. Dominum)
Power metal continues to flourish in Europe - and with bands like Warkings, it's not hard to see why. Cynics might denounce it as cheesy, but there's an infectious joyousness and theatricality to Warkings' latest single Hangman's Night that speaks to the pure joy this music elicits. Set to tour with pirate metallers Visions Of Atlantis in 2026, it's a safe bet that Warkings aren't going to go po-faced anytime soon.
Mimi Barks - Crawling
It's almost impossible to escape the influence of nu metal right now, whether you're hearing in the likes of Loathe or Poppy, or in the many bands making up the nu metal renaissance. Nu gen star Mimi Barks is pledging her allegiance with a howling cover of Linkin Park classic Crawling, given an extra layer of grime and fury that adds her own spike to the iconic tune.
Clawfinger - Scum
Clawfinger might predate nu metal, but there's no denying the band hit their peak during the nu era. Appropriate then that the band are making their big return now the nu metal renaissance is in full swing, teasing new music with latest single Scum. It's about as subtle as a sledgehammer to the face while someone blares an air raid siren, but then that was always Clawfinger's way - and we wouldn't change it.
Frayle - Walking Wounded
"The night is dark and full of pain." So starts Walking Wounded, the latest single from doom metallers Frayle, and it only gets grimmer from there. A gorgeous slab of modern doom with the breathy, airiness of Chelsea Wolfe combined with fatalistic crunches and riffs that sound like a tombstone being dropped on your head, it trudges forth like a funeral march but also feels oh-so exciting. If you're looking for a counterpoint to the summer sun, the band are over in the UK next month for Bloodstock.
High Parasite - Cold
Aaron Stainthorpe's never been one to let a bit of sunshine get in the way of some glorious misery. High Parasite aren't a million miles from the miserablism he's touted for over 30 years with My Dying Bride, latest single Cold continuing to plunder the depths of doom/gothic metal with a magnificent sense of darkness and grandeur. If you're big on the darker sides of metal, keep an eye out for their tour with Paradise Lost in October.
Zatokrev - Unwinding Spirits (ft. Manuel Gagneux)
Hailing from Switzerland, Zatrokrev have recruited fellow Swiss maverick Manuel Gagneux of Zeal & Ardor for their latest single, Unwinding Spirits. If you're expecting some blues/black metal infusion though, you're in for a shock: this is agonisingly slow and brutal post-metal, more akin to the likes of Amenra. Taken from upcoming album Bring Mirrors To The Surface, due August 29, it's gorgeously bleak and punishing.
Hammer - Trapped In A House With A Maniac
Wild-eyed and dripping in viscous filth, you can practically see the horror movie influences that have gone into Hammer's latest single Trapped In A House With A Maniac. Taken from the Scottish death metal troupe's new album Trapped - due August 1 - it's a wonderfully grotesque slab of noise.
Beyond Extinction - Where They Gather
Grinding, gurgling deathcore, Beyond Extinction have been picking up steam since their 2023 EP Nothing More Wretched. With title-trackWhere They Gather, they officially announce their debut album for a September 26 release, promising jagged, visceral deathcore nastiness at every turn.
Bad Juju - Incision (Cut You Out)
If you're looking for something less bleak - but not necessarily less heavy - you'd do well to check out Incision (Cut You Out) by Metalcoure metalcore crew Bad Juju. Their latest single, Incision is powered by bouncing riffs and an irrepresible sense of energy, ideal if you're still not quite done with summer yet.
Malphas - The Conjuring
Chucking up shades of Dimmu Borgir by way of Hyprocrisy, US blackened melodeath group Malphas might share their name with a bunch of other bands, but certainly stand out from the pack with The Conjuring. Swinging between epic, trad metal grandstanding, explosive extremity and even a bit of Opeth-like acoustic guitar, the track is a real marker of ambition and well worth a listen for fans of turn of the millennium underground metal.
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