Need some distraction from the world burning both metaphorically and literally? Cast your ears over our choice cuts from this week's biggest and most exciting metal releases! We've got everything from brutal deathcore to classic metal histrionics in store for you - but first, the results of last week's vote. It was a close-run race, but British metal mainstays Sylosis narrowly missed out on the top spot to Canadian prog-core crew Silent Planet, who won it all with their track, Antimatter! Congrats, lads!
Here's their cracker of a single once again, just in case you missed it.
This week, we've got brand-spanking new offerings from heavy metal royalty KK's Priest, US metal heavyweights Sevendust, Biffy-powered extreme metallers Empire State Bastard and masked deathcore squad Slaughter To Prevail, and that's just for starters. You know the drill: check out each new metal song below, vote for your favourite and come back next week for the big results. Let's crack on, shall we?
KK's Priest - Reap The Whirlwind
Who would have predicted that KK Downing's new band's latest single, featuring fellow former Judas Priest alumni Tim 'Ripper' Owens on vocals, would be a drum 'n' bass-inspired emo-core rager? Just kidding: you know exactly what you're getting with KK, and he delivers it spectacular style courtesy of this thunderous, full-blooded heavy metal rager. Want more? Check out KK's Priest's debut album, The Sinner Rides Again, on September 29.
Slaughter To Prevail - Viking
Inspired by the tribal pagan folk of Wardruna and epic fantasy-historical movies (especially ones about vikings, we imagine), Slaughter To Prevail's newest slice of tar-thick heaviness comes bolstered by some sweeping, epic atmospherics. The masked Russian deathcore brutes sing both in English and their native tongue, giving Viking an especially broad appeal. That said, the language of riffs is pretty universal, and as always, the five-piece have those to spare. Hold on tight.
Conquer Divide - New Heaven
Melding soaring melodies with crunching riffs and a booming, Nine Inch Nails-inspired industrial underbelly, New Heaven makes it immediately clear why Conquer Divide are pricking ears up right across the metal scene. The multi-national quintet's long-awaited and suitably titled second studio album, Slow Burn - coming a full eight years after their self-titled debut - seems like it'll be worth the wait.
Sevendust - Superficial Drug
Sevendust haven't become one of the US's most enduring heavyweight metal bands by not knowing their way around a good earworm, and latest single Superficial Drug packs a perfect blend of shimmering melodies, big-ass riffs and a catchy-as-crabs chorus. The track - and its accompanying video - comes from the Georgians' brand new studio album, Truth Killer, which is out right now.
Heart Of A Coward - Devour Me
Tech-powered metalcore might have flooded the scene in recent years, but few bands in the game are able to infuse their sound with such propulsion as Heart Of A Coward while still knowing how to wedge in a big ol' hook or two. Devour Me sounds colossal; on the basis of these early glimpses, the Milton Keynes metallers' new album This Place Only Brings Death is setting up to be an absolute monster. It lands on September 22.
Empire State Bastard - The Looming
"I'll never grow old in a graveyard," croons Simon Neil on the atmospheric opening moments of this latest slice from the Biffy man's new project with Mike Vennart. At first, you could easily imagine this track being plucked straight from Biffy's magnificent The Myth Of The Happily Ever After album - that is, until it descends into a fog of fuzzy, stoner metal riffs and clattering drums. On September 1, Empire State Bastard's debut album Rivers Of Heresy, is set to land. Back it to be one of the most diverse and enthralling extreme metal releases of 2023.
Of Mice & Men - Warpaint
A band who have never had any issue with crafting a big, singable chorus but lean well into the heavy stuff when it suits them, the newest Of Mice & Men cut pulls in both directions in style, smashing together big, groovy riffs, guttural roars and massive melodies without breaking a sweat. Warpaint serves as the first preview of new album Tether, which will land on October 6. Not a bad start at all!
Dying Wish - Watch My Promise Die
If you slept on Dying Wish's 2021 album Fragments Of A Bitter Memory, you missed one of the best metalcore debuts in recent years. Fear not: not only can you still catch up on that beast of a record, but you can now get excited for its follow-up, Symptoms Of Survival, coming November 3! Hooray! Get extra excited with this monstrous first offering from the album, Watch My Promise Die.
