Photo by Anthony Tran
ESCUELA GRIND - "DISTANT DISRUPTOR"
75 seconds. That is all it takes for Escuela Grind to eviscerate everything and everyone in their way on the latest single, "Distant Disruptor". Their contribution to the Decibel Flei-Single Series, the combination of d-beat and grind is the kind of volatility that has made the band such a prospect. Katerina Economou goes apeshit on the mic and makes a convincing case that Escuela Grind are all but guaranteed a massive year when their next full length finally drops.
H09909 x BOYS NOIZE - "OFF THE METER"
The duo of theOGM and Yeti Bones have proven time and again they are among the most versatile practitioners in game. Whether it is hip hop, punk, even fits of industrial, if H09909 is on the track, you can rest assured its going to slap. Combine that certainty with the production of Boys Noise and you have the perfrect elements for a epic banger. Such is the case with aggressive EBM anthem in "Off the Meter". The menacing throb, the vocal intensity and the relentlessness of the track make for a collab that is pure combustion.
HOUSE OF PROTECTION - "BEING ONE"
Following the rousing performance of "Learn to Forget", the team of Aric Improta and Stephen Harrison and House of Protection assert their range with another Jordan Fish-produced anthem. Embracing a drum and bass backbone, Harrison's soaring vocals, complimented by warm synth and addition programming converge on a track that both dynamic and empowering. Contrast with the band's hardcore ethos and heavy rock lean, the stylistic pivot is as powerful as it is poignant.
HACKTIVIST - "NOT ALONE"
Melding UK grime with well-produced metalcore, Hacktivist take on the serious thematic weight of mental health on their latest, "Not Alone". Confronting the stigma of addressing mental wellness, the band combine stylized bars and big, lumbering riffs on a track that is both succinct and scorching. When a track and not only make you nod along in approval but also stop and pay attention to the words - it tough to deny its effectiveness. Such is the case with latest from JJ Olifent and J Hurley.
SPLIT IRIS - "GUILT" (Seek and Strike)
Finland prospects Split Iris flex big power on their latest serving from their full length, Bloodred Dusk. "Guilt" is a towering tandem of well-executed metalcore and powerful progressive that brings together both style points and precision. From the school of titans like Meshuggah and Gojira, the Finnish fresh bloods put the collective world of heavy music in notice. Split Iris is the potent reaction of adding skilled technicality to uninhibited intensity.
