Single Slam: Nile, Hedra, Elysian Divide, Trunk, Under Blackened Skies, Shade UK, Shower Beers, Kittie, DemUnillusions, Calcine, Kurokuma, Fangclub, and Scene Queen!

Today’s single slam features Nile, Hedra, Elysian Divide, Trunk, Under Blackened Skies, Shade UK, Shower Beers, Kittie, DemUnillusions, Calcine, Kurokuma, Fangclub, and Scene Queen. You can read our thoughts about the latest singles from these bands below.

Nile – Chapter for Not Being Hung Upside Down on a Stake in the Underworld and Made to Eat Feces by the Four Apes

World-renowned American death metal icons Nile return in 2024 with their highly-anticipated 10th onslaught, ‘The Underworld Awaits Us All’, out 23rd August via Napalm Records.

In celebration of the announcement, Nile have dropped the album’s first new single, ‘Chapter for Not Being Hung Upside Down on a Stake in the Underworld and Made to Eat Feces by the Four Apes’, alongside a new official music video.

Nile’s Karl Sanders comments on the new track and video:

Chapter for not being Hung Upside Down’ is one of our favourite tracks on the new record. It’s a lot of fun to play, challenging and unpredictable, but with an infectiously brutal, unrestrained vibe that I am very certain will be a blast in the mosh pit during live shows.

We are super happy to be working with Tom Flynn for the video for this song – he is a visionary with insanely creative ideas and a really cool guy to work with. Very excited for people to see what he has been cooking up with this video.

It’s heavy, it’s frenzied, it’s intense, it’s f**king Nile and their back with an absolutely mammoth death metal release. Not just in contention for longest track title of 2024, but in contention for having dropped one of the year’s strongest death metal efforts. It’s a fully energised effort with progressive momentum and furious power. You might expect this from Nile at this stage of their careers, but it doesn’t change the impact, or the fact that they keep on delivering bangers.

Hedra – Head Held High

Norwich based metal band Hedra have released their brand-new single ‘Head Held High’. It is the second single from the upcoming album ‘Ruin Everything’, to be potentially released at the end of 2024. The track is about a sudden change in direction upon a realisation whilst travelling to work on a daily basis.

Explains vocalist Jim Marten:

This song is dedicated to the people that go to work for pittance, the ones that struggle for their arts, emphasis on the song was to tell people that we have to ‘get going’ if we’re going to make a difference, if something doesn’t work then try something new ‘try plant the seed’, those words came about from watching a friend take a sudden interest in plants and environmental input, after constantly pointing out a poor working environment he decided to change it.

There’s a melody-driven gloominess to this track, and the theme is exceptionally relatable, yet Hedra’s approach has a driving heavy rockiness that helps energise the heart and soul. An anthemic chorus adds to an overall alternative vibe, but alongside that is power, and a midpoint shift to a more intense and heavy sound is very thrilling. Good stuff. Check it out here.

Elysian Divide – Fall Down

UK metallers, Elysian Divide have released their new single, ‘Fall Down’, accompanied by a music video. The song critiques conformity, shallow rhetoric, and societal decay with the sense of futility in trying to advocate for change. It highlights shame and pity for humanity’s state, lamenting missed opportunities for growth. It portrays a grim world consumed by hatred and division, where meaningful dialogue and growth seem unattainable.

Elysian Divide kill it with every release, and this new track is no different. Featuring heavy instrumentation that has groove and vocals that hit with power. It’s a heavy metal anthem with levels of accessibility, mainly thanks to a very infectious chorus. It’s very listenable, and very repeatable.

Trunk – Save

Trunk, an alternative rock band from the Northeast of England, will release their debut EP, ‘Tembo’ on July 21st. ‘’Save’ is the first single from the upcoming EP, and is out now.

A really lovable track that delivers mellow alternative catchiness through and through. The guitar melody, dreamy vocals, and layered percussion sounds great, and try as you might, you’ll find yourself swaying to this. Especially as it has a slightly more robust chorus, a more frantic section near the end, and the touches of fuzz add so much. Check it out here.

Under Blackened Skies – Part Together

After a ten-year hiatus, Birmingham’s heavy metal heavyweights, Under Blackened Skies are back with a thunderous return. Marking their resurgence, the band has re-released ‘Part Together’, a track that has remained a fan favourite since its original debut in 2010.

Says lead vocalist Manu:

We are excited to bring back Under Blackened Skies, a huge piece of our lives, we are revitalised and itching to show you what we have been working on”‘Part Together’ is about the journey of self-discovery and the power of unity. In a world that often feels divided, we hope this song brings people together, reminding them that they are not alone in their struggles.

It’s an iconic Under Blackened Skies tune, so what better song is there to re-introduce the band and show newbies what they’ve been missing out on!? From the start, the crashing drums and furious guitars gets the blood thumping. Then, with the arrival of the vocals, it shifts into a meaty head-banger with riffs to lose your mind too. That wildness is still present though, in fact, it gets even more chaotic. By the end, most will be madly in love with this beast and even more excited to have Under Blackened Skies back. Check it out here.

Shade UK – Second Skin

Genre bending, Bristol based Rock, Trap and Drum N’ Bass band Shade UK have announced their debut EP ‘Second Skin’ will be released on 28th June 2024 The EP features their recent single ‘G.O.D’ and their brand-new EP title track ‘Second Skin’. The announcement comes just a week after the band confirmed to fans that they will be appearing at this year’s Glastonbury Festival on Saturday 29th June.

