Tribe Leaders Top 50 comes full force this week with new tracks from Beartooth, Bodom After Midnight, Of Mice & Men & August Burns Red while a couple of tracks from last week make their way up the playlist, including a new #1.
Beartooth continues to do Ohio proud with their third single off their upcoming fourth album, 'Below'. The album sits on the horizon with a two month journey to destination. "Hell Of It" rips from the very beginning proving it to be the hardest, most aggressive punch from the new music yet. The track builds on "Devastation" and "The Past Is Dead" in a very heavy way.
The highly anticipated 'Paint the Sky with Blood' EP from Bodom After Midnight finally arrives. The EP drops in today's playlist add - the fierce lightning "Payback's a Bitch" - as well as "Where Dead Angels Lie" next to the already released title-track "Paint the Sky with Blood". The three track package will be the last creative work from Alexi Laiho who sadly passed away in late 2020 at the age of 41. The EP was intended to kickstart a new era, a full transition from Children of Bodom, that would lead to a full Bodom After Midnight record. The talent will forever be missed, and this initial offering really leaves you wanting more with the way Laiho really took the reins of the genre in a fun exciting way. He will definitely be missed.
Of Mice & Men clearly didn't relax during this past year of lockdown as they'll be releasing ANOTHER EP just next month - May 28th. The EP gets a car battery jumpstart with today's "Bloom". The EP will be the middle in what they're calling their "EP Trilogy" that started with 'Timeless' back in Feb. That EP featured “Obsolete,” “Anchor,” and the title track in “Timeless” all of which made long stays on the Top 50 playlist. OM&M are showcasing another lane in this never-ending creative release campaign, one that focuses on giving each song its own day in the sun.
The last add of the week comes with a special guest vocalist as Ryan Kirby (Fit for a King) joins August Burns Red for a newly unique version of "Poor Millionaire" in prep of ABR's 10th Anniversary 'Leveler' Live Stream and album. Kirby has also been staying busy during this past year: Fit for a King released 'The Path' back in Sept 2020, he launched his new side project - Our Eternity - with Chris Wiseman of Shadow of Intent and Currents, did a guest vocal swap on Silent Planet's “Trilogy”, AND guested on “Falling Apart" from Hollow Front - a band he ALSO manages. The non-stop work ethic clearly comes from a love (maybe obsession) with the genre.
Late last year Ryan Kirby chatted with Beez about his LOVE for Metalcore
Last week's releases really made an impact on the playlist. Taking the crown at #1 is throwback rockers Greta Van Fleet with "Built By Nations" hot off the release of their second album, 'The Battle at Garden's Gate'. The "Let's Get Fucking Rowdy" genre destroyer (also known by its actual name "DOMINATION") from Sullivan King and his super team of Papa Roach's Jacoby Shaddix and Kayzo shot to #4 in its first week. The metal/EDM mash will definitely be hitting boomboxes all summer long.
Coming in at #11 is "Bankrupt" from hyper-aggressive 2021 Silverstein. Further down the list is the harrowing Tommy Cash x BONES collab residing over a fiercely never-ending "Tattered & Torn" sample.
Stream the full Tribe Leaders Playlist
Every week Pulse of the Maggots (best emerging artists) comes correct, this time rolling out new tracks from VEXED, Pulse Fest alumni Once Awake & Wargasm, favorites The Southern Oracle, Wristmeetrazor, Scarlxrd and more.
Damn....Vexed is good. On "Misery" they resume their impressive streak, highlighting why they're one of the most buzzed about bands in the genre. "Misery" is the band's third track this year following “Epiphany” and “Hideous”. If the world hasn't prepared yet, it might be too late, their debut album ‘Culling Culture’ hits May 21st where it's guaranteed to leave a walloping lasting impression.
Norwegian hammerheads and Pulse Fest alum, Once Awake is back with their second brutal track of 2021 following "Bury Your Soul" which premiered here on KNOTFEST.com. After captivating the genre with an intimidating kick off performance at Pulse Fest back in 20, Once Awake refused to let up, just like their latest "Meet the Maker" which grows heavier as it goes.
The Southern Oracle lights fire to all the air in the room with their 4th album 'Exodus Aesthetic', a no-fill 22 minute, 8 track exploding high-speed wrecking ball. Already providing proof of concept of their break-neck destruction with "Crowdpleaser", the band unleashes "Peacekeeper" on the world today. This track/album goes all the way the fuck off.
