Knocked Loose, Dream Nails, Celestial Sanctuary, CLT DRP and More: New Noizze – The 25 Must-Listen Tracks Of The Week

It's a big 'un this week. Featuring a handful of tracks from last week, here's the 25 best singles of this week.

Knocked Loose – Deep in the Willow / Everything is Quiet Now

Rage. Speed. Fury. Knocked Loose is back and firing on all cylinders with two blistering new singles dropped with little warning. If ‘Deep in the Willow’ is the nuclear bomb, ‘Everything is Quiet Now’ is the post-apocalyptic wasteland that follows. Keeping things exciting, a thumping kick drum ties the two soundscapes together in furious harmony, all other sound dropping out after a call-out line that only a hardcore band could get away with. Laying down some disgusting riffs and beatdowns, whilst also showing the songwriting versatility they’ve honed over the years, the band have proven that they are still on top of their game and the scene in general. – Jude Bennett

Dream Nails – Good Guy

Three years on from their ferocious debut album, British DIY punk collective Dream Nails are back to point fingers and tear down fake allies. Incorporating both riotous guitar riffs and hard-hitting electronic influences, Dream Nails both reinvent and refine their sound effortlessly, confidently storming back in to hold self-identifying queer allies accountable while sharing their own experiences being harassed by “good guys”. The repeated line “It’s not a lone wolf it’s the whole damn pack/it’s not a bad apple it’s the whole damn tree” encapsulates the track’s message so elegantly, calling out men who claim to be feminists but whose actions prove them to be hypocrites. – Tom Bruce

Celestial Sanctuary – Biomineralization (Cell Death)

The New Wave of British Death Metal continues in earnest, with flagbearers (and the band that coined the term) Celestial Sanctuary returning with the first single from their hotly-anticipated second album. ‘Biomineralization (Cell Death)’ is as metal as as it sounds, being themed around a dystopian world where extracting the iron and copper from blood makes the best weaponry and armour around and, in the band’s words, “the usual apocalyptic shit ensues”. It’s as death metal as it gets, opening with pounding snare and chainsaw guitars before a furious, twin-lead riff caves in skulls. There’s squealing pinch harmonics, disgusting guttural roars and a mid-paced, churning groove that demands neck movement. If you love death metal and you don’t love them already – Celestial Sanctuary are your new favourite UK death metal band that aren’t called Bolt Thrower. – Will Marshall

Peach – Already There

Bristol quartet PEACH have quickly been generating a buzz about themselves on the underground scene, helped in large part with prior singles ‘Bad Touch’ and ‘I’m Scared’ as well as their unreasonably powerful live presence. New single ‘Already There’ takes things in a slightly different direction, sticking to a sleazy hard rock tempo for maximum boot stomping riffs, really showcasing their desert-rock and noise influences on their sleeves. At just over two-and-a-half minutes, its a short and sweet release that expresses a different side to the band, feeling more deliberate and groove focussed. Ellie Godwin’s vocals are unique as ever and really elevate the band to feel different from their contemporaries, helping with the flowing dynamic energy of the instrumentals that slowly build to a noise ravaged guitar solo to close the song. ‘Already There’ is well worth anyone’s time who want something a little different with their desert-riffs, they’ve got the live presence, they’ve got the singles, now we can only wait patiently for word on the debut album that will inevitably level buildings across the country. – Harry Shiels

CLT DRP – Nothing Clever, Just Feelings

New CLT DRP is always a good thing. Having just finished off their first headline tour of the UK, anticipation for any news on their follow up to their outstanding 2020 debut album Without The Eyes was starting to reach a fever pitch. Fortunately, now we not only have news, but the title track of the album in the form of the four-minute dance floor destroyer ‘Nothing Clever, Just Feelings’. Still featuring their unique signature sound of one-man guitar drive synth engine Scott Reynolds and Daphne Koskeridou’s hypnotising drum grooves, the band’s instrumentals feel decidedly poppier than they have so far, especially when the beat breaks half-way through for a tremolo synth driven dance beat. Vocalist Annie Dorrett’s powerful, personal lyricism and vocal performances still act as the beating heart and driving force of the bands ethos, with the instrumentals formed spectacularly around her vocal passages. CLT DRP have great things ahead of them, between this and previous single ‘New Boy’, September can’t come soon enough to experience what they have in store for their fans. – Harry Shiels

