I don’t know about you, but the grind never stops around here. Thankfully, neither does the procession of killer tracks and videos from the heaviest of heavyweights from here, there and everywhere. Submit or perish, puny human:
MSRA | Crystal Lake
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Prepare to be dragged kicking and screaming into the sickeningly dark world of horror films with MRSA’s latest video single Crystal Lake. Fronted by the grotesquely charismatic Dean Corpse, they unleash a nightmarish blend of unrelenting music and horror theatrics that will leave you begging for more. They explain: “This a reworked version of said song from our last EP. We felt that this song is the perfect embodiment of what we as a band love to do! This track represents the hooks and brutal in-your-face music that we want to be known for. Along with the video we want to represent some of what we do live as well. As much fun as you are having watching this, we want to give the same energy live!” MRSA doesn’t just perform; they immerse you in a full-blown horror show. Each performance is an unforgettable spectacle featuring scare actors, full effects, and meticulously crafted props. Expect sprayed blood, eerie fog, and spine-chilling lighting that drags you into the void of extremeness.”
Bangladeafy | Prism
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Based in N.Y.C., Bangladeafy are the duo of Jon Ehlers and Atif Haq. They got their start more than a decade ago, bashing out relentless prog-punk on bass guitar and drums, creating a sound likened to“Lightning Bolt and The Melvins eating big, greedy spoonfuls of each other’s candy-colored vomit.” In recent years, Ehlers dropped the bass and picked up synths and the sound has evolved. The new stuff is anthemic industrial-punk, using only synths, drums, and vocals. It’s equal parts euphoric and anxiety-ridden, falling somewhere between Devo, The Locust and M.I.A. Another layer to the story: Ehlers has sensorineural hearing loss; the band name is a reference to his disability and drummer Haq’s heritage. Says Ehlers: “I’ve certainly faced criticism, or murmurings that I might not have what it takes to hang with the big dogs, so to speak, because there’s a limit to what a hearing disabled musician might be able to do. If anything, I feel that I’ve proved myself and have worked harder to get there.”
Hippie Death Cult | Aneurysm
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “U.S. heavy rock champions Hippie Death Cult unleash their fierce and fun cover of Nirvana’s Aneurysm. Guitarist Eddie Brnabic comments: “Laura (vocals, bass) and I grew up listening to Nirvana a ton back in the ’90s and had recently enjoyed revisiting their catalog, which sparked a renewed appreciation for them and their ethics as a band. When tinkering with cover song ideas for our live set last year, the idea of doing Aneurysm came up. It felt fun to play, so we didn’t overthink it and started adding it to our live set over the past year. We had a blast playing it live, often inviting friends up to sing with us and it always went over well with the audience. Once we got home from touring at the beginning of the 2024, we headed right into the studio to track a version of it just for the hell of it while it was still kinda fresh in our minds.”
Art Of Attrition | Vitriol
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Art of Attrition are a blackened technical deathcore band who separated themselves from the underground local scene with their eight-string barrage of dueling melodic guitars, gravity blast beats, intense guttural vocals, and epic orchestration. This year they are releasing their new EP …And It Will All End Forever on July 26. To whet the palates of those who enjoy infectious, brutal music, they are now releasing their music video for the single Vitriol. They say: “Vitriol was the first single we wrote and it set the tone for what we wanted to hear in the EP musically and lyrically. We created an eerie, despair-like atmosphere within the song while still recalling a fierceness. Creatively, we tried some new song structure ideas and it turned out exactly how we wanted. We are feeling very positive for the next chapter of AOA music.”
Quiescent Mantis | Primal Form Of Aggression
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Quiescent Mantis, a hard-hitting Tennessee progressive thrash metal trio with a history as intriguing as their music, share their new single Primal Form of Aggression, taken from their debut album Here Comes The Swarm, produced by Yanic Bercier (Quo Vadis, Gone In April) at WaveTransform Recording Studio and due July 19. With its aggressive riffs, relentless rhythms, and thought-provoking lyrics inspired by science fiction and real-life experiences, the single delivers manic whiplash. The band explain: “Primal Form of Aggression is a song we wrote around something everyone has faced, the song is written around the anger when someone is purposely going out of their way to pick at you or pick on you just to get a reaction from you. Sometimes the reaction comes from a Primal form of aggression.”
