Heriot, Ihsahn, Graphic Nature, Vukovi and More: New Noizze – The 35 Must-Listen Tracks of the Week

A big bumper edition today. Here's the best singles of the past two weeks.

Heriot – Soul Chasm

British breakout stars Heriot have just signed a huge new deal with Century Media, and to celebrate it they’ve dropped standalone single ‘Soul Chasm’. Leaning into their death metal influences more than ever, but still retaining the industrialised metallic hardcore bite we know and love, there’s chainsaw riffing aplenty, dual vocals, squealing guitars and Debbie Gough unleashes some hellacious, grimy screams. At a mid-paced groove, ‘Soul Chasm’ spends its time grinding you down through sheer sonic attrition, its opening riff and closing electronics bookending a song that shows a huge step in songwriting for the band. Heriot have already had a stellar 18 months since debut EP Profound Morality demolished an unsuspecting scene, but 2024 is sure to be an even bigger year. – Will Marshall

Ihsahn – Pilgrimage to Oblivion

Few names conjure as much reverance in the extreme metal world as Ihsahn. Part of the seminal black metal group Emperor, over the last decade and a half the man has became a solo artist whose work has taken him to places fans never thought possible during his kvlt days. The first track from his upcoming self-titled record, ‘Pilgrimage to Oblivion’ is available in both a prog metal and orchestral variant. Both are fantastically grandiose, the metal version in particular featuring classic black metal blast beats, shrieked vocals and machine gun riffs. At times apocalyptic, at times hideously beautiful, there’s an almost welcoming quality to it, as if this is just the beginning of a journey. When the record releases in February, this is one trip that you must take, for there is no doubt it will be like anything else you’re likely to hear in 2024. – Chris Earl

HEALTH – Unloved / Demigods

Industrial noise crew HEALTH continue their relentless previews of new album Rat Wars, dropping ‘DEMIGODS’ & ‘’UNLOVED’. The former a brooding, haunting epic invading the airwaves like an otherworldly master of space and time. The latter taking their beats to the dance floors of the underground. Pulsating beats that would get the vampires in Blade bumping and/or grinding before Wesley Snipes bathes in their blood. – Adam Vallely

Mutes – Mere Slaughter

Birmingham noisey post-punk outfit Mutes have been flying under the radar for a few years now but with their fourth album, en route for release in 2024, has ears a tingling with the new single ‘Mere Slaughter’. A discordant piece with abrasive guitars and vocals. It builds into an anguished and angry delivery fitting for the message of society’s decline. With an added pumping bassline towards the end this is certainly a track to unleash that pent up rage inside. – Adam Vallely

Better Lovers – Two Alive Amongst the Dead

One of the biggest, most welcome surprises of the last year was the emergence of Better Lovers, a veritable metalcore supergroup. Comprising former members of Every Time I Die with the vocal talents of Greg Puctacio, their debut EP was a revelation of scathing lyrics and phenomenal riffs. Promising that a full length isn’t too far away, they’ve gave us an early Christmas present with a new standalone single, ‘Two Alive Amongst The Dead’. A continuation of the chaos from the EP, it nevertheless shows an increase in confidence of the members as a unit and feels more cohesive as a result. Greg is in full snotty, aggro mode and there’s very little crooning on this mathy blast of riffs and jarring time signatures. These guys know that the appetite for their work is at a fever pitch so it doesn’t seem like it’ll be too long before we get more from them. – Chris Earl

Vukovi – Mercy Kill

Ahead of their upcoming tour in support of Babymetal, accompanied by two Glasgow headline shows, VUKOVI have dropped a massive new single in the form of ‘Mercy Kill’. Huge drums pound out a waltzing rhythm beneath waves of glittering synths wrapped around arena-sized riffs. Vocalist Janine Shilstone performs with a visceral desperation as she confesses to the depths of her obsession with a lover. It’s a perfect combination of her signature bombastic lyrical delivery, and some of her most compelling vocal work to date. A welcome addition to the band’s increasingly accomplished discography. – Ryan Ward

Arxx – Baby Uh Huh (Feat. Ailbhe Reddy, Cherym, Phoebe Green, Beth White, Merpire Belot SOFT LAD, crysometimes, CLT DRP and Ida Just)

