6 Best New Songs Right Now: 3/8/19 | Page 2 | Revolver

6 Best New Songs Right Now: 3/8/19

Razorbumps, Spirit Adrift, Defeater and more
razor-bumps-angela-owens.jpg, Angela Owens
Razorbumps
photograph by Angela Owens

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.

Razorbumps - "Freak Baby"
"Freak Baby" is a fun, upbeat throwback to a retro punk sound that utilizes bits of the past in a fresh and infectious way. The Razorbumps excel at taking Eighties pop sensibility and running it through a few layers of shiny, echo-y effects (and punk AF attitude) to churn out an irresistibly hook-driven track that will have you hitting repeat ad nauseum in hopes of an early spring.

Defeater - "Mothers' Sons"
It's been several years since we've heard new music from Boston melodic hardcore act Defeater, and we're glad they're back with "Mothers' Sons." Not only is the new song a total burner, it marks a real level-up moment for the band in terms of their ability to expertly blend harmony and aggression. The song unfolds with gripping, if familiar, hardcore until a black-metal-esque blast-beat enters the picture and launches the track into a completely different world of heavy music — one that we're eager to hear them explore further.

Martyrdöd - "Cashless Society"
Low, nasty and downright filth-covered, Martyrdöd's "Cashless Society" is a sludgy old-school black & roller that steadily climbs into full-on speed-metal shred territory with a distilled anger that manifests in pungent scream-growls and menacing guitarwork. Saving just enough room for a quick (but merciless) solo before completing in a group-sung final chorus, the track is ruthless in its attack and spends no time fucking around before it cuts through your eardrums and ends in flames.

Scarlxrd - "STFU."
For a lot of listeners the rise of "trap-metal" artists such as British rapper Scarlxrd offers a more welcome and aggressive approach to hip-hop than what one would normally hear on a mainstream rap release. "STFU." is exemplary of this — Scarlxrd shifts in and out of dropping traditional rap verses before going into a full-on harsh vocal attack for the roar-along refrain of "Shut the fuck up!" Infectious, aggressive and rude-as-hell with an undeniable beat and bounce.

Spirit Adrift - "Hear Her"
Arizona doom lords Spirit Adrift have been carving out a name for themselves in a heavily occupied lane of metal, and are continuing to set themselves apart with their new burner "Hear Her." Where previous record Curse of Conception saw the band imbuing their doom metal with some out-there parts, they've simplified their approach here to build an ultra-fun track that highlights the straight-up power of the almighty riff.

Azar Swan - "Empire Grave"
With its haunted-house techno atmosphere and steady, unyielding beats, Azar Swan's latest single "Empire Grave" proves the duo's unmatched capability to create unsettlingly gorgeous dance-floor bangers that are highly listenable yet tremendously unique among their contemporaries. Drawing more deeply from EBM than their earlier pop-goth sound, the track plays out like a midnight graveyard ritual on ecstasy — trance-inducing sound currents wash over singer Zohra Atash's cherubic vocals as intricately layered patterns echo throughout. Sonic dropouts punctuate the chorus' circular patterns before the beat returns with a vengeance, drawing out the motivation to move with each passing moment.