Single Slam: Kerry King, Hopes Avenue, Uragh, El Moono, Slaughtersun, Fate’s Hollow, Battlesnake, Whom Gods Destroy, BRAT, Benighted, and Poolside At The Flamingo!

Today’s single slam features Kerry King, Hopes Avenue, Uragh, El Moono, Slaughtersun, Fate’s Hollow, Battlesnake, Whom Gods Destroy, BRAT, Benighted, and Poolside At The Flamingo. You can read our thoughts about the latest singles from these bands below.

Kerry King – Idle Hands

I knew early on that I wasn’t done, and I had no intention of not continuing to play. – Kerry King.

With enough new material for two full albums, all written by King, if it hadn’t been for the COVID pandemic, his long-awaited solo project would likely have emerged in 2020. For his debut album, From Hell I Rise, due out 17th May on Reigning Phoenix Music, King on guitar, enlisted drummer Paul Bostaph (Slayer), bassist Kyle Sanders (Hellyeah), Phil Demmel (formerly of Machine Head) on guitar, and vocalist Mark Osegueda (Death Angel).

Fans can now enjoy the first taste of what King’s debut solo album has to offer with the single, ‘Idle Hands’.

What are you expecting? Something melodic? Something poppy? Something with synth? Be serious, this is Kerry King and to what should be the surprise of no-one, he’s delivering thrash heaviness with his solo work. Or at least this first single, although it’s likely to be a good barometer for what the full album will hold. It’s a cool track, with lots of heavy riffing, pounding drum work, and twisted vocals. Just don’t expect anything game changing.

Hopes Avenue – Panic

An alternative rock band blending elements of metalcore and pop-punk, Glasgow’s Hopes Avenue have released their new single, ‘Panic’.

With some strong melody running through the track and plenty of alternative toned heartiness, Hopes Avenue take us to a dramatic place. Changing the tempo as the track goes on, but keeping some effective effects front and centre, this is a grower of a track. Transforming bit by bit, until it has left a mark. The grandness of the guitar solo is quite something. Check it out here.

Uragh – The Widening Gyre

Irish modern metal outfit Uragh, venture into progressive realms as they explore personal and emotive lyrical themes in their upcoming album, Maelstrom. Due for digital release on April 19th, 2024, ‘The Widening Gyre’, the second single taken from the album, is out now.

Vocalist Craig Murphy comments:

I wrote the song about an occurrence of a tragic incident that had taken place in one’s life in the past. Such an incident that isn’t just remembered by piecing fragments of a distant memory together, but rather a full on dramatic play with cascading effects on one’s ‘state of mind’. Lyrics such as “The torment, eats away, gnawing at the matter”. The torment refering to the ‘incident’ and ‘matter’ referring to brain matter and the cascading effects caused by the incident that had happened. In the lyrics of the soft section of the song, ‘Whatever happened to, the freedom of blame, that we all crave’ is a desire to be set free of guilt or accusations, once again, referring to the incident in the past. ‘Those careful steps, could never detect, the landmines are set in my head’ shows the unpredictability and danger of navigating one’s thoughts and emotions.

If there is one reason and one reason alone to shout about this track, it is the fact that comes with so much girthy progressive groove. It’s a heavy and dark sounding track, but one that captures the imagination by having recognisable aggression while also throwing in flashes of eccentricities. It’s a very interesting listen, and just gets stronger the more times you hear it.

El Moono – The Charm

Alternative Brightonian quartet El Moono have unveiled their new single ‘The Charm’, from their forthcoming debut album, The Waking Sun, to be released 10th May via Lockjaw Records.

The band comment:

A live snake, a twisted tarot reading and mythological metaphors – ‘The Charm’ is the most melodic song we’ve released to date. This song was written about domestic abuse within a broken household, referring to the abuser as a hypnotic snake – the dark themes are contrasted by the atmospheric, psychedelic production and as close to pop as our choruses get.

So far, so good, El Moono have set expectations high for this new album and take us into dark areas with this new single. Yet, as is so often the case, that is just one part of the El Moono soundscape and this track features a ton of psych-infused atmosphere and alternative groove. It’s weird and wonderful, but that’s par for the course with his band. As is their acute anthemic sound, even when dealing with a dark subject matter. Check it out here.

Slaughtersun – Relentless Thelemic

Drawing musical, lyrical and creative influences from the likes of Demilich, Gorguts, Cannibal Corpse and At The Gates, to name a few, Slaughtersun create their own take on the death metal subgenre. They have now released their apocalyptic new track ‘Relentless Thelemic’.

A ‘to the point’ track that sees Slaughtersun delivering a frantic and furious blast of death metal. One with big sounding riffs, and a thrashy underbelly. It’s not the most exciting thing you’ll hear, but it’s a mighty fine track none the less. Slaughtersun showcasing their talents in a sharper, more technical way.

Fate’s Hollow – End of Summer

‘End of Summer’ is the debut single from Manchester based alternative/progressive rock band, Fate’s Hollow. Out on February 16th, 2024.