For established listeners and devotees of the Brighton queer alternative scene, the absurd number of guest features on this track shouldn’t be the first thing to grab one’s attention; it would be how ‘Baby Uh Huh’ was actually released earlier this year, sans guests. However, released in aid of We Exist and the curial work they conduct in providing mutual aid to trans, non-binary and intersex people, the South Coast Power Pop duo Arxx have reengineered the track with some of the best queer talent and friends from all across the UK. The end result is reimagining of the track that bolsters it’s inherent queer joy and is infused with genuine chemistry. “We were looking at the world around us, at all the attacks on Queer lives and in particular Trans lives and we wanted to do something to show our support with our Queer community”, state the band on the track. “‘Baby Uh Huh’ is about finding the right people to surround yourself with to make you a better version of yourself, which is a very Queer experience.  We chose a bunch of our friends who are Queer artists to sing on this record and celebrate Queerness whilst raising money for a really important Trans healthcare charity. A donation and half of the proceeds from this record will go to We Exist and further donations can be made on our Bandcamp.” – Dan Hillier

Gost – Prophecy

The slasherwave prodigy returnth. Inhabiting a sacred intersection where the laylines of black metal and synthwave meet, Gost has long been the subject of both intrigue and allure in the way they chemically amalgamate the two genres without comprising their unique and contrastive elements. ‘Prophecy’, their latest single, is a testament to that. The title track of their forthcoming record – released via Metal Blade March 4th – ‘Prophecy’ see’s the darkwave multi-instrumentalist returning to the withered, buried and dark roots of the project to not only dreg up the obsidian bleakness that first shocked listeners upon the project’s inception, but to offer a record that documents the revival of the Satanic Panic. “It’s about an imaginative fall of the Western civilization, the biblical end of the world – the rise of Satan and Armageddon,” says Gost on Prophecy. “In America, there’s been a big rise of scared, reactive Christianity again, and almost like a re-emergence of the Satanic Panic. So it felt like an appropriate time to bring Satan back into things.” – Dan Hillier

Escuela Grind – Ball and Chain

New Hampshire grinders Escuela Grind have been absolutely crushing it this year, playing a plethora of shows to rabid fans all across North America and further afield. Now they continue this trend with a brand new single titled ‘Ball and Chain’. The first single off the group’s upcoming EP DDEEAATTHHMMEETTAALL, it’s full of throw back deathcore influence like I Declare War and The Acacia Strain with hints of modern hardcore. Truly a combination pulled off with ease by the four piece unit. Vocals boom through every second while down tuned guitars and slamming drums follow close behind, a sound any core fan will be able to get behind. – Nathaniel Maure

Graphic Nature – Fractured

Closing out the biggest year of their career so far, British nu-core youngsters Graphic Nature have dropped a brand new track. Ahead of a massive headline show at Camden’s Underworld, ‘Fractured’ offers a chunky, heavy slab of the band’s baggy pants influenced metal. As always, it’s lyrically a dive into the mind of frontman Harvey Freeman, mixing fury with a vulnerability rarely seen in the genre. Scatterings of electronics and a hefty swing carry the track, and it can be chalked up as another banger for the group. 2023 was a year that catapulted the band from promising upstarts to one of the most exciting bands in the British heavy scene, and 2024 will hopefully keep them on an upward trajectory. – Chris Earl

Shooting Daggers – Not My Rival

Released as part of a split-single with Ukrainian riot grrl thrashers Death Pill, Shooting Daggers continue their uphold their status as one of the UK’s most exciting punk bands with ‘Not My Rival’. Urging women everywhere to stop bringing each other down in order to focus their rage on dismantling the malegaze and a track that enlivens the cultural sorority that is the queerpunk scene as a living organism, ‘Not My Rival’ is a gritty and flamboyant flurry of unfiltered hardcore. Those loyal to the UK scene will no doubt be familiar with the prowess of this band, but with this track and the band’s forthcoming new LP due next year, Shooting Daggers will soon engulf all in their incendiary queer hardcore. – Dan Hillier

