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 death metal, hard rock, metalcore and more that have been on heavy rotation at Revolver HQ. For your listening pleasure, we've also compiled the songs in an ever-evolving Spotify playlist.
Succumb - "Okeanos"
San Francisco's Succumb make blackened death metal with an ugly grindcore ferocity. Their sophomore album arrives later this fall, and "Okeanos" is a beastly lead single that's a constant pile-on of whirring riffs, blast-beats and gnarled roars. Bang your fucking head.
Jerry Cantrell - "Atone"
Alice in Chains axeman Jerry Cantrell is releasing his first solo album in 19 years, and he brought along Duff McKagan and Greg Puciato for the ride. "Atone" is the record's first offering, and it's a twangy hard-rock thumper that cleverly calls on the ex-Dillinger Escape Plan frontman for his dusky clean harmonies.
Sasami - "Sorry Entertainer"
Up until this week, Sasami was known for making brisk, shiny indie-rock with the thrust of post-punk and the textural depth of shoegaze. Her unrecognizable cover of Daniel Johnston's "Sorry Entertainer" is the opposite — a noisy, nasty, sludgy ripper that sounds like a cross between Sonic Youth and the Melvins. More of this, please.
Jinjer - "Mediator"
"Vortex," the lead single from Jinjer's upcoming album, Wallflowers, is heavy, but not in the way "Mediator" is fucking heavy. Vladislav Ulasevich's drumming in the first 20 seconds is absolutely insane, injecting a grindcore fury into the band's sweet-spot of groovy djent and dive-bomby metalcore.
Turnstile - "Blackout"
To quote DJ Khaled, "and another one." Turnstile have already shared five tracks from their upcoming third LP, GLOW ON, and most of them have sounded like the Baltimore unit gleefully trying to shrug hardcore purists off their shoulders. "Blackout" is different in that you can mosh to it, but there's also plenty of kooky little drum embellishments, hand-claps and gleaming melodies.
Employed to Serve - "Mark of the Grave"
Employed to Serve's June single, "Exist," took their rumbling metalcore to arena-sized heights, and this new one doesn't drop an inch. Tossing in some dirt-kickin' hard-rock cleans for good measure, "Mark of the Grave" swings like a flaming pendulum — big riffs, big screams and even bigger breakdowns.
Kid Bookie - "In the Dark"
For the last five years, U.K. rapper Kid Bookie has carved out a lane for himself with grime flows that have the sneering playfulness of early Eminem, and shadowy, metallic production that pulls equally from nu-metal and emo-rap. His latest single, "In the Dark," feels like a real breakthrough point, as he switches between mournful, Chino Moreno-esque croons and hypnotic sing-songs with a light dusting of auto-tune warble.
