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Metal

Eville unleashed a champion heavyweight earworm with their ragefully incandescent brat metal hit, Leech

Posted on 4 October 2023

After driving drum n bass breakbeats through the prelude, the Brighton trio Eville underpinned their vengeantly furore-fuelled pop-hooked single, Leech, with industrial nu-metal volition to deliver one of the most vindicating hits of 2023.

So much more than your average brat metal Barbie, the lead singer, songwriter, and guitarist Eva Sheldrake became a fierce icon of the alt-metal scene with Leech. Hell hath no fury like a woman free from toxicity and vehemently determined to raise others to her own level of empowerment. With the instrumentals mainlining adrenaline into your rhythmic pulses, the track monolithically unravelled as the ultimate protest to subjugation via manipulation.

Fans of Slipknot, Powerman 5000, and In This Moment won’t fail to accommodate the infectious and ragefully incandescent single on their playlists. It almost seems a paradox to describe such an instrumentally heavy single as radio-ready, but there’s no disputing the mainstream appeal or quality of the production, which was ensured by Jamie Sellers at Run Wild Music, who has worked with everyone from Ed Sheeran to Elton John to Little Simz.

Eva Sheldrake of Eville Said:

“Leech is very special to me; it’s an emotionally raw track through determination to make the lyrics real, no matter how uncomfortable that reality may be.

I hope listeners take as much from it as I did by relating through experience with inner conflict and toxic situations that are hard to escape. As always, our producer, Jamie Sellers, brought our vision to life more viscerally than we could have imagined.”

Leech will officially release on October 20; pre-save the single on all major platforms via this link.

Keep up to date with the latest releases from Eville via Instagram and Facebook or join their legion of followers on TikTok.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Abyssal Voyage – Step: Nu-Metal As You’ve Never Known It Before

Posted on 26 September 2023

After swinging onto the airwaves with their debut single, Time, in June the Floridian five-piece, Abyssal Voyage, has amplified their eclecticism by unveiling their multifaceted beast of a sophomore rock-metal mash-up, Step.

With angularly cold lead guitars that throw you all the way back to when Korn held dominion over the alternative scene around the Pantera reminiscent aggression in the verses, the choruses were the perfect opportunity to impale the track with razor-sharp hooks that give the track infinite earworm appeal. In the same way Grohl can orchestrate melodic vocal hooks that will stick to your synapses like superglue, Abyssal Voyage know just how to infuse addictive fixtures to their furore-driven sound.

The resurgence of nu-metal is becoming increasingly impossible to ignore; if any powerhouse has what it takes to turn the new generation of metal fans onto it, it is Abyssal Voyage with their unique take on nu-metal motifs.

Step was officially released on September 16; stream it on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

KURO unveiled their electro-metal manifesto on how to bring down the alt-right with ‘Wake Up and Choose Violence’

Posted on 24 September 2023

As calls to socially progressive arms go, they don’t come much more compelling than KURO’s latest single, Wake Up and Choose Violence. With the harsh industrial metal instrumentals amplifying the lyrical volition that unravels as a manifesto of poetic vengeance, the sonically jugernautical Glasgow outfit reached the pinnacle of the punk ethos.

The blast beats hammer down as heavily as we should be coming down on the alt-right provocateurs who revel in the contempt they breed and their subsequent notoriety as the synthesis of the heavily distorted guitars and synth lines visualise the disorientating dystopic dissonance of our depressing modern epoch.

By pointing out how we fought for rights only to neglect them when it matters the most, the adrenalizing razor-sharp rap metal vocals cogently foreshadow a further descent into extremism, marginalisation, and prejudice unless we follow the titular command. Resistance isn’t futile; it is fundamental.

KURO Said:

“Wake Up and Choose Violence is a reactionary track written in response to the sheer amount of audacious counter-reformative movements and laws placed by right-wing identifying groups. In simpler terms, we’re sick of our right to protest being taken away, the lack of racism being tackled, bills for trans and queer rights being blocked and the growth of far-right ideologies being accepted.