RedHook – Tourist

Australia’s music scene is packed with talent, and RedHook are one of its breakout stars. Releasing debut album Postcard From A Living Hell earlier this year, they took the alternative world by storm and have already released a new single, though one taken from the Postcard sessions. ‘Tourist’ is what vocalist Emmy Mack calls her “Olivia Rodrigo moment, the pour-your-guts-out breakup anthem” as she excoriates a narcissistic, controlling ex-partner. A heavy, alt-rock anthem, it’s got attitude in spades, anthemic melodies and a chorus that’ll stick in your head for days. – Will Marshall

Many Eyes – Mystic Cord

Amidst the fallout from ETID splitting up, much the focus fell on one man, the generational wordsmith that was Keith Buckley. What would be next from a man whose lyrics and southern fried vitriolic delivery defined a band so legendary? Well, as first single ‘Revelation’ and this new track ‘Mystic Chord’ show from his new band Many Eyes, he’s not lost a step. Opening to some punky bass and jaunty drums, his melody and bile greets you like an old friend. As usual, his words are steeped in metaphor and mystique and while you think you know what he’s yelling about, you really don’t. That’s always been a part of Keith’s beauty as an artist. “You will not be punished so you will not be saved” screamed over squealing guitars is the high point of the track and, much like the other project to come out of the split, fans wait with bated breath for what’s to come next. – Chris Earl

Take The Crown – Call to Arms (Take the Crown)

One of the most active, vibrant scenes in hardcore right now is based in Ontario, Canada. Bursting at the seams with DIY bands, the sound ranges from the punkier, faster hardcore to downright brutal at times beatdown. Take The Crown are one of the newer collectives in the scene, though their members boast a wealth of experience. ‘Call To Arms (Take The Crown) is the first fruit of their labours and starts off, like all good hardcore songs, by screaming the band’s name. With driving riffs, chunky bass and a hellacious stomp, the band announce themselves in style. With some clean backing vocals making an appearance, it gives a hint towards the band not being afraid to bring melody into proceedings. It’s early days and the band are still finding their collective feet, but as far as first statements go, this is a massive one. Don’t take your eyes off Take The Crown. – Chris Earl

Enforced – Casket

Like crossover thrash? Of course you do, and so do Enforced. New single ‘Casket’ is everything you could want from the band and the genre; snarling vocals, frantic, blistering riffs and million-miles-an-hour drumming that shift into neck-snapping groove on a dime. It’s also the perfect length, barely hitting the two minute mark before a gunshot snare bomb ends its rampage. They might’ve only released their latest album, War Remains, earlier this year but ‘Casket’ shows there’s still enough fire in the band for one last salvo to close out the year in typically belligerent fashion. – Will Marshall

Bleeding Through – On Wings of Lead

The second track to be given a modern sheen from Bleeding Through‘s classic album This Is Love, This Is Murderous is ‘On Wings Of Lead’. A more melodic and keyboard driven track than ‘Love Lost in a Hail of Gunfire’, it features one of the band’s biggest choruses of their whole career. Whether these tracks will end up being part of a full album rerecording is anyone’s guess, but the way in which they’ve been expertly recreated with love is a perfect way to introduce younger fans to their classic work. Now, all we need is for the band to bring the This Is Love… album shows to the UK (Outbreak 2024, we’re just saying) and we can fully celebrate one of the best metalcore albums ever released. – Chris Earl

Indevth – Lurk

Formerly known as Dreameater, southern British metalcore crew INDEVTH have released their most musically and lyrically track to date in ‘Lurk’. With lyrics that deal with the inner torment of anxiety, vocalist Sam Culverwell is at his most exposed and its a track that will surely resonate with others. It doesn’t reinvent any wheels, but when it’s a no holds barred, cathartic slab of good old English heavy music, it doesn’t need to. It stomps, it growls, it spits right into your face with unbridled fury and shows that since the name change, the band are going from strength to strength. Finishing off 2023 with two massive gigs, all eyes will be on the band in the new year to capitalise on the momentum from this track and the previous two under their new moniker. – Chris Earl

Tokyo Toy Company – Lil Time

A peculiar name for a band yes, but upon hearing their latest single, the namesake of Tokyo Toy Company makes perfect sense. The latest single from the Bristolian twinkly math-rock group, ‘Lil Time’ pays credence to this act’s ability to engineer intricate, wholesome and haplessly engaging of youthful math-pop with seemingly little to no effort. It may be relatively early days for the band – with ‘Lil Time’ being the band’s third single to be released – but with the group recently displaying their fluid take on the genre at shows alongside the likes of Lakes, FES, Regal Cheer and others, it’s transparent that Tokyo Toy Company are set to be another great fixture of the South West math-rock scene in swift time. – Dan Hillier

