Sometimes you just have to rock out on a Wednesday. This is clearly one of those times. No ifs, and or buts. Dime the volume and gird your loins:
Secret Rule | Just A Sacrifice
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Secret Rule just released the band’s new single Just A Sacrifice, accompanied by a video. The track offers the first glimpse into the band’s upcoming 10th studio album, due later this year. Just A Sacrifice is a powerful anthem about the cost of staying true to oneself in a world that demands conformity. Blending heavy guitars, intense vocals, and a bold, wide-open chorus, the song captures both the emotional toll and the inner strength that come with resisting societal pressure. “This song is about the price we pay for thinking freely, speaking our truth, and refusing to follow the crowd,” the band say. “It’s deeply personal but also a quiet political statement.”
Stygian Fare | Abide Your Master
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Swedish metal outfit Stygian Fair return with the new single Abide Your Master, the first taste of their forthcoming full-length The Hidden Realm. With a strong discography that includes Panta Rei (2018), Nadir (2020), Equilibrium (2021) and the critically acclaimed Aradia (2023), Stygian Fair continue to carve out their own path, defying trends and embracing pure, emotionally resonant metal. Abide Your Master takes on the dangers of blind obedience — of abandoning your conscience to follow a demagogue without question. Heavy, urgent and unflinching, it asks what happens when we stop thinking for ourselves… and start worshipping the very force that’s leading us over the edge.”
Morningstvr | Dethroned
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Synth-based black metal artist Morningstvr continues to build momentum toward his June album release with the unveiling of a new video for Dethroned. The second single from the forthcoming album A Fate Engraved delves deeper into the medieval-inspired narrative that characterizes this ambitious project. Morningstvr comments: “Delving on themes of betrayal of those close to you and binding them into submission, ensuring they know their place, Dethroned was heavily inspired from the second wave of black metal, mainly from the early Darkthrone days and thus the guitars bring that sound back to the forefront whilst guided by winterous, abysmal synths.”
Derev | Cyclone (Live At Supermarket)
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Before hitting the road for a Western Canadian tour in support of their first full-length Troubled Mind, Toronto prog rockers Derev share their latest live video for Cyclone, filmed during a hometown album launch show at Supermarket. “That night was one of those nights when the stars were aligned and everything went as well as we could have hoped,” they recall. “From the energy of the crowd to the impeccable sound and lighting on stage. We wanted to release a video of that night to give people a glimpse of what they can expect coming to see us live.”
Victoria Lies | Zerotonin
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Pushing the boundaries of their genre with thought-provoking lyrics, heavy grooves and graceful technicality, Calgary metalcore band Victoria Lies deliver a fresh and compelling sound. Currently working on their first full-length to be released later in 2025, the quintet drop their latest standalone single Zerotonin, a song is about the feeling you get when drugs stop working. “Zerotonin is a play on the word serotonin, only being the opposite of the former,” they explain. “The struggle with watching your body slowly break down while swallowing that next pill, because you might die if you don’t. Recording this song was a very special project for us, as we had recorded it several years ago, but it just fell flat. We did not give this song the love and attention it needed. So when the opportunity came up to go into the studio with our producer and finally give it that injection of passion and attention to detail, we all jumped at the chance.”
Art Of Attrition | Subserviate & Decay
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Red Deer extreme metal outfit Art Of Attrition recently unleashed their latest single Subserviate & Decay. The track showcases the band’s signature blend of relentless brutality and melodic complexity while pushing into bold new territory. Subserviate & Decay delivers the classical Art of Attrition sound that fans have come to expect — a devastating combination of eight-string guitars, gravity blast beats, and guttural vocals — before taking an unexpected turn after the bridge breakdown. The band expand: “It is modern primitive. It embodies all you love about Art of Attrition and then slaps you in the face with a caveman club. We loved writing this song, recording the parts, and developing its uniqueness in our catalog. It serves as a visceral reminder of the necessity of internal self-love and confidence.”
Autumn Lies Buried | Told Witta Sawed Off
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Following the success of their recent single Debt of Silence, extreme metal collective Autumn Lies Buried release their second single Told Off Witta Sawed Off. This track continues the band’s mission of delivering aggressive, socially conscious music with a cathartic edge. Told Off Witta Sawed Off represents another crucial piece of the upcoming Mob Mentality EP, due June 6. The band add: “This is an anthem for those who run their mouths but never put their words to action, featuring Dustin Jamaal Mitchell of Filth. How many times has someone run their mouth from safety but never held the same energy when they see you in public? The only thing we want from those plotting our downfall is a whole lotta leave me alone. Or else…”
Woodhawk | Relapser
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Calgary fuzz-rock trio Woodhawk continue to build momentum with Relapser, the second single from their upcoming third studio album Love Finds A Way, out June 6. The explosive track showcases the band’s evolution while staying true to their foundations in heavy, riff-driven rock. The band share their thoughts: “This was one of the last few songs we wrote for the album. It really embodied this new step forward we were taking. Through all the growth and change we go through, it can be really defeating to feel like you fall back into old habits or patterns you are trying to get away from. These demons at the door are always there, trying to drag you back down. Nothing feels better than getting away from it. And nothing feels scarier than getting pulled back in.”
