In a week where Leicester power trio SKAM will fight a battle against the compilers of the Official UK Chart (their well-reviewed From The Depths album came out on Friday), it's clear that they've already been in practice, ferrying recent single Selfish Friend into the upper reaches of our most recent Tracks Of The Week contest. Sadly for them, it wasn't enough to dislodge Chris "that fella from the Cold Stares" Tapp from his position at the top of the pile, but hey, second is almost as good as first. Almost.
Here's Chris Tapp's Old Lady Blues once more, and then it's on with another fight.
Here are our our latest eight candidates. Please vote for the one who's best.
Crossbone Skully - The Last Night On Earth
Alice Cooper six-stringer Tommy Henriksen and chums rock the shit out of this brooding yet strident, Def Leppardian beast, packed with the sort of 80s-ified sincerity and chutzpah you didn’t think existed anymore (little surprise that they lured Mutt Lange back into the studio to executive-produce its parent album, Evil World Machine). If it was the last night on Earth, you could have much worse soundtracks.
Kip Moore - Flowers In December
There’s a pleasingly cosy, holiday season-friendly quality to Kip’s new single. It’s partly the mention of December, trees losing their leaves and suchlike – and the fact that Christmas is getting alarmingly close – but really it’s the song's warm cross-section between gentle acoustic guitar, soulful heartland vocals and rousing melody tempered with southern grit. Ingredients that conjure the generosity and quiet introspection of this time of year.
Sludge Mother - No Temple
The rock brainchild of pop Youtuber Cami Petyn, Sludge Mother have only released two singles but if No Temple is anything to go by it might be interesting to see what they do next. Slamming straight into your face like a hungry tiger spotting fresh meat, it summons the 90s grunge greats Petyn clearly adores. If Alice In Chains cut their teeth on the Sunset Strip, and were fronted by a Gen-Z firebrand singer (think Courtney Love with a moody hint of Billie Eilish), they could have sounded like this.
Stone Angels - Ghosts Of New York
Silky layers of orchestration and juicy little melody shifts elevate this moody, slickly executed rocker. It could have benefited from more imaginative, dynamic drums (the steady but basic beat here feels slightly at odds with the sense of scale on the rest of the track), but even so Ghosts Of New York confidently mixes grunge introspection with classic rock richness and a touch of Zakk Wylde-y grit. “This is the tale of the death of a relationship set against the backdrop of the iconic New York skyline,” says singer James Innes. “It is about being haunted by the memories of who you once were and seeing the ghosts of your life in the places that you visit.”
Three Days Grace - Mayday
Oomphy, uber-catchy all-American (well, they’re Canadian, but y’know what we mean…) hard rock is the order of the day on these alt rock stalwarts’ new single – the first with original singer Adam Gontier back in the fold, seemingly sharing lead duties very harmoniously with his former replacement Matt Walst. “We feel this song is a reflection of the current state of the world,” Walst says, “the sense that we’re all on the brink, emotionally, socially and environmentally, yet we refuse to admit defeat.”
Dim Gray - Peril
Norwegian art rockers Dim Gray (you may recognise singer/keyboardist Oskar Holdorff from Big Big Train) showcase their lighter, brighter side on this smooth, transportive first taste of upcoming album Shards. Think A Rush Of Blood To The Head-era Coldplay but with a smokier palette and at least one foot in a dark forest somewhere. “The guitar part has always been a key element,” says guitarist/singer Håkon Høiberg, “but I must admit that it started as a mandolin song and even a piano song before slowly retreating back to the guitar again. Peril is about breaking norms, and sometimes a bit of naivety is an important recipe for succeeding in that journey.”
The Midnight Cowgirls - Leaving Texas
Last seen on tour with the Stray Cats, Los Angeles country/new wave/post-punk/surf/rockabilly quintet The Midnight Cowgirls include Eagles Of Death Metal bassist Jennie Vee and drummer Leah Bluestein in their ranks, and are led by the brilliantly-named Kandle Osborne. Leaving Texas is gloriously upbeat, containing over 100% fun and more sass and swagger than a sold-out sass convention in downtown Swaggersville. The band's self-titled debut album is available now from Licorice Pizza Records (yes, that Licorice Pizza Records).
Eisbrecher - Everything Is Wunderbar
Neue Deutsche Härte stalwarts Eisbrecher are back with a new single, and it thumps. Everything Is Wunderbar comes from the band's ninth studio album Kaltfront – scheduled to arrive on Earth in March – and its epic magnificence is only amplified by the fact that the chorus sounds a bit like Rock Me Amadeus. They'll be on tour next year, with dates lined up in Manchester and London, and we should all go. It'll be a fun night out.