A genre mash-up likely to have some people breaking out in hives. Fair enough, it’s not for you, but this kind of bouncy alternative heavy rock will be lapped up by many. For good reason too, as it’s a really strong track that marries the disparate genres well. Shade UK are a talented bunch, and in front of the right crowd (such as Glastonbury), they will surely go down so well.

Shower Beers – Afterglow (ft. Outatime)

NYC-based pop punk band Shower Beers have released the brand-new track, ‘Afterglow’, featuring Orlando-based punk rockers Outatime.

A band who make uber-catchy pop-punk music, Shower Beers have the anthem to many-a Summer party with this new single. Teaming up with the beloved Outatime to deliver something that puts a big smile on the face. Like the best kind of pop-punk, it’s a singalong that leaves you feeling all warm inside. Check it out here.

Kittie – One Foot in the Grave

Kittie continue their epic quest for global metal domination with the release of their latest single, ‘One Foot In The Grave’. The new track is the fourth to be released of the band’s long-awaited new studio album, ‘Fire’, their first in over 13 years, set to be released on 21st June via Sumerian Records.

Speaking on the new single, vocalist and guitarist Morgan Lander comments:

The excitement is palpable in anticipation of our forthcoming album release, with the unleashing of our latest offering ‘One Foot In The Grave’. It’s a feisty, high-energy song about coming back from the dead and rising from the ashes so to speak, paralleling our real life experiences as of late. Letting go of the demons of the past to begin anew is something that resonates with us deeply!

Are we hyped enough yet? If not, this latest single might be the one as it finds Kittie bringing forth their inimitable fire, but adding some strong layers of melody to their modern sound. Credit where credit is due, this is not sounding like a band trying to relive the glory years, but rather a band who has matured and found that big rock and metal anthems can work for them too. It’s one of the catchiest Kittie tracks heard in some time. Check it out here.

DemUnillusions – Who Are You With Now?

Dutch orchestral metal band DemUnillusions have released their brand-new single, ‘Who Are You With Now?’ The release includes the original version of the track, alongside an instrumental version.

Focusing on the original version of the track, DemUnillusions are an ambitious band and all the proof you need is here. An accessible epic that marries orchestral sounds with emphatic metal heaviness, resulting in something that is fresh and interesting. The chorus doesn’t quite hit the mark, but it’s still quite catchy. Check it out here.

Calcine – Amnesic

Parisian hardcore band, Calcine have released ‘Amnesic’, the second single from their brand-new album, ‘Common Love Common Nausea’. Out on June 21st, via Church Road Records.

A no-nonsense hardcore rager that sounds so damn heavy, Calcine are looking to spill some blood here and they’re going to get what they want. The moment the breakdown hits, there’s no hope for anyone. It’s over quickly, but the best kinds of furious hardcore sounds are.

Kurokuma – I Am Forever

UK psych metal trio Kurokuma are set to return with another genre-mashing album titled ‘Of Amber and Sand’. Released on 9th August, the album is based on the colossal concept of time, each track dealing with a different facet of temporality and eternity, probing its significance to creation, civilisation and the human experience. Musically, the band have drawn influence from the instruments, melodies and rhythms of the Middle East/Balkans on this release.

For a taster the band have also shared first single ‘I Am Forever’.

One of the most unique bands in the UK scene, there is no genre-trapping Kurokuma, and once again, they deliver something that is super-trippy, brutally heavy, ugly and beautiful in equal measures, and importantly, is wholly them. It’s a fascinating example of what this band can do, and how they continue to defy expectations as they move forward. An excellent piece of music. Check it out here.

Fangclub – Natural

Irish alt rockers, Fangclub are drawing closer to their long-awaited new EP, ‘All Good’ (out on Friday 14th June 2024), with EP lead single ‘Natural’. Constantly evolving, ‘Natural’ shows Fangclub moving forward in fascinating new ways, showing the world that they are truly back and owning their craft.

They’ve been doing really well as of late, and this new single is another great example of what makes Fangclub so appealing. It’s a little weird, a little experimental, has a whole lot of infectiousness, and, as always, is all kinds of fun. The chorus is class, but it’s the trippy touches around it that really stand out. Check it out here.

Scene Queen – Whips & Chains

Scene Queen is coming in hot with a fiery new anthem that’ll have you embracing your dark side. ‘Whips & Chains’ is the latest single to be taken from the bimbocore royalty’s upcoming debut full-length release ‘Hot Singles In Your Area’, arriving 28th June via Hopeless Records.

Scene Queen shares:

I wrote ‘Whips & Chains’ about the fear of being a woman at a bar. The song is about a group of women coming together and fighting back against a man who spikes drinks. I really wanted to showcase my crazy side lyrically and go a little unhinged and angry with it, and it ended up becoming one of my favourite moments from the record. I write music as a form of relief and having it get a second life from people relating to it after it’s written is the goal so although songs like this are often hard to write, I can’t wait to get to scream along with it to anyone who relates.

So… what do we think of Scene Queen so far? Bloody polarising, right? They don’t care though and with this new track, they get a little more scathing. Calling out the worst kinds of people in their usual garishly infectious style. If you’re a hater, you’re not going to have your mind changed here, that’s for sure.