Single Slam: Thy Catafalque, Holy Reptile, Calligram, Handcuff, Enchantya, Call Me Amour, To Kill Achilles, Resolve, Sense of Noise, Blindfolded and Led to the Woods, Netherhall, As Everything Unfolds, The St Pierre Snake Invasion, Saint Agnes, and Nita Strauss!

This week’s single slam features Thy Catafalque, Holy Reptile, Calligram, Handcuff, Enchantya, Call Me Amour, To Kill Achilles, Resolve, Sense of Noise, Blindfolded and Led to the Woods, Netherhall, As Everything Unfolds, The St Pierre Snake Invasion, Saint Agnes, and Nita Strauss. You can read our thoughts about the latest singles from these bands below.

Thy Catafalque – Alföld

Avant-garde act Thy Catafalque is now unveiling the album details of the forthcoming opus ‘Alföld’, which will be released via Season of Mist on June 16, 2023. In celebration, Thy Catafalque have released the very first track ‘Néma vermek’.

Mastermind Tamás Kátai comments:

Alföld is the most straight forward and classic extreme metal album the project ever recorded. This time I just wanted to do metal without any innovation or progression, focusing on songs and riffs rather than experimenting and breaking new grounds. Had to let the old ideas out, so I did it with enjoyment. Alföld means The Great Plains, a massive flat part of South-East Hungary where I was born and raised and we shot the video for Néma vermek in the middle of the barren lands, in Makó-Bogárzó.

As experimental and avant-garde as always, it is notable here that Thy Catafalque are leaning more towards a darker sound here. In fact, it draws some parallels to their blackened origins, albeit more refined and way more raucous. There’s an anthemic quality to the heaviness and it is delightfully weird throughout. A very exciting first experience of the new album.

Holy Reptile – The Land

Bristol dark-fuzz trio Holy Reptile have released ‘The Land’, taken from their upcoming second EP due later this year.

A really moody, deep, and dark sounding track. The dramatic melodies, mournful vocals, and morose rhythm turns out to be delightfully infectious. A daringly dreamy listen that challenges expectations and perceptions as it explodes into noise for a wild segment. An interesting listen that has a captivating quality overall. Check it out here.

Calligram – Ex-Sistere

London-based multinational black metal band Calligram have announced their sophomore full-length, Position | Momentum, will be released on July 14 via Prosthetic Records. Alongside the album announcement, the quintet have also shared the lead single and accompanying video, Ex-Sistere.

Speaking on Position | Momentum’s announcement, Calligram comments:

Position | Momentum is a concept that comes from quantum physics: it says that when studying a particle you can’t know its position and its momentum (its impetus) at the same time. It’s strongly related to the idea of chaos/uncertainty, to the Heisenberg theory and it conveys very well our intentions of exploring the unpredictability of life and the full blown chaos that lies underneath existence which is what this album is about.

Over five-minutes of carnage. Calligram have a reputation for intensity and this new single is everything and more that listeners have come to love about them. A blast of uncouth blackened noise with a brash structure that grips and squeezes as the track goes on. A great showcase of how easy it is to lose yourself to the chaos that Calligram create.

Handcuff – The Judge

The Judge is the latest single from Handcuff. Taken from their newly announced debut self-titled EP which will be out on the 14th of April.

A short and sharp blast of hardcore-infused punk with a really nasty and raw edge. The Judge is rhythmically challenging but fascinatingly infectious. It gets in, f**ks things up, and gets out, leaving you wanting so much more. Roll on the debut EP. Check it out here.

Enchantya – Collective Souls

Portuguese melodic metal band Enchantya is set to release their third studio album Cerberus on April 28th 2023 via Inverse Records. The third single Collective Souls is out now.

Rute Fevereiro (singer) comments:

The song Collective Souls is very special to me because it portrays the collective consciousness that starts from the individual to the collective but that makes us question our existence. The cliché thought that we are all drops in an ocean perfectly represents this song. While it may seem like we don’t make a difference, we are that difference especially when we learn to love and accept ourselves the way we are.