Dune Rats – Be Like You

The welcoming warmth of summer may now be a distant and longing memory now that the desolation of winter has arrived, but fear not as Dunnies are back with another sun-kissed single. The latest single from the Brisbane punk trio and their first original material since the release of their 2022 LP Real Rare Whale, ‘Be Like You’ is the full encapsulation of what makes Dune Rats just so damn fun. Fuelled by slightly intoxicated energy, full of ear-burrowing hooks and chemically bonded by the chemistry that has characterised their shows on our shores this year, ‘Be Like You’ is a hot flurry of good-natured punk tomfoolery. With the cold of the winter set to shape our existence for the next several months, ‘Be Like You’ is set to be a jolt of warmth that many will return to over the span of this wintry season. – Dan Hillier

Alpha Wolf – Bring Back the Noise

Alpha Wolf marry nu-metal and 2010s metalcore perfectly on their new single “Bring Back the Noise”. Other bands have done the same and done it well, but Alpha Wolf prove with this lean song that they are already one of the best bands to help deliver nu-core to the masses. The song begins like the rumble of a distant train, but it’s closer than you think and the noise slams into you at 100 mph. Lochie Keogh’s vocals are vicious, while electronic touches catch the ear and make the guitars sound even heavier. Just past the two-minute mark, the ferocious track closes out with screeching guitars. If Alpha Wolf want to bring back the noise, then good luck stopping them. – Josiah Aden

Darkest Hour – Perpetual Terminal

Legendary At The Gates worshippers Darkest Hour are back with their first new material since the astonishingly heavy Godless Prophets And Migrant Fauna in 2017. The question on everyone’s lips is, what will the band bring us after the longest ever gap between records? The answer is a slab of classic Darkest Hour. ‘Perpetual Terminal’, the title track from their upcoming tenth album, opens with some massive guitar work before those instantly recognisable vocals kick in. John Henry’s barks haven’t changed since their debut and you wouldn’t want them to. Perhaps not as instantly brutal as their last record, it nonetheless barrels along with some air guitar worthy moments and catchy vocal hooks. With classic metalcore making a massive comeback as of late, there’s no better time for one of the standout bands in the scene to return and show the whippersnappers how it’s done. – Chris Earl

Losing Sight – There Will Be Blood

Aidan Macqueen, Jameson Berry, Matt Dyer, and Greg Jewell are the components that make London, ON’s Losing Sight the powerhouse it is today. Constantly dropping banger after banger, that remains the case with their newest single “There Will Be Blood”. Opting for a more hardcore approach, this beatdown/metalcore unit gives it their all and more. Mixed and mastered by the amazingly talented Matt Guglielmo of The Acacia Strain and END, you’d would be sleeping heavily on this new single to not give it a listen at least one time. Full of influence from what sounds like Sworn In, Dealer, and END; “There Will Be Blood” proves to be some of the best music of this Forest City foursome’s careers. – Nathaniel Maure

Midas Fall – Cold Waves Divide Us

The title track of their upcoming fifth studio record – released March 8th via Monotreme Records – Scotland’s Midas Fall demonstrate their flawless understanding of progressive post rock with their captivating new single. Further strengthening the tidal swellings of noise found within their award winning last record Evaporate, ‘Cold Waves Divide Us’ is a visceral and beautiful aura of splendour that see’s Midas Fall in their most confident form, with the brooding keys, strings and pulsating synths present dancing ethereally alongside the soaring vocals of Elizabeth Heaton. Should one not be acquainted with Midas Fall whilst being an admirer of acts such as Nordic Giants, Exploring Birdsong and Collapse Under The Empire, then ‘Cold Waves Divide Us’ is brilliant introduction articulated with pure progressive elegance. – Dan Hillier

