And with that, September is (almost) over. We're really charging into spooky season now with plenty of great horrors - and horror themed metal songs, no doubt - set to carry us through October, but that doesn't mean we can rest on our laurels as there's also plenty of excellent non-horror metal tracks to dive into.
That in mind, here are the results of last week's poll! Grandeur was the winning vibe of the week, with power metallers Seven Kingdoms taking bronze position in our poll, beaten out to silver by symphonic giants Nightwish. The overall champion though and our gold medallist was Charlotte Wessels, yet again taking top billing with the almighty Ode To The West Wind.
This week we've got another hefty offering for your listening pleasure, covering everything from metal giants like Serj Tankian and The Black Dahlia Murder to emergent talents Sicksense, Gore. and Eschalon. As ever, we need your help deciding on which track is the most exciting, so don't forget to cast your vote in the poll below - and have a magnificent weekend!
Serj Tankian - Cartoon Buyer
The unmistakable voice of System Of A Down, even away from the group that brought him to international prominence Serj Tankian remains a distinctive and inimitable force. Cartoon Buyer pushes Serj's distinctive styles in ambitious directions, however; starting out as an acoustic ballad, it soon swells with subtle symphonic elements before breaking out into the manic alt-metal fans of his band will most recognise. It's a wild stylistic ride, but nothing less than we've come to expect from the frontman over the past 25+ years.
Sicksense - Wildfires
Sicksense have been quietly lurking in the metal scene since 2021, but with vocalist Vicky Psarakis departing The Agonist in 2023, the time has finally come for the nu metal revivalists to step into the spotlight. There's still a little wait until their debut album Cross Me Twice arrives on February 14 next year, but lead single Wildfires shows the band are stepping up their ambitions going forward, immaculate production adding a cinematic sheen to the explosive track.
The Black Dahlia Murder - Panic Hysteric
Rallying after the tragic passing of Trevor Strnad, The Black Dahlia Murder have saluted their fallen frontman by releasing another extreme metal masterwork in Servitude. From the frenzied, tooth-gnashing intensity of the track's opening to its crushing groove breaks and sublime leads that arrive around the 1:40 mark, this is pure, TBDAM brilliance through and through.
Better Lovers - At All Times
Somebody loves a bit of Mastodon. Well, other than us, that is. Better Lovers' latest single tapping into that gorgeous cosmic melodiousness that the Atlantans embraced post-Crack The Skye. That's by no means a bad thing however, as obvious sonic similarities aside it shows just why this new group are so brilliant, tapping into sounds and sonic spheres its respective members might only ever have hinted at in their work with Dillinger Escape Plan and Every Time I Die whilst also bringing some of the heft those bands could tap into.
The Halo Effect - Detonate
Worthy of the title "supergroup", The Halo Efffect's 2022 debut Days Of The Lost was a masterclass in the Gothenburg sound its members helped invent. After supporting Machine Head and Amon Amarth in arenas last year, the group are now unveiling their second album, March Of The Unheard, which will be with us on January 10 2025. New single Detonate shows the group aren't losing any of the bombast or virtuosic playing that made their debut so exciting; if anything they've doubled down, swinging for the fences with songs that sound worthy of arenas in their own right.
Black Map - Disintegrate
Propulsive alt metal from the States, Black Map's latest single Disintegrate hits a sweet spot between the more anthemic inclinations of Cave In and hard-hitting force of the much-missed Black Peaks. Vocalist Ben Flanagan toes a line between forceful and emotive, while the sheer heft of the song should please anyone worried that alt metal has veered too far into pop territories of late. If there's any justice, Black Map's appearances at Louder Than Life and Aftershock will be just the springboard to bring them into the spotlight after a decade.
Solstafir - Blakkrakki
Solstafir have had an express route to our emotional core for 15 years now. 2009's Kold marking a shift to expansive and expressive post-metal songs that almost completely removed the band from their black metal roots. Five albums later and they're still producing beautiful, stark soundscapes that perfectly reflect the rugged terrain of their native Iceland, latest single Blakkrakki going the extra mile(s) by having a video that features the band playing on a truck that traverses their homeland. Gorgeous stuff.
Gore. - Angels Like You
Metalcore newcomers Gore. don't even have an EP out yet, but already they're proving to be a distinctive new force in the scene. Latest single Angels Like You comes ahead of the band's A Bud That Never Blooms EP on October 24 and showcases Haley Roughton's impressive vocal range, drifting melodies giving way to throat-shredding snarls that show there's a potent mix of beauty and brutality in this band's makeup.
Stick To Your Guns - Severed Forever
Like a pair of boots planted on the face before a wild stage dive, Stick To Your Guns' latest single Severed Forever is all about reminding you that hardcore is supposed to be utterly anarchic. Taken from new album Keep Planting Flowers, due January 10, its a thrilling and oh-so scabrous notice that veteran status in hardcore doesn't mean its stars are slowing down any time soon.
Dogma - Like A Prayer
Dogma aren't just naughty nuns, they're naughty metal nuns. A little under a year since they released their self-titled debut album, the group are back with a stomping rendition of Madonna's Like A Prayer, giving the song a classic heavy metal makeover that takes advantage of the song's natural 80s maximalism whilst giving extra oomph.
High Parasite - Hate Springs Eternal
Hail to the king of grim. Aaron Stainthorpe's latest group High Parasite release their debut album Forever We Burn this week and latest single Hate Springs Eternal shows how much of his distinctive gothic metal stylings have been carried across to the new group. Granted, there's more of the insistent fieriness of Paradise Lost than Stainthorpe's own My Dying Bride funereal trudge to High Parasite, but his iconic darkness is retained nonetheless.
Amaranthe - Interference
With The Catalyst, Sweden's Amaranthe showed they were taking serious evolutionary steps as they took a more experimental direction with their music. Latest single Interference is a fine example of that, skittering electro-enhanced beats and snarling, futurist soundscapes pushing their inherent grandeur in wilder directions as the band show how vicious and heavy they can get.
Eschalon - Delirium
Speaking of hefty futurism, meet Eschalon. The British bruisers mix metalcore and tech metal in a delightfully vicious and crushing way, angular riffs sounding like they're being crushed through some great mechanical press. There's shades of Code Orange and Meshuggah in there, as well as the more vicious Bring Me The Horizon and Bury Tomorrow offerings, suggesting a healthy mania that we might look forward to when the band put out a full release.
Grief Ritual - Bile
Within the realms of pure, unyielding nastiness, Grief Ritual are second to none. Latest single Bile lives up to its name, a bitter outpouring of vicious, acidic ooze. It's also utterly fucking brilliant, Harry Not of Burner chucking some extra grunts and growls on to show there's love to go around even as you spew absolute venom. Keep your eyes out for debut album Collapse on January 31st 2025.
Uncured - 3 Minutes
Nu metal revivalist newcomers Uncured are still bringing back the swagger of the genre's glory days on latest single 3 Minutes. Tackling addiction in their lyrics, there's a bullheaded straightforward approach to the topic that feels like a true throwback, while the rapid flows of Rex Cox bring to mind the more frenetic stylings of Corey Taylor and King 810's David Gunn. The band's self-titled debut EP isn't expected until 2025, but Uncured are already jostling for position as one of 2025's hottest new groups.
