Single Slam: TesseracT, Upsetter, Werewolves, Movement At Night, Of Virtue, Vilify, Dying Fetus, Acid Hound, Turin, Continents, Joy in Motion, Break Fifty, The Man Motels, Celestial Sanctuary, and Svalbard!

This week’s single slam features TesseracT, Upsetter, Werewolves, Movement At Night, Of Virtue, Vilify, Dying Fetus, Acid Hound, Turin, Continents, Joy in Motion, Break Fifty, The Man Motels, Celestial Sanctuary, and Svalbard. You can read our thoughts about the latest singles from these bands below.

TesseracT – War of Being

Five years since the release of Sonder, UK prog-metal titans TesseracT have returned with their new album War Of Being, to be released 15th September via Kscope. ‘War Of Being’, the first single to be released from the album.

Wow. Just wow. TesseracT are back and what a return this is. Only a band this supremely confident in their abilities would be brave enough to release a near-11-minute epic as their first single. Yet, it is 11-minutes that fly by in a blur of TesseracT gold. Like the band has taken everything great about themselves and poured it into this single track. While also sounding so fresh. They’ve set the bat high in the past, and once again they elevate it. The scale of their ambition and creativity is off the charts and this track can simply be called a masterpiece. If the rest of the album is even half as good as this track, it’s going to be one of the best albums of the year.

Upsetter – Deserve / Martyr

Brisbane/Meanjin dynamic emo rock duo Upsetter have released another set of two powerfully emotive new singles, Deserve and Martyr. A taste of what’s to come from the band’s debut EP ‘Doomgaze’, out Friday August 11th.

Let’s start with Deserve. An ambitious and anthemic track with a lot of heart. The theme of discomfort felt towards the end of a relationship and the things that go unsaid between partners comes through strongly. The melodic moodiness works off the powerful chorus nicely, and it turns out to be a bit of an ear-worm track.

Then there is Martyr, which follows on from Deserve, speaking of the aftermath of moving on and ultimately wishing the other well. A gloomy tone is prevalent, but the sharper jabs of instruments and an overall pacier tempo helps make this one stand out. They’re both great songs, but Deserve might just be the more impressive of the two. Check them both out here.

Werewolves – Destroyer of Worlds

Australian death metal trio Werewolves have shared a new single and music video, titled Destroyer of Worlds. Destroyer of Worlds is the third track to be taken from Werewolves’ forthcoming fourth album, My Enemies Look and Sound Like Me, which is set for release via Prosthetic Records on August 11th.

Inject what Werewolves offers directly into the veins, this band can do nothing wrong, and this new album is shaping up to be their best work to date. No further proof than the gloomy and doom-tinged tone that permeates the entirety of this track. It’s a more focused sounding Werewolves and shows that it’s not all about blistering carnage. Even if that side of the band is always ready to play, as this track shows, the more time you spend with it.

Movement At Night – Give It A Try

Following the release of the singles ‘Way Out’ and ‘Strong As A Mountain’, Movement At Night have announced the release of the debut album entitled ‘Failed By Choice’, due out on September 15th, 2023.

In anticipation of the album’s official release, Movement At Night have released the new single ‘Give It A Try.’

It’s another powerful and heartfelt punk rock tune from Movement At Night. An infectious foot-tapper that takes the old and new schools of this sound and marries them impressively. The chorus is great, the guitar melodies are great, and the vocals are great, it’s just a great song overall. Check it out here.

Of Virtue – Sober

Today, midwestern metal act Of Virtue have released their brand new single and music video for ‘Sober’, a cautionary tale on substance abuse taken from their upcoming full-length album Omen, due 29th September via Arising Empire.

On the new track, the band comment:

‘Sober’ is a cautionary tale about the effects that addiction can have not only on the user, but friends, family or anyone that is close to them. It is hitting that “rock bottom” with no where else to go except for finally turning over a new leaf. It can be hard to accept accountability for your actions when it has damaged so many things and make it harder to stop the self destructive behaviour that got you there in the first place.