Ghaul – A328

Western Canada’s Ghaul has delivered some fantastic hardcore with the release of their newest single ‘A328’. Hailing from Vancouver, these British Columbia mainstays have yet to disappoint and the release of “A328” only adds to that statement. Full of influence from what sounds like Death Before Dishonor and Hold My Own, Ghaul is clearly working tirelessly to bring some well deserved attention to western Canada’s prominent hardcore scenes. Some raw vocals with a crisp delivery balance perfect with the epic riffing that can be heard while drums are crushing it the entire song. With a mix done just right on top of it all, “A328” has the potential to be a fan favourite. – Nathaniel Maure

Kaonashi – Humiliation Ritual

Releasing possibly their angriest track to date is Philadelphia’s Kaonashi with ‘Humiliation Ritual’. A continuation of the story of Lemon House, which follows main character Mattie Montgomery, this track takes a deeper look into the struggles of their past. With a heavy story such as this, it’s only fitting that the corresponding music is just as heavy. The track is essentially one massive breakdown spanning its entire three minutes. Guitars rip from start to finish as drum work absolutely smashes through every second. Vocalist Peter Rono also delivers an amazing brutal performance detailing the once antagonist’s past in an almost Keith Buckley type of way. – Nathaniel Maure

Northlane – Dante

Continuing down a path that refuses to be defined by clear boundaries or genre, Northlane return with their blood-pumping anthem ‘Dante’. Spacious, synth-led verses collide with soaring choruses buoyed by furious percussion that wouldn’t go amiss on a Pendulum track. Vocalist Marcus Bridge showcases his phenomenal clean vocals with one of his most impressive performances to date, particularly as he vaults into huge, belted notes during the choruses. It’s not just showboating, however; there’s a real emotive weight as he reconciles doing what is best for himself with the negative reactions from those close to him. By the serene closing moments that are punctuated by birdsong, it’s clear that Northlane remain leagues ahead of many of their peers. – Ryan Ward

DemsFightinWords x No Face No Case – Busted Lip

Ending the year on a proper note is DemsFightinWords and No Face No Case with their newest collaboration ‘Busted Lip’. A four minute assault of absurdly heavy beatdown, this Indiana foursome have reached another level with this one. Insane vocal talent from the very start with some delirious breakdowns, the addition of No Face No Case makes this one that much better. Prague meets US beatdown with ease; both similar styles yet different in their own respect making this a perfect collaboration track to end the year on. – Nathaniel Maure

Sunspear – Purgatory

On their latest song ‘Purgatory’, Northern California metalcore band Sunspear deliver classic melodic ‘core, fantastic riffing, and addictive vocal tones. This banger opens with slow electric arpeggiated chords and vocal “oohs”, underpinned by distant atmospheric synths, but all elements of the intro are subsumed by a monster riff and powerful roar. Naturally, there’s a “blegh”, though one quickly overtaken by a catchy melody that transitions into the song’s best-roared lyrics: “No closer to heaven than I am to hell”. This is a don’t-miss song and band for all fans of heavy melodic music. – Josiah Aden

Defects – Broken Bloodlines

Released just prior to their tour with Of Mice And Men and dropping just after the formal announcement of their inclusion within the ranks of next year’s Download Festival, UK metalcore starlings Defects are displaying their promise with their new single ‘Broken Bloodlines’. A track that documents the desperate powerlessness that comes from watching friends and family indulge in self-destructive actives, ‘Broken Bloodlines’ see’s the band meld the lacerating riffs of Lamb Of God with the modern metalcore stylings of acts such as Architects and bands of their ilk, ‘Broken Bloodlines’ is a track that characterises the promise of not just Defects as a collective, but the next wave of national metalcore as a whole. – Dan Hillier

The Fractured – Headspace

The Fractured are working their way up the ladder to being one of Toronto’s better metalcore acts in some time. Further proving that point is ‘Headspace’, the newest single from the group. What feels like Forevermore, Currents, and Fit For A King blend together, delivering a battering slab of nostalgic metalcore. Vocalist Dean Baetz absolutely crushes their end of the bargain from the very start, displaying a wide variety of vocal talent behind the mic. From the music itself to the production side of things, “Headspace” proves a track can be well polished and still sounds raw and heavy all at once. Expect more great things from The Fractured in the near future if this is the direction they’re heading down. – Nathaniel Maure