Sigur Rós – Blóðberg

Seemingly dropping out of absolutely nowhere before their extended summer tour schedule, Icelandic avant-garde ambient post-rock trio Sigur Rós surprised everyone by debuting their first new single in seven years: ‘Blóðberg’. Focussing on experimental ambient projects and commissioned compositions since the release of 2016’s non-album single ‘Óveður’, ‘Blóðberg’ sees Sigur Rós return to the swelling ambient soundscapes evoking a feeling of their early albums. Opening with airy synths and soft orchestral instrumentation, the seven minute track takes listeners on an emotional journey through ambient bliss, featuring vocalist Jón Þór “Jónsi” Birgisson’s signature falsetto’s and Icelandic lyrics and their dream like atmospherics before slowly building to the emotional climax at the end of the road. The real surprise came when shortly after releasing ‘Blóðberg’, the band announced their first studio album in ten years: ÁTTA. If ‘Blóðberg’ is anything to go by, then expect a return to their classic form and one of the best post-rock and ambient experiences of the year. – Harry Shiels

Mutoid Man –  Siren Song

Mutoid Man‘s second single from incoming album Mutants with newly added bassist Jeff Matz (also of High On Fire), ‘Siren Song’ is classic rock ‘n’ roll banger served up the mutoid way. Stephen Brodsky’s chugtacular riffs, laced later with stellar finger work, accompanied by his yearning falsetto come urgent vocals. This oozes acidic psychedelia which fits with the mesmerising video put together by Loverman. The trio continue to knock out songs like they are classics from a bygone era blasting out of that old tape deck your dad had when he was younger. Six years has been worth the wait for new material and a UK tour later this year. – Adam Vallely

Blanket – Blue Eyes

Post-rock and shoe gaze inspired alt-rock band Blanket have been quietly plugging away since the release of their 2021 album Modern Escapism. Seeing the Blackpool quartet experiment more with heavier atmospheres alongside their dreamy soundscapes and featuring collaborations with dark wave artists Gost and Kadeem France of Loathe, ‘Blue Eyes’ sees Blanket continue to push themselves into new territories. Opening with a riff that wouldn’t sound out of place at the start of a Mastodon track before breaking into a softer bass groove, Blanket play with textures and dynamics throughout, weaving soft vocals, catchy choruses and ambient soundscapes with screamed vocals and chunky, distorted, almost post-metal guitars. ‘Blue Eyes’ is a continuation of the band’s progressive tendencies and stalwart dedication to remaining fluid in their songwriting. Hopefully this is the first of many new singles that see the band continue to experiment and explore further expanding sonic textures and soundscapes. – Harry Shiels

JOHN – Service Stationed

The double J-whammy that are JOHN announced their fourth album A Life Diagrammatic alongside new single ‘Service Stationed’. Continuing to build on their post-punk locomotive sound with a nod to the likes of legends Joy Division, yet a feeling of the modern grey streets of the that surround us. John Newton’s ever galloping drums paired with Johnny Healey’s rhythmic guitar stylings they are more locked in than ever. Transitioning smoothly between sections with grace and style backed by the somewhat haunting backing vocals of ĠENN’s Leona Farrugia. This is more proof that the sometimes just two can be greater than a three, four or five.
The duo will continue to throw blood, sweat and tears into the coal fired engine through to their first U.S. tour later this year alongside Tunic. A well-deserved opportunity for all. – Adam Vallely

xMeans To An Endx – Despondence

Winnipeg has slowly but surely been making its name in hardcore across Canada and with that comes new single ‘Despondence’ by straight edge hardcore outfit xMeans To An Endx. Filled with anger and rage at every corner, vocalist Simone brings the heat with incredible shouts while the accompanying instrumentals give off an almost somber tone at times. Don’t worry, while still full of hardcore goodness, the track gives tastes of melodic hardcore, beatdown, and powerviolence all within its short minute and a half. Mixed and mastered by the talented Jordan Voth over at Ricochet Recordings, the production is top notch compared to other records among this scene. Perfectly raw and gritty while maintaining great production value, this track seems to have everything you’d want in a hardcore song. – Nathaniel Maure

