Single Slam: Future Static, somei, The Bedside Morale, Xorsist, Major Moment, END, The Voynich Code, A.N.J.A., Rile, Aviana, The Picturebooks, Unprocessed, GHØSTKID, Twin Temple, Detachment, and Suffocation!

This week’s single slam features Future Static, somei, The Bedside Morale, Xorsist, Major Moment, END, The Voynich Code, A.N.J.A., Rile, Aviana, The Picturebooks, Unprocessed, GHØSTKID, Twin Temple, Detachment, and Suffocation. You can read our thoughts about the latest singles from these bands below.

Future Static – Roach Queen

One of Australia’s most talked about breakthrough heavy acts, Melbourne quintet Future Static are thrilled to unveil their highly anticipated full-length debut album, Liminality, out 24th November 2023 via Wild Thing Records. Alongside Liminality, the band have revealed the emotionally charged, hard hitting anthem ‘Roach Queen’, and its accompanying eye-catching music video, taken from the forthcoming record.

There’s no ignoring Future Static when they’re on this kind of form and if the rest of the new album is even as half as good as this banger single, we’re all in for a bloody good time. Roach Queen is a hectic and heavy number, with some seriously anthemic appeal. Melody is wonderfully balanced with frenetic aggression, it has some wicked twists and turns, and an absolute beast of a breakdown.

somei – barbarella (melt away)

somei blend shoegaze and dream pop elements with doom and sludge metal in a way that is accessible and refreshing. The atmosphere and weight of the music can crush and uplift. somei is currently working on their debut full length, due out in 2024. They have now released their new single ‘barbarella (melt away).’

An interesting listen. On the one hand you have this other-worldly tone that feels cut from the sound of shoegaze, but on the other, it’s instrumentally harder and heavier, and the vocals are smooth and light. It’s a combination that certainly perks the ears up, the sense of drifting through the dark and unknown cosmos is prevalent, but the heaviness acts as a counterbalance to ensure there is no getting lost. It leaves you wanting to know more about this band and their sound. Check it out here.

The Bedside Morale – Safeword

Indie-rock four-piece The Bedside Morale have been making music together under different iterations since 2014 with different forms of musical and self-expression being explored. It’s been a storied journey since then, with close to a decade of life experiences and musical adventures, all resulting in The Bedside Morale; which they lovingly describe as “sincere rock music with a splice of pop hits.”

They have now released their debut single ‘Safeword’, a song that explores the idea of escapism through nostalgia.

Peppy and excited indie-rock music that has a ton of catchiness to it, The Bedside Morale have arrived and immediately set about leaving an impression. There’s nothing too complex about this, it’s just a fun foot-tapper with nice melodies and danceable rock energy. Good stuff.

Xorsist – Distorted Shapes

Swedish trio Xorsist has shared a new single, titled ‘Distorted Shapes’. ‘Distorted Shapes’ is the third and final pre-release track to be taken from the group’s forthcoming sophomore album, ‘At the Somber Steps to Serenity’, due for release via Prosthetic on October 6th, 2023.

A dark, doom-tinged, slice of old-school death metal, Xorsist are ripped right from an earlier era of garish noise. With this single, they showcase just how brutally raw they can be, delivering a blast of filth that will surely sate the appetites of those who long for the bloody chunks of death metal’s ‘golden’ years. Check it out here.

Major Moment – Losing Battles

Pop-metal band Major Moment have shared their melancholic new single ‘Losing Battles’. Stitched from vocalist’s Andrey real life nightmares, this song is about waking up from them and still not feeling any relief. The track is taken from the bands forthcoming album ‘The Pain That Makes Us Grow’ – Set for release in late 2023.

Explains vocalist Andrey Borzykin:

Mental health has always been an important topic for us, impacting our own lives severely, and with so many people struggling with dark thoughts and feeling like they’re fighting this battle alone, we hope our new single will show them that we’re always there for them, and they can always resort to listening to their favorite artists and let the music guide them through the bad times.

This is strong stuff from a band that is consistently putting out strong stuff. Major Moment really manage to capture the feeling of a lucid nightmare with this worrisome and tense banger. A track that is filled with plenty of pop drama and punchy metal groove, it’s a dark anthem that many people will relate to.

END – The Sin of Human Frailty

END – guitarist Will Putney, vocalist Brendan Murphy, guitarist Gregory Thomas, bassist Jay Pepito, and drummer Matt Guglielmo – will release their second album The Sin of Human Frailty on 27th October via Closed Casket Activities. The band has now shared the album’s title track, stating:

As one of the first songs written for this record, ‘The Sin of Human Frailty’ acts as natural progression from the last LP. It’s very grounded in the elements that compose END’s identity. The new album takes a much more varied path than previous releases, but it felt right to maintain core songs like this to keep us connected to the influences we were born from.

