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 trad metal, nu-core, industrial 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.
ASAVA – “Saveyourself”
ASAVA have been building out their tension-filled How Long Is Forever? “detective noir” series alongside their developing songbook — these paths entwining ahead of the act’s impending Mahjong full-length.
While still anchored by a TOOL-ish swerve and screams galore, their new “Saveyourself” single blurs the line between rock band and cinematic auteurship, arriving as an elaborate piece of sound design that fades between film-score-styled synth ambiance and full-group explosiveness.
The way we’re seeing it, ASAVA should bring it all to the big screen ASAP. Saveyourself some room for a bag of popcorn.
Tony Iommi – “World Alone”
A black shadow rises, looming over us all — but don’t worry, that’s just the awesome aura of Tony Iommi’s next ebon-casted album, From the Dark.
The godfather of heavy metal continues to steer us on the path towards darkness, this barn-burning first single — from his first solo album since 2005 — gloriously engulfing listeners in liquid-smoke riffage and a doomsday-ing vocal performance Norwegian vocalist Jorn Lande. Iommi also surrounds himself with Mercyful Fate bassist Becky Baldwin and English drummer Karl Brazil.
It’s a cruel world out there, but the arrival of the metal icon’s next LP is cause for celebration.
PRESIDENT – “dark heaven”
“Gather ‘round children, sing Hallelujah.”
The campaign trail towards PRESIDENT’s full-length debut, Blood of Your Empire, continues with this confessional anthem (“I used to stare at the cross and cry out for God, but I’m not the person I was.”)
The song floats noisy production squeaks, big-bruising metal riffs and trap-lite production tricks, while the Prez himself outlines his skepticism towards faith-based power systems that “worship flags not merits.”
Prodigal – “The Door”
Stroud, U.K., nu-core outfit Prodigal just announced that their signing to Deep Love Recordings, putting them in league with fellow rising heavy acts Rev3rent and Empty Shell Casing. They open the door to this new era with a knotty groove-out.
“The Door” rumbles with an eerie, early-Korn flavor — think a depraved mélange of detuned riffs and primal-screamed expulsions — while the cryptic, found-footage-styled music video effectively pays homage to the disorienting outdoor tension of The Blair Witch Project.
In other words, the total package creeps us out — by which we mean it rules.
Purest Form – “ANIMAL”
The music video for Purest Form’s “ANIMAL” taps into the utter creepiness of the constant surveillance we face in this paranoid, privacy-deprived age. That said, we can’t help but keep our gaze steadily affixed on the industrial-metal trio’s brutish display, and what it foretells of their upcoming RESISTANCE EP.
A furious freedom song screamed by Story Beeson with thought-provoking conviction (“I deserve the right to live”), “ANIMAL” crosses late-era White Zombie chugging with shattered-glass production work and an untamed spirit. It’s a beast of a track.
Silvertomb – “No Way to Live”
When we caught up with Kenny Hickey earlier this year — to talk up the doomy debut album from supergroup Sun Dont Shine — he mentioned that he and fellow SDS/Type O Negative veteran Johnny Kelly were also putting the finishing touches on a record from their Silvertomb project. He promised it would be “super heavy and dark.” Newly released first single “No Way to Live” does in fact live up to the promise.
The song grooves with gravestone-tumbling swagger, Hickey’s emotive eagle scream soaring above guitarist Joe James’ swamp-heeled leads.
“Show your love” for Silvertomb and crank this one up to 11.