Jim Lockey & The Solemn Sun – Medicine

To be put most simply, ‘Medicine’ is an ill-natured ode to powerlessness that, in thanks to its brilliance, sees the Jim Lockey & The Solemn Sun standing up there with fellow Cheltenham legends Crooks, Gustav Holt and that one dude that was in Motörhead. But seriously, ‘Medicine’ is a massive track that once again affirms this bands unique ability to mare subtle melancholy and melody. The latest single to be taken from the band’s first body of work in almost a decade Colour – released July 28th via Xtra Mile Recordings – the single wonderfully leads on from the Cheltonian bands previous single ‘Reno’ in the way it presents the bands newfound focus on dreamy and despondent indie-rock. “Medicine’ is an admission of feeling powerless; trying to gain perspective of where things went wrong but also understanding there’s little I can do to stop what’s on the horizon”, states Jim Lockey on the track. “Medicine’ is an admission of feeling powerless; trying to gain perspective of where things went wrong but also understanding there’s little I can do to stop what’s on the horizon”, states Jim Lockey on the track. “Sometimes the things you work hardest at are the things you’re most likely to lose. ‘You and I will never know why, we had it all and let it go’””

Luna Tunes – Don’t Panic

The debut track from Cardiff based experimental electronic musician Luna Tunes, ‘Don’t Panic’ is a wild ride, reflecting the uncertainty of life in your 20s. Unexpectedly jumping between genres from ambient to EDM, pop and experimental rock with constant shifts in tempo, the only constant being a frantic, swirling Geiger counter-sounding synth with the rest of the instrumentation swerving from sweeping electronics to grandiose brass and soft piano. It’s not an easy task summarising the strange, confusing chaos of early adult life in an instrumental track but it’s one that Luna Tunes confidently takes on while subtly paying homage to her alt-club background. – Tom Bruce

Humanity’s Last Breath – Instill

Following up their last single ‘Labyrinthian’, Humanity’s Last Breath give us another taste of the insanity to come. Still exploring their well-established sound of cinematic majesty and darkness, the band mix demonic chants worthy of an A24 horror movie soundtrack, with heavy methodical chugs and blackgaze blast beats. Instill carries an almost anthemic theme to it, further solidifying the band’s growing status as boundary pushers and genre-benders. Mangled and distorted guitars ring throughout the downtuned breakdowns, each twist and turn in the song keeping things not just interesting, but fascinating. The complexity in songwriting and the variation in sounds the band brings to the table help to push them further towards the spotlight, and there’s no doubt that if they keep up the creativity on future material, they’ll end up where they belong. – Jude Bennett

Crawlers – Messiah

Crawlers are back once more, following up their dreamy March single, ‘That Time Of Year Always’, with a killer alt rock anthem for self-destruction. ‘Messiah’ is a brutal, introspective track with lyricism that pulls absolutely no punches, dealing with being reckless just to feel some kind of thrill, and being dangerously attached to your own depression (‘Don′t tell me how to get better/You know that I love it when I’m getting sadder’). Gritty guitar riffs play out over simple, punchy percussion whilst vocalist Holly Minto harnesses her brooding lower register to deliver a compelling performance. The choruses are incredibly catchy, and the ‘Damn, off guard’ hook in the post-chorus is just begging to be roared by crowds at live shows. Crawlers have simply never sounded this massive. – Ryan Ward

Manchester Orchestra – Table for Glasses / Jimmy Eat World – Telepath

In anticipation of their US co-headline tour, Atlanta indie mainstays Manchester Orchestra and Arizona emo legends Jimmy Eat World have traded covers of deep cuts from each other’s back catalogues. Manchester Orchestra take on ‘Table for Glasses’, the opening track from the underrated Clarity, while Jimmy Eat World put their own spin on ‘Telepath’ from The Million Masks of God. It’s fascinating to see the two acts find common ground in each other’s genres, with each mining deep cuts for a track that fits within their range. Manchester Orchestra’s understated indie rock stylings fit the slower, angst driven ‘Table for Glasses’ far better than it would’ve one of Jimmy Eat World’s more upbeat, guitar driven hits, embracing the airy, ambient feel of the original, augmenting the sound with tight, muffled drumming, subtle lead guitar lines and layered backing vocals. Jimmy Eat World’s cover of ‘Telepath’ transforms the singer-songwriter style acoustic track into an anthemic emo banger complete with soaring guitar solo, hard-hitting riffs and punchy drums. It’s a genius move to drop these covers right before their co-headline tour kicks off as fans of one artist are bound to find a lot to love in the other’s version of their favourite deep cut. – Tom Bruce

