Single Slam: Code Orange, Bellwether, Now After Nothing, Moskito, Chaos Doctrine, Forge Hounds, Death Ingloria, Wormhole, Resolve, Heligan, Sylosis, Darlah, Blind Equation, Hounds, Subrosa, Lucky Hit, Trivax, and In This Moment!

This week’s single slam features Code Orange, Bellwether, Now After Nothing, Moskito, Chaos Doctrine, Forge Hounds, Death Ingloria, Wormhole, Resolve, Heligan, Sylosis, Darlah, Blind Equation, Hounds, Subrosa, Lucky Hit, Trivax, and In This Moment. You can read our thoughts about the latest singles from these bands below.

Code Orange – Take Shape

Always uncompromising in their creative vision, the twice Grammy-nominated band Code Orange have announced their new album ‘The Above’ is set for release on September 29th via Blue Grape Music. They have also shared the brand-new track ‘Take Shape’, which features guest vocals from Smashing Pumpkins’ Billy Corgan.

Billy Corgan and Code Orange? Ok, that’s unexpected but certainly not unwelcome. Don’t be fooled though, this is still a fiery Code Orange hit that builds nicely to an explosive and anthemic chorus. The industrialised hardcore style of the band gels with Corgan’s unique voice and it certainly creates a totally new vibe to the track. Long-term fans will come away happy with this.

Bellwether – fallingshort

Sydney based pop punk band Bellwether have shared their new introspective, Porter-Robinson-influenced single ‘fallingshort.’

Says guitarist Heath Joukhadar:

‘fallingshort’ is a pensive, emotionally driven pop punk track that is musically inspired by the works of electronic artist Porter Robinson, with further inspiration taken from 2000’s era emo pop punk. The song is a reflection on the decisions we wish we would have made in the past and the opportunities we feel have passed us by, while maintaining a determined outlook towards the future.

What banger track this is. All the best parts of pop-punk thrown into a blender with powerful emo-esqe elements. Bellwether do a fantastic job of making you feel, while also delivering a big singalong too. It’s uber-catchy all the way through and leaves you with a smile, even if it is a brooding one. Check it out here.

Now After Nothing – All I Want (The Cure Cover)

Atlanta-based darkwave act Now After Nothing have released their special rendition of The Cure’s beloved track ‘All I Want.’ The cover is a glimpse into Now After Nothing’s world before they unveil their debut EP in Fall 2023.

Says vocalist Matt Spatial:

I’ve never been one for recording covers but ‘All I Want’ holds a special place in my heart.  I instantly gravitated toward the song when I first heard ‘Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me’ as a kid.  I was captivated by the sound and the multiple perfectly woven melodies. Years later, I thought about the feel and energy of the song during my first attempt at songwriting. I gave my first song the working title ‘Sonic Goth’ as, in my mind, it sounded like Sonic Youth meets The Cure. Truth be told though, what I ‘wrote’ was a blatant rip-off of ‘All I Want.’  The noobish-ly named ‘Sonic Goth’ never came to be a fully-formed song, and likely never will. Rather than rip off the original, it makes more sense to pay homage to it even more blatantly. So here it is…my cover of The Cure’s ‘All I Want.’ Oh, but in my version, it’s ‘Doll’ not ‘Dog’ – I am an aspirational feminist, after all.

Take the inimitable flavour of The Cure, add a big helping of Now After Nothing’s spiciness and what you get is a unique cover that pays homage to the original but has some really interesting twists. If you’re offended by any different take on the classic song, don’t worry, it’s unmistakable. It just so happens that the Now After Nothing have their own sound to mix it up. The chilled vibes, infectious tones, and overall passion makes this a winner. Check it out here.

Moskito – Killing Joke

UK raging indie punk rockers Moskito return after a breakthrough 2022 with the first encounter of their next generation, ‘Killing Joke’.

Says frontman Jake Rudd:

Killing Joke is about someone who wants to swallow you whole, take you to the dirt and feed from your pain. The single explore the process of planning your escape from the situation you’re in, knowing there’s always something you can make good from the dark.

