New Music Friday – May 5th, 2023

Welcome to the first New Music Friday of May, where we have our round-up of all the new releases from metalcore, hardcore, alternative and indie that came out this week. Take a look at our release calendar to keep an eye on what’s due to drop soon. The NMF playlist for this week can be found here or at the bottom of the page.

STAFF PICKS

LE SSERAFIM – UNFORGIVEN
Label – SOURCE MUSIC
(Spotify/Apple Music)

Jonathan recommends: LE SSERAFIM unveil their stellar debut full-length, UNFORGIVEN. Spanning a wide variety of genres, the album has a feisty attitude and confidence carried throughout, but it is not without its subtler, more poignant moments. It’s hard to deny the cohesiveness of LE SSERAFIM as they leave their mark on the kpop scene.

Poppy – Spit (Single)
Label – Sumerian Records
(Spotify/Apple Music)

Nisrin Recommends: On Poppy’s newest release, a cover of Kittie’sSpit”, Poppy returns with her most interesting and blistering vocal performance yet. Taking an alternative metal classic and making it that much heavier made it bound to be one of her most ambitious tracks since “Say Cheese”. While her discography continues to expand and she checks off a different genre with each release, Poppy never ceases to disappoint fans as she makes any style her own.

Closure in Moscow – Primal Sinister (Single)
Label – Independent
(Spotify/Apple Music)

Alex recommends: A full nine years after the release of their last album, Closure In Moscow continue unveiling their long-awaited comeback album Soft Hell with second single “Primal Sinister“. This one leans closer to the psychedelic funk of Pink Lemonade than it does the addictive post-hardcore of First Temple, but the high-energy groove and dynamic vocal performance make it well worth the wait for fans of any era of the band.

The Sun’s Journey Through The Night – Void Walker (Single)
Label – Church Road Records
(Spotify/Apple Music)

Dobbin recommends: From artist known for bedroom-gazed ambient albums and depressive black metal, “Void Walker” is the crispest we’ve ever heard The Sun’s Journey Through The Night. The hi-fi mix has them sounding more Mgla than Paysage d’Hiver and reveals the talent that had been obscured in their early work. Black metal mix curation aside, “Void Walker” is a deliciously pummelling journey through tortured rasps, dissonant chords and unrelenting blast beats.

METAL/CORE RELEASES

Currents – The Death We Seek [FULL REVIEW]
Label – Sharptone Records

In Fear – All Is, All Shall Be [FULL REVIEW]
Label – Year of the Rat Records

Jeromes Dream – The Gray in Between [FULL REVIEW]
Label – Iodine Recordings

The Devil Wears Prada – Color Decay (Deluxe)
Label – Solid State Records

Unearth – The Wrechted; The Ruinous
Label – Century Media Records 

Dead Like Juliet – Stand Defiant
Label – Independent

PSYCHO-FRAME – Remote God Seeker (EP) [FULL REVIEW]
Label – The Swamp Sount

Earth Burial – Earth Burial (EP)
Label – Independent

Resistor – So It Begins (EP)
Label – Independent

Teeth – A Biblical Worship of Violence (EP)
Label – Sharptone Records

Draconian Reign – Tragedy Eternal (EP)
Label – Seek & Strike

BLACKGOLD – Volume 2 (EP)
Label – Independent

Shockpoint – Rhythm Zero (EP)
Label – Independent

Acranius – Oppressing Compassion (Single)
Label – Independent

Atena – Poison Pure (Single)
Label – Indie Recordings

Burialgrounds – Paradigm (Single)
Label – Distorted Euphoria

Burner – Pillar of Shame (Single)
Label – Church Road Records

Callous Minds – Left Us Dead (Single)
Label – Independent

Court Order – Kingdom Gone (Single)
Label – Independent

Earthists. – Hyperhell (Single)
Label – DigitalCult Records

Elyne – PARALYZED (feat. Rising Insane) (Single)
Label – Independent

Etched in Embers – Manic (Single)
Label – Independent

In Your Grave – Drift City (Single)
Label – Independent

Kaozm – Hollow Realm (Single)
Label – Independent

Left to Suffer – Artificial Anatomy (feat. Kim Dracula) (Single)
Label – ONErpm

Like Moths to Flames – I Found the Dark Side of Heaven (Single)
Label – UNFD

alt. – APEP (feat. Jack Bergin) (Single)
Label – Resist Records

Inhuman Nature – Take Them By Force (Single)
Label – Church Road Records

Judgement – FACELESS (Single)
Label – Independent

Monashee – Sirens (Single)
Label – Independent

Terminal Sleep – Tried and True (Single)
Label – Independent

Only the Righteous – No Saviours, No Saints (Single)
Label – Righteous Records

The Sight of Impact – Left Behind (Single)
Label – TSOI Music

The Luminary – Dead Space (Single)
Label – Independent

QUEEN KONA – Black Flag (feat. Alec Hank of Ratgod) (Single)
Label – Moosh Man Records