Let’s be honest, no-one is expecting anything but savagery from END, so it will not come as surprise to know that The Sin of Human Frailty is a little over two minutes of hardcore chaos. As abrasive as ever, as intense as always, and as formulaic as usual. END might be very good at what they do, but a lot of bands are doing this now, so it’s hard to get too excited about it. The two-stepping, spin-kicking, and fist-swinging crowd are going to absolutely love it though. Check it out here.

The Voynich Code – A Flicker of Life

Portuguese extreme metal juggernaut, The Voynich Code have dropped their latest single ‘A Flicker of Life’, taken from their upcoming album ‘Insomnia’ due out October 13th via Unique Leader Records.

Elaborating on their latest single, The Voynich Code share:

‘Flicker of Life’ delves into the contrasting worlds of sleep and wakefulness. It’s about the unexpected moments when we’re jolted from a dream, revealing a reality that feels more like a nightmare. For many, the comfort found in sleep is a brief escape, but there’s always that small reminder, a flicker, that brings us back to our daily challenges.

A big and nasty track from The Voynich Code, which is saying a lot as they’re not exactly ‘chill’ most of the time. It just so happens that this is a damn good example of them pushing their extreme sound to even darker, heavier, and meaner limits. Every part of the band is on fire here, but none more than the drumming, which is simply staggering.

A.N.J.A. – Stimulation

Drawing inspiration from retro punk, garage, psych, and stoner rock, German-born and Belfast-based singer A.N.J.A. is back with another riveting single ‘Stimulation.’ Taken from her upcoming EP ‘The Season of Evil’ to be released in November.

The lyrics of ‘Stimulation’ are about her struggle with inescapable virtual realities, social media, the abyss of the human mind and the dangers of artificial intelligences. In A.N.J.A.’s own words, she says:

Have you felt lately as if you were trapped in a terrifying episode of ‘Black Mirror’? Me too, and that’s what “Stimulation” is about!

One of the major appealing factors of A.N.J.A.’s music is that you can’t quite know what to expect with each release. The anticipation for something that excites and challenges is always palatable, and with Stimulation, she delivers a punky, groovy, and rocking banger. One with some garage rock distortion and fuzz, some trippy psych moments, and an infectious chorus. A.N.J.A. continues to impress with every new release. Check it out here.

Rile – Stone Tapes

Rile, the powerful and uncompromising hardcore band hailing from Salt Lake City, have released their new single, ‘Stone Tapes,’ taken from their upcoming album ‘Pessimist’, out on Church Road Records on October 27th, 2023.

It’s a bit of surprise to start Stone Tapes knowing nothing about Rile, expecting a hardcore blast, and coming across something that is over seven minutes long. Yet, as the track goes on, the Rile style begins to really make sense and it helps them stand out as something a bit different within this world. Able to be abrasive and chaotic with the best of them, but also delivering something haunting and melodic. It’s a fascinating track that leaves a big impression. Check it out here.

Aviana – As Above, So Below

Swedish alternative metal act Aviana have released their brand new single / video for their single ‘As Above, So Below’, ahead of their extensive US tour with Invent Animate, Void of Vision and Thrown. This is the first new music heard since their impactful album ‘Corporation’, released in 2022 via Arising Empire.

It’s great to have Aviana back, and to come back with such a banger, speaks volumes about the quality of this band. As Above, So Below is a strong mix of heart-wrenching melody and massive modern metalcore beats. The chorus is very powerful, and the track has a cleanness that will help make it more appealing to a wider audience. Though, be prepared, this track has some gurn to it too.

The Picturebooks – Masquerade

Motorcycle mending, chopper and skateboard-riding, blues-rocking duo The Picturebooks have released their new single and music video for ‘Masquerade’, their first ever recording to feature cymbals in their five-album career.

On the new single, vocalist and guitarist Flynn Claus Grabke comments:

This is the first time Philipp has used cymbals, as he’s never used cymbals or hi hat in any other recording before. Through our work on The Picturebooks and The Major Minor Collective albums, we found out that we don’t have to limit ourselves as much as we did on previous albums. We can use bass, cymbals, samples, harmony vocals, and we will still sound like THE PICTUREBOOKS. It will only broaden our musical horizon. This song is a manifest to that idea. Let’s be what we want to be, knowing we will always be THE PICTUREBOOKS.

