Single Slam: Malevolence, Youth Code, Vanitas, Lonesome, Higher Walls, Luna Kills, EYES, Inhuman Nature, Acres, Modern Evils, Blackbriar, newsshapes, Samurai Pizza Cats, and Confessions of a Traitor!

Today’s single slam features Malevolence, Youth Code, Vanitas, Lonesome, Higher Walls, Luna Kills, EYES, Inhuman Nature, Acres, Modern Evils, Blackbriar, newsshapes, Samurai Pizza Cats, and Confessions of a Traitor. You can read our thoughts about the latest singles from these bands below.

Malevolence – If It’s All The Same To You

Steel City Kings Malevolence have announced the details of their hugely anticipated new album, ‘Where Only the Truth is Spoken’, set to be released on the 20th June via MLVLTD in partnership with Nuclear Blast Records. Alongside the news of their new album, they have also released the video for their monumental new single ‘If It’s All The Same To You’.

On their new album, the band comment:

‘Where Only the Truth Is Spoken’ is a level up in every sense—musically, lyrically, and visually. This was our first time recording outside the UK, and doing it in LA with Josh Wilbur was fun and refreshing. He’s worked with some of the biggest names in metal, and his approach pushed us to challenge new heights. The production, the songwriting, the videos—everything about this record is bigger, heavier, and more refined.

Everything in Malevolence is, and always has been, a team effort and I feel like everyone really delivered on this record.

To everyone who supports what we do, thank you. It goes without saying that we wouldn’t be in this position if it wasn’t for your overwhelming support. I’m excited to see where the journey goes next!

Malevolence.
Made in God’s own country,
Where Only the Truth is Spoken.

Boom. ‘ave a bit of that. Malevolence is back and, unsurprisingly, this track goes extremely hard. It’s also a strong showcase of the evolving side of their hardcore sound as more and more groove is introduced. Which is cool, as it gives them more accessibility. The chorus has a late-Pantera vibe and just to cap it off, we’ve got a breakdown that will snap bones.

Youth Code – No Consequence

Youth Code, the product of multi-instrumentalists Sara Taylor and Ryan George, welcome their first musical output in four years: ‘Yours, With Malice’, incoming 16th May, 2025. ‘Yours, With Malice’ roars and tramples out of the gate with ‘No Consequence’ which arrives alongside a powerful performance video directed by Stephen Lentini.

As unique as ever, Youth Code return with a clever and captivating slice of industrialised intensity. Showcasing their growth as artists, while staying true to the core of their sound, which is polarising, of course. Love it or hate, it’s undeniably intriguing and the thick vein of tension that runs through it stands out strongly. Check it out here.

Vanitas – Your Demise

Following the success of their sophomore EP ‘Chaos Theory’ in 2024, progressive metal outfit Vanitas are hungry for more, revealing the start of a new chapter in 2025 with their newest single ‘Your Demise’.

New Vanitas is always something worth celebrating, and the progressive ‘cinematic’ metallers get the neck muscles working overtime from the start. Yes, this is a heavy one but one that is filled with a ton of powerful melodies and dramatic layers of symphonic atmosphere too. Their sound is becoming more and more definable, and their growth in confidence is clear, it’s another Vanitas banger.

Lonesome – Save Your Words

Cambridge emo quintet, Lonesome, have released their new single, ‘Save Your Words’. It follows the raw anger explored in their previous single, ‘Liar’, but delves deeper into the aftermath of betrayal – no longer fuelled by rage, but by the quiet devastation that follows.

Explains vocalist Jordan Kerr-Gray:

It is a song of self-preservation, where the weight of loss settles in, and the battle shifts from lashing out to simply holding on. The initial fury gives way to collapse, to guilt, to the aching regret of having cared too much for someone who let you break.

It’s a familiar story – one of heartbreak, of learning when to let go of guarding the fragments of yourself that remain. In the end, as the dust settles, there is a quiet reckoning. The betrayer must face the fire of their own choices, while the betrayed stands at the edge, caught between sorrow, defiance, and the acceptance that some wounds will never fully heal.