A fascinating blend of noisy punk chaos and dramatic indie melodies, Killing Joke is a heavier sounding Moskito track. Albeit, one with so many layers that it needs multiple listens to fully appreciate. The first listen will leave you excited and intrigued though. Which is always a good impression to leave.

Chaos Doctrine – One of My Bad Days

‘One of My Bad Days’ is the name of the brand-new track from Johannesburg-based industrialised thrash metal veterans Chaos Doctrine. It is a tale of a mass murderer relaying his crimes – not confessing, just relaying.

Manic and maddening speed, savage and silly heaviness, it’s Chaos Doctrine have a brand-new track out and it’s a raging ball of brutality. It’s head-banging and circle-pitting gold, but like so much of what this band does, it’s impressively anthemic. If you like your metal to sound like its ready for a fight, you’re going to love this. Check it out here.

Forge Hounds – Sun Kissed Sky

Forge Hounds is a thrilling hard rock project from Waterford, Ireland. Inspired by legends of classic rock, the band deliver a no-nonsense mature sound that hits you right in the gut – in a good way! They have now released their brand-new single and video, called ‘Sun Kissed Sky.’

How freaking lovable is this? Forge Hounds bring back the ‘good old days’ of hard rock with an absolute anthem that has their own Irish stamp on it. Sun Kissed Sky will warm the soul and put big, silly smiles on faces. It’s an undeniable singalong and you could see them going down a treat at summer festivals around the world.

Death Ingloria – All Eyes on Me (Bo Burnham Cover)

Progressive act Death Ingloria are preparing to unveil their striking high-energy, riff-fuelled cover of Bo Burnham’s “All Eyes on Me” on July 23rd, 2023. The new single shares the date with Death Ingloria’s upcoming performance at the Maid of Stone Festival.

They shared this:

To celebrate our inclusion in the sterling line up for Maid of Stone Festival we are stoked to release a cover of BO BURNHAM’s All Eyes on Me on the very day that we take the Maid Stage hosted by Emerging Bands! Set your reminders for Sunday 23rd July. On stage at 11:50am!

Pre-save the song before the 12th July and you will be in with a chance of bagging a pair of free weekend camping tickets for Maid of Stone Festival. The draw will be made at 20:30 on Thursday 13th July on the DEATH INGLORIA Facebook Page.

We are OBSESSED with BO BURNHAM’s Netflix Special, Inside. It’s such an amazing snapshot of how we all spent 2019 – 2021 and we’re here to celebrate that with this high energy take of his Grammy Award Winning Song.

We have a lot of love for the one-woman band that is Death Ingloria. They are one of the more unique bands out there, both on record and live. So, a cover like this grabs the attention. It’s a song that most people will recognise and Death Ingloria certainly give it their own interesting twist. An excitable, punchy, and melody-driven twist that really goes delightfully hard in all areas. It’s a great cover. Pre-save it here.

Wormhole – Elysiism

Wormhole have now released their second new single ‘Elysiism’, which is taken from the Tech Slam fanatics’ brand new album “Almost Human”. The new album will be released on September 22, 2023 via Season of Mist.

Wormhole had this to say:

‘Elysiism’ describes existential dread and the human experience. This song is about reflecting on one’s environment through a negative lens, but coming to understand how the hardship has helped mold and build oneself.

Wormhole can leave you feeling many things. Excited, elated, intrigued, confused, and a little bit scared. This sums up the nightmare that is Elysiism. A track that confounds because instrumentally, it’s technical and sharp, but vocally, it’s the sort of thing that would make a nun blush. The two don’t seem to sit well together at first, but the more the track goes on, the more it all starts to make sense. Some sense, as the jury is well and truly still out with this one. Check it out here.

Resolve – New Colors

Following the announcement of their forthcoming album release, Resolve have today shared another sign of things to come with their brand new single ‘New Colors’.

Says bassist Robin Mariat:

The four of us in Resolve are starting to be old enough to see with our own eyes how we’re coming towards the end of an era as a species. Earlier this month, the record for the highest ever global temperature was once again broken. It’s getting obvious that we’re long past the point of no return, so as Anthony is singing in the chorus: if it’s too late for saving our souls, rather fail together than triumph alone. None of us will make it alone in this world. New Colors is our call for unity.