Culled | Halo Of Flies
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Culled, a politically charged, sludge-encrusted grind band from Edmonton, deliver their newest single Halo Of Flies, the first look at their upcoming EP Psycles, due July 26. They say: “We wanted to bring a direct intensity and ferocity for our lead single to show just how different this release will be from our debut. Directly addressing the harms and trauma caused by the patriarchy and our collective roles in it. It goes beyond the history of harm, and oppression of 50% of our society but also addresses the manipulation to propagate the myth that a majority of our society needs to be subservient to our masters who have been gifted privilege by simply being born in the right color, shape and righteous area of the world.”
Turbo | Down In Mexico
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “An unrelenting force of nitro-rock from Halifax, Turbo are back and more ferocious than ever. Their second album Broke and Ugly arrives July 12 — but first, the single and video Down In Mexico deliver a taste of the raw energy and visceral sound fans have come to crave. The band say: “Our bassist Henry wrote the main riff of this song, and it punched us in the gut so hard that we don’t deviate too far from it at any point through this song. It’s a real thresh, start to finish. We wrote it right before leaving for our tour through Mexico in the hopes that we could play the Mexican fans a ditty written JUST for them. Their response was unreal, show after show. We’re proud to have this one closing out the album with an absolute bang!”
Dendera | Mask Of Lies
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “The U.K.’s Dendera unleash their new album Mask of Lies. They have been on a steady rise while playing sellout shows and festivals across Europe and in their home country along with supporting bands such as Sepultura, Queensrÿche, Saxon, Death Angel, Gloryhammer, Skindred, Rhapsody of Fire and many more. Expertly delivering modern melodic metal, Dendera’s combination of towering clean vocals and powerful screams along with unfaltering musicianship, energetic performances, and stunning choruses has rightfully earned them a reputation as a formidable band. Their steadfast handcrafted approach means they operate almost entirely self-sufficiently. This gives the band the ultimate edge when trying to hone their sound meaning they can push the best from themselves and always deliver professional results.”
Stone Horns | Grasping The Embers Of Exile
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “France’s Stone Horns unveiled their third studio album Chimaira in January. Featuring seven groove-laden and hell-bent tracks, it tells the story of an odyssey of being rejected by all and thirsting for revenge. It explores life’s thirst for recognition, whatever its form. Through its various acts, the story continues in different states, colors, and landscapes. A raw, merciless finality that leaves little room for breath in this torment of violence. We’re all chasing a chimera, but isn’t it the chimera that’s chasing us? That’s the question this album tries to answer, combining freshness and warmth, violence and peace, waves, and digressions.”
Siege Perilous | Oathsworn
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Prepare to raise your swords and pledge your allegiance to the realm of metal as Denver’s Siege Perilous unleash their latest single Oathsworn, off their upcoming EP Creation’s Call, coming Aug. 23. The single is a thunderous anthem of loyalty and brotherhood, which will transport listeners to the heart of battle. The band explain: “Oathsworn really highlights so much of what we as a band are about in one song. Firstly, it’s based on a major plotline from our live-action rRoleplaying game and one that really shook the foundation of the world in which we were playing in which made it incredibly easy to transition into a great song. We really love the driving intensity of this song as it comes out of the gate swinging and doesn’t stop.”
Onchocerciasis Esophagogastroduodenoscopy | The Fallen Lament, Paralytikus Ascends
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Onchocerciasis Esophagogastroduodenoscopy, a riveting slam outfit from Quebec City, share The Fallen Lament; Paralytikus Ascends, the first single from their brutal upcoming EP The Fallen Lament, due July 19. The band discuss the incoming auditory assault: “The single was one of the first few songs we wrote when recording the new LP, which is why it has a familiar feel to the songs from our Adoration of Decaying Innocence EP and Rotted Plinth of Sachiel LP. We wanted to couple this track with some of our older songs because it gives the fans something new, literally and metaphorically.” The track has some hallmarks of their evolution going into their latest LP, without showing their entire hand and spoiling the fun. It’s a blister of a track that they think was naturally a good choice for first on the list.”
Eternal Drak | Haunting Place
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Founded in 1997 by brothers Drakar and Warhammer Martínez, Eternal Drak have carved a path of sonic innovation and artistic evolution. They have released six turbulent albums, with their seventh, Imprisoned Souls, due July 17. The second single from this concept album is Haunting Place, which continues the historical story that the album tells. The band explain: “Although for many groove and black metal cannot go together, we believe that this is not true, and trying to attract the right audience we decided to release this song as the second single, a song in which the rhythm of the drums is the king and the Voices and guitars only accompany it, giving it melody and a black metal touch.” Imprisoned Souls is a catchy track with very groovy drums and a touch of thrash. The song describes the place where the vast majority of the anecdotes occur, a 19th-century house where many beings were trapped and the living were tormented.”
