Single Slam: Grand Magus, Mork, Oceano, Enumclaw, Glacial Tomb, All Regards, Bodysnatcher, Ad Infinitum, Trench, Fate’s Hollow, The Oklahoma Kid, Oceans, and Winterfylleth!

Today’s single slam features Grand Magus, Mork, Oceano, Enumclaw, Glacial Tomb, All Regards, Bodysnatcher, Ad Infinitum, Trench, The Oklahoma Kid, Fate’s Hollow, Oceans, and Winterfylleth. You can read our thoughts about the latest singles from these bands below and listen to all the tracks via our Spotify playlist.

Grand Magus – Skybound

Acclaimed heavy metal battering ram Grand Magus from Stockholm, Sweden are pleased to announce that their brand-new album ‘Sunraven’ will be released on October 18th through Nuclear Blast Records. Sunraven marks the 10th full-length in the band’s impressive discography and conceptually deals with the legendary poem Beowulf, an ancient tale of epic proportions about heroes and monsters, honor and bravery, victory and defeat.

Alongside the album announcement, Grand Magus have released a video for the first single from Sunraven, the mighty opening track ‘Skybound’.

JB (vocals & guitar) commented:

‘Skybound’ is obviously a song about death and going to Valhalla. That’s where Beowulf ended up in the end, because after he defeated Grendel and Grendel’s mother, he was king for 50 years! Then his lands were plagued by a dragon, and by this time Beowulf is fucking ancient, but he’s still mean as a snake. He goes against the dragon and he manages to kill the dragon, but he’s mortally wounded in the process. He’s sky-bound, you know? These are all my own ideas about this. I used the myth as starting point for my own ideas and imagination.

The giants of metal, groovy and riffy epic metal, are back and creating a ton of excitement for this upcoming album with this first banger single. A banger because it exudes power, has a thickness that hits just right, a chorus that is both strong and catchy, and a guitar solo that gets the head banging. They do know how to make anthems, but this is up there as one of their best examples of just how anthemic they can be.

Mork – Utbrent

Black metal legends Mork have announced their new album ‘Syv’, set for release on 20th September on Peaceville. Alongside the news, the band have shared the album’s first single ‘Utbrent’.

Speaking about the new single, Mork creator, frontman and mastermind Thomas Eriksen said:

‘Utbrent is a depiction of getting burnt out and the struggle of holding oneself standing. Even whilst silently knowing the day will actually come and break you down…the harsh punishment of living as life breaks you down and burns you out.

Blackened extreme with the hallmarks of the early days of the scene, but with a more modern and mature style of song writing, Mork return with icy fire in their veins. Alongside the ferocity though, comes a creative showcase of dark music that has devious melodic touches and progressive twists. It’s a very clever track that gets better and better as it goes on. Check it out here.

Oceano – The Price of Pain

Deathcore titans Oceano have released the latest single, ‘The Price of Pain’, from their upcoming full-length album ‘Living Chaos’, out 30th August via Sumerian Records.

A brutal slice of old-school tinged deathcore, The Price of Pain is a visceral listen that has so much weight beyond the obvious. Yes, it is carnage, but there’s a really bleak tone that really manages to convey a sense of suffering and how consequences can often be inevitable. It takes a seriously talented band to convey this, and more, while also sounding so damn savage. Check it out here.

Enumclaw – Not Just Yet

Tacoma, Washington’s-own Enumclaw have shared their new single, ‘Not Just Yet’. The second offering from their forthcoming sophomore album ‘Home in Another Life’, out August 30th via Run For Cover Records and Cooking Vinyl Australia.

So far, so good, with Enumclaw building up more anticipation for this new album via an infectiously likable track. One that just happens to have some heartfelt meaning behind it, and is expressed impressively. It may not have the high-powered rockiness that Enumclaw are well known for, but it’s still very impactful.

Glacial Tomb – Abyssal Host

Self-described sludge corrupted death metal band Glacial Tomb have announced their signing to Prosthetic Records and that they will release their forthcoming sophomore album, ‘Lightless Expanse’, via the Los Angeles label on September 20th. Alongside the signing and album announcement, the band have also premiered the lead single, ‘Abyssal Host’.

It’s so easy to love a mean track, and Abyssal Host is as mean as it gets with every part of the band playing with a ferocity akin to the destructive force of an asteroid hitting the planet. Manic drumming, savage riffing, scathing vocals, and an exciting underlying level of atmosphere that gives the whole thing a bit more of an edge. Check it out here.

All Regards – Let Me Down (Gently)

Melbourne grunge alt-rockers All Regards have shared their heartfelt new single ‘Let Me Down (Gently)’. Lyrically the song explores the emotional weight of grieving and the process of ruminating on memories, feelings and love lost that follows when left alone after the fallout.

Say the band:

Each of us in the last couple of years has had instances where we’ve gone through grieving for something or someone that was incredibly important to us. Whether you are grieving the death of a loved one, the end of a relationship/friendship or the end of a certain time in your life. It does not discriminate who it affects.

This is a such pretty track that does a fantastic job of encapsulating the different versions of grief. Showcasing how personal the experience can be, while acknowledging the sad inevitability that we will all go through it at some point or another. The morose melody, touching sombre vocals, robust uptick in energy and ever-increasing passion is exceptionally well done.

Bodysnatcher – Infested

Heavy Floridian quartet Bodysnatcher have released their latest track and music video, ‘Infested’. The punishing track is featured on the band’s EP, ‘Vile Conduct’, releasing digitally on September 3rd via MNRK Heavy.

