Single Slam: Worn Out, Avmakt, pMad, Swallow the Sun, Heartline, Lowen, Cober Mouth, HammerFall, Solars, Krysthla, Sunbleached, and Grove Street!

Today’s single slam features Worn Out, Avmakt, pMad, Swallow the Sun, Heartline, Lowen, Cober Mouth, HammerFall, Solars, Krysthla, Sunbleached, and Grove Street. You can read our thoughts about the latest singles from these bands below.

Worn Out – Deeper

Irish metallic hardcore exports Worn Out have premiered a biting, ferocious and hard-as-nails new single, titled ‘Deeper’, alongside a chaotic music video directed by Paul Flynn. The single comes alongside the announcement of their highly anticipated sophomore EP, ‘Low’, due out August 30th via self-release (digital/vinyl), Ripcord Records (UK exclusive vinyl) & Death Farm Records (tape).

When you look at the best and brightest of Ireland’s metal scene, Worn Out are up there, and no further proof is needed than this absolute rager of a track. A track that starts off so hot and doesn’t cool down for a second. In fact, as it goes on, it seems to get harder and heavier. Worn Out are back and filled with more fury and intensity than ever. This new EP is going to be a beast based off this one track alone.

Avmakt – Poison Reveal

From the depths of Norway looms a new rising beast of hate and misanthropy in the form of Avmakt. Their debut single ‘Poison Reveal’ is released alongside news of their upcoming debut album ‘Satanic Inversion Of.…’, set for release on 30th August on Peaceville.

Speaking about Avmakt’s music, vocalist Christoffer Bråthen says:

Abstract and concrete as asphalt, processed through life as blood and ash, these riffs have seeped through the bottomless psychic wall. The themes are futureless and true to who we really are – clean and clear as disease.

What Avmakt offer here might be ‘new’ but sonically, it’s pulled from the past. The ‘golden age’ of black metal in fact, and with that, a rawness that cuts right to the bone like an icy wind. It’s the definition of evil sounding music, and extremely appealing to those who like their metal to sound delightfully unholy. Check it out here.

pMad – Electric

Paul Dillon is a solo artist called pMad who is based in Portumna, Co. Galway, Ireland and producing goth, post-punk, and indie rock music. Following the release of albums ‘Who Why Where What’ and ‘I in Power’, pMad is back with the new single ‘Electric’.

What does the talented pMad have to offer us this time? Something entertaining, something dramatic, something touching, and something experimental. Which, for this artist, might be expected, but each and every track has a freshness, and that’s no different here. A track with a ton of atmosphere, giving it a moodier feel, while the booming electronica and goth-toned vocals craft a catchy vibe. It’s a very listenable piece of music that is far more affecting than it first appears. Check it out here.

Swallow the Sun – Innocence Was Long Forgotten

Finnish death doom masters, Swallow the Sun have released their new single ‘Innocence Was Long Forgotten’.

Swallow The Sun comments on the new single:

All the new Swallow the Sun music felt like an ice dagger through a sleeping heart. So we wanted to work with a powerful producer, Dan Lancaster, to push this dagger even deeper into this heart of ours.

It’s time to get a bit miserable, after all, it’s Swallow the Sun and they are renowned for dark and heavy misery. Which is an aspect of this highly melodic and poppy piece of music. Alas, something is off here and most of the problems seem to stem from the production. This is Swallow the Sun, but lacking their dynamic soundscape that normally covers you like a shroud. It is still a good song, but it won’t last long in the memory.

Heartline – Pink Lemonade

Adelaide alternative metal quartet Heartline announce upcoming EP, ‘Pink Lemonade’, out Friday August 16th and share the genre-bending title track. The single is ultimately about the realisation that opportunity follows hard work and dedication.

Explains vocalist Luke Taylor:

It’s about throwing all sense of entitlement to the wind and realising that it doesn’t matter what we feel we deserve, it’s down to us to work hard and make it happen. I was so inspired after our first tour, I just wanted more and more of it and I came to the realisation that offers aren’t just going to get thrown our way – we can’t just sit and wait for things to fall in our lap. If you want something bad enough, you have to go out and make it happen.

A slow start, those vocals and effects aren’t too exciting, gives way to an electrifying and explosive blast of heavy alternative metal. Heartline really begin to stretch their melodic and metal muscles, showcasing something a bit more experimental, but cleverly structured to be quite anthemic. Surprising right to the very end, as instead of an expected breakdown, they drop a banging drum solo. Now that’s bloody cool. Check it out here.

Lowen – The Seed That Dreamed of Its Own Creation

London based progressive metallers Lowen have released the new single ‘The Seed That Dreamed of Its Own Creation’, as well as opened pre-orders for the new album ‘Do Not Go To War With The Demons Of Mazandaran’ (out 4th of October on Church Road Records).

The band have detailed in their own words the meaning and background of the latest single:

The Seed That Dreamed Of Its Own Creation is written and sung entirely in Farsi, the language of Iran. The song is about Azhi Dahāka, a serpent tyrant from ancient Iranian mythology that is overthrown after a violent reign of chaos, drought and instability. Zoroastrian eschatology is considered one of the oldest on earth and I was loosely inspired by its descriptions of the end of the world, but I wanted to introduce an element of hope to the song as well.

The Bahman Yasht describes:

At the end of the tenth hundredth winter, the sun is more unseen and more spotted; the year, month, and day are shorter; and the earth is more barren; and the crop will not yield the seed. And men become more deceitful and more given to vile practices. They will have no gratitude. Honorable wealth will proceed to those of perverted faith. And a dark cloud makes the whole sky night, and it will rain more noxious creatures than water.

