Single Slam: Ward XVI, Incite, Seven Blood, Broken Earth, After Elmer, Your Spirit Dies, Belle Haven, Tetrarch, Higher Walls, Think x pMad, Outergods, PhaseOne, Shuggah, Tallah, Insult, Humanity’s Last Breath, Teenage Joans, and Hacktivist!
Today’s single slam features Ward XVI, Incite, Seven Blood, Broken Earth, After Elmer, Your Spirit Dies, Belle Haven, Tetrarch, Higher Walls, Think x pMad, Outergods, PhaseOne, Shuggah, Tallah, Insult, Humanity’s Last Breath, Teenage Joans, and Hacktivist. You can read our thoughts about the latest singles from these bands below.
Ward XVI – Blood is the New Black
Ward XVI are back with an explosive new album, ‘Id3ntity’, which is out on Friday 11th July, via Earache digital distribution. The unstoppable sextet have also now revealed their new single and video, ‘Blood Is the New Black’.
Welcome back Ward XVI, and welcome back to the mad world they inhabit. They’ve always been a creative bunch, but they may have stepped it up a few notches on this new album if this new single is anything to go by. A genre-bending blast of anthemic mania that is unrelentingly heavy, playful, dark, and weird. It gets the heart beating fast and the mind racing. Filled with their innate dramatics, there’s so much about this track that feels fresh, and it’s exciting to hear them not stick to any one particular formula. Is this a sign of things to come? Maybe in quality, but there’s a strong sense that we’re about to hear the most varied Ward XVI album yet. Are you ready?
Incite – No Mercy No Forgiveness
Incite return with their latest earth-shattering single, ‘No Mercy No Forgiveness’. A war cry for the broken, the enraged, and the unstoppable. Their upcoming album, ‘Savage New Times’, is set for release on August 15th, 2025, via Reigning Phoenix Music.
Frontman Richie Cavalera comments on the single:
‘No Mercy No Forgiveness’ is an absolute monster. This song is pure, unfiltered aggression – exactly what we wanted to bring to the metalheads. Lyrically, I found myself so worried about other people’s opinions which resulted in a lot of personal failure. Once you show no mercy to achieving your dreams, everyone’s words become silent.
A short and sharp blast of brutalising intensity that focuses on one thing and one thing alone, which is being hostile. Something Incite are very good at. A heated tempo, roaring riffs, and savagely delivered vocals all combine to deliver a mighty head banger of a metal track. Check it out here.
Seven Blood – To the Unknown
German-based alternative outfit Seven Blood have announced their debut album ‘Life Is Just a Phase’, set for release on 21st November 2025. To celebrate the announcement, the band have shared a stunning music video for their emotionally-charged new single ‘To The Unknown’.
‘To The Unknown’ sees Seven Blood at their most vulnerable. Written about surrendering to change in times of unease and uncertainty, the single ebbs and flows through atmospheric calm and uplifting melodic elegance.
Speaking on the single, vocalist Azaria Nasiri shares:
We wanted to point out the moments we experience in life, when you know the time has come for a change. You don’t know if things are gonna be better or worse, I often didn’t even know what exactly to do. Insecurity kicks in. I’m sure everybody has their own experience with this kind of topic and I just wanna support everyone to surrender to the unknown.
Starting with sombre melody and haunting vocals, the initial feeling around this track is quite morose. You can hear it, but more importantly, you can feel it. Then, it powers up, and the grander melodies and chunkier alternative metal soundscape has a more ‘uplifting’ sound. Although you’d be hard-pressed to not feel the emotion in it regardless. It’s very powerful and very memorable.
Broken Earth – The Distance
Sydney nu-metalcore rising stars Broken Earth have dropped their genre-blending new single ‘The Distance’. A track that was written during a period of deep personal struggle, vocalist Raphael Smith channels his battle with depression and anxiety into it. The track serves as a narrative counter piece to ‘GHOST’ – where that song grappled with holding on, this one embraces letting go.
Delivering a clever and creative showcase of their intricate melodic ways alongside their experimentation with effects and their unforgettable ability to transform into something beastly. This new Broken Earth song is layered and stands out in the exhausting metalcore genre by not following the usual formula. The contrast of light and dark in this kind of music is at its best here. Check it out here.
After Elmer – Scars
Rotterdam-based pop-punk band After Elmer have released their brand-new single ‘Scars’. Recorded at Raiko Records with producer Stijn Donders.
