Single Slam: Parkway Drive, From Fall to Spring, Ashen Road, Venues, Deadlock, The Plague, Oakman, The Untold, Maziac and Punk Rock Factory!

This week’s single slam features Parkway Drive, From Fall to Spring, Ashen Road, Venues, Deadlock, The Plague, Oakman, The Untold, Maziac and Punk Rock Factory. You can read our thoughts about the latest singles from these bands below.

Parkway Drive – The Greatest Fear

Parkway Drive have announced their seventh studio album, ‘Darker Still’ and released the brand-new track ‘The Greatest Fear’.

There are some hefty expectations on Parkway Drive nowadays having scratched and clawed their way to incredible successes. Well deserved and based off this new track from this new album, it’s going to continue. This is a beast of a track with a decent amount of emotion. Where the chorus is massive and gives off ‘Another Brick in the Wall – Pink Floyd’ vibes. Not only that though, there’s some kickass solos and the vocals are absolutely killer.

From Fall to Spring – BEASTMODE

German nu-metal quintet From Fall to Spring have released a video for their new single ‘BEASTMODE’, out now via Arising Empire.

The revival of nu-metal, blended with modern energy, continues to grow and bands like From Fall to Spring exemplify it. Take that for what it is, just don’t presume to know exactly what that means when it comes to From Fall to Spring. On BEASTMODE, they keep it simple, aiming for an anthem that will get listeners up and out of their seat. That will certainly work as it’s full of energy, a hype track if ever there was one. Nu-metal for a nu-generation. Check it out here.

Ashen Road – Silentroom

Ashen Road is an alternative progressive rock/metal band (or prog lite) from Perth, Western Australia who have just released our 5th single titled Silentroom.

In their own words:

Silentroom is our last single before we focus on finishing our debut album which we plan to release later this year/early next year. It was one of the most challenging and fun songs we’ve ever recorded. Cam (Drummer) had to write most of the beat in the studio because of our eagerness to record it before we even had a properly finished demo. watching him wing it and maintain the main 5/8 groove was hilarious, it took a lot of concentration and skill. I remember an early version of the mix even had Matt (Vocalist) tapping on his water bottle along with the tom & snare sections. – It was too silly, haha! The Instrumental is heavily inspired by bands like TOOL, Port Noir, Karnivool, Rishloo etc and so we hope the audience recognises and catches those little bits of inspiration.

We love to keep song meanings open to interpretation, so I’ll just say it has themes of social isolation (not the covid kind) and declining mental Health. But please find your own meaning in the words.

The first thing that most will notice and love is the sound of that bass. Talk about thick sounding! The second is the proggy groove that makes up the rhythm. It has touches of the likes of Tool and Porcupine Tree, but is no re-tread. The third is how smooth the whole track is, where the complexities don’t overshadow the infectious nature of it overall. The fourth? That massive chorus. A quality track from this young band. Check it out here.

Venues – Reflections

German post-hardcore outfit Venues have unveiled their new single/video ‘Reflections’, the first new music heard from the band since the release of their critically acclaimed second studio album Solace, out now via Arising Empire.

On the single, vocalist Lela states:

With ‘Reflections’ we describe the process of self-knowledge: When you realise over time that you’re the only one who can really help you and you are held up to a mirror until you’re able to accept and understand what you’re seeing in it. Because that’s the only way you can surpass yourself.

The bar for this band just keeps getting set higher and higher. Once again, the German post-hardcore unit have released a banger. One with impressive melody, wonderful dual vocals, and plenty of bark and bite. It’s going to absolutely slay live, in particular, the chorus that is just phenomenal. Venues’ passion is undeniable and the end result is an unmissable piece of music.

Deadlock – Deadweight

British pop-punk new comers Deadlock (UK) unveil news of their lyric video for forthcoming debut single ‘Deadweight’. Clocking in at just over 2 and a half minutes – the adrenaline fuelled and emotionally charged offering showcases a potent taste of things to come from the Norwich based outfit. The band who cite key influences such as Neck Deep, Roam, As It Is and Boston Manor shall be officially releasing ‘Deadweight’ on digital platforms on 29th July 2022.