The music video for this song shows Farsi calligraphy being painted on my body before being subsumed into a pool of black ink. It’s a horror-laden and simplistic exploration of the power of the written word. Words like “life, death, woman, fire and freedom”. They are all related both to the apocalypse, and the treatment of women in Iran in the continuing fight for freedom in the Woman, Life Freedom movement. Apocalypse is about the end of the world as we see it, not necessarily the end of our lives within it. After the end there must be hope.

Wow. Just wow. Lowen, already considered one of the more inspiring and unique bands in the UK scene, take another big step forward with this stunning new single. A song that showcases their fascinating ability to create heavy and moody music twisted by eclectic and erratic tones. It’s very impactful, instrumentally, but how about Nina Saeidi’s vocals? Simply incredible. Check it out here.

Cober Mouth – Beneath the Hydrogen

Hotly tipped heavyweights, Cober Mouth, will unveil their ferocious new EP, ‘Untethered’, on Friday 6th September. The diverse metallers have also just revealed their brand new single and video, ‘Beneath the Hydrogen’.

Sitting in the metalcore camp, but with nu-metal infusions, and no fear of experimenting, Cober Mouth are going to turn a lot of heads with this single. They’ll also be getting even more heads banging along to their heavy sound, and this track gets freaking intense. There’s a lot going on, and multiple listens are needed just to unpick it all, but it’s a worthwhile repeat listen as it’s such a varied effort. Not all of it works, the melodic drop is odd, but there are way more positives than negatives.

HammerFall – Freedom

Heavy metal titans HammerFall will release their 13th studio album ‘Avenge the Fallen’ on 9th August via Nuclear Blast. The high-octane and epic metal band has now released the third single from the album, ‘Freedom’ now.

Guess what? HammerFall have released another epic banger that demands you raise a fist high in the air and sing from the deepest part of your lungs. This album, so far, is proving to be an album of exciting and enjoyable anthems and this track keeps that trend going. A heavy rhythm with tons of glorious melody, it’s another infectious effort. Classic HammerFall, and there’s never anything wrong with that. Check it out here.

Solars – Doomscrolling

Solars, the UK instrumental and experiment post-rock/metal have released their new single, ‘Doomscrolling’. Taken from their upcoming new album, ‘A Fading Future’ due out on 6th September.

One of the UK’s most underrated bands, Solars never put a foot wrong with whatever they release, and their impressive run continues with another absolute banger. One with really robust heaviness, groovy rhythms, eccentric twists, and a constant intensity that even makes their melodic moments have a tense feel. It’s another slice of brilliance that you can’t help but sink into. Check it out here.

Krysthla – Unto the Loveless

UK death metallers Krysthla have returned with the brutal new track, ‘Unto the Loveless’. The first single to be taken from their upcoming album, ‘The River’.

Welcome back Krysthla, we’ve missed you and your savage, but eclectic sound. Setting the senses aflame with an absolute beast of a track that might share the common denominator of death metal, fast and brutal, but features plenty of attention-grabbing harmonies and twists on the heavy formula. However, don’t let that fool you into believing this isn’t an absolutely crushing track, because it is.

Sunbleached – White Lace

Brisbane alt-rock band Sunbleached share new single ‘White Lace’, and announce upcoming EP, ‘I Crawled Into The Hole’ out Friday August 30th. The news arrives fresh off the back of the announcement they’ll showcase at this year’s BIGSOUND Festival, and will main support UK alt rockers Boston Manor at three shows in August.

Produced and recorded with long time collaborator Dylan Cottee, the leading single White Lace is written from the perspective of vocalist Josh Baker, who prior to being against the idea, gave in to tradition and married his sweetheart. The song explores how belief and opinions can change depending on circumstance.

Baker explains:

I got married earlier this year, which is not something my wife and I had ever considered to be in our futures, we’ve historically been very anti tradition and anti marriage. The first verse of the song describes coming to terms with giving into tradition and wanting to get married after being so anti marriage for so many years. I feel like people can be so high and mighty with some of the beliefs we carry.

If the story behind this track wasn’t lovable enough, the combination of emo rock and light shoegaze will put the biggest smile on most listener’s faces. This is a brilliantly catchy piece of music that fills the heart and soul with warm feelings. Bravo Sunbleached! Check it out here.

Grove Street – Divided Kingdom

Southampton hardcore/thrash quintet, Grove Street, have released a brand new single, ‘Divided Kingdom’, their first new material since the release of last year’s debut album, ‘The Path to Righteousness’.

Shares guitarist Sandy:

The overall theme of ‘Divided Kingdom’ is about being ashamed and embarrassed of the place you’re from, because of the way it’s run and what it’s become. The initial inspiration came during our first tour in Europe after Brexit had gone through: as we were driving between shows we noticed we were getting a lot of people flipping our van off because of the GB plate, as well as getting a lot of comments from people acting like we’d personally pushed Brexit through. The divisions in this country are so stark now, worse than ever in our lifetime, thanks to the culture wars stoked by our so-called leaders and social media clickbaiters, who fuel real world hatred for money and ‘engagement’.

Simple, but effective, Grove Street pick up where they left off with a maniacal slab of hardcore-infused heaviness. Delivering something filled with scathing intensity, designed to make the listener move, and ensuring that everyone who hears it will feel ready to take on the world. Not only can you head bang hard to this, but you can certainly get some two-steps in as well.