It’s another Of Virtue anthem, one with the focus being on melody and powerful vocals. The band’s individual talents all combining to deliver a chorus that soars. It’s a grander sounding track than the length may have you believe, and the intense subject matter is given plenty of time to permeate through the mind. Check it out here.

Vilify – From the Inside

Newcastle metalcore outfit Vilify address internalised homophobia in their menacing new single, From The Inside. A tale of anger, self-loathing and torment, Vilify share that:

From the inside – in the most direct explanation – is about internalised homophobia. It’s about doubting yourself and your sexuality and then having others double down on the doubt.

Spitting absolute fire, Vilify are taking no prisoners with a manic head-banger that makes you want to move. The animated instruments and snarling vocals are wickedly intense, yet there’s something delightfully catchy about this track. Most notable when the chorus hits, something that is just f**king massive sounding.

Dying Fetus – Feast of Ashes

Death metal overlords Dying Fetus return with their highly anticipated new album, Make Them Beg For Death, out 8th September via Relapse. The band have unveiled new single ‘Feast of Ashes’, along with a brutal video that is not for the faint hearted.

Needing no introduction, Dying Fetus have been causing brutality for a vey long time and they show no signs of slowing down or chilling out just yet. Feast of Ashes is as savage and horrible sounding as anything the band has put out before, continuing the trend of gory violence that has made them so beloved. It’s unfiltered and uncompromising death metal. Nothing more and nothing less. Check it out here.

Acid Hound – Wolves

Metalcore upstarts, Acid Hound have released ‘Wolves’, their brand-new single.

A band to keep a close eye on, Acid Hound are slowly making waves in the metalcore/modern hardcore scene and Wolves is going to turn a lot of heads. Especially if you like music that demands one thing and one thing only, go f**king crazy. It’s a mayhem-inducing listen that conjures up images of some disgusting pits. The surprising thing? It’s kind of catchy! Check it out here.

Turin – The Unforgiving Reality In Nothing

UK heavyweights of misery, the intense & visceral Turin (formerly This Is Turin) return with the brutal and uncompromising ‘The Unforgiving Reality In Nothing’. The band’s first release through their new home MNRK Heavy.

The band comment:

As well as it being an acronym for TURIN, it’s been at the heart of this album’s concept for all the lyrics. All five of us have been in situations where we act like nothing’s wrong or bothering us, the reality of doing that is unforgiving. It harms us. It can impact those around us and often the reality of the situation doesn’t change until we speak up and look for support. In some cases, forgiveness. We wrote this song at the tail end of the COVID lockdown in the UK as a way for us to reinvent our sound and push forward with whatever the next stage of this band would be, what came from it was a new album and a new drive to evolve what we have.

A big, very big return for Turin, the group have gone epic with this one. While staying true to their intense, miserable, and punchy sound. The vocals are absolutely outstanding here, true guttural horror, but the blend of epic soundscapes when they hit the chorus, alongside blazing drum beats and brutal riffing is what stays long afterwards.

Continents – Lifeline

Making a hugely welcomed return, Welsh metalcore band Continents are happy to kickstart a whole new era for the band with their brand-new single ‘Lifeline’. After announcing the band’s hiatus in February 2019 with a final sold out headline show in April 2019, Continents have taken the time to re-brand and are now ready to continue releasing new music while showcasing a whole new side to the band.

It’s not a dig to say that Continents are exactly what you think of when the term metalcore is used in modern times. It’s not a dig because they are doing it very well. Utilising melody and metal to create something memorable, while throwing in a ton of relatable emotion and delivering it all with an intense amount of passion. Check it out here.

Joy in Motion – Wasting Away

Brisbane alt-rockers Joy In Motion welcome a new member to the fold and return to their rock roots with vengeful new single, Wasting Away.