It is about standing up to all that, finding your viewpoint and sticking to it, and standing up for those who don’t have a voice. The music video exhibits this in which we included people from many walks of life and gave them a platform to express their viewpoints and show why it’s time for a progressive change.”

Stream the official music video for Wake Up and Choose Violence on YouTube, add the track to your Spotify playlists, or purchase the single on Bandcamp.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Hex Date cut right to the carnal core with their debut alt-rock hit, DIE ON YOUR BIRTHDAY

Posted on 21 September 2023

LA’s literally and figuratively hottest new alt-rock outfit, Hex Date caused a Dionysiac stir on the airwaves with their vehemently hook-rife debut single, DIE ON YOUR BIRTHDAY.

The track title may appear maleficent and macabre, but the sonic experience of DIE ON YOUR BIRTHDAY is a sensually awakening revelation. With the rhythmic salaciousness of In This Moment and Deftones and Mars Rose’s dark pop harmonies drawing you into the carnal centre of the single, the alt-rock scene will never recover from the genre-defying storm that tore through it by the fair hands of the prodigal fourpiece.

Taylor Momsen might not have any choice in moving over for Mars Rose; the superlative siren has exactly what it takes to take Hex Date to the top of the charts.

DIE ON YOUR BIRTHDAY was officially released on September 8; stream it on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Ramener took over the NY metal scene with their explosively experimental single, In Her Hand

Posted on 19 September 2023

The melodic metal monoliths, Ramener, started to take the NY Metal scene by the force of their heavy riffs and thrashing solos with the release of their debut single Dogs, in 2022. In 2023, they’re reigning rancorously supreme, especially after the release of their seminal single, In Her Hand.

With the melodic lines which bear reminiscences to Brian Molko’s twisting into classic metal volition on a whim and the instrumentals which veer from melodic hooks to thunderous power metal breakdowns sharing the same explosive propensities, In Her Hand is a lesson in high-octane authentic experimentalism.

Any fans of the 00s metal sound will want to kneel at the altar of this adrenalized masterpiece, which encompasses the visceral agony of empathy when it comes to the inner turmoil of the person whose soul most feels at home, regardless of how their afflictions afflict us.

In Her Hand was officially released on September 8^th; stream it on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Shadowburn let the film roll in their cinematic alt-metalcore single, Naked with You

Posted on 24 August 2023

Maryland’s most experimental outfit, Shadowburn let the film roll in their cinematic alt-metalcore single, Naked with You. As the clothes hit the floor, the atmospheric magnetism of the fiercely liberating release draws you deeper into the alchemic combination of funked-up bass grooves, melodic rock licks and the vocal pop hooks that make way for the guttural outcry the track closes one.

Just when you think you’ve got Shadowburn pegged, which may or may not be an inapt turn of phrase given the track title, they hit you with a cataclysmic curveball of a metalcore breakdown. With each member bringing their own influences and styles to the outfit, arresting distinction was always going to come to fruition. Yet, how good it feels to immerse yourself in it was far from a given.

After opening for everyone from Lacuna Coil to Butcher Babies to Powerman 5000 and taking over the Tri-State area, Shadowburn, who throw their heart and soul into their amalgamated ingenuity, are clearly on the rise; get them on your radar and watch their ascent.

Stream Naked with You on all major platforms, including Spotify, Bandcamp and Apple Music.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Norway’s most experimental post-hardcore outfit, trueandtrue, is viciously rapturous in ‘This is the Last Time’

Posted on 23 August 2023

To orchestrate their latest installation of intellectually crafted post-hardcore visceralism, the Norway-residing four-piece, trueandtrue, enlisted vocalist Tobias Osland (HAMMOK / SLØTFACE) to drive up the decibels in their heaviest single to date.

