Pupil Slicer – Blossom
Just how do you follow up one of the most critically acclaimed debuts of the 2020s? That would have been the big question hanging over London mathcore noisemakers Pupil Slicer after their debut album blew the metal scene’s collective socks off. Filled with righteous rage, nihilism and an uncompromising sense of heaviness, many expected maybe an evolution or refinement of their sound…but judging from new track ‘Blossom’, the band aren’t content with that. The first single from the album of the same name, ‘Blossom’ is an alt metal tinged banger that wouldn’t sound out of place in the early 90s grunge scene. Kate Davies sounds absolutely phenomenal, delivering some pop-laden hooks and throat ripping screams while being backed by some furious drums and shredding guitars. The solo just over halfway through is incredibly satisfying and this whole track will bring a smile to your face. By releasing the closing track and one that represents such a huge stylistic shift first, Pupil Slicer are doing things on their own, unique terms and it could lead to one of the best records of the year. – Chris Earl
Scene Queen – 18+
“Fuck the scene, I’m the Queen”. LA based matriarch of bimbocore, Scene Queen, is back after a landmark 2022. Releasing two EP’s, selling out her first U.K. headline tour in 5 days, opening support slots for Set It Off and Wargasm, Scene Queen kicks off 2023 with uncompromising new single “18+”. Taking aim at predatory behaviour within the alternative space and the industry at large, “18+” is a blunt callout of an issue that is, unfortunately, still incredibly pervasive to this day. Pulling no punches, Scene Queen’s incredibly sharp, witty and catchy lyrics are the big pull of this track, the vocal delivery is spot on. Instrumentally this follows the bimbocore style Scene Queen has cultivated for herself: samples, 808s and trap beat verses with big 2010s era metalcore singalong choruses and down tuned breakdowns. Production wise, this is a marked step up, everything sounds tighter, the quality is crisper, where both the BIMBOCORE EPs were highly enjoyable, well written and produced collections of tracks, this might be Scene Queen’s best work so far. If this is the opening call to arms, then bring forth the pink rapture. – Harry Shiels
Jesus Piece – Silver Lining
Philadelphia legends Jesus Piece have returned and with them is an insanely brutal new single titled ‘Silver Lining’. This track is everything the listeners have come to admire from the 5 piece unit. Yet somehow feels completely different in the best way. Utilizing their multi-genre style by combing metallic hardcore with hints of death metal, the track hits the ear drum almost like a Fit For An Autopsy or The Acacia Strain track while also staying true and unique to Jesus Piece’s own sound. This track is guaranteed to be a liability when played live due to the amount of bodies that will need to be stacked by the end of the song. Be sure to keep eyes peeled and jam the new tracks as we wait for new album “…so unknown” which drops April 14, 2023 via Century Media Records. – Nathaniel Maure
Frozen Soul – Arsenal of War
Glacial Texan death metal quintet Frozen Soul share the second cut from their highly anticipated 2nd album Glacial Domination, this slab of pummelling old school death metal is a tribute to a late friend of the Texas metal community. Opening with pounding war drums and the sounds of distant battle, ‘Arsenal of War’ breaks into a frenzied main riff, very much channeling the energy of Bolt Thrower. There is a surprisingly catchy chorus with Chad Green and guest backing vocals from Reese Alavi (Creeping Death), the growled vocal hook taking centre stage, followed by a Kerry King esque guitar solo from Blake Ibanez (Power Trip and Fugitive), before a brutal rhythmic switch up leading into the final third of the track which is begging to be pit fodder in a live environment. Lyrically, Green weaves the legend of Swiftarrow (an Everquest character played by his brother, the late Cory Green) with both references to Swiftarrow as a character and the man behind him, reflecting on their life and ability to push through and see light in the darkness. ‘Arsenal of War’ is sure to be another fan favourite from one of the most anticipated death metal albums of the year. – Harry Shiels
Sylosis – Deadwood
UK powerhouse Sylosis have just dropped their newest music of 2023 with ‘Deadwood’ and let’s just say, it lives up to the reputation Josh Middleton and the band have made for themselves over the years. With a punchy drum beat mixed with catchy riffs and brutal vocals, the song almost couldn’t get better, but it does. At the 2:45 mark, the listener is blessed with one of the cleanest guitar solos followed by some almost unexpectedly beautiful singing. But not without slamming back into that catchy, bouncy chorus and closing us out. Deadwood is no doubt a contender for one of the best metal tracks so far this year. – Nathaniel Maure