The music of Fate’s Hollow is a conceptual anthology of songs each telling a fictional story, with each album/EP to be based around a specific setting. The band came together over a shared love of early 2000s alternative rock, which along with some more progressive influences colour the sound of the music. Fans of Coheed and Cambria, Jimmy Eat World, Deftones and Funeral For A Friend.

The End Of Summer acts as a prologue to the entire Fate’s Hollow storyline, working as a framing device for future releases. Fate’s Hollow is a fictional town in a post-human United States. Each night a menagerie of unusual creatures gathers at dusk to listen to a mysterious antlered bird tell them stories of strange worlds and events that he claims to have witnessed.

The concept behind the band and their music is very interesting, and as a taste of what is to come, End of Summer is very strong overall. It really does have an summer-end feel, pop-punky to some degree, but is built on foundations of progressive rock, which gives it a wholly unique flavour. It leaves a damn fine impression and it is exciting to see what the future holds. The official video will premiere on the 16th, here.

Battlesnake – Motorsteeple

Madcap Australian rockers Battlesnake have revealed their new single ‘Motorsteeple’. The single comes before the band’s first ever tour of UK and Europe, including appearances at The Great Escape and Bearded Theory festivals.

The band comment:

So, it begins… The Motorsteeple cometh on tracks of vengeful steel, the steeple pierces the sky with its chrome spire. A colossal church that hath no breaks, bound to the road eternally.

A fun rock and roll track with a metal taint, there’s an old-school vibe to this one and it will lift the spirits of those who hark for the days of heavy rock anthems like this. Credit to Battlesnake too, they bring the energy and deliver a chorus that is immediately infectious. There’s some creativity going on here, even if it really just compels you to rock out.

Whom Gods Destroy – Over Again

Whom Gods Destroy, the formidable new progressive metal group formed by keyboardist Derek Sherinian, guitarist Ron ‘Bumblefoot’ Thal, and vocalist Dino Jelusick, along with the potent rhythm section of bassist Yas Nomura and drummer Bruno Valverde, will be releasing their debut album “Insanium” on March 15th, 2024, worldwide via InsideOutMusic. Now, ‘Over Again’ the second single off Insanium has been released.

Whom Gods Destroy guitarist Ron “Bumblefoot” Thal comments:

This is the second song Derek and I began writing, at the time not knowing what the future would be, only that we were starting ‘over again’. Soon after, Dino was with us, then Yas, Bruno, and the song came to life. With this song and ‘War…’, our songwriting direction was falling into place – odd phrasing in verses, melodic choruses, strong lyrics, big unison music phrases, wacky solos, lots of energy throughout…

With talent like this in a band, you can be comfortable knowing that what it offers is going to sound special. Which is very much the case with Whom Gods Destroy. Delivering an egregiously lovable style of progressive metal that works hard at being more listenable than a lot of music that falls into this genre. It’s a refreshing take on progressive metal, and might surprise a few people. Check it out here.

BRAT – Hesitation Wound

New Orleans’ Brat has revealed the full details for their forthcoming debut album, ‘Social Grace’, due for release via Prosthetic Records on March 15th. Alongside the album announcement, the death grind / hardcore band has shared the album’s third single and an accompanying music video, ‘Hesitation Wound’.

F**king brutal, BRAT are on reckless form here, and it’s just wonderful. Call it what you want, just be assured that it is extreme, and it will mess you up. However, it’s also layered and while it comes and goes in an instant (mainly because it’s so damn good), it’s highly memorable. Love it, BRAT are one to watch.

Benighted – Scars

Benighted are ready to unleash the macabre as they announce their latest new album ‘Ekbom’, out on April 12th via Season of Mist. Pulsating with brutality, this new full-length studio album weaves a tale of psychological horror. The album alludes to Delusional Parasitosis, a syndrome in which individuals have a persistent belief of being infested with insects & bugs right under their skin. A syndrome that is aptly represented on the album’s first single ‘Scars’, out now.

An extremely apt title as this blast of extreme has such a skin-crawling vibe, it will have you tearing chunks out of your body as you scratch away. Furiously fast, blisteringly heavy, with sharp technical flurries, and stompy groove moments here and there. If this track is the barometer for this new album, it’s going to be one of the heaviest releases of the year. Check it out here.

Poolside At The Flamingo – Accabadora

The world of extreme metal is about to be shaken to its core as Poolside At The Flamingo announces their new EP ‘Accabadora’, set for release on May 22nd, 2024, via Blood Blast Distribution. Accompanying the announcement is the release of the EP’s title track.

Says the band:

This is the title song of the EP for a reason. It starts out fast and unpredictable but leads smoothly to pit-opening breakdowns. A hint of melody can MAYBE even be noticed in the final closing. This song is about the fabled ‘Accabadora’ who will come to end the life of those suffering in pain.

An opportunity to go absolutely wild, that is what Poolside At The Flamingo are encouraging here with this chaotic beast of a track. A flurry of speed and heaviness that can’t quite be described, that is how insane it is. Extreme? That’s putting it mildly. The epitome of the sound that your grandparents call ‘just noise’. How about that f**king breakdown!?

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