Paleface – Please End Me

Coming in with ferocious intent is the Swiss powerhouse Paleface with their hard hitting new single ‘Please End Me’, full of everything a beatdown/deathcore fan looks for in modern beatdown and then some. Instrumentals pound intently with a nice groove that makes it fun and slammy. All the while vocalist Marc Zellweger leads the front with an absolute rabid vocal approach. A style similar to Spite, though Paleface seem to have taken that approach and improved on it tremendously with this new single. Coupled with a music video produced by AMP, these guys seem to be going all out for this album cycle and it seems t be working perfectly. – Nathaniel Maure

King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard – Dragon

The second single off King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard‘s latest album is ‘Dragon’ and it starts in typically saturated psychedelic fashion before dropping into a chanted build up, ‘petro, petro dragon apocalypse’. What comes next might surprise a few people, a riff straight form the Kurt Ballou of Converge playbook, it’s hasty, it’s direct and it gets you hyped in a way only King Gizz can. Although the song is a hefty nine minutes long, it doesn’t feel like it, as the band slip seamlessly between Led Zeppelin hard rock and more modern riffs, the varied and eclectic mash of styles that they’re known for coming to the front. – Rob Bown

Horrendous – Cult of Shaad’oah

Horrendous queue up their second single off of the much anticipated Ontological Mysterium out later this year. As the song fades in the hearty reverby growls and opening riffs harken back to a time of cut off denim with no t-shirt, headscarves, tight light denim and massive white high tops. Horrendous have a very specific brand of death metal; they’d be as at home supporting Mercyful Fate in the 80s as they would Death in the 90s, and this new single doesn’t veer from this although they seem to be getting more and more progressive with each release. The virtuosos guitar playing is still there with the soaring solo, and it has headbanging riffs in spades all backed up by the unique screamed vocals and drumming to die for. – Rob Bown

Outergods – Tangled in the Cogs of the Nightmare Machine

Extreme metal newcomers Outergods grace us with their new single, ‘Tangled in the Cogs of the Nightmare Machine,’ and it’s a doozy. Blackened death metal riffing with a huge side helping of soaring heavy metal-esque leads drag you through a winding maze of tortured vocals and dissonant chords before slamming you face first into some chugging pinch harmonic ridden madness. The song, like the band name summons up unspeakable horror, ending in a screeching mid tempo cacophony that should only be listened to by the brave. They’ve already got a few gigs under their belt, notably playing alongside Live Burial and Iron Tomb last year, and with the release of this new single they no doubt deserve more. – Rob Bown

PUP – How to Live With Yourself

Canadian punk rock quartet PUP are one of the hardest working bands on the scene. Having only released their fourth album The Unraveling of PUPTheBand just over a year ago, they still managed to find the time to compile and release a handful of B-sides from that album session between their relentless touring schedule. ‘How to Live With Yourself’ is another bittersweet helping of catchy punk-hooks between the emotional and snark-tinged lyricism fans have come to expect. With more memorable guitar melodies and sing-along choruses, the track fits in effortlessly with the band’s past works and makes for a wonderful stop-gap between projects for PUP while they continue to work through this touring cycle and push towards what’s next. – Harry Shiels

Decrepit Youths – Loose Ends

‘Loose Ends’ is the debut single from Newcastle alt-rock upstarts Decrepit Youths, a fresh band dual fronted by experienced vocalists Connor Pattison and David Stoker. They’ve been biding their time, writing, recording with a plan to take the rock scene by storm with a slurry of new releases coming roughly every month or so. ‘Loose Ends’ kickstarts the bands career with high octane, riffy and ready energy, an explosive burst of highly produced adrenaline that dances the line between timeless radio rock and stage destroying heavy metal. (Think along the lines of more recent Architects and Bring Me The Horizon material, tinged with the groove of Royal Blood and Himalayas). This is just a teaser of what’s to come from this plucky five piece, who pull their prowess from numerous previous projects and time spent in and around the scene. It’s hard to tell from such an early point in their journey what kind of trajectory Decrepit Youths will launch towards, but ‘Loose Ends’ is certainly a rock solid beginning for a band whose name you’ll surely start seeing appear all over the alternative music scene before too long. – Elliot Grimmie