The band says about the single:
It’s a song that starts off really small, but really tears open when the chorus hits. It’s a pretty good metaphor for the theme of this song. It’s about being hard on yourself, about hearing that voice in your head that tries to bring you down. The big and punchy chorus is an inner scream to make that voice stop, so you won’t be left with permanent damage. Musically, it’s awesome to bring such big choruses. When it ties in with the message of the song it really comes together in a pretty perfect way.
A band that doesn’t know how to do anything but write catchy tunes, After Elmer’s alternative/pop-punk way always proves to be more meaningful than most, and that is very much the case here. This is a lovely track with some really hearty melodies, but with an exciting anthemic chorus too. Another banger from a band who never disappoints.
Your Spirit Dies – Unjust God
South Carolina’s own Your Spirit Dies has unleashed a powerhouse of metal and hardcore with their ferocious new single, ‘Unjust God’. The track serves as a striking preview of the band’s forthcoming full-length debut, ‘My Gnawing Pains Will Never Res’t, set for release on 2nd May via MNRK Heavy.
Comments vocalist Brandon Byars:
‘Unjust God’ is a song about personal struggle with religion. Along with the title of the record, the idea came from the Book of Job about an individual who faces great personal struggle. However, in this instance the person is pushed too greatly and not only loses their faith, but turns their back entirely.
It takes a little while to get going, but to be fair, it does create atmosphere with its intro. The only issue is it doesn’t seamlessly fit with the explosion of metal that follows. The melodic outro works better, Although, to also be fair, that’s forgotten quite quickly when faced with such an exciting blast of old-school melodic metal. It’s a snarly track, right up until the chorus, and then it soars. Check it out here.
Belle Haven – it’s not that deep
Melbourne alternative emo rock outfit Belle Haven burst back onto the scene with their groovy new single, ‘it’s not that deep’.
Be warned, this track is going to be stuck in your head for hours, if not longer, after you hear it. Belle Haven has crafted a lovable slice of familiar emo rock that warmly nods to the past but modernises things in a more alternative way. The connection between instruments and vocals, the marriage of melodies, the dramatic chorus, a freaking guitar solo, there’s so much to love about this track.
Tetrarch – Cold
Modern metal stars Tetrarch recently announced their massive upcoming third album, ‘The Ugly Side of Me’, scheduled for release on 9th May via Napalm Records.
Following the album’s first singles ‘Never Again (Parasite)’ and ‘Live Not Fantasize’, they have now dropped their latest anthem, the melodic hit ‘Cold’.
Diamond Rowe of Tetrarch offers about ‘Cold’:
‘Cold’ was one of those songs that came together pretty fast. It was one of the first songs that we wrote for the record and once we started building the textures, leads and vocals it really came to life. I feel like it’s kind of a nod to our Freak album as it has that energetic four on the floor beat with glitchy and creepy guitar textures.
While writing this song, we kept throwing around the word “insecure”. Insecurity is such an uncomfortable emotion to have and it easily became the lyrical direction for this track.
I also can’t wait to play this one live. I think everyone is going to go nuts.
There’s not a whole lot to say as Tetrarch keep it simple here. Offering up a track that has some cool ‘nu-industrial’ vibes and quite a catchy, accessible chorus. However, it lacks a memorable hook, so not likely to live long in the memory. Check it out here.
Higher Walls – So Much, For So Long, For So Little
London hardcore unit Higher Walls have released their new single, ‘So Much, For So Long, For So Little’. It comes from their forthcoming EP ‘No End’, out April 25th.
The band talk about the track and what the lyrics mean:
The second single from our EP No End. So Much, For So Long, For So Little speaks of the widening class divide in the UK and the brazen incentive for Governments, the global elite and big business to prioritize profits over people. This is of course nothing new, but there is an obvious arrogance to this now. Government contracts being given to friends, dismantling administrative departments to further individual agendas and perpetuating endless war to maintain cordial global relations. We must call out injustices and not give in to hate.
A raucous banger filled with wicked intent and aggression. If you want to hear the sound of a band pissed off, but so focused, it’s this track. It’s such an ‘in your face’ listen, manic and meaty, but with excellent flashes of groove too. An outstanding anthem for all who stand against injustice.
Think x pMad – Chance
Italian artist Think and Irish alternative rock sensation pMad have joined forces to release their dynamic new single, ‘Chance’. The track explores the fleeting moments we long to seize, set against an atmospheric soundscape.
More colourful then first expected, even if a lot of the hues come with shadows, this collaboration turns out to be very fruitful. It’s got a strong dark rock flavour, less goth post-punk focused, but thick with atmosphere. It stays with you. Check it out here.
