Here at Revolver, we’re always on the hunt for new songs to bang our heads to — indeed, it’s a big part of our jobs. With that in mind, here are the tracks released this week in deathcore, black metal, death-pop and more that have been on heavy rotation at Revolver HQ.
For your listening pleasure, we’ve also compiled the songs in an ever-evolving Spotify playlist.
Cradle of Filth – “To Live Deliciously”
Would thou like to live deliciously?
While the hedonistic, heretic bent of the broader Cradle of Filth back catalog suggests that the veteran extreme-metal outfit have already been doing this for decades, this latest track finds the act further reveling in the “disheveled… chaos of life” as only they can. Following a brief and gothic intro, the band fully indulge themselves in the depravity of grim-thrashed riffs, while frontman Dani Filth sets the scene with ritualistic screechings about living in the glow of “erotic stars.”
A veritable garden of demono-maniacal delights to tease Cradle’s long-awaited The Screaming of the Valkyries.
Invent Animate and Silent Planet – “Return to One”
To paraphrase the Spice Girls, this week was the week where two became one. And by that, we are talking about how metalcore faves Invent Animate and Silent Planet delivered their bruised-and-booming “Return to One” single, the first tease from the two groups’ upcoming collaborative EP, Bloom in Heaven.
Though the amalgamated heavy entity’s first unveiling is a meta-referential mash-up about worlds colliding, “Return to One” ends up being a pleasingly synergistic display of noise-jolted guitar juddery, oddly precious piano interludes and last-minute breakdown bombast.
In other words, Silent Animate are a singular force to be reckoned with.
Employed to Serve – “Atonement” Feat. Will Ramos
The return of Woking, England, metalcore outfit Employed to Serve this week was cause enough for celebration over here at Revolver, but the band’s new “Atonement” single also gifted us with one of the metal world’s most unique treats: the sound of Lorna Shore vocalist Will Ramos’ melodically booming singing voice.
Though Ramos gets absolutely bestial and squealy in support of Employed to Serve vocalist Justine Jones’ power-howl, his late-song croon unveils another layer to one of the most staggering deathcore vocalists in the game.
The hosts, meanwhile, take themselves in a new direction by bolstering their most concussive tendencies with an excellent Eighties-leaning guitar solo.
Electric Callboy – “Elevator Operator”
We’re not going to sugarcoat it: Electric Callboy’s new single is beyond absurd.
Even outside of the electronicore outfit’s aesthetic mashing — the song’s sound sits somewhere between a lost Powerman 5000 stomper and oddly-earnest Eiffel 65 worship — there’s an undeniably heightened silliness surging through this piece about a lift engineer forever pulling his magic lever up and down.
Here’s the thing, though: “Elevator Operator” is also a hell of a lot of fun. Who are we to deny the ludicrous appeal of a bunch of electro-metal maniacs going off on a bonebreaking club jam. While goofy, the song is pushing all of the right buttons.
Traitors – “No Witness”
Credit must be given to Traitors vocalist Tyler Shelton for delivering the most devastatingly relatable truism of the week: “We’re all just a little fucked up.”
The Floridian deathcore unit’s new “Traitors” single is about the silent struggles we face while fighting our unsupportive internal monologues. Likewise, it’s about feeling the weight of your own displeasure every damn day.
On the other side of things, it’s also plain to see that “No Witness” finds Traitors confidently grooving through this mega-wrecker, which will appear on next month’s Phobias album. Sounds like they won the battle.
VOWWS – “Blood’s on Fire”
Get ready to feel some heat from VOWWS, who are full-on torching the dance floor with a new “death-pop” single from their forthcoming, as-yet-undetailed next LP.
The tune is driven by a darkly groove-swerved descending melody. While chiefly created by longtime musical partners Matt James (vocals, guitar) and Rizz (vocals, keyboards), the single rounds out its appeal with bigtime production flourishes courtesy of A Perfect Circle’s Billy Howerdel. And despite the fiery implications of the song title, drums were locked in by APC and Foo Fighters kit-hitter Josh Freese.