The Young Hearts – A Charmed Society

Inspired by work related burnout and a tragic encounter with the seemingly random patterns death leaves in it’s week, the latest single from The Young Hearts is an authentically heartfelt punk anthem that implores one to make the most out of today for we truly don’t know if we’ll see tomorrow. Harkening thoughts of bands such as The Gaslight Anthem, Junior and The Lawrence Arms in thanks to it’s minor-keyed take on anthemic punk, ‘A Charmed Society’ is brilliant track that’s animated with a sense of genuine urgency that should resonate with many currently working themselves to the bone. “The pandemic hugely impacted everyone’s lives in many different ways, states frontman Craig Lawrence on the track. “For me personally, I was still able to work, and with everything else so restricted, I took the opportunity to earn a bit extra, for whatever the future held at this point. From that moment, I slipped into a habit of working 60-70 hours, six days a week, for the next two years. It left me with no time or energy for a life outside of my job, I wasn’t playing music anymore or doing anything I enjoyed, basically burning myself out for money. During this time, someone I worked with, a similar age to myself, tragically passed away, completely out of the blue, with a young family at home. There were no warning signs, one day he was at work, the next he wasn’t, and it knocked me for six. It was a huge wake up call that made me realise I couldn’t carry on living my life that way, and completely missing out on the things I really cared about. ‘A Charmed Society’ is an anthem for everyone who struggles with that balance between making a living and living life. However old you are, it is never too late to pursue the things you’re passionate about, and that make you happy. At some point, we’re not gonna be around anymore, so why wait to make the most of all the things that make life worth living.” – Dan Hillier

Nightlives – Reason (To Feel Alive)

An unapologetically larger-than-life mashup of the self-destructive sultriness of Nine Inch Nails, the sugar-rush of Enter Shikari and the fang-bared urbanite stomp of Hacktivist, the latest single from Cardiff’s Nightlives is track engineered for the chaos that can only achieved in a live setting. Displaying all of their evident inspirations in a fashion that’s hasty yet intricate, ‘Reason (To Feel Alive)’ is a strobing and technicolour flurry of nu-metal riffs, EDM sequences and pulsating industrial textures that perfectly present’s Nightlives cyberpunk aesthetic. Those local to South Wales will undoubtedly no what awaits with this track, but for those still be acquainted to Nightlives, ‘Reason (To Feel Alive)’ is a wonderful and rowdy introduction to a band utterly devoted to energy. – Dan Hillier

Monasteries – Alone and Against

It’s been a while since Monasteries dropped their last track ‘Lilac’. Leaving a techy and sometimes ignorantly heavy hole in a lot of listeners lives – but fear not, they have returned with one of their most well rounded efforts to date. With elements of their identity still allowed to hold weight but an offering of intelligent writing alongside this is what makes it as good as it is. A well-produced video and some of the nastiest riffs you’ll hear for a while hold up pillars of quality, so fans of genres from metalcore through to slam will find a home in this rager. With Tech Fest approaching and insider information suggesting a setlist packed with brand new material is on the agenda, there’s never been a better time to sink your teeth into a chunk of tech-death flesh with Monasteries. ‘Alone and Against’ is a statement of intent and proves Monasteries have a finger on the pulse of the heavy music scene. While thousands of people wait for new apocalyptically heavy music every day, its easy to see this track taking off with ease. – Jasper Harmer

The Halluci Nation & Fucked Up – John Wayne Was A Nazi

The stars have aligned and two Canadian legends have come together to deliver a new take on a punk classic. This is the second collaborative cover that DJ duo The Halluci Nation and experimental hardcore icons Fucked Up have released in the lead up to their co-headline tour, previously covering Dangerous Rhythm’s Electroshock. The combination of The Halluci Nation’s chaotic beats, intense screamed vocals from Fucked Up’s Damian Abraham and MDC’s original politically charged lyrics make for a powerhouse performance. This is the best kind of unexpected collaboration, with two artists coming together from completely different genres to make something personal and unique. – Tom Bruce