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.
Employed to Serve - "Force Fed"
U.K. post-hardcore crew Employed to Serve aren't afraid to get heavy, and "Force Fed" is a nasty track. The guitar tones reflect forbearers like the Chariot and the Bled, offering up chunky guitar sections with a healthy amount of skronk. Vocally, they approach the good-cop, bad-cop dynamic differently from other bands of their ilk — the sung vocals never slow down the song's aggression, instead add a new dynamic to the anger at play.
SeeYouSpaceCowboy - "Self Help Specialist Ends Own Life"
SeeYouSpaceCowboy's DIY punk ethics and invigorating "sasscore" have earned them a dedicated grassroots following over the past few years, but now with the backing of Pure Noise Records their hyper-literate, socially conscious and pit-stirring music is primed to reach a much wider audience. "Self Help Specialist Ends Own Life" is a great example of what the band has to offer. The song calls to mind the sassy heaviness of early Every Time I Die and Blood Brothers, and brings things up to speed with modern metallic-hardcore sensibilities by throwing down massive chug parts and breakdowns to keep the pit happy.
Brutus - "War"
A stunning and unexpected entry this week came from Belgium post-hardcore outfit Brutus with their jaw-dropping single "War" and its live performance video. Drummer and singer Stefanie Mannaerts shines with her raw, angelic roar and the expansive riffs reverberate in a thick swirl of visceral emotion. One of the most talked-about clips in the heavy-music world in some time, "War" even got the Ben Koller seal of approval on Twitter. The Converge drummer exclaimed, "Wow. Give this one a listen if you have time. Fuck that was great."
Sigils - "Faceless"
Distraught and moody, "Faceless" is a heart-crushing, funereal slow burner that sounds like it was recorded inside a drowning man's nightmare. Each lingering, painful note hangs heavy while it waits to trudge on, never testing the listener's patience so much as challenging their will to live. There's little comfort in this sorrow, but the bellowing fullness of every measure tumbles in on itself, flowing deeper and deeper into a pool of anguish before bottoming out in a wall of stinging feedback.
Triumvir Foul - "Urine of Abomination I"
"Urine of Abomination I," the latest track from enigmatic extremists Triumvir Foul, successfully blurs various styles of uncompromising underground music in an expression of pure antisocial hate. Opening with a cavalcade of harsh noise, the track seamlessly segues into the most muscular stone-jawed death-metal track — riffs that are terrifying in their own right become pure evil after emerging from the squall. This is the outer reaches of brutality.
Angel Du$t - "Bang My Drum"
Not all rock music needs to be "heavy" to truly rock, and Angel Du$t are a prime example. On their latest single "Bang My Drum," the hardcore-inflected punk band (made up of Turnstile and Trapped Under Ice members) serve up a heavy dose of rock & roll fun. The verse is dancey as hell and the guitar work is fuzzy and bouncy, encouraging listeners to get the hell outta their seats and shake their asses (as Instagram legend BennY RevivaL does in the music video). Add to the mix, groovy solos — and an unashamed saxophone part — and you've got a manic banger that shows why Angel Du$t are miles ahead of every other band in their lane.