This is a track with a lot of heart and soul in it as it takes the listener on one hell of a journey. One littered with soaring synthy melodies, powerful heavy beats, and so much more. The experimentation results in a memorable song, with an absolute beast of a chorus.

Heligan – Panic Attack

Heligan; a dynamic three-piece melodic hardcore/skate punk band hailing from Perth, Western Australia, showcases their immense talent with their new single, ‘Panic Attack.’

If there’s one thing most will love about this track, it’s the energy. Heligan want to make you move, and move most will. Even when they change the tempo, it’s just preparation for a wicked guitar solo that follows. Combining familiar skate punk catchiness with rougher and more robust touches of melodic hardcore intensity, it’s a blast! Check it out here.

Sylosis – A Sign of Things to Come

The UK’s heavy metal machine Sylosis unveils the title track of their brand-new album, ‘A Sign of Things to Come’. The new song speaks from Josh Middleton’s position as a new father and his fears of the world that his children will one day inherit.

Josh comments:

‘A Sign of Things to Come’ is a declaration of dismay towards the modern world. It’s about the anxiety of what the future holds and the feeling of division in a society where everyone is pitted against each other. This was the last song to be written for the album. It quickly became apparent that this was going to be one of the biggest, most anthemic songs on the record.

The Sylosis train keeps on rumbling on, yet as it moves further down the line, it’s starting to look a bit different. The evolution of Sylosis continues to gain traction, but it’s not a complete departure from the sound many have come to love. It just has more clean singing and a bit more melody. Regardless, it still goes hard and it has a banger chorus.

Darlah – Differ

Fresh from the release of their debut single, Darlah are right back at it with their brand-new heavy hitting single, Differ.

Vocalist, Danni Hicks, explains:

Differ is about forming a path on your own terms, breaking out of a system that you don’t feel is made for you and creating your own future.

Say hello to Darlah. There’s a bloody big chance they’re going to be massive very soon. Why? Because of tracks like this. A beast of a modern metal track that is delivered in a believably passionate way. Where you can go hard alongside the band, but you can also drink in the feeling that comes from the vocals and lyrical content. It’s a great track. Simple as that. Check it out here.

Blind Equation – you betrayed the ones you loved

Cybergrind group Blind Equation have shared a new single and music video, titled ‘you betrayed the ones you loved.’ ‘you betrayed the ones you loved’ is the second track to be taken from Blind Equation’s upcoming sophomore album, Death Awaits, which is due for release via Prosthetic Records on September 15^th.

The more we hear from this band, the more fascinated we become. Cybergrind continues to be a hilarious way to describe them, but there really are few words that can do them justice. This track is as hateable and it is lovable. Those ear-splitting keys, the video-game vibes, the freakish effects, and the screeching vocals. What the actual f**k? It’s cybergrind. It’s Blind Equation. Check it out here.

Hounds – We Burn our Bridges

Isle of Wight heavyweights Hounds are back with a new single called ‘We Burn our Bridges’ and new line up as they move forward with a new direction and deepened resolve! The new single is the first release from their upcoming new EP.

Welcome back Hounds. Now go take over the f**king world. The first step? A track like this.

They’re back and sounding even more furious and ferocious. Delivering an absolutely scathing listen, one that gets under the skin, thanks to those riffs and those vocals. Tracks that go this hard and are this heavy shouldn’t be as anthemic as this. That’s Hounds for you, and this track is killer.

Subrosa – No Comply

Sydney rockers Subrosa have released their dreamy new single ‘No Comply’ from their upcoming debut EP, ‘Space on Earth,’ which is out on August 4^th.

One hell of a foot-tapper, Subrosa take us on a late-night trip that has exiting experimental rock elements and plenty of infectious moments. Most notably, when the energy goes up a notch for the chorus. Oddly, there are some British indie vibes here, but that’s not a dig. This is far more imaginative and way more interesting. Check it out here.