PEACH – I’m Scared
PEACH have been generating a lot of buzz off of their smattering of live performances and the release of their debut single in 2022, now the Bristol post-punk four piece reveal new single “I’m Scared”. Beginning with a stompy, desert rock inspired riff, PEACH showcase a different side of influence from the strong grunge infused, post-punk punch on debut single “Bad Touch”. Dry, fuzzy guitar tones permeate the lead riff, with a strong warmth emanating from the bass and a rhythmic, tom driven drum pattern drive the track forward. This is juxtaposed wonderfully when the instrumentals drop out for the pre-chorus, leaving just Ellie Godwin’s undeniably unique vibrato vocal style paired with clean guitar chords, building a sense of unease before the main riff crashes back into existence for the chorus with an undeniable power behind it. Each tone and sound on this song sounds deliberate, the vocal processing in particular evolves throughout, a big stand out along with the classic stoner tones on the lead guitar during a particularly strong, yet simple melody appearing the last main chorus. The shifts in dynamics and pacing come to a head in the last minute of the track, dramatically shifting the rhythmic intensity and feel of the tempo, evoking a sense of urgency and anxiety in the tracks final moments. – Harry Shiels
Wallowing – Cries of Estima
Channeling equal parts blackened-death-doom, sludge metal, noise and elements of post-metal, the Brighton based self-proclaimed “sci-fi metal” collective Wallowing continue to impress with the second single taken from their upcoming concept album Earth Reaper. The near 7-minute track starts with a monolithic melodic doom riff with a wall of guitar and bass, underpinned by methodical slow paced drumming as the vocals howl. The opening third of the track laying the foundation as an emotive, melancholic affair. However as the halfway point nears and the vocals cry “Estima deliver us” the rhythmic pace sharply quickens in comparison to the early portion of the track and the instrumentals descend towards chaos with the introduction of noisy, piercing synthesisers bubbling under the surface. ‘Cries of Estima’ shifts as it goes on, with Wallowing successfully channeling and implementing a very wide range of influences into a very interesting taste of what is sure to be an incredibly unique and engaging concept album. – Harry Shiels
fakeyourdeath – consume
New Brighton based electronic post-hardcore duo fakeyourdeath are back with their urgent and ruthless track ‘consume’. Opening up with an electronic beat that drives the track as chaos ensues. Sam Barnes’ drumming a lynchpin to the duo’s sound, building on the core beat and spraying snare hits like bullets throughout whilst Candi Underwood’s vocals are as urgent as the lyrical content of capitalism and materialistic greed. Even in the brief serener moments they leave very little space to breathe. This is dark, intense but catchy as hell with a rhythm that will be imprinted on listeners’ brainwaves. – Adam Vallely
Microwave – Ferrari
Atlanta’s finest nihilists Microwave have dropped yet another emotional offering in the form of mellow ‘Ferrari’. Eminently experimental and wondrously woozy, the four piece play with trippy synths, delicate xylophones and slurred vocals steeped in reverb. A fair throw from the grungier, rockier tones fans have come to synonymise with Microwave, the band have shown through this tune and their last two offerings that they’re not shying away from exploring new musical terrains. Albeit simple at face value, there’s many layers and intricacies to focus on here. Close your eyes, put your headphones on, sit somewhere comfortable and soak this song in. Standing at just over two minutes and the overhanging lyrical emphasis on coming to terms with fear and telling it where to shove it, something about this feels very tone-setting. Could this be a potential new album opener? Only time will tell. – Katie Ashton
Blood Command – Losing Faith
A band more known for their absolutely belting death pop bangers, Blood Command are back with their first new track (Their recent covers excluded) since their last full length Praise Armageddonism and it’s a little different. A folk tinged ballad more reminiscent of Of Monsters and Men‘s slower material, ‘Losing Faith’ is an almost hypnotic, acoustic guitar driven track that brings some male vocals to the table, for the first time in their career. Nikki Brumen’s vocals are haunting, vulnerable and the undisputed star of the show here. There’s some country style guitar twangs scattered throughout and lyrically, it’s an introspective song that will no doubt tug on a good few heartstrings. While it’s doubtful their next release will be filled with tracks like this, the fact that Nikki, Yngve and co are unafraid to experiment and work in other genres bodes well for the band’s bright future. – Chris Earl
