New Music Friday – March 17th, 2023

Welcome to another addition of New Music Friday, our round-up of all this week’s metalcore, hardcore, alternative and indie releases, with picks from our staff. Check out our release calendar to keep track of what is releasing this year. (Cover: 星熊南巫 – TOKYO 神 VIRTUA)

STAFF PICKS

fakeyourdeath – consume (Single)
Label – Independent
(Spotify/Apple Music)

Joe recommends: fakeyourdeath are back with another visceral yet utterly fantastic tune in the form of “consume”. With a beat that will stick in the mind and relentless vocals that become increasingly impressive with each listen, there is no doubt the Brighton duo are set to make 2023 their breakout.

Pupil Slicer – Blossom (Single)
Label – Prosthetic Records
(Spotify/Apple Music)

Dobbin recommends: Title track and closer from their upcoming album, “Blossom” is uncommonly catchy and melodic in a very Pupil Slicer way. Don’t fret, they’re still the same manic mathcore band underneath the big choruses. There’s been a noticeable production upgrade, with crispy bass and precise drumming drawn front-and-centre. Lyrically, it’s uplifting and cathartic, as great closers should be: “They will tell you who they see but you know who you are / We are the stories we tell ourselves“. A really exciting window into what Blossom will bring later this year.

Long.Way.Down – until there’s nothing left… (EP)
Label – Zegema Beach Records
(Spotify/Apple Music)

Harry recommends: The brutal and bloody nature of until there’s nothing left…, along with its rough production provides an antidote to the squeaky clean sound that dominates currently. Shifting between ruthless and beautifully reverbed riffs, Long.Way.Down offer up a memorable release.

Microwave – Ferrari (Single)
Label – Pure Noise Records
(Spotify/Apple Music)

Sean recommends: Microwave continue their steady release of singles with “Ferrari“, which is a quaint cut that allows vocalist Nathan Hardy to flex his emotional delivery. The song should fit nicely within their upcoming album’s track list.

METAL/CORE RELEASES

Invent Animate – Heavener [FULL REVIEW]
Label – UNFD

Gideon – MORE POWER. MORE PAIN. [FULL REVIEW]
Label – Equal Vision Records

Darknet – trashworld [FULL REVIEW]
Label – Hollowed Records

Chelsea Grin – Suffer in Heaven
Label – ONErpm

Kamelot – The Awakening
Label – Napalm Records

[STÖMB] – Massive Disturb Meta Art
Label – Klonosphere

Foretoken – Triumphs
Label – Prosthetic Records

Beyond Extinction – Nothing More Wretched (EP) [FULL REVIEW]
Label – Dead Species Records

Where the Waves Are Born – Sundered (EP)
Label – Independent

BVRNA – BVRNA (EP)
Label – Mad Bird Records

In Fear – Virtue and Regret (Single)
Label – Year Of The Rat Records

Bury Tomorrow – Begin Again (Single)
Label – Music For Nations

GUILT – Territorial (Single)
Label – Independent

The Devil Wears Prada – Reaching (Single)
Label – Sold State Records

Sylosis – Deadwood (Single)
Label – Nuclear Blast

fromjoy – seraph (feat. iRis.EXE) (Single)
Label – Independent

alt. – A.D.D. (Single)
Label – Sharptone Records

Rise of the Northstar – Showdown (Single)
Label – Atomic Fire

Atreyu – Watch Me Burn (Single)
Label – Spinefarm

Savage Hands – Rockbottom (Single)
Label – SHARPTONE

Harroway – Parasite (Single)
Label – Independent

Scene Queen – 18+ (Single)
Label – Hopeless Records

Avenged Sevenfold – Nobody (Single)
Label – Warner Records

Atena – Oh My (Single)
Label – Indie Recordings

ENMY – Silver Bullet (Single)
Label – Theoria Records

Heruin – Dissident (Single)
Label – Independent

Sounds Like Color – Alive (Single)
Label – Independent

Unseen Faith – Prodigal Sons (Single)
Label – Prime Collective

Further North Further South – Where the Dark Divides (Single)
Label – Independent

Defying Decay – 21 Stitches (Single)
Label – Independent

Mediokrist – Konvergenz (Single)
Label – Independent

Sullivan King & SVDDEN DEATH – Pursuit of Violence (Single)
Label – Monstercat

Two Sides of Me – Elegy (Single)
Label – Independent

Smoke Signals – DROWNING (Single)
Label – Paradise Sound Records

Decoy – Disordium (Single)
Label – Independent

Torn Within – Hero No More (Single)
Label – Independent

hopscotchbattlescars – BEGIN ANEW (Single)
Label – Independent

HARDCORE RELEASES

KRUELTY – The Awakening [FULL REVIEW]
Label – Profound Lore

XweaponX & World of Pleasure – Weapon of Pleasure (EP) [FULL REVIEW]
Label – DAZE

Torena – Evil Eyez (EP) [FULL REVIEW]
Label – DAZE

Erase Them – ALL WERE SHAMEFULLY SILENT (EP)
Label – Independent

97minutes & Ritual of Despair – SPLIT IN 2 (EP)
Label – Empty Shells Records

Chain Gang – Florida Fight Music (EP)
Label – Black Diamond

OutMind – DEMO 23′ (EP)
Label – Crunch Time Recordings

Smash N’ Grab – Promo (EP)
Label – Yuga Dharma Press

Sentinel – 4 Song Promo (EP)
Label – Raven Records

Last Affront & Frisk – Split (EP)
Label – Iron Lung Records

Fatal Move – Groove (Single)
Label – Useless Pride Records

Incendiary – Bite The Hook (Single)
Label – Closed Casket Activities

Jesus Piece – Silver Lining (Single)
Label – Century Media Records

Candescent – Through The Eyes Of A Stranger (Single)
Label – TinkleWrecks

Dreading – Better Call Saul (Single)
Label – Independent

Initiate – Surface / Alone At The Bottom (Single)
Label – Triple B Records

Razor Tail – Hand of fate (Single)
Label – Wet Elvis Productions

These Streets – Hard Times (feat. Mughsot & Maya Over Eyes) (Single)
Label – Independent

