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 metal, hard rock and hardcore that have been on heavy rotation at Revolver HQ. For your listening pleasure, we've also compiled the songs in a Spotify playlist, which will grow each week.
Cherry Glazerr - "Wasted Nun"
Stylish and creepy, Cherry Glazerr's "Wasted Nun" is a shimmery bop that plays out like nightmare pop and leads to an inescapable hook in the catchy, bouncy chorus. Shoegazing riffs and primitive beats are layered with vocal effects and a touch of synth, giving the track compelling depth and a nostalgic Nineties alt-rock vibe rather than succumbing to the pitfalls of so much throwaway pop. It's catchy and danceable, but there's aggressive substance to draw in fans who want to have fun but need something a little darker to get there.
Rotting Out - "Reaper"
When California crew Rotting Out broke up back in 2015 it delivered an unexpected shock to the hardcore community — all of a sudden one of the biggest bands in the scene suddenly disappeared. Luckily it wasn't for long, as the band reunited at last year's Sound and Fury festival, and recently released a new song "Reaper." The new cut picks up fast as fuck, packing in a breakdown, gang vocal and a ton of mosh parts into a runtime of under two minutes. We cannot wait to hear more.
In Flames - "I, the Mask"
It's no secret that many In Flames fans miss the band's older material à la 1996's unfuckwithable The Jester Race. But listeners who may have checked out a while ago will have something to latch onto with the band's newest single, "I, the Mask." Singer Anders Fridén slyly references the older material ("Here I am, in the mask, The Jester that wants to be free"), as the band unleashes the kind of heavy metal that strikes the perfect balance between what they've been writing the past ten years, and their now-classic material.
Devil Master - "Desperate Shadow"
Filthy, spooky and vile to the core, Philadelphia's Devil Master have finally gotten the proper breakout track they deserve with their debut single on Relapse, "Desperate Shadow." Menacing riffs and an icy facade give way to a swirling, smoky underbelly as the group shifts seamlessly from one head-banging section to the next. Somewhere between the dirge-y clamor of death rock and the shimmering haze of black metal, the track pushes the group further into the niche they're quickly carving for themselves in the world of underground metal.
Mark Morton w/ Chester Bennington - "Cross Off"
Lamb of God's Mark Morton grabbed a slew of huge guests for his first solo record, but none cast a shadow over the project like Chester Bennington. This week, the collaboration was officially unveiled, and it featured some of the most vicious vocals the late Linkin Park singer ever recorded. Given Morton's background it only makes sense for a super-aggro track, and the fact that Bennington was game to get dirty with his vocals is a testament to his artistry and creative open-mindeness, and we're grateful it's out in the world.
Candlemass w/ Tony Iommi - "Astrolus - The Great Octopus"
Slow, rhythmic pounding gives way to sinister, winding riffs in a way only the combined powers of Candlemass and Tony Iommi can, before Johan Längqvist's powerful, operatic howl barrels in to add drama and intensity to an already hellish soundscape. The shifting lineup of the classic doom act rarely disappoints, but the current iteration hits a high mark with the addition of Iommi's hypnotic and gnarly solo mid-song, adding interest to the easily stagnated doom genre. Things build up to a hard-rocking apex, perfect for headbanging and worshipping the devil alike.