An epic band that delivers epic songs, Enchantya’s latest single is notable for being one of their faster and more aggressive sounding tracks. Yet, as always, layered with massive melodies and symphonic elements. The showcase of crunchy drum beats and powerful vocals are what really stands out here. Exciting stuff. Check it out here.

Call Me Amour – Blackout

UK four-piece Call Me Amour have dropped a new song ahead of their upcoming live run with The Hara and Snayx. Blackout is the debut single off their forthcoming self-titled EP and their first piece of new music since 2020.

On the new single, frontman HR states:

‘Blackout’ is about losing yourself in the sufferings of life, whether it be addiction, heartache, loss or depression. Getting it out on a page or a song can be the best release.

Heartfelt and powerful, Blackout is a catchy and groovy tune with some intriguing layered elements and a massive chorus. One with plenty of appeal across a multitude of genres. Yet, for all its anthemic qualities, it’s not quite as memorable as many might hope it to be. An interesting track, it lacks a killer hook, but shows plenty of promise for the full EP. Check it out here.

To Kill Achilles – Rats

Post-hardcore/alt-rock quartet To Kill Achilles return with a video for their brand new single ‘Rats’, out now via Arising Empire. The track marks the band’s first new music since their 2021 album Something to Remember Me By.

Their back and what a return this is. A stunning piece of music with some the best vocals and lyrics the band has ever put out. Rats is To Kill Achilles but it’s such a step forward, it beggars’ belief. The combination of frenzied instrumentation, electric melodies, and vocal power makes this a must listen. If this is what we can expect from this band going forward, they are going to be unstoppable.

Resolve – Death Awaits

Resolve, have returned with their brand new single ‘Death Awaits’, out now via Arising Empire. It follows the band’s debut album ‘Between Me and The Machine’ and sets out a new era for Resolve with a relentless touring schedule ahead.

Bassist Robin Mariat says:

Death Awaits is a creed. Down the line, we all end up the same, and that is something we should embrace and not fear. But while death is – at least in our society, often perceived as something sad and solemn, our track is the opposite: upbeat and ferocious with a hopeful chorus. Creating the music video for this song was the most fun we’ve had in ages: we gathered around a hundred fans and friends and celebrated our love for life the only way we know how: beating our skulls to the sound of music together. We especially cannot wait to play this track live on our upcoming tour starting next week!

With massive melodies, energetic tempos, a bloody catchy chorus, and plenty of furious passion, Resolve return with intent. Delivering a pounding and powerful metalcore effort that leaves you feeling beat up but undeniably satisfied. It’s a thrill ride from beginning to end and you’ll genuinely not want it to end. Check it out here.

Sense of Noise – War Within

Melodic death metal band Sense of Noise have released their new single, ‘War Within’. A track that features Stu Block (Into Eternity, ex-Iced Earth) on guest vocals.

Sense of Noise are a melo-death band you can trust to deliver exactly what the genre term suggests and, once again, they provide a crushing head-banger with War Within. Working with Stu Block to offer a fresh and modern beast that is riff heavy and with plenty of groove too.

Blindfolded and Led to the Woods – Hallucinative Terror

Blindfolded and Led to the Woods have premiering their new single and music video, Hallucinative Terror. The second track to be taken from the Christchurch, New Zealand progressive death metal group’s upcoming fourth album, Rejecting Obliteration, due out on May 19th via Prosthetic Records.

Combining eclectic musical tones with an impressive amount of theatrics, Blindfolded and Led to the Woods deliver an honest appraisal of their country’s mental health crisis. Filtered through the sound of technical brutality. It’s a smart, wild, and intense showcase that grabs the attention from the off-kilter start and holds it right to the atmospheric end. Check it out here.

Netherhall – Process

“We live, we die” is the theme that Birmingham Progressive Rockers Netherhall have chosen to discuss for ‘Process’, their first new piece of music since 2020. It is the title track from their upcoming album, released on June 16th, 2023.

Netherhall says:

Process stems from a roundabout circle that is life and death. In life, there is death and in death, there is life.” The single, Process, is the realisation of all that we, as human beings know. That is we breathe, we live, we die. Tom the bassist from Netherhall has said “anything around that is purely conceptual and Process explores those thoughts.