Lucky Hit – Shoebox Memories

Surrey, UK based pop punk band Lucky Hit have announced their upcoming EP titled ‘Echoes & Ashes’ will drop on Friday 8th September 2023. The trio have also shared a brand-new single called ‘Shoebox Memories’ accompanied with an official music video.

Says vocalist Lawrence Murphy:

Shoebox Memories focuses on the perspective of someone looking back at a time shared between two people. It recalls some of the experiences they shared and questions if the importance of those experiences were indeed shared. We all have those things that we hold on to which to anyone else means little to nothing. Not to you though, for you they hold a core memory. They take you back to the past. These can be anything from a ticket stub to a mixtape of songs from a time in your life. They hold memories you wouldn’t trade for anything.

How could anyone ever get sick of pop-punk when bands like Lucky Hit exist? Shoebox Memories is an excitable and feel-good hit of heart and soul. Offering up wistful and thoughtful feelings, while being peppy and animated. Guess what? The chorus is top shelf stuff. This will make you want to sing along loudly.

Trivax – Azrael

Eastern death magick practitioners Trivax have unveiled ‘Azrael,’ the first single and music video ahead of the release of their second full-length opus, Eloah Burns Out.

The band commented:

Ezraeel (عزرائیل) or also commonly known as “Azrael”, is recognised as the angel of Death across all of the Abrahamic faiths. This is a tribute to the true master of Death, embracing all of its terrifying, yet magnificent attributes.

The flagellation scene is an inverted take on the Tasu’a and Ashura ceremonies across the Shi’ite Islamic world, which are done in mourning to prophet Mohammad’s third descendant, Imam Hussein. The flagellation ceremony in this visual piece is not one of mourning, but rather, celebration – to the true beauty of Death and what it beholds via intentional acts of suffering.

The intro part of the song is recorded with an acoustic Saaz, an ancient traditional Middle-Eastern instrument, often used in local folk music. As the band embraces its traditional roots, it became inevitable for us to incorporate the sound of our homeland into our art.

In the same way that, in the 90s, Quorthon from Bathory would start to use their viking roots to revolt against Christianity, we are naturally doing the same by embracing our pre-Islamic roots. Of course, this isn’t done in the absence of the wonderful contortion known as Black Metal.

Trivax are sounding particularly evil here. Deliciously evil sounding, combining traditional roots with the horror and heaviness of black metal. There’s an ancient sense of danger here as the fire and flames of hell erupt around you. Heavy and intense throughout, Trivax are back and this one hell of banger to mark that return with. Check it out here.

In This Moment – The Purge

GRAMMY® Award-nominated band, In This Moment have released their brand new single, ‘The Purge’, taken from their forthcoming new studio album, ‘Godmode’, which is set to arrive on 27th October 2023, via BMG.

Says vocalist Maria Brink:

We are thrilled to unveil ‘The Purge’ to everyone. I am so grateful for how everything flowed to bring this song to life, both sonically and visually. Kane Churko and Jensen Noen helped to create this musical & cinematic experience with us and we could not have done it without them. The underlying message of the song is to not fall too deeply into the rabbit hole, everything is about finding balance. I had a lot of emotions building within me when I approached the song for the first time and after years of holding it all in I finally got to let it out! Enjoy.

Guitarist Chris Howorth elaborates:

This song came from our time in lockdown. We all had our own personal experiences during the pandemic, and we all saw the social unrest unfolding daily tearing us apart, it was such a crazy time. Our band, like everything else, was stopped in its tracks. During the lockdown I was sending Maria musical ideas I was working on, and this one really resonated with her. She even said, ‘This is gonna be our first single’. Fast forward a couple years and all the pent-up frustration and angst came pouring out in Maria’s lyrics and performance, creating this crazy visceral song.

A creative blast of energy, intensity, and heaviness from In This Moment. Combining coarse instrumental tones, sharp electronica, twisted rap touches, and daring clean singing that has a soaring quality. The latter making up the chorus, which is suitably powerful. In This Moment know how to do infectious hits and this is easily another one.