A gloomy and melancholic listen that captures the feeling of the exhaustion that comes after a rageful period. Quiet and mellow, but resounding with so much power none the less, it’s a rich showcase of the more melodic side of the band. Check it out here.

Higher Walls – Cloak & Dagger

The London based hardcore quartet Higher Walls have released the brand-new track ‘Cloak & Dagger’. Alongside the release comes the announcement of their new EP ‘No End’ which is set for release on April 25th.

Explaining the meaning behind the new single, the band says:

‘Cloak & Dagger’ speaks about the reality of the war machine and how the people instilled to protect us use their influence to profit from the donations of warmongering elites.

A hardy and hefty hardcore beast that vibrates with so much aggressive power, but is balanced out by bursts of groove. Higher Walls are raging, but it’s focused intensity, and even though it has got so much force behind it, it has a modern accessibility that will thrill fans of this kind of music. Check it out here.

Luna Kills – WAVES

Finland’s electrifying alt-metal powerhouse, Luna Kills, continues their ascent with the release of their new single, ‘WAVES’. Taken from their upcoming album, ‘DEATHMATCH’, set for release on April 4th, 2025, via SharpTone Records. The track dives deep into the struggles of repetitive cycles, self-doubt, and the painful realization of misplaced trust.

Shares vocalist Lotta Ruutiainen:

We all have patterns we struggle to break, and ‘WAVES’ is about drowning in the same mistakes, searching for a way out. The song is about believing in someone or something that constantly lets you down; yet being unable to walk away because it feels like giving up on something you’ve worked so hard for.

On an album filled with vivid and vast energy that comes at you fast and hard, a track like this stands out for its contrasting elements. Where an early flurry of electronica mixes things up, but this one still ends up being a hefty metal effort in the end. Modern alternative metal that will turn many heads.

EYES – Save Face on a Regular Basis

EYES have just released their second single ‘Save Face on a Regular Basis’ featuring guest vocals from Jesse Matthewson of KEN Mode. The single is taken from their forthcoming album ‘SPINNER’, out April 25th via Prosthetic Records.

Talking about the single, the band explains:

Save Face is one of the earliest cuts that actually made the album – i think it shows in the sense that it’s by far the most krauty, noise-rocky, full throttle kinda song. It shares a bit of the DNA with Congratulations, but at the same time is very much of this album.

We wanted a feature on the song and it had to be Jesse, or none at all.

Few people can channel pure insanity through their voice alone like him, and it matches the part perfectly. We’re extremely grateful that he wanted to be a part of the album and hope we can do it live one day!

As ‘in your face’ as it gets, noisy and intense, but made even more powerful by a guest vocalist who can match the passion of the band. Together they make wonderful music that stomps and crashes with brash determination. It’s another hefty effort from EYES, and anticipation is growing more and more for the new album. Check it out here.

Inhuman Nature – Dead and Buried

Inhuman Nature have released their third new single ‘Dead and Buried’, the latest song taken from their highly anticipated sophomore LP ‘Greater Than Death’, which will be released April 25th on Church Road Records.

Explains vocalist Chris Barling about the track:

Originally, I wrote this song about animal rights and veganism after listening to Death Camps by Cro-Mags. With what’s going on in the world at the moment, if you have such a complete disregard for human or animal life, then maybe you should be Dead and Buried while the rest of us crack on.

Furiously heavy, the latest single from Inhuman Nature combines an old-school thrash sound with frenzied speed and then throws in elements of death metal, and excitingly, a bit of old school stompy hardcore. The gang vocal shouts are awesome, and all will find themselves compelled to head bang hard here. Check it out here.

Acres – Staring at the Sun

As the countdown to Acres highly anticipated new album ‘The Host’ (out May 2 via Solid State / Tooth and Nail Records) continues, the British metallers return with their latest single, ‘Staring at the Sun’.

Shares vocalist Ben Lumber:

‘Staring at the Sun’ is a classic miserable Acres love song. The record goes in a brand new direction, but we wanted a few songs to nod to our roots with remnants of our old vibe. It’s about not being able to let go of someone or something who has a hold over you.