Scarlxrd is easily one of the coolest acts in the genre. The danger and terror emulating from each of his tracks is matched only by the stylistic production putting him as one of the only that could realistically play Coachella and Knotfest. Scarlxrd embodies the aggressive genre, not as a marketing patch, but a lifestyle he clearly thrives in - consistently pushing the boundary while crafting his own lane. "Mxrbid." feels like the perfect union, Scarlxrd in his most cosy center venn diagram.
Deadlights return with "Sudden Life / Sudden Death", the third single from the May 21st upcoming album, 'The Uncanny Valley'. The track follows the consistent earworm that is "The King of Nowhere" and previous release, "Born of a Lie". As evident by this charcuterie board of charismatic metal, the 21st will be a date to circle on the calendar.
Premiering on Knotfest.com yesterday was Eminence's "Wake Up the Blind". Guitarist Alan Wallace does a great job explaining the genesis of this haunting pounder - “The human race is disrespecting the planet and the environmental impacts are becoming irreversible. We are heading towards a global collapse. We must change people’s minds as soon as possible and save the planet.” They'll be bringing a full arsenal of Brazilian thunder come May 28th with the release of their album ‘Dark Echoes’.
Wristmeetrazor is back raining chaos from the walls on "Anemic (The Same Six Words)". Last seen with Isaac Hale (Knocked Loose) on "Last Tango In Paris", Wristmeetrazor reaffirms they're not a band you can forget. Their latest album, 'Replica Of A Strange Love', hits June 11th.
Wargasm ups their already explosive blend of chaos with "Your Patron Saints", utilizing a fierce unconventional song-writing to keep the track creatively racing even when it slows to spice the pace. Their tracks always fire like a confetti gun and this pop/metal/trap mash might be one of the most fun yet.
There isn't a time I've listened to a Monasteries song and haven't instantly been aggressively bruised. This shit is fierce, intense and HARD. Their newly released EP 'Silence' will bring the physicalness to your ears led by today's "Jorogumo Yokai" and January's Knotfest Premiere "Allowing Your Traitors to Die". Wear pads before firing this one up.
Video Nasties level fiery riffs on their latest "Draw the Shades" helping bring their 2020 debut album back into view after releasing it right as the world went into a Covid shutdown. The band recently chatted their style of horror and metal with Knotfest's Perran Helyes.
Additional adds come from Left to Suffer, Alienist, Patient Sixty-Seven, Alluvial, Do-Flame/DEAR-GOD, From Sorrow To Serenity, & Red Hook x Will King joining last week's releases from Bitterwood, Scar of the Sun, gloo, Ghost Iris, To The Grave, and more.
Listen to the full Pulse of the Maggots Playlist
New Flesh (Most Recent 100 Tracks) features the return of The Devil Wears Prada, Imminence, The Bronx and more.
The Devil Wears Prada hits the time machine looking to recreate the heaviness of their ‘Zombie’ EP from over a decade ago with their latest "Termination". It's the first taste of the 'Z11' EP (Zombie 11 Years Later) which comes to your ears May 21st accompanied with a special livestream performance on Saturday, May 15th where the band will perform the upcoming EP in full.
Imminence hits back with the provoking, yet still hard hitting, "Temptation". It's their first new track since 2019's 'Turn the Light On'.
The Bronx bring the street cred to their latest punk rager "Superbloom", which acts as the 2nd single in their trailblazing release plan filled with individual 7-inches that when combined will be a collector's trove. Each single additionally comes with original artwork curated by the band featuring the most highly venerated artists across the world. Following up "White Shadow", "Superbloom" sees revered visual arts duo, DabsMyla, crafting the visuals. Their sixth album aptly-named 'The Bronx VI" drops Aug 27th.
Our Last Night and Mammoth WVH round the rest of these week's adds joining the previous two playlists' adds plus major hitters (Corey Taylor, Lamb of God, Butcher Babies), new acts (Tetratch, Hyro the Hero, As Everything Unfolds) and everything in between on the New Flesh Playlist.
Stay up to date with the latest on the New Flesh Playlist
Latest Stories on KNOTFEST.com
