When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission.
Credit: Esprit D’Air: Press/ Biohazard: Istvan Bruggen / As Everything Unfolds: Press / Of Mice & Men: Carissa Dugoni / Blood Command: Press
Happy Friday! We’re back, with another round-up of the best new songs that have been released this week. We’ve got fresh cuts from Atreyu, Of Mice & Men and Biohazard, as well as emerging talent in the form of As Everything Unfolds, Conjurer and Blood Command.
But first, the results of last week’s vote! German symphonic metallers Beyond The Black fought their way to a respectable third place, but it was a hard race for top spot. Ultimately, Limp Bizkit took the crown, beating fellow nu metal veterans Mudvayne by a narrow margin.
As ever, we’ve hunted high and low to find you some of the most interesting and exciting new sounds around and this week we’ve got everything from Brazilian death metal to Norwegian “death pop”. Don’t forget to cast your vote in the poll below – and have a magnificent weekend!
A divider for Metal Hammer
Atreyu – Dead
Rumours of Atreyu’s demise have been greatly exaggerated. Granted, they kinda started those rumours by putting up RIP notices on their socials, but rather than notifying the world of their split, the band have instead released new single Dead. There’s a hefty dose of nostalgia to be had with the track, Brandon Saller dropping the kind of club-friendly chorus that helped the band shape modern metalcore as we know it today. It certainly won’t sound out of place if the band drop it into the setlist for their upcoming The Curse 21st Anniversary tour.
Biohazard – Death Of Me
Nobody slugs you in the gut like Biohazard. The New York hardcore legends are gearing up for the first album with their original line-up in over 30 years on Divided We Fall, due October 17, and Death Of Me shows the hype and excitement is justified with a lunkheaded slab of brutish riffing that doesn’t sound a million miles from Slayer‘s more crossover-oriented material.
Esprit D’Air – Chronos
There’s a touch of the symphonic to Esprit D’Air’s latest single Chronos, cut with a healthy dose of power metal and even a bit of traditional Japanese instrumentation for an added cherry on top. It’s an exhilirating sprint of a track, but nothing less than what we’ve come to expect from the Japanese band, leaving lofty expectations for new album Aeons on November 7.
Conjurer – Let Us Live
Conjurer have held status as one of the UK’s most exciting underground bands for a while now, and it doesn’t look like they’ll be relinquishing the crown with new album Unself, due October 24. Latest single Let Us Live is a furious, emotionally charged blast of sludge metal, the brief windows of melody offering scant light against a muddy, lurching abyss. Written against attacks on trans and non-binary people, there’s a palpable anger threaded through that adds even more potency to their message.
Gutted Souls – Zero-Sum Overlords
Gut-rumbling Brazilian death metal, Gutted Souls have been kicking around for over 20 years. They didn’t actually release their debut until 2017 however, and we’re only just getting a follow-up in Portal To Chaosium, out Septembr 26. Zero-Sum Overlords is all tight, brutish riffs and gorge-inducing growls, drinking deep on old school DM with a surprisingly sublime guitar solo in the song’s latter half that is pure bliss.
Coroner – Symmetry
If the last track was defined by oppressive claustrophobia, Coroner’s Symmetry is all about sweeping, open soundscapes. The Swiss band’s take on thrash is an epic affair and they certainly don’t lack for their sublime guitar solo when Symmetry hits the latter half, marking a very welcome return with their first new album in over 30 years. Keep your eyes out for Dissonance Theory on October 17.
Blood Command – Mariah’s Song
Blood Command laugh at any attempts to categorise them. Mariah’s Song starts out in realms that are (brace yourself) pop-punk, but quickly explodes into spiky hardcore, flicking back and forth between viciousness and bubblegum with delightful disgregard, Nikki Brumen putting her voice through its paces to create an addictive track.
Big Ass Truck I.E. – Back Wheel Stomp
Just listen to the malice on that. Hailing from LA, Big Ass Truck I.E. (that’s “Inland Empire”, an area near said city) come out swinging with Back Wheel Stomp, an absolutely pummelling blast of metallic hardcore that drips with slobber and violence as it teeters on the edge of death metal and hardcore (but crucially, not deathcore).
Feather Mountain – Sigil
Drifting along the outer hemispheres of prog metal’s more cosmic leanings, Denmark’s Feather Mountain tap into something titanic on new single Sigil. The track skitters and explodes, impressive technicality married to a sense of hooky songwriting that is irresistible. The latest single from new album A Liminal Step, due November 27, it’s a gorgeous showcase of what this band can do, sandwiched somewhere between the realms of Mastodon, Katatonia and Gojira.
As Everything Unfolds – Point Of View
It looks like we’re edging closer to album three from British alt-metallers As Everything Unfolds. Point Of View is the second single the band have released this year and embraces their more radio-friendly sensibilities… for the most part. In the song’s last minute, Charlie Rolfe erupts with vicious howls that show the band aren’t softening any, still treading the line between anthemic and brutal in thrilling ways.
Of Mice & Men – Troubled Water
Kicking off with a throat-spewing “BLEGH”, Troubled Water catches Of Mice & Men in between the worlds of sleek, polished metalcore and the genre’s grittier roots. It’s a track that feels cater-made to making massive crowds lose their shit, and spells good things for new album Another Miracle, due November 14.
False Reality – Frozen
UK hardcore newcomers False Reality are edging closer to the release of their debut album. Faded Intentions is due November 14, with new single Frozen capturing some serious crossover energy as the band veer between thuggish breakdowns and stomping riffs with pure aggro brilliance.