The epitome of rock catchiness, The Picturebooks add some Rage Against the Machine and Fu Manchu influences to create something everyone can enjoy. It’s fun, but it’s also The Picturebooks so don’t be surprised to find some of their blues slowly sneaking its way in. That chorus, as repetitive as it is, will get stuck in everyone’s head once they hear it. Check it out here.

Unprocessed – Thrash

Progressive boundary pushing quartet Unprocessed have returned with their new single ‘Thrash’ and have announced the release of their third album ‘…and everything in between,’ set for 1st December 2023.

A very clever track that keeps the listener on their toes all the way through, Unprocessed might be progressive as hell, but they also know how to deliver an anthem and go absolutely batshit insane too. That’s Thrash in a nutshell, an anthem with dreamy melody and erratic progressive guitar parts, that suddenly and violently has fits. The breakdown is certainly… something. Check it out here.

GHØSTKID – Heavy Rain

GHØSTKID are excited to unveil a brand-new track, ‘Heavy Rain.’ The accompanying video deals with the sensitive topic of domestic violence which may be triggering for some viewers.

GHØSTKID comments:

‘Heavy Rain’ was written during a time when I felt utterly miserable…Even if the story of the song is written from the perspective of two lovers who are in a relationship it represents so much more. It is based on experiences that I have made over the past years and sadly I believe a lot of people can relate to them.

It is hard to find good people who really respect and love you the way you are. You should always be aware of people that abuse you just to make them feel superior. At some point you learn to deal with the pain, slowly it becomes a part of you – until the person you used to be no longer exists.

‘Heavy Rain’ describes the feeling of losing yourself under abuse and manipulation by a loved one. It is for everybody out there who had to to go through similar feelings. Try to stay strong and break the cycle. Search for help and do not let yourself down.

You are a good and valuable person and no one can take this away from you. You are not alone! This song is for you.

An extremely powerful track from GHØSTKID that has moving and deep lyrical content, but also happens to be a modern metalcore banger too. It will make you want to get up and move, even if you’re crying while doing so. What really makes this such an outstanding listen though are the layers of atmosphere and effects that sit in the background. Helping to really enhance the vibe of the track.

Twin Temple – Be A Slut

Satanic Doo-Wop duo Twin Temple have dropped their empowering, titillating new single ‘Be A Slut’. Known for their iconic blend of vintage melodies and provocative lyrical themes, ‘Be A Slut’ can be found on the band’s upcoming new album ‘God Is Dead’, set for release on the unholiest of days, Friday, October 13. Speaking about the track, the band shared:

Uncross your arms and open up your legs! ‘Be a Slut’ is a good old-fashioned pearl-clutching rock and roll song with a real horny sax solo and everything. It’s obviously about how great it feels to be a slut. We hope it inspires you to dance, release the boring shackles of dated morality and most of all, have fun. Live, love, Lucifer!

Satanic Doo-Wop, you say? What’s not to like about that? Twin Temple are certainly offering up something different and Be A Slut is a body-shaker through and through. It’s rock and roll in every way, so if you’re hoping for something with a bit more bite, you won’t find it here. What you will find is a ton of fun, with a downright sexy sax solo to help get you in the mood. Check it out here.

Detachment – Choke(d)

Hardcore four-piece Detachment have released their newest single ‘Choke(d)’ from their debut album ‘Lack’ set to release on October 13th, 2023.

Says the band:

Choke(d) is an updated version of the opening track Choke from our 2020 EP, Gaslight. This is the perfect representation of the album as a whole with its blend of visceral hardcore and euphony in the second half. This revitalized version of this track showcases our evolution as musicians and songwriters since that time while still keeping true to the same band we’ve always been.

It’s a cool idea to update Choke from the 2020 EP, Gaslight, because A – that track is a banger and B – Detachment have come a long way in a few years. Though be under no false illusions, it is still an absolute raging beast of hardcore noise. A stompy pit starter that just so happens to be more refined and cleaner on the ears. Yet, the best thing about it is the melodic tone switch, where Detachment shows just how many layers they have. Check it out here.

Suffocation – Seraphim Enslavement

New York death metal legends Suffocation will unleash their ninth full-length album Hymns from The Apocrypha on November 3rd via Nuclear Blast. The follow-up to …of the Dark Light (2017) and the first release featuring the new vocalist, Ricky Meyers. Giving fans the first taste of the album, they have released the first single, ‘Seraphim Enslavement’.

What a year for the old-school death metal bands 2023 has been, and now along comes Suffocation to pile on even more weight on. Brash and brutal death metal in its rawest form, Suffocation fans can relax as new vocalist Ricky Meyers fits right in, sounding positively possessed as he roars. Aside from that, this new single shows that this new Suffocation album is sure to absolutely crush.