Festival season is truly in its sweltering swing, making our camp busy. We’ve made time to check out the singles that dropped each week via our New Music Friday column, picking out favourites from Mourn, Long Goodbye, Still In Love and King Yosef. As usual, there are so many more that deserve the spotlight. Here are June’s short format offerings. Be warned, it’s been a heavy month.
Covert UK – Twisted Mind (Independent)
UK upstarts Covert are more than impressing with their initial offerings. This continues with their second single, “Twisted Mind“, another showcase of the Preston unit’s potential. A ruthless sound with some crunching riffs, it draws on the UK metalcore sound that many have come to love, with smatterings of nu-core to edge an extra edge. As they continue to forge their path, those based in the UK should expect to see and hear much more from Covert in the future. – JE
FFO: Swarmed, Convey & So Far So Good
Crystalview – singularity (Independent)
Picking up where they left off on Dreamscape//Kaleidoscope, Crystalview deliver an interesting twist with “singularity”. Stripping the progressive metalcore from their sound, the atmospheric, hyperpop-styled electronic sound introduced on their last EP is distilled from the mixture. “singularity” carries Crystalview’s signature, emotional style in a slightly different, yet wholly engaging way. – JT
FFO: Porter Robinson, iRis.EXE & daine
Castele – Exuvia (Independent)
A year after their debut record To Sea, After Storm, Castele keep up the pace with the dreamy “Exuvia“. This is their chance to cool off, exploring generally softer sounds within post hardcore. Their vocals punching far above expectations for a band so early in their career (perhaps the Colorado Springs air does wonders for the voice). Later on the track the guitars begin to fold within their own delay, holding us within the dreamscape, whilst harsh vocals remind us that Castele can go hard when they choose to. – DT
FFO: Pulses., Karmanjakah & Nova Charisma
God Glitch – They Only Notice Once The Chance To Speak Is Gone (Independent)
“All We Ever Needed Will Fail Us In The End” was a track backed with sheer chaos which pleased the heavier metalcore and mathcore enjoyers. God Glitch now show their flipside on “They Only Notice Once The Chance To Speak Is Gone“. Channelling the melodic side of 00s metalcore that the likes of Killswitch Engage and Oceana explored, God Glitch put out a track that is full of heart and incredible vocal and composition on the guitar work. If the video is anything to go by, this is the first part of something, and what is follows will fill listeners with much anticipation. – JE
FFO: Your Spirit Dies, Employed to Serve & Blind Ivy
THE JOHNSTOWN FLOOD – STOLEN PULSE (Independent)
Listening to THE JOHNSTOWN FLOOD feels like unlocking a long-lost memory. An essence of post-hardcore that lingers on the edge of many other genres, such as screamo and metalcore, with a feral and chaotic nature that feels like bygone. It’s rough around the edges and all the better for it. Through the noodling riffs and a double-barrelled vocal approach, it’s difficult not to immediately be enthralled by what THE JOHNSTOWN FLOOD have done on “STOLEN PURSE” – JE
FFO: deathgotgov, Wiltwither & ZombieShark
Greed Worm – Zero to nero (Independent)
“Zero to nero” is nothing short of a stark cocktail that mixes elements of hardcore, grindcore and slam to make for a listen that will alight the taste buds. With its more brutal elements sitting higher in the mix, ensuring the whirling riffs and slamming drum grooves pound away, it’s evident that Greed Worm are intent on leaving an impression. The barked vocals that should be being noticed across the genre. For those willing to dive in, what Greed Worm are showcasing is one hell of a listen. – JE
FFO: Abrupt Decay, Theurgy HC & athousandangelsandseven
ROSARY – 40 Lashes (feat. Human Shield) (Carmody Records)
There is a sheer snarl to the latest ROSARY release that separates it out from the rest of the releases in June. An evil vocal performance, packed with a venomous nature that pumps the adrenaline through the veins. Plenty of moments throughout “40 Lashes” to either have a two-step to or simply smash the nearest person. What ROSARY are cooking up here will be a treat for fans across of a range of genres from hardcore, deathcore and thrash. – JE
FFO: CELL, HAIL MARY & WARSPAWN
Bowie – Discount Todd Jones (NUHC)
There is something about this track that makes you want to rip a door off its hinges. Bowie more than deliver on that with latest track “Discount Todd Jones“. It’s a stomping track full of menacing builds and an inner tension with its hardcore and its metal-come-screamo drum grooves. When all that is unleashed on its latter half through the early breakdown, the track that enters full force and “Discount Todd Jones” becomes a beast; the second breakdown is a victory lap. – JE
FFO: Gillian Carter, Mugshot & Eight Count
xEdenisgonex – Dissolved (Independent)
On double tracks “Dissolved” and “Preachers“, xEdenisgonex showcase one of the harshest iterations of metalcore revival to date. The band draw on blackened influences in their vocals and riffs, imparting a harrowing sense to the tracks. This provides a particular intensity that sets it apart from its counterparts. We are excited to see what else is to come from xEdenisgone this year. – JE
FFO: Divine Sentence, Hour Of Reprisal & Long Goodbye