Outergods – Cosmic Abomination
Outergods, the extreme metal band known for their unrelenting fusion of black metal, death metal, industrial, and grindcore, are set to release their highly anticipated sophomore album, ‘Dethroned & Devoured’, on June 13th via Apocalyptic Witchcraft. ‘Cosmic Abomination’ is the first single from the album and is accompanied by an electrifying video directed by filmmaker Jake Kindred.
Ugly and harsh, but bloody enjoyable, this has been a long time coming but it’s great to have them back, albeit in a new form. Still wrecking necks and cracking skulls, none the less. This new track is fast, heavy, brutal, and filled with intricate extreme detail and atmosphere. Exactly what we all want from this band.
PhaseOne – Pulse (feat. Banks Arcade)
Sydney-born electronic music powerhouse PhaseOne is back with monster track called ‘Pulse’ featuring Banks Arcade. The new single serves as the second from PhaseOne’s highly anticipated debut album, ‘Terranova’, out later this year, setting the tone for a project that fuses bone-crushing bass with relentless metal energy.
Says PhaseOne:
‘Pulse’ is a high-energy, metalcore-inspired breaks track – a genre I’d never experimented with before, but one I’m glad I did. It was a lot of fun to write. Josh from Banks Arcade nailed the vocals, bringing everything together perfectly. The track has a pulsating rhythm that drives its energy. I’ve played it at a few shows now – each time, it gets the crowd bouncing. It’s got that infectious groove that really sticks with you.
Of course, a track like this, electronica-focused, isn’t for everyone, but that’s not to say it doesn’t have value for those who prefer their music to have more ‘metal’ in it. It’s noisy and filled with elegant anthemic properties. It will make you want to bounce around, hell, it might even make you want to bang your head a bit in places. It is a clever track, very accessible, and easy to like. Check it out here.
Shuggah – Amas Veritas
Post-rock and metal artist Shuggah emerges from the depths of South Africa’s underground music scene with her debut single and music video, ‘Amas Veritas’, the first release from her upcoming conceptual album, ‘Her Chrysalis’, out on the May 2nd, via Mongrel Records.
Says Shuggah:
Amas Veritas was inspired by ancient love stories of the Greek gods—tales of tragedy, war, and the fight against death. The title means ‘the truth of love,’ which often inspires chaos and ends unhappily, but the love itself is all-consuming and passionate. There’s always a deep struggle, facing war and even death.
A track with so much weight to it, this beautiful piece of music is hauntingly thick and horribly morose. Not only transforming a familiar ‘post’ soundscape into something deeper and darker but creating a heavy sound without being noisy. That’s a special kind of talent, and Shuggah is very bloody talented. A track that lingers. Check it out here.
Tallah – What We Know
Tallah are back with a vengeance as they announce their brand-new album ‘Primeval: Obsession // Detachment’, due out 5th September via Earache Records and drop ‘What We Know’, the first single and opening track.
Says bassist Max Portnoy:
The first song that was written for the album, and easily my #1 Tallah song to date. The amount of experimentation on this track paved the road for the tone of the whole record. From performing the first half of the song on acoustic guitars, to layering trap-metal 808’s over a string quartet with dissonant plucks in the chorus, to a trading guitar solo with a talkbox and a slide, you can find so many fun tools we incorporated, without it feeling disjointed. To have all that experimentation, in a driving and energetic track with a massive chorus, made for my favorite piece of work yet. It was a no-brainer to start the record with this one.
Continuing to be one hell of a unique listen, Tallah push their experimental ways to a whole new level on this maddening blast of brilliance. A truly fascinating piece of music that sounds like nothing you’ve ever heard before but is made up of familiar elements and influences. It’s simply how it has all been put together and that is the talent of this band. Progressive? That word exists for music like this, and it’s impossibly addictive. Chaos refined and controlled. Check it out here.
Insult – 0-60 ‘Death or Glory’
Brit metal crew, Insult, release their explosive debut album, ‘Reside Infernus’, on Friday 23rd May. The band have now also revealed a lyric video for the track, 0-60 ‘Death or Glory’.
A straight-forward head banging heavy metal track that does little to thrill as far as freshness goes, but delivers a likable cacophony of unfiltered old-school heaviness. There’s nothing complex here, it’s just a solid metal track and there’s never anything wrong with that.
Humanity’s Last Breath – Anthracite
The long run from the abyss is finally over: Sweden’s masters of aural dissonance and unapologetic heaviness, Humanity’s Last Breath, have shared their first new music after signing to Century Media Records in April last year.
