In an effort to trim the fat and narrow the focus with a curated quick list of essential new music, the Knotfest team has surveyed the week in jams and sourced a small, potent list of must-listen tracks that just landed in the last few days.
From modern hardcore, artistic post-hardcore, hellfire heavy American black metal and even some good old fashioned hard rock for good measure, this week's selects also feature some important guest spots from the likes of Corey Taylor and the triumphant return of Madi Watkins from Year of the Knife.
Check the following list and crank it accordingly.
GREYHAVEN - "THE WELCOME PARTY"
Photo by Errick Easterday
Heralding the band's next full length campaign for the EP, Stereo Grief - their first on Solid State Records - post-hardcore vets Greyhaven have outdone themselves with an introduction that offers a complex, layered assertion of musical volatility. Vacillating between fits of frantic eruption and rich, soaring melody, the band's brand of harmonious heft suggests they have found their stride.
FLAT BLACK Ft. COREY TAYLOR - "NOTHING TO SOME"
The rock heavy project helmed by Jason Hook, former guitarist for Five Finger Death Punch has come out the gate swinging with the confrontational single, "Nothing to Some". Securing some added muscle with the vocal command of one Corey Taylor, the track offers a meat-and-potatoes brand of rock revelry that chugs like a locomotive.
APES - "COFFIN"
Photo by Tom Morin
Blackened grindcore horde APES are not for the casual listener. Even by that standard, their latest "Coffin" achieves a new level of intensity that signals the band's has tapped into a creative peak for their upcoming full length, Penitence. With added artillery from Madi Watkins of Year of the Knife, the first single not only emphasizes APES pummel on record, but also asserts their reach - resonating with fans and contemporaries from grind, hardcore, black metal and beyond.
LIFE'S QUESTION - "BRASS COFFIN"
Photo by Nat Wood
Not entirely sure of the comparison is something the band intended, but it's apparent that Flatspot Records' recruits Life's Question attended the school of ETID. Combining hard rock flair an sensibility with hardcore delivery and disposition, the band's "Brass Coffin" boasts brawn and bravado in a way that makes heavy shit fun. Big leads, tempo changes and plenty of bounce, hardcore just got a swift kick in the ass.
ANTICHRIST SIEGE MACHINE - "VANQUISHING SPIRIT"
Photo by Dan Wagner
An infectious collision of extremity and violence, Antichrist Siege Machine unleash unabated brutality on their latest preview from their pending Profound Lore LP, Vengeance of Eternal Fire. Hellacious riffs, pummeling blast beats and a venomous spew from SB - who puts in double time as the project's drummer and vocalist make for a remarkable musical assault. What's even more impressive is this onslaught is executed by just two dudes.