Bodysnatcher’s Kyle Carter says:

‘Infested’ is about falling back into depression over and over again. It’s about being on the cusp of giving up and telling yourself that you’re going to do whatever you can to heal and come out okay on the other end. Depression is a lifelong fight, and we’re always going to feel like it’s important to talk about.

Let’s f**king go! It’s a Bodysnatcher track and it goes extremely hard, unsurprisingly. What more do you need to know? This band is growing in strength, becoming a tighter unit with more elaborate song structures, all while still having a major focus on being brutally heavy, and this is a brutally heavy track. Check it out here.

Ad Infinitum – My Halo

Swiss/German modern metal frontrunners, Ad Infinitum, redefine their sound as they look to the future with their upcoming album, ‘Abyss’, out 11th October via Napalm Records. Now, the band offers a first taste of what’s to come by unleashing the opening track, ‘My Halo’.

The band comment on the new single:

Our brand-new single, ‘My Halo’, is out, and with it, the announcement of not only our upcoming album, Abyss, but also our next album trilogy. This is our most elaborate, intimate and unapologetic work yet with the Ad Infinitum signature sound, playing with new sounds and swimming in darker waters.

Variety… it’s the spice of life, and when it comes to a band as extravagantly creative as Ad Infinitum, it’s expected. Which does mean any overreaction to the melodramatic and pop-infused aspects of this new single is unwarranted. Ad Infinitum are beloved for their imagination, and regardless of the lighter and accessible tone, this is still a piece of music with some real bite to it. Check it out here.

Trench – Dust to Bone (feat. City and Colour)

In a world where conformity reigns supreme, Trench stands defiant and unapologetic, daring to carve their own path through the music scene. The band is set to release its album ‘Between Inverted Worlds’ on August 16th via New Damage Records. The latest single, ‘Dust to Bone (featuring City and Colour)’ is out now.

A heavy metallised showcase of modern hardcore and alternative imagination, Trench can be sickeningly heavy here, but the team up with City and Colour ends up being an inspired decision as the tone changes at just the right time adding a fresh layer of original thinking to a mean mugging of a track. Keep a very close eye on this band, based off this track alone, they’re going to be giants.

The Oklahoma Kid – Masquerade

Modern metal quintet The Oklahoma Kid have released a visualiser for their brand new single ‘Masquerade’, out now via Arising Empire. The song is taken from the band’s upcoming EP ‘Featherminded’, which will be out on 22nd August.

Gawd damn, this is a track to make you move. A straight-forward excitable anthem that combines some maddening levels of EDM with intense metal heaviness, and features some surprisingly anthemic melodic touches too. It’s only a little over 3-minutes in length, but its impact will be felt hours afterwards. Check it out here.

Fate’s Hollow – Lost Stars

‘Lost Stars’ is the second track to be released from progressive rock band Fate’s Hollow’s forthcoming debut album ‘The Heir Apparition Part I – Broken Crowns’, out September 3rd. The track is centred around the core theme of mortality and facing your fear of death. Over the course of the album’s story, the main character Elo falls victim to a foul plot that results in his untimely death, and this song represents that moment where Elo faces his end head on.

It’s always a joy to hear what Fate’s Hollow has to offer, and the band continue to showcase variety in their sound as this new single has a alternative rock vibe. Albeit, warped by their penchant for intricate and interesting guitar riffs, rhythms, and melodies. What might seem quite simple on surface proves to be a very complex, but anthemic, listen the more time spent in its company. Which is something many will find easy to do as it’s a very lovable piece of music.

Oceans – Parasite

German nu-death band Oceans are back. After the band’s triptych of EPs in 2022, that later formed the album ‘Hell Is Where The Heart Is’, the band now announces their third official studio album, ‘Happy’, which will be released on September 27th via Nuclear Blast. It sees the band delving into the all too familiar topic of mental health struggles as they explore the lows of the human existence, with the album’s title serving as desired state of mind.

Alongside the album announcement, Oceans have also delivered a brand-new single called ‘Parasite’, which comes with an accompanying music video.

Vocalist/guitarist Timo Rotten comments:

Music has always been our way of confronting our darkest emotions and finding a sense of release. I hope that this song resonates with those who have faced anxiety and depression and reminds them that they are not alone. Your fear might hold you hostage. But you can also choose to fight back!

Oceans can be one hell of a hit and miss band, and while what they stand for and try to express is admirable, it hasn’t always resulted in memorable music. This new single is the perfect encapsulation of the good and the bad side of Oceans. From the cringy and awkward nu-style start, to the passionate outbursts and intense epic instrumentation that picks things up nicely, to the unlikable electronica outro. There’s a lot to take away from this track, and it’s not even two-minutes long. Check it out here.

Winterfylleth – Upon This Shore

‘Upon This Shore’ marks the second single unveiled by the pioneering British black metal band, Winterfylleth. It comes ahead of their anthemic new album, ‘The Imperious Horizon’, set for release on the 13th of September via Candlelight / Spinefarm.

Guitarist/vocalist C. Naughton commented on the new single:

The song is about thinking beyond the normal constraints of society and about taking personal responsibility for yourself and those closest to you. It speaks about trying to create a peaceful existence by taking back control from all the subversion, misinformation and division going on within society. It’s about trying to cut through the prevailing winds and noise that we as people are bombarded with every day, and getting back to what truly matters. Home, friends, family and the meaningful connections we derive from our interactions with other people.

It was always going to take something super special to top the first single, and bloody hell, does this track come close. This new album is going to be immense, up there as the best thing they’ve ever done, and the proof comes from a track like this (alongside the previous). Where the blackness has a majestic vibe, the riffs are so powerful, and the melodies capture the imagination with ease. It’s utterly spellbinding to the point where its near-eight-minute length feels half that. Winterfylleth are on the form of their lives, it seems.