An energetic blast of alternative fun, so to speak, Joy in Motion keep it simple here and deliver something that is undeniably memorable. The punchy rock rhythm and poppier vocals are cool, and it has a chorus that gets stuck in the head. Check it out here.

Break Fifty – A Familiar Face (Of Someone I Never Knew)

UK Nu-Core band ‘Break Fifty’ kick start a whole new era by announcing a fresh line-up and by sharing a catastrophic new single called ‘A Familiar Face (Of Someone I Never Knew)’.

A bristling and blistering track that is exceptionally dark and horrible to the ears. Break Fifty seem not to be in control of what they are producing here, so chaotic is it. Yet, they still do an impressive job of grabbing the attention and holding it. Impressive as it is an abrasive, getting harder and harder as it goes on.

The Man Motels – The Fever

Alternative punk rock trio, The Man Motels will release their highly anticipated new EP ‘Dead Nature’ on July 28th, 2023, via Mongrel Records. They have now released the single ‘The Fever.’

With garage rock elements mixed with a raw punk sound, The Man Motels deliver non-stop excitement here. A groovy and infectious crowd-pleaser that is animated and eccentric. It’s an easy track to move and groove too, a good sign for the full EP. Check it out here.

Celestial Sanctuary – The Lurid Glow of a Dead, Burning Body

The second single, ‘The Lurid Glow of a Dead, Burning Body,’ from the highly anticipated Celestial Sanctuary LP ‘Insatiable Thirst For Torment’ is out today.

Tom Cronin, the bands frontman/guitarist had this to say about the song:

It’s about someone discovering they have a fetish for the sight and smell of a body while it’s burning – and satisfying that craving by taking on this sorta vigilante role and getting themselves off on it at the same time.

I feel the album in general has a lot more pace to it than our last album – it’s generally a faster, dare I say leaning into the thrashier side of death (NOT a death thrash record!!!) and this record leans into that the most I would say. Also that breakdown type bit towards the end of the song? My new favourite riff to play. Can’t wait to see necks break to that.

It’s a grim and garish listen, but that’s what we all want from this band. We want to feel beat up by their massive death metal sound and in that regard, they do not disappoint. This is a real trawl through the horror that Celestial Sanctuary can produce. The drums are white hot, the riffs flay, and the vocals are beyond scathing. Pure head-banging gold. Check it out here.

Svalbard – The Weight of the Mask

Svalbard are proud to announce their ardently anticipated new studio album, The Weight Of The Mask, due out on October 6th via Nuclear Blast Records. White-hot new single ‘Faking It’ has also been revealed, accompanied by a video. The track lays bare a poignant, candid account of dealing with depression and coming to the realisation that you are “faking it” to just get by.

Svalbard’s Serena Cherry states:

If the previous record was about facing your demons, then The Weight of The Mask is about fighting them with everything you’ve got. You can literally hear the depression transform into aggression in these songs. The Weight of The Mask was admittedly a challenging album to make because we cut so deep this time around, it was a painful but ultimately cathartic process. This album is the sound of two years worth of internal darkness boiling away inside and then finally being unleashed.

Faking It is a song about feeling deprived of meaningful human connection due to depression acting like a wall that shuts you off from others. It addresses the ways in which those who suffer with depression can feel guilted into putting on a happy mask. The lyrics are a reflection on happiness as a social obligation and how scarily good you can become at deceiving everyone around you into thinking that you’re fine when you’re not. With Faking It, we are both acknowledging the pressure for forced positivity, the fear that people won’t like you if you’re sad and also questioning where the root of this intolerance towards depression lies.

One of the most impressive Svalbard tracks or lyrics alone, Faking It is a powerful anthem from a band that seems incapable of doing anything but delivering powerful anthems. It’s mean as hell, but is filled with a stunning amount of emotion, as is often key with the Svalbard sound. The chorus is bloody epic, and while everyone in the band is working their socks off, the drumming has to be highlighted as being such an outstanding element. Roll on the full album, this track has really got the juices flowing now.