After a rancorous prelude that delivers all the frenetic chaos you would expect from any self-respecting post-hardcore release, This is the Last Time utilises stripped-back melodic increments with spoken with vindicating words verses to make the cataclysmic crescendos all the more viciously rapturous.

By finding the perfect balance between evocative lyrical triggers and experimental explorations that stamp down their ensnaring sonic signature that has more teeth than a whale shark, trueandtrue stayed true to the form of their moniker in their third release. We can’t wait to hear what follows.

This is the Last Time hit the airwaves on August 18^th; stream it on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Falling Below tore through the façade of fallacy-weavers in their alt-metal debut, Liar

Posted on 18 August 2023

The Nottingham alt-metal emissaries in the freshly constructed powerhouse Falling Below are set to storm the local scene and beyond with their ground-breaking debut single, Liar.

Following a dissonant prelude, the tight and technical instrumentals start to breed an electrifying disquiet atmosphere for the evocative alt-metal vocal lines to charge into. Building on the iconic 00s metal sound, the amalgam of melodicism and furore that lies within Liar will leave you eating out of the palm of the five-piece’s hand.

There hasn’t been this much contempt thrown at living and breathing fallacies since Godsmack tore them to shreds with their single, I Fucking Hate You. With the guitars sharing as much vitriol as the lyrics and the sweet release of catharsis in the anthemic chorus, Liar is one of the strongest (in every conceivable way) debuts we’ve heard this year.

We can’t wait for the forthcoming eponymous debut EP, which promises to indomitably find the perfect balance between despair and hope to provide a soundtrack of resilience.

The debut single will be available to stream everywhere from August 18^th; check out Falling Below on their website, Facebook, and Instagram.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

IMMORTALIZER unified a legion of metal fans with ‘We Were Born for Metal’, featuring Ralf Scheepers

Posted on 15 August 2023

The one-man metal powerhouse Dave D.R. has been storming through the Ontario rock and metal scene with his project, IMMORTALIZER, especially after the release of his debut LP, Born for Metal, produced by none other than Ralf Scheepers of Primal Fear fame.

The standout single, We Were Born for Metal, sees IMMORTALIZER wear their influences on their sleeve, but there was plenty of room for the originality engineered by their determination to bring something new to the metal genre. Giving Black Sabbath and Metallica fans a reason to turn away from their favourite records is no easy feat. By breeding something devilishly distinctive in the atmosphere of his seminal single, attention was soon piqued by the tune of fresh blood entering the territory.

The phenomenon that We Were Born for Metal became after its debut earlier this year goes to show how intrinsically linked identity and music are. Scenes are more than tribes; they’re lifeblood, and if anyone can mainline metal into your veins, it is IMMORTALIZER with their classic metal riffs and vocals that galvanise as they unify and defy expectation.

The official music video has garnered over 321k streams. Indulge in the furore by heading to YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

The maters of monolithic metal, Bridging Oceans, are back with vengeance in their sophomore single

Posted on 10 July 2023

After the success of their debut single, Not Lost, the up-and-coming monoliths of the metal scene, Bridging Oceans, unleashed their rancorously rabid eponymous sophomore single.

After the intro threw us right back to when Job for a Cowboy dominated the death metal scene in the early 00s, a more melodic side to the international outfit started to break through the blast beats and technically frenetic grooves laid down by the crunchily distorted guitars.

For the same reasons I can’t help but return to acts such as SCUMFUCK for the highest-possible-octane catharsis, I’ll want to sink my teeth into the blisteringly hot ingenuity in this release, which promises even greater things in the international pipeline.

With the drummer and lyricist, Stuart, hailing from Brisbane and the vocalist and guitarist, Stanis, residing in Kyiv, Ukraine, Bridging Oceans stay true to their moniker by being the first-ever Ukrainian and Australian metal band. When the war is over, Bridging Oceans will be prepared to celebrate.

Stream Bridging Oceans’ latest single on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

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