Single Slam: New Years Day, Bokassa, Ill Reasoning, What Will Be, Suicidal Angels, Issues, Kris Barras Band, SYFF, Blanket, Gates to Hell, Crushed by Waves, and A Burial at Sea!

Today’s single slam features New Years Day, Bokassa, Ill Reasoning, What Will Be, Suicidal Angels, Issues, Kris Barras Band, SYFF, Blanket, Gates to Hell, Crushed by Waves, and A Burial at Sea. You can read our thoughts about the latest singles from these bands below.

New Years Day – I Still Believe

New Years Day have shared another new track taken from their upcoming studio album, Half Black Heart, set for release on 1st March via Century Media. The latest single, ‘I Still Believe’, follows the previously released tracks, ‘Secrets’, ‘Vampyre’ and ‘Hurts Like Hell’.

Discussing the new song, vocalist Ash Costello shares:

The first song we wrote for our new album was actually ‘I Still Believe.’ It was during the summer of 2020, amidst the challenges of the Covid pandemic, when it felt like all our previous efforts and all the work, we had put in the years prior were in vain. Personally, I felt lost and uncertain about what lay ahead. However, a voice within me urged me to persevere, to never give up, and to maintain faith that things would eventually fall into place as they were meant to. I realized the importance of not overthinking and simply embracing the present moment. ‘I Still Believe’ is a heartfelt anthem dedicated to anyone in need of a reminder that with unwavering self-belief, anything is possible.

Continuing to show just why their stock is rising more and more, New Years Day bring forth a pointed head-banger in the form of I Still Believe. Strong instrumentals, impressive vocals, relatable lyrics, and a chorus that goes hard, fans are going to love this. Pretty much confirming that this album is going to be wall to wall bangers.

Bokassa – The Ending Starts Today

Norway’s wryest export Bokassa welcomes the new year by dropping possibly their most sardonic single yet. After touring with Therapy? right up to the Christmas festivities, Bokassa barely pauses for breath, ricocheting into 2024 with the release of bold new single, The Ending Starts Today.

Bokassa states:

What better than to start 2024 with a brand new “demotivational poster” in song form? Why not accept failure already, instead of clinging on to that last bit of hope? Say no more, friend! Bokassa’s here with a rifftastic new barnburner that will fulfil all your pessimistic needs for the new year!

Few bands embody the word ‘fun’ when it comes to hard rock that doesn’t stick to any kind of genre limitation like Bokassa. Starting 2024 off with a groovy, energetic, and anthemic song. One that has riffs galore and moves at an excitable pace but shifts the tone nicely when it comes to the chorus. Still, undeniably catchy though. Check it out here.

Ill Reasoning – Immolation

Ill Reasoning, a metal band hailing from Chile, has recently unleashed their latest single ‘Immolation’, a track that encapsulates the band’s dedication to creating hard and heavy music without compromise. Following their self-titled debut EP, Immolation continues to explore the depths of metal, drawing inspiration from the raw power of bands like Napalm Death, Slipknot, and Pantera.

An ugly, harsh, and brutal assault, Immolation is an apt title as the heaviness consumes like fire here. Ill Reasoning showcasing a high level of savagery that isn’t genre limited. There’s a touch of death, plenty of groove, and some classic twists in this metal melting pot that is Immolation. Nice and nasty heaviness. Check it out here.

What Will Be – Always

Manchester, UK, alternative rock band What Will Be are back with a brand-new single called ‘Always’. A track that takes listeners on a sonic journey through the frustrations of repeated explanations. The lyrics delving into the experience of going round in circles, tirelessly attempting to convey the same solution, situation, or problem to someone, only to find oneself back at square one.

It’s a story most of us can relate to, as the lyrics certainly reference a situation that is familiar, but that’s not the only great thing about this track. Alongside that is a moodier, grungier, and more measured alternative rock vibe. Yet, it still holds a certain level of catchiness, especially when the chorus hits. This is where What Will Be start to differentiate themselves from the pack, showing that they have more layers to their alternative sound.

Suicidal Angels – Purified by Fire

Greek thrashers Suicidal Angels have released their brand-new track ‘Purified by Fire’, which is part of their highly anticipated new album Profane Prayer. Profane Prayer will be released on March 1st, 2024, via Nuclear Blast Records.

Vocalist Nick Melissourgos commented:

Against all good and evil, forged in the flames, the second single of our upcoming album, pure thrash, straight in your face, purified by fire! Let’s start this fuckin’ mosh pit!

The time has come! Finally, almost after 4 years, the 8th studio album of Suicidal Angels is true and ready to unleash itself in to the market, bringing you some new tunes to satisfy the needs and the appetites of the toughest audience! March the 1st of 2024, this beast will be out, in digital and physical form in all of Nuclear Blast’s channels. We have returned and it will be killer!!!

Pure head-banging inducing thrash noise. That’s all you need to know. Suicidal Angels are back, sounding heavier and more intense than ever, but also sounding like they’ve had a fresh injection of fire delivered right into their souls. There are no frills here, it’s thrash as we all know and love, played with all the vigour of a band on the form of their life. It will f**k you up, and you’ll be glad for it. Check it out here.

