CROSSFAITH (Featuring MAH from SiM) - "WARRIORS" (UNFD)
Set to release their first album in six years and their first with guitarist Daiki Koide, Japanese aggressors Crossfaith are operating at a whole level of intensity and innovation en route to the arrival of AЯK. With a succession of turbo-charged singles in "L.A.M.N." featuring Bobby Wolfgang and "God Speed" with Wargasm, the veteran outfit is finding new life with a sound that blurs genre lines and pummels expectation. Their latest collab with MAH from SiM follows suit and proves, Crossfaith came to play.
ANKPR - "EMBERS" (UNFD)
The multicultural amalgam based in Spain and sourced from parts of Europe have emerged as one of alternative metal's most engaging contributors. Cultivating a die-hard base of fans over a lengthy career that has seen headlining stints in Europe and Asia, the band is set to breakout globally with their UNFD debut, Embers - their latest EP comprised of six-thematically linked entries, culminating with the title track. An audacious meld of EDM, worldly-pop and modern metalcore, Ankor's sound is as big as their vision.
HEAVENSGATE - "RATKING" (Greyscale Records)
Earning an important cosign by landing Erik Bickerstaffe of Loathe to serve as producer, Melbourne-bred HEAVENSGATE are out to earn their place at the table. On the belligerently weighty "Ratking", confrontational vocals and a chaotic cadence make for a molotov of a standalone single. Brawny guitars, knockout tempo changes and a convincingly volatility ensure HEAVENSGATE have put heavy music on notice with this one.
SLOPE - "NATURAL BORN QUITTER" (Century Media Records)
Although the track landed earlier this year via the album Freak Dreams, "NBQ" from German funk metal unti Slope is that good of a track that a new video merits a revisit of the single like it jjst dropped. Weighty grooves, infectious energy and a bounce that is impossible to ignore, the band's competent meld of punk, funk and metal make for a damned good time in a two-minute track... And that quick breakdown for a finale is A1.
GIANT WALKER - "HALCION" (Church Road Records)
Residing on the heavier spectrum somewhere between straight ahead rock and modern era grunge, Newcastle prospects Giant Walker find an delicate balance of melody and menace on the introduction to their forthcoming debut via Church Road Records. With a slicing quality to the guitars, over rumbling percussion and a captivating showing from vocalist Steff FIsh, expect to hear this band's more before the end of 2024.
HOUSE OF PROTECTION - "Learn to Forget" (Red Bull Records)
The duo of Stephen Harrison and Aric Improta are among the very best at capturing raw energy on a track. Live, the tandem are pure combustion. On the record, the pair have formed as House of Protection and their brand is pure volatility. A potent meld of hardcore, punk and electronica, the accomplished songwriters and consummate showman have landed a knockout with their latest and hint that their takeover is only a matter of time.