The future is looking so bright for the band, and a track like this only enhance the spotlight on them, even as they evolve as artists. Offering up an anthemic blast of alternative heaviness that has captivating melody and hits a massive high with a powerful chorus. Check it out here.

Modern Evils – Gitzlaff Lover

UK post-hardcore band Modern Evils, continue their surge with the release of their electrifying new single and video, Gitzlaff Lover, which is out now.

An astoundingly good song, Modern Evils have delivered a hugely creative track here. One that really does get stuck in the brain, with a lot of that infectiousness laying at the feet of the riff. It’s not alone though, with the underlying intensity, different vocal styles, and poppy chorus kicking all kinds of ass too. Combined, it’s a banger of a track.

Blackbriar – I Buried Us

Dutch symphonic metal band Blackbriar have released their brand-new song ‘I Buried Us’.

Vocalist Zora Cock comments:

‘I Buried Us’ captures the haunting aftermath of love laid to rest. In this song, I mentally dig a grave for a romance, but my imagination refuses to stay buried. I envision the two of us side by side, six feet under, a decayed heart still aching for their warmth. In my mind, we’re still dancing in the afterlife, twirling in the ‘what-ifs’ and ‘could-have-beens’.

Epic and powerful, Blackbriar don’t shake up the formula much here, but deliver a captivating piece of symphonic metal that continues to showcase a band at the top of their game right now. Heavy and melodic, the vocals are so dreamy, but it’s how it all comes together in the chorus that counts. That’s where we really hear the power of this band. Check it out here.

newshapes – deadweight

Scottish Alternative Post-Hardcore outfit, newshapes, have shared their brand-new single, ‘deadweight’, the opening track from their forthcoming EP, ‘a conversation with myself’.

Speaking about the new single newshapes vocalist Ian Mann comments:

I was feeling angry and to some extent really hated myself while writing the lyrics for this record and deadweight is the track where I embraced that bleakness. It’s a song that I think retrospectively I’ve written about growing older. You learn to not keep doing certain things or being in certain places if they don’t make you happy but that doesn’t actively fix the problem, that is usually you, and how you see yourself. I’m facing that head on in this record. deadweight is the start of this conversation as we’ve called it where I am telling myself I need to really look inward to become a better me.

Stop me if you’ve heard this before, but newshapes have released a quality track that feels so fresh and modern in an over-saturated genre. Yep, it’s what they do, and it never fails to impress. This new single is charmingly melodic and moody but also filled with an incredible amount of heavy power too. The ending is outstanding.

Samurai Pizza Cats – Pandastruck

Get ready to be ‘Pandastruck’ by Samurai Pizza Cats’ latest metalcore party anthem. After signing to label Century Media Records last month, the band has been teasing their newest work, with ‘Pandastruck’ being one of the lead singles for the band’s upcoming headline tour in May 2025. The single follows on the band’s prior release ‘Super Zero’.

Like so much of what this band produces, you may find yourself dancing to this as much as you are head banging to it. It’s delightfully odd, but deliciously infectious. The word that comes to mind throughout is ‘fun’ and who doesn’t want to have some of that in their metalcore? Check it out here.

Confessions of a Traitor – Still Haunted

London metalcore quartet Confessions of a Traitor have announced the release of their upcoming new album ‘This Pain Will Serve You’, set for release on 16th May via Facedown Records. To celebrate the announcement, the band have shared a music video for their brand new single ‘Still Haunted’.

Speaking on the new single, vocalist Stephen MacConville shares:

The song tells the story of my best friend and how he’s struggled with the loss of his partner to suicide. He holds the memories of their relationship so dear. He is haunted by things he could have done differently to prevent her from the path she chose. Dwelling in a limbo where he simply cannot move on from her, falling deeper into sadness as he is surrounded by all of her possessions.

Incredibly powerful, even if you can’t directly relate to the subject matter, you will be able to feel the passion and emotion in it. This is one of the most vulnerable sounding tracks that Confessions of a Traitor have produced and it lingers. Not just because the melody is so poignant, but because the heavier side of the band feels more intense than ever. It feels weird to use a world like ‘anthemic’ for a track like this, but it fits.