The Devil Wears Prada – Reaching
Metalcore’s own The Devil Wears Prada are here to gift us with new single ‘Reaching’ which is set to be on the Deluxe Edition of their latest release Color Decay. As if pulling the best parts of Dead Throne and Space EP and mashing them together, this song is the perfect blend of all things good in the The Devil Wears Prada. A catchy chorus rivalling equally catchy rhythm sections and finishing off with a very fitting breakdown; this is definitely worthy of being a called a bonus track and guaranteed to be huge if they decide to add it to live performances. The Devil Wears Prada have been a staple band for years and with this recent release, they’re proving exactly why that is. – Nathaniel Maure
RedHook – Imposter (feat. Yours Truly)
Australian alt rock outfit RedHook have released the latest single taken from their upcoming debut album Postcard from a Living Hell, and this time they’ve teamed up with one of the country’s fastest-rising and best pop punk bands in Yours Truly. A break-up anthem for the ages, it sees vocalist Emmy Mack trading vocal lines with Mikaila Delgado as they recount a relationship where the other person suddenly isn’t the person they thought they knew. As it enters with an upbeat, driving rhythm, Mack delivers barbs like “I can’t help but think you must be an imposter,” and in the second verse Delgado takes over, declaring in its prechorus “Can’t change your heart if you never had one from the start”. As Mack states of the inspiration behind the song, “there’s no head-fuck quite like discovering that the person you love most, and who you think you know better than anyone else, has been lying to you and manipulating you the entire time… We approached Mikaila to be involved because we love Yours Truly so much and thought her voice would sound amazing on the track. But what I didn’t realise was that she’d actually been going through an eerily similar situation to mine in her own personal life”. The two deliver a scathing put-down of manipulation and lying that’s sure to resonate with far too many people. – Will Marshall
Heart Attack Man – Freak of Nature
Ohio punk-rockers Heart Attack Man are back and have announced a brand spanking new album Freak of Nature, out May 26. The announcement comes paired with a titular track ‘Freak of Nature’, anthemic in nature, rife with fiery, groove-heavy riffs, rage and some serious Sum 41 spirit. Vocalist/guitarist Eric Egan states that it “is the most solidified Heart Attack Man song we’ve written to date”. A bold statement, and a huge insight to the type of sound we can come to expect from them on the new album. Freaks, weirdos, anyone who’s ever felt out of place – come forth and commune. This one’s for you. – Katie Ashton
Overkill – Wicked Place
New Jersey long-serving thrashers Overkill have been hanging out in thrash alley for 40 plus years, and like fellow comrades Exodus, they’re still uncompromisingly committed to thrashing like its 1985. Four years since The Wings of War, they return for their 20th album with the April release of Scorched on Nuclear Blast. ‘Wicked Place’ is a mighty energised multi-tempo taster, coolly shifting between gears, and hammering out the riffs with passion and grit, delivering a confident swinging groove. Bobby Blitz is having a ball, his gravel tones roll out lines like ‘Bloodlust, bureaucrat, pop pop-pop.’ It’s the sound of hardened veterans harnessing their experience to good effect, sounding prepped and ready for (more) action. No tired old men here; the Wrecking Crew are back roaring. – Andy Little
Grimelda – Freedom (feat. Telgate)
Unhinged Canadian art-punks Grimelda have teamed up with Welsh glam-punk band Telgate for a driving, noise filled statement piece in new track ‘Freedom’. With a stabbing guitar riff and relentless drums backing lyrics celebrating liberation and fighting the right wing propaganda machine, ‘Freedom’ builds up to a cathartic, climactic verse from Telgate‘s frontman Casper bringing a unique aggro-glam twist to the song’s peak, this final verse both cuts through the chaos and elevates the track with a succinct, powerful statement on queer freedom. Freedom delivers an unrelenting blast of punk energy with a timely and extremely relevant message, both Grimelda and Telgate should be bands to keep an eye on if this quality continues. – Tom Bruce