POST-HARDCORE/ROCK RELEASES

Pop Evil – Skeletons
Label – MNRK Music

Celldweller – Satellites (Deluxe)
Label – FiXT

Black Honey – A Fistful of Peaches
Label – Foxfive Records

The Plague – Hope for the F.U.T.U.R.E. (Deluxe)
Label – FiXT

Foxy Shazam – Dark Blue Night
Label – eeeoooah

World Gone Cold – World Gone Cold (EP) [FULL REVIEW]
Label – Rockfest Records

Bayside – The Blue (EP)
Label – Hopeless Records

Spotlights – Seance (EP)
Label – Ipecac Recordings

Only Fools and Corpses – PISSANT (EP)
Label – Independent

Grapevine Gossip – Open Palms Reach (Single)
Label – Independent

Blood Command – Losing Faith (Single)
Label – Hassle Records

The Throwaway Scene – Fake Death (Single)
Label – Independent

Toronto Is Broken – Drip Feed (feat. REEBZ) (Single)
Label – FixT

RedHook – Imposter Ft. Yours Truly (Single)
Label – Independent

The Ongoing Concept – Feel Again (Single)
Label – Solid State Records

As December Falls – Alive (Single)
Label – Independent

Miss Fortune – Black Pixie (On the Edge) (Single)
Label – LIFE OR DEATH

Reece Young – Endless Riots (feat. Cane Hill)
Label – Adventure Cat Records

Trophy Eyes – Blue Eyed Boy (Single)
Label – Hopeless Records

Written by Wolves – GIVE ‘EM HELL (Single)
Label – Independent

Jackals – Dig In (Single)
Label – Independent

Rumours – Transparency in Mourning (Single)
Label – Independent

Ever Since Eve – LOST FOREVER (feat. Chemical Youth) (Single)
Label – Independent

Eternal Frequency – Running from Ghosts (Single)
Label – Independent

Samiam – Something (Single)
Label – Pure Noise Records

Dirty Shirts – Heart Attack (Single)
Label – Laundromat Recordings

EarlyRise – The Villain (Single)
Label – Independent

From Ashes to New – Hate Me Too (Single)
Label – Better Noise Music

Grapevine Gossip – Open Palms Reach (Single)
Label – Independent

ALTERNATIVE/INDIE/SHOEGAZE RELEASES

All Time Low – Tell Me I’m Alive
Label – Fueled By Ramen

M83 – Fantasy
Label – Independent

100 gecs – 10,000 gecs
Label – Atlantic Records

Yves Tumor – Praise a Lord Who Chews, But Which Does Not Consume (Or Simply, Hot Between Worlds)
Label – Warp Records

Ailbhe Reddy – Endless Affair
Label – MNRK

Unknown Mortal Orchestra – V
Label – Jagjaguwar

Aly & AJ – With Love From
Label – Independent

Sandrayati – Safe Ground
Label – Universal Music

星熊南巫 – TOKYO 神 VIRTUA (EP)
Label – QOOLONG

Hozier – Eat Your Young (EP)
Label – Universal Music

freya – blend in with the girls (EP)
Label – Independent

Surgeon – Crash Recoil (EP)
Label – Tresor Records

Superlove – Something Good (Single)
Label – Rude Records

Alison Goldfrapp – So Hard So Hot (Single)
Label – BMG

Cryalot – Labyrinth (Neggy Gemmy Remix)
Label – Independent

Eloise – Therapist (Single)
Label – Harbour Artists

Ultra Q – Klepto (Single)
Label – Royal Mountain Records

half•alive – Beige (Single)
Label – RCA Records

San Huan – Unearthed Motion (Single)
Label – L4gw

The Lemon Twigs – In My Head (Single)
Label – Captured Tracks

Healthyliving – Dream Hive (Single)
Label – Independent

Lana Del Rey – The Grants (Single)
Label – Universal Music

Shit Present – More to Lose (Single)
Label – Specialist Subject

Bedroom – Better Friends (Single)
Label – Amuseio AB

Art School Girlfriend – Closed To The Clouds (Single)
Label – Universal Music

Comfort – Wild and Fragile (Single)
Label – Fatcat Records

Felix Cartal – Love You More (feat. Daya) (Single)
Label – Physical Presents

Phoenix – After Midnight (feat. Clairo) (Single)
Label – Glassnote Entertainment 

Seafret – Wonderland (Single)
Label – Nettwerk Music Group

Fred Again…, Skrillex, Four Tet – Baby Again…
Label – Warner Music

Anna – Receiving (feat. Laraaji) (Jon Hopkins Piano Version) (Single)
Label – Universal Music

kittyangel – shadow realm (Single)
Label – Independent

hxly xo – haunted. (feat. Blksmiith) (Single)
Label – Independent

Eden FM – Stay (Single)
Label – Garden’s Gate

Ftlframe – Usoうそ (Single)
Label – Independent