The new track called ‘Anthracite’ is a dark, intense journey through ascension and liberation from the physical realm, and dives right into the abyss.
When we describe metal music as heavy, it’s a bit of a ‘catch-all’ and often paired with speed, and then along comes Humanity’s Last Breath to make a mockery of that by delivering something that embodies the word without resorting to cliches. All because the production makes every part of the track sound impossibly big. Yet, it’s got experimental aspects too, which only serves to make the entire thing so much more listenable, which it is, it really is. Even though it’s so damn heavy. Check it out here.
Teenage Joans – Sweet and Slow
Fast-rising Adelaide Juice-box punk-pop duo Teenage Joans, who have recently wrapped up tours with Foo Fighters, Sum 41 and Sleeping with Sirens, have now released their new single ‘Sweet and Slow’. Co-produced by Jayden Seeley of With Confidence, ‘Sweet and Slow’ sees the two-piece delve into their ‘Disney Channel’ era with a high-energy anthem full of pop-punk nostalgia.
Speaking of the new single vocalist and guitarist Cahli Blakers shares:
We love to refer to Sweet and Slow as our “Disney Channel” song, as it emanates that early 2000s pop-punk sound. We brought this super catchy chorus we had written to Jayden Seely, who co-wrote the song with us. It was our first session with him and the energy in the room was great, we all knew we were writing such a fun song. Sweet And Slow is about choosing a person over and over no matter the time, place, or circumstances. The lyrics in the writing session came super naturally, and we love how effortlessly they match the songs cheesy energy.
Do you remember the heyday of pop-punk? Do you get all fuzzy inside over a certain era of that sound? Do you yearn for simple melodies, sunny rhythms, and choruses you can sing along to? If so, you’re going to be smiling from ear to ear upon hearing this. Pure pop-punk nostalgia, and it’s awesome. Check it out here.
Hacktivist – Bones
UK djent/grime outfit Hacktivist have shared a brand new single and music video titled ‘Bones’, along with the announcement of a brand-new line-up, including guitarist Alex Hek (ex-October Ends) and drummer Stee Cole (protege of Mike Malyan), alongside the already-established vocal powerhouse duo of J Hurley and JJ Olifent.
Discussing the new single, the band states:
‘Bones’ is more than just a track – it’s a statement. A blistering call-out to the industry snakes who exploit the hard work of bands for their own gain. Hacktivist is taking the DIY route, reclaiming our music, our message, and our future. This is the new Hacktivist, and we’re here to stay.
The song also reflects the challenges the band has faced in recent months. But instead of engaging in online drama, we deliver truth through raw, unfiltered creativity. This is our response. This is ‘Bones’.
It might be a new look for Hacktivist, but it’s the same impressive genre-bending sound on display that listeners have come to expect from the crossover icons. A bouncy and infectious heavy effort that meshes the metal and grime in style, yet it has a more intense edge. There’s a sense that they’re letting off some steam here and it’s very easy to get caught up in that.
Author
Ward XVI, Incite, Seven Blood, Broken Earth, After Elmer, Your Spirit Dies, Belle Haven, Tetrarch, Higher Walls, Think x pMad, Outergods, PhaseOne, Shuggah, Tallah, Insult, Humanity’s Last Breath, Teenage Joans, and Hacktivist!
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Ward XVI – Blood is the New Black - 8.5/10
8.5/10
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Incite – No Mercy No Forgiveness - 7.5/10
7.5/10
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Seven Blood – To the Unknown - 8/10
8/10
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Broken Earth – The Distance - 8/10
8/10
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After Elmer – Scars - 8.5/10
8.5/10
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Your Spirit Dies – Unjust God - 7.5/10
7.5/10
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Belle Haven – it's not that deep - 9/10
9/10
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Tetrarch – Cold - 7/10
7/10
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Higher Walls – So Much, For So Long, For So Little - 9/10
9/10
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Think x pMad – Chance - 8/10
8/10
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Outergods – Cosmic Abomination - 8/10
8/10
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PhaseOne – Pulse (feat. Banks Arcade) - 7/10
7/10
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Shuggah – Amas Veritas - 8.5/10
8.5/10
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Tallah – What We Know - 8/10
8/10
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Insult – 0-60 ‘Death or Glory’ - 7/10
7/10
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Humanity’s Last Breath – Anthracite - 9/10
9/10
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Teenage Joans – Sweet and Slow - 8/10
8/10
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Hacktivist – Bones - 8/10
8/10