The influences are clear, Deadlock’s pop-punk sound leaning a bit more towards punk than pop but still instantly recognisable to those who have spent time within the genre. Peppy and animated, Deadlock deliver a catchy, foot-tapper and body-shaker of a song here. Some strong lyrical content, interesting riffs and thumping drum beats help make it stand out. Check it out here.

The Plague – Living Failure

Future Punk trailblazer The Plague releases his brutal metalcore single “Living Failure” off the upcoming release of his latest album Hope For The F.U.T.U.R.E.

States The Plague:

Narcissism has plagued my life in many ways. This song has been part of my attempt to confront and reject the lies that encourage selfishness and stubbornness and create a fake image of perfection and invincibility.

A heavy blast of guitars and drums at the start transitions into sci-fi-tinged effects and light vocals before The Plague really unleashes the metal within the chorus. A track that takes the listener on a journey and keeps you guessing every step of the way. Living Failure has a lot of impact and a lot of crossover appeal. Though, it does get very intense, raw and noisy when you’re least expecting it. Check it out here.

Oakman – Murder

France based pop/rock trio, Oakman releases the music video for their latest single, “Murder,” out now via Rude Records.

Says the band:

This song pictures sexual harassment and abuse. It tells how it can affect a person’s life and continue for the rest of their life and grow into pure hate. So in the music video, the victim, represented by Marine, finally becomes the murderer and the murderer becomes the victim. We are inside Marine’s head, in her revenge. But at the end we realize that she is still imprisoned and stuck in it and that she can’t escape this trauma.

One of those tracks that is improved by seeing the video that goes with it, Oakman’s Murder is dark, creepy and very powerful. Thanks to the very impressive message but also because Oakman’s combination of rock and pop is delightful. The use of synth in this track is simply wonderful and it might very well be the catchiest thing the band has released so far.

The Untold – The End

Chicago-based technical rock and metal outfit The Untold have released a brand-new ethereal music video for their latest single ‘The End’. Tackling depression, the track is taken from their upcoming EP Thunder and Water: Act One.

On the new single, the band comment:

Anxiety has a habit of making small things seem like the end of the world. It can drive you into a dark place where you close yourself off from the world, retreating into depression. ‘The End’ is about watching this happen to someone close to you, and trying to help them through it with a bit of tough love. At the end of the song there is a realisation that the dark time was something they didn’t have to go through alone, and that this was just a passing storm, not the end of the world. It’s a realisation that all they had to do to get through it was keep moving forward. Life can be brutal, so it’s important to show compassion. No one should have to try to get through it by themselves.

A musical vista, The End is a beautiful track that combines wonderful melodies with an array of technical rock and metal detail. A smorgasbord in fact as The Untold express refreshing catchiness that is complex but listenable. The touches of melancholy mixed with a powerful, upbeat sound really is impressive. A track that you’ll be listening to over and over again. At least until the full EP comes out. Check it out here.

Maziac – Acid

Maziac is a progressive metal/alt-rock 3-piece based in London who have released their brand-new single, Acid.

It’s so good to hear new music from Maziac, a band that understands how to make progressive metal sound modern and fresh. Not overdoing the technical side of things but still capable of challenging perceptions of the sound. Acid is an apt title as, at times, it has some trippy vibes. Yet, the heavy groove, electrifying chorus and bursts of intensity are what stands out. For all the right reasons too as this is a fascinating listen. Creative and exciting. Check it out here.

Punk Rock Factory – Running Up That Hill (Kate Bush Cover)

Hot off their album release last month and not a band to hang around, Punk Rock Factory waste no time in getting out this banger of current social topic. Written and performed by Kate Bush for her fifth album back in 1985, ‘Running Up That Hill (Deal with God)’ was featured this month in Netflix’s Stranger Things, giving the song a whole new generation of fans, YouTube covers, three world records to Ms Bush, and of course a great excuse for Punk Rock Factory to lay this one down.

We all knew the covers were inevitable and Punk Rock Factory have wasted no time in getting their version out there. Helping make a new generation get sick and tired of a track that is already reaching overplayed levels thanks to its recent revival. This is no reflection on the song though, Punk Rock Factory stick exactly to type and deliver a rocked up, heavy metal version of the song. It’s a solid cover, likely to make the song more palatable for those who dislike the Kate Bush original but that’s about it.