Issues – Since I Lost You (feat. Skyler Acord)

On the heels of announcing their final six shows, pioneering prog-R&B outfit Issues have shared a surprise single called ‘Since I Lost You’, a love letter to their fans and ode to the last twelve years.

Thanks for the music, Issues, and thanks for giving us one more track to enjoy. Since I Lost You has plenty of energy to it, but also serves as reminder of just how deep their music can be. It’s a quintessential Issues track, a little weird, a little wacky, and all over the place when it comes to genre-bending, but that’s what we all expect when it comes to this band. A decent track to end things on. Check it out here.

Kris Barras Band – Hourglass

Melodic rockers, Kris Barras Band’s new album ‘Halo Effect’ will be released on April 12th, 2024, via Earache Records Fans got their first taste of what Halo Effect has in store with first single, Unbreakable. Now, the band comes out swinging in 2024 with the album-opening new single, Hourglass.

Frontman Kris Barras enthuses:

I’d say this is probably my favourite track on the album. Musically, it’s one of the most progressive tracks on the album with the time signature changes and different sections. The mid-section build up is a special part of the album for me. The way it starts off a little creepy then builds into the big hook section, which acts almost like a second chorus. It feels almost euphoric.

Lyrically, the song is about feeling like you’re running out of time. Getting stuck and feeling like time is passing you by. It’s a fairly personal song for me, as one of my only regrets in life was living my twenties like life ended at 30. I put a lot of pressure on myself to hit life goals in a certain time frame rather than just enjoying the ride. Now, with my career change, from pro-fighter to musician, I have a new lease of life and a completely different outlook on things.

It’s fair to say that most will have a handle of what to expect when it comes to Kris Barras Band, so Hourglass isn’t going to surprise anyone, for the most part. Dynamic rock rhythms, big melodic leads, and a chorus that everyone can sing along to. However, the formula does get shaken up here with the interesting touch of peculiar whistling here and there, and a solid guitar solo. If you’ve loved everything released so far, this will make you very happy too.

SYFF – Broken Record

SYFF are a new hardcore/punk band from Koblenz, Germany, who recently released their first single, ‘Broken Record’. This comes ahead of the release of their debut EP, out on January 20th via Kidnap Records.

Less than a minute and a half of hardcore punk noise that is familiar, yet still enjoyable. SYFF are throwing their all into this and the pace is manic as f**k. That makes it a really enjoyable listen, even if there isn’t anything game-changing about it. This is the kind of music that you can see causing absolute carnage in the live environment. Check it out here.

Blanket – Ceremonia

Seamlessly blending elements of post-rock, shoegaze, and alternative rock, Blanket unveil their highly anticipated album ‘Ceremonia’ out via Church Road Records on March 22nd, 2024. Ahead of the release, the first single and the title track has been released.

Blanket are back! Time to celebrate with one hell of a track in the form of Ceremonia. A 3-minute blast of post-punk twisted by alternative ideas. Blending crashing bursts of intensity with choppy rhythms, erratic touches of melody, and a serious amount of drama in the vocals. They’re a unique bunch, and while this track will turn the heads of some in the alternative crowd, Blanket are so much more. The more you listen to it, the better it gets.

Gates to Hell – Resurrected

Combing elements of metal and hardcore, Gates to Hell have caught the attention of Nuclear Blast. Having newly signed to the label, Gates to Hell have now released their new single and video, ‘Resurrected’.

A band that embodies the word danger, Gates to Hell are back and nothing can prepare for the cacophony of noise that comes from this new single. There’s an old school deathcore vibe to this track, but Gates of Hell do lean to a more modern focus on hardcore, and it results in something that will leave listeners dizzy. Based off the unbridled ferocity of this track, the partnership with Nuclear Blast is going to bear some real tasty fruit. Check it out here.

Crushed by Waves – You Know

Hailing from the North West UK, Crushed by Waves deliver their own brand of hard-hitting, no apologies, gritty alternative rock. Their new single, You Know is out now.

It’s interesting to hear Crushed by Waves take a notably different approach with this track when compared to what has come from them recently. This track, being much more mellow, much more measured, and much more pop-orientated. However, this is Crushed by Waves and infectious alternative anthemic music is what they do, and they do it so well. Delivering a track that truly gets stuck in the head. The chorus, in particular, is great. Check it out here.

A Burial at Sea – Tor Head

Inimitable post rock outsiders A Burial at Sea have released ‘Tor Head’, the second single from their forthcoming sophomore album, ‘Close to Home’, set for release on the 23rd of February, 2024 via Berlin’s Pelagic Records.

This new album from A Burial at Sea can’t arrive soon enough. If you were excited about its potential before, this new single will have sent the mind into overdrive. It’s an incredibly layered example of modern post-rock that continues to show just how they stand out from the pack. Frenetic, but with melodic order, the vitality that comes from this track is one thing, but as is so often the case with this band, it’s also really pretty. Once again, A Burial at Sea will make you feel, without saying a single word.