What do you mean it’s August already?! Wasn’t it just New Year’s Day last week?!
Sadly, the passage of time seems to only go faster and faster as the year continues, but the good news is that means another new week of top-notch metal tracks feels like it swings by sooner. And this has been a particularly bru-tiful seven days of savagery, courtesy of Spinal Tap, Orbit Culture and many more.
Before we get into all that, though, let’s reveal the results of last week’s Tracks Of The Week poll. Power metal wardogs Sabaton put up a fair fight with their twin singles The Duelist and Lightning At The Gates, but they were defeated handily by the tandem of goth/industrial bunch Lord Of The Lost and symphonic metal heroes Within Temptation: their team-up track Light Can Only Shine In The Darkness swept up more than 50 percent of the vote. Stunning work!
Now, we hand the reins over to a new batch, each of whom are vying for your approval. Have a listen and support your favourite now.
Spinal Tap (feat. Elton John) – Stonehenge
Everybody’s favourite hard rock fuck-ups will return to cinemas after 41 years with September’s Spinal Tap II: The End Continues. We’ve known for months that it’s going to be a cameo-heavy affair, as is befitting of the ‘greatest metal band in history’, and this week we saw the first one in advance. A version of Stonehenge from the ‘reunion concert’ set to appear in the film is out, featuring the lord of pop Elton John. His commitment to the bit in the brand-new clip is simply extraordinary.
Orbit Culture – Hydra
With any luck, 2025 will go down as Orbit Culture’s breakout year. The Swedish melodeath/groove metal behemoths gave an opening set for the ages at Download in June, and they’ll make their debut on juggernaut label Century Media with their album Death Above Life in October. Hydra reiterates what’s got this band this far, boasting hulking riffage and a chorus so heavy and raspy that Metallica would be jealous. The music video, loaded with wide shots of desert dunes, only affirms the epic vibe.
Primal Fear – Tears Of Fire
There’s new blood in trad/power metal veterans Primal Fear’s ranks, with upcoming album Domination set to mark the debuts of guitarist Thalìa Bellazecca and drummer André Hilgers. Tears Of Fire no doubt benefits from that injection of youth, sound as fresh yet old-school as the Germans’ 90s material. Of course, it helps that vocalist Ralf Scheepers remains in fine form, as well. You’ll be able to hear the rest when the album drops in full on September 5 via Reigning Phoenix Music.
We Came As Romans – Where Did You Go?
We Came As Romans have long been synonymous with metalcore rage, but Where Did You Go? finds the Michigan boys pursuing a moodier tangent. One of the last tracks written for new album All Is Beautiful… Because We’re All Doomed is a down-tempo, electronic side-step, almost certain to impress fans of Bring Me The Horizon and Architects. Its earnest lyrics are about nostalgia, aging and hope, and the song will likely serve as a welcome interlude between all the aggro once the album drops later this month.
Dying Wish – I’ll Know You’re Not Around
One of the brightest lights in modern metalcore, Dying Wish have returned not only with the announcement of new album Flesh Stays Together, but the release of this single. Initially a creeping track that puts the spotlight squarely on Emma Boster’s vocals, it soon explodes into a snarling hellscape, with the odd triumphant chorus thrown in to complete the sonic moodboard. When you find out that Will Putney (Fit For An Autopsy, Body Count, Knocked Loose) produced this, it makes sense that it sounds so good.
Perturbator – The Swimming Pool
It’s been four years since the world last heard from Perturbator (not counting that kick-ass Cult Of Luna team-up a little while back). However, if recent singles are anything to go by, then the synthwave maestro known to his mum as James Kent remains in fine form. The Swimming Pool continues the string of new songs that will lead to new album Age Of Aquarius in October, and it pursues a more atmospheric, piano-leaning sound than his typical fare. Fans of Vangelis and Loathe will be well served.
Witch Fever – Fever Eaten
What better day for Witch Fever than Halloween? The genre-busting Manchester punks will release their much-hyped second album, Fever Eaten, on the spookiest day of the year, and the title track is a particularly gloomy and ominous preview. Singer Amy Walpole wrote the lyrics about the feeling of being “drained by fixation” and “consumed by intrusive thoughts”, with that exhaustion more than coming across through the music. It’s a neat counterpoint to past singles The Garden and Dead To Me!, painting an eclectic picture of what’s to come.
Psychonaut – Stargazer
Psychonaut’s new single may be called Stargazer, but it finds the post-metal/space rock trio tackling strictly earthly topics. The song is named after the ‘stargazer’ birthing position, connecting with the broader themes of upcoming release World Maker. The album’s overarching concept deals with the emotional conflict of singer/guitarist Stefan de Graef having a baby while his and bassist/vocalist Thomas Michiels’ fathers both battle cancer. World Maker comes out in October via Pelagic and (spoiler alert) is an incredibly fine piece of art.
Good Teal – Excusing The Hurt
If you’re a hardcore aficionado craving something new, give Good Teal a go. A four-piece hailing from New Jersey, they pack their episodic songs with knucklehead riffs and progressive, off-kilter rhythms. Excusing The Hurt is the second single from the band’s upcoming self-titled EP, due August 15, and finds singer/bassist Reg Mason expressing the hurt that the abuse he endured as a child still causes him. Mason directed the video for this two-minute rager, as well, employing an avant-garde POV style.