Enterprise Earth – The Reaper’s Servant

American deathcore four piece Enterprise Earth are back with ‘The Reaper’s Servant’, the first track off their anticipated 2024 album, Death: An Analogy, featuring the ferocious Darius Tehrani of Spite. From the off, it’s pretty evident Enterprise Earth are staying true to their aggressive style, plunging you headfirst into violent chugs a minute in. This quintessential deathcore track features an impressive solo, a heavy guttural kissed breakdown and a kind-of-catchy, melodic chorus. Tehrani’s vocals are a fantastic addition, effortlessly punching through and fitting exceptionally into the track. If this is paving the way for what’s yet to come, next year’s album is going to slap. – Amy Bowles

The Halo Effect – The Defiant One

Who would have thought that in 2022 a melodeath supergroup would drop one of the albums of the year? Featuring legendary Swedish metallers Mikael Stanne and Jesper Strömblad to name but two, The Halo Effect‘s debut, ‘Days Of The Lost’ was a rollicking effort, making the genre sound more vital than it has in years while still retaining that classic Scandinavian edge. While ‘The Defiant One” may not be brand new to longtime fans as it’s been in their live set for a while, it’s now got an official release. Famed for his work in Dark Tranquillity, Stannes raspy growl mixed with Gothenburg riffs is always a recipe for a good time. The ‘don’t fail me’ hook will be stuck in your head for days and you’ll probably even find yourself throwing some air guitar licks to the almost NWOBHM chorus. With a sophomore effort surely on the horizon, it may take some old hands to bring melodeath back to the masses in 2024 but those hands are safe as houses. – Chris Earl

Psycho-Frame – Beaten Beyond Identification

Recently featured in a Revolver list of the 5 best current deathcore bands (no mean feat for a band without a full length out) , Psycho-Frame have decided to go full ignorant slam on the latest single from their second EP Automatic Death Protocol out December 8th. ‘Beaten Beyond Identification’ features Waking The Cadaver and, to put it bluntly, it’s absolutely disgusting. Trashcan snares, pig squeals and unintelligible gutturals are the order of the day here, with an audio clip of what seems to be someone being murdered ushering in a sickening breakdown that rivals the Orphan EP from earlier this year. You’ll feel dirty after listening to it, but you’ll go back to it again and again. One of the most unhinged pieces of music you’ll hear all year, that does more in two and a half minutes than most deathcore bands do in a full length. – Chris Earl

Sunflo’er – fifty ways to leave a housefire / where do my children go at night?

With a new EP on the horizon, Potsdam based mathcore outfit Sunflo’er have kicked off this new era with two back-to-back singles. Commencing with ‘fifty ways to leave a housefire’, the band lean far more into their experimental side, with complex and intricate arrangements layered between simple, violent, hardcore rage; math rock tinted guitar riffs alongside blistering punk percussion. The band capture the essence of sacrificing personal meaning for the 9-to-5 perfectly with lyricism that almost borders on stream-of-consciousness. ‘where do my children go at night?’ is a far more raucous affair, immediately exploding with a guttural fury carried by a simply incendiary guitar riff. It’s not long, however, before the track unfurls into a genuinely beautiful and raw second half that builds with irreverent noise; screeching guitars slamming into pummelling percussion whilst vocalist Jeff Lyszczarz proclaims ‘You are the brightest thing I know: headlights in the oncoming lane’. – Ryan Ward

Glass Heart – Letting Go

Alternative Rock outfit Glass Heart have released their new single ‘Letting Go’, a song that shows their growth as a band as well as encapsulating the essence of their core sound. With a soaring chorus and emotionally charged lyrics, ‘Letting Go’ navigates the complex terrain of bidding farewell to a cherished aspect of one’s life, symbolizing the transformative journey towards self-discovery. This is somewhat apt given that ‘Letting Go’ feels like Glass Heart’s most accomplished and confident single to date. Adamross Williams (Vocals) takes a brave and noticeable boost in confidence vocally, offering up harsh vocals and an air of experimentation in both melody and range. It is by no means a departure from the band’s sound but definitely diversifies it and offers something fresh. The band say the song serves as a poignant reminder that sometimes, in order to evolve, one must release the familiar and embrace the unknown. Perhaps this a statement to consider when you scream your lungs out to this absolute banger. – Jac Holloway