It’s great to have Netherhall back and what a track to showcase their return. The cinematic ambience at the start leading to mellow guitar melody and heartfelt vocals, before the bass and drums pick up the beat. The passion on display is gripping, and then it starts to get more intense and much more progressive sounding. The journey is startling, but impressively addictive. Another unique slice of music from this expansive and exciting band.

As Everything Unfolds – Slow Down

UK breakthrough act As Everything Unfolds have released their new single ‘Slow Down’. The track is the final single ahead of their upcoming second album Ultraviolet, due for release on 21st April via Long Branch Records.

Vocalist Charlie Rolfe discusses the meaning of the single:

Ever feel like you’re being pulled down? Like someone is your biggest supporter yet your biggest critic, it’s a confusing and conflicting feeling. ‘You’re letting me shout out, while you’re telling me to slow down?’ Sometimes people will try to manipulate you into thinking they’re your biggest supporter, but jealousy can lead those same people to drag you down leaving you confused. When charged with platform or responsibility, that weight can carry difficult tasks and burdens. Push through it and be the best version of you that you can be.

An infectious track with some nice groove and clever touches of alternative ideas. It’s when it hits the pre-chorus that the track really comes to life as the extra bite the band has really excites. Yet, there’s no arguing with the anthemic qualities of the chorus either. A real crowd-pleaser of a track. Check it out here.

The St Pierre Snake Invasion – The Overlook

Out now, ‘The Overlook’ is the new single from The St Pierre Snake Invasion. ‘The Overlook’ is the second single from their new LP ‘Galore’, which is out on April 21st.

Vocalist Damien explains how the themes of this track came to be:

I went down a Kubrick rabbit-hole during lockdown. I watched countless video essays about ‘The Shining’, in which a writer goes mad while working as the caretaker of a secluded hotel through the winter months.

The isolation affords him time to work on his new book, but he’s haunted by a past which eventually consumes him, and he himself becomes a ghost of The Overlook hotel.

I’d started writing the new album around that time and could see parallels between the movie and how I was experiencing the world. An ‘artist’, embarking on a new creative endeavour, in isolation, with his family, realising the extent to which work and other obligations stifled his creativity. I spent hours and hours staring at the ceiling, endlessly reminiscing about the past, to the point where it felt like I was living there. So, the song really, is about the dangers of becoming someone who talks about memories instead of creating them, and escapism through creativity.

A fascinating blend of body-moving groove and abrasive heaviness, The Overlook is a challenge but one that most will relish. Simply because it is such an infectious piece of music and unpicking all the layers is a lot of fun. Sharing a lot in common with uncouth noise rock, but with a smarter understanding of song structure, The Overlook is consistently menacing.

Saint Agnes – Bloodsuckers

Ferocious four-piece Saint Agnes return with new album Bloodsuckers, set for release on 21st July via Spinefarm, and have unveiled the album’s raw title track.

Vocalist Kitty A. Austen comments on the single and video:

I wrote ‘Bloodsuckers’ when I couldn’t take it anymore, when I decided to stop allowing people to crush me, to diminish me. I took my rage and my pain and used it as fuel and I burned. We are not defined by what has been done to us. We decide who we are. We choose who we want to be. We are whole. We are worthy. The video is an introduction to Team Bloodsuckers. Join us.

The epitome of intensity, Saint Agnes are back with a frenzy of high-tempo heaviness blended with their inimitable passion. It’s kind of funny as music this abrasive shouldn’t be as anthemic as it is but that’s Saint Agnes for you. A stupidly lovable listen even if it makes you gurn. Check it out here.

Nita Strauss – Winner Takes All

Fresh off the news that she would be returning to her role as guitarist with the legendary Alice Cooper, Los Angeles-born guitar hero and musical force of nature Nita Strauss has just released her brand new single ‘Winner Takes All’, featuring none other than Cooper himself.

Two of the world’s biggest talents combine forces to deliver a fascinating example of modern heaviness. Where the guitar is god, of course, but is all the more notable for the vocals of the legendary Alice Cooper too. A track with a meaty level of groove and one hell of a chorus that gets the blood pumping. A very cool track by very cool people.