SPITE - LIGHTS OUT (Rise Records)
West Coast deathcore unit SPITE have set a Halloween release date for their latest full length, New World Killer due out via Rise Records. Understanding the assignment, the band's brutal lead single captures the menacing quality of deathcorre which has long been core to the genre. Brutal delivery executed with serious technicality, "Lights Out" is not for the squeamish, musically, visually or thematically.
PUPIL SLICER - "FLESHWORK" (Prosthetic Records)
Among the UK's most acclaimed, emerging aggressors, Pupil Slicer have resurfaced with their first offering of new music since 2023's triumph, Blossom. Introducing their next era, the title track "Fleshwork" serves a gargantuan reassertion - anchored by a commanding performance from guitarist/vocalist Kate Davies, the track also marks the arrival of bassist and backing vocalist, Luke Booth. Cathartic, crushing and colossal in sound, Pupil Slicer have laid down the gauntlet.
DYING WISH - "REVENGE IN CARNAGE" (SharpTone Records)
PNW metallic hardcore crew Dying Wish are out to prove they have leveled up with the pending release of their forthcoming full length, Flesh Stays Together. On the latest preview, the band manages to slow down the tempo and still be just as bruising on "Revenge In Carnage". Almost sludge-like riffs, lumbering percussion and a venomous showing from Emma Boster make for a change of pace that asserts the band's range, while translating as no less punishing.
TALLAH - "UNDONE BY FATE" (Earache Records)
Among the final singles from Primeval: Obsession // Detachment, Tallah continues to flex a musicality well beyond their years. The band's latest 5-minute epic touts some serious musical twists and turns, all the while showcasing the potent performative chops that are requisite to the band. Justin Bonitz is the perfect frontman, matching the kind of spastic, unhinged quality of the music and amplifying the energy that peaks from start to finish. Dubbed as nu-core, Tallah continues to challenge conventional heavy music while paving a lane all their own.
GORE. "WRATH" (Spinefarm Records)
Shifting from stretches of soaring melody and angelic atmospherics to devastating heft and crushing crescendos, "Wrath" is the evolution of metalcore. Haley Roughton submits an outstanding vocal performance, completed by powerful punctuating scream that sends the final 45-seconds of the track into an absolute spiral. Effectively capturing the biggest of emotions, "Wrath" is sharply-produced, succinctly composed and flawlessly executed in a way suggests GORE. are due to be the next breakout band.
END IT - "COULD YOU LOVE ME?" (Flatspot Records)
Following the effective string of singles in "Pale Horse," "Life Sublime" and "Optical Delusions" the final offering taps into the band's musical pedigree with a spot on rendition of Maximum Penalty's 1996 essential, "Could You Love Me?" Anchored by the soulful croon of Akil Godsey, END IT pays respect to their influences while reintroducing the track to a new generation of fans. Capping off a strong campaign leading into the release of the album, End It's song selection and note-for-note rendition of the cover assert a sense of style and skill that make them one of the best in current landscape of hardcore.
SOULKEEPER - "GO ASK ALICE" (Pure Noise Records)
Progressive metalcore collective Soulkeeper launch an all out blitz on their latest, "Go Ask Alice." Embracing the proficiency of mathcore and the hulk of djent, dynamic song construction makes for really dramatic moments in a single track. While the entirety of the song delivers haymakers throughout, the final third of the cut utillizes blast beats and fits of glitch for the kind of explosiveness that turns heads and separates Soulkeeper from the rest of the pack.
KING YOSEF - "LICHEN" (Bleakhouse)
Portland's purveyor of modern industrial, King Yosef delivered a sleeper hit of an album last month with Spire of Fear. On "Lichen," the sonic force of Yosef is actualized with track that is dark and dominate with a level of authenticity that makes it stick. The melodic slow burn segues into harsh vocals, abrasive frequencies and a punishing, pounding cadence make for a single that transcends genre and gives us everything we love about heavy music.
GAEREA - "SUBMERGED" (Century Media Records)
To officially begin the band's Century Media campaign, Gaerea have issued a powerful reintroduction with the release of their newest single, "Submerged". A fluid mesh of soaring (and surprising) melody paired with crushing brutality, the track maintains the force consistent with the band's sound with added elements, reaching a new musical magnitude that is sure to resonate with both new and existing fans alike.
FLESHWATER - "LAST ESCAPE" (Closed Casket Activities)
Following the introduction of their new album with the emphatic lead single, "Jetpack," Fleshwater have reiterated the power of the pending full length with the second single, "Last Escape". A masterful combination of high-octane energy and harmonious heights, the track is a bold assertion of heavy music's modern wave and a testament to the limitless creative ceiling for the band. Tracks like this make 2000: In Search of the Endless Sky one of the most anticipated albums of the year for good reason.