Tariot – Death by Seven (Single)
Label – Out Of Line Music

Two Sides of Me – Glass Bones (Single)
Label – Independent

HARDCORE RELEASES

DRAIN – LIVING PROOF [FULL REVIEW]
Label – Pure Noise Records

Death Goals – A Garden of Dead Flowers [FULL REVIEW]
Label – Prosthetic Records

Lifed US – Lifed
Label – Spearhafoc Records

hopscotbattlescars – sick of you
Label – Independent

Intercourse – Halo Castration Institute
Label – Red Scroll Records

Simulakra – Ad Infinitum
Label – Matt Scala

Pure Heel – Freedom From You
Label – Irish Voodoo Records

Dagger Threat – Unchained (EP)
Label – BDHW Records

Live it Down – Thy Kingdom Come (EP)
Label – Triple B Records

Chepang – SWATTA (A) (EP)
Label – GURKHA COMMANDO BLAST TEAM

Warand – Hell 37 (EP)
Label – Permcitypunk Records

Perp Walk – The Chain of Infection (EP)
Label – Independent

Dropped At Birth – Waste (Single)
Label – Scooterman Enterprises

Rat Cage – Change From A Fiver (Single)
Label – La Vida Es Un Mus Discos

Street Power – Snakes and Rats (Single)
Label – Independent

Framework – Rot (Single)
Label – Independent

Hard Feelings – Living Hell (Single)
Label – Heroes + Martyrs

Power of Fear – Walk The Walk (Single)
Label – DAZE

GNASHER SC – Reinvent (Single)
Label – Independent

New Clear Future – MOR (Single)
Label – Aggrocidal Records

Agency – Flags Pissed (Single)
Label – EROT WORLD

Northwalk – Get Lost (Single)
Label – 10-54 Records

street grease – Fawn (Single)
Label – Independent

Never Ending Game – Hate Today… Die Tomorrow (Single)
Label – Triple B Records

SPY – Koniec (Single)
Label – Triple B Records

POST-HARDCORE/ROCK RELEASES

Cyan Kicks – I Never Said 4ever
Label – ADA Nordic

HIMALAYAS – From Hell to Here
Label – Independent

Weathers – Are We Having Fun?
Label – Sumerian Records

Artio – Pryokid (EP)
Label – Slam Dunk Records

Bury Your Idols – demos (2022) (EP)
Label – Independent

Krooked Tongue – Deathproof (EP)
Label – Independent

Awaken I Am – Relic (Single)
Label – SBG Records

Bring Me the Horizon – LosT (Single)
Label – Sony Music

Grapevine Gossip – Incognito Mode (Single)
Label – Independent

Friendship Commanders – Fail (Single)
Label – Independent

Anjel – Burning Down (feat. KXDS) (Single)
Label – Prime Collective

Cold Culture – Faded (Single)
Label – Prime Collective

Busted – Meet You There 2.0 (feat. Neck Deep) (Single)
Label – Juno Music

Days Like These – Bloodshed (Single)
Label – Independent

Dead by April – My Light (Single)
Label – Independent

Her Last Sight – Unicorn (Single)
Label – Liron Avital Productions

Grapevine Gossip – Incognito Mode (feat. Laylines)
Label – Independent

Makari – Circus Waltz (Single)
Label – Independent

NTH RD – River (Single)
Label – Independent

Mayday Parade – More Like a Crash (Single)
Label – Independent

PhaseOne & RedHook – Gangrene (Single)
Label – UNFD

RIVALS – Man Eater (Single)
Label – Independent

VENUES – Haunted House (Singles)
Label – Arising Empire

Youth Fountain – Gut Feeling (Acoustic) / Speaking in Tongues (Acoustic) (Single)
Label – Pure Noise Records

Cinema Stare – Remember (Single)
Label – Static Era Records

ALTERNATIVE/INDIE/SHOEGAZE RELEASES

Shit Present – What Still Gets Me
Label – Specialist Subject

Fred Again & Brian Eno – Secret Life
Label – Universal Music

Nedaj – Alter Ego
Label – NUMBPROMISES

Mareux – Lovers From The Past
Label – Revolution Records

Worriedaboutsatan – The Pivot
Label – This Is It Forever

Sad Boys Club – Lullabies From The Lightning Tree
Label – Modern Sky UK

The Lemon Twigs – Everything Harmony
Label – Captured Tracks

comfort – What’s Bad Enough?
Label – FatCats Records

Black Polygons – Still Life (EP)
Label – Independent

Pussy Riot, Boys Noize & Alive Glass – Chastity (Single)
Label – Independent

Joe Vann – Move On (Single)
Label – little shuteye

Cathedral Bells – Better Half (Single)
Label – Born Losers Records

ANNA – Let You In (feat. East Forest) (Single)
Label – Universal Music

Alison Goldfrapp – Love Invention (Single)
Label – BMG

Graywave – Cycle (Single)
Label – Church Road Records

Matilda Mann – In Plain Sight (Single)
Label – Arista Records

airshade – return (feat. Kim) (Single)
Label – Independent

Ky – All The Sad And Loving People (Single)
Label – Constellation Records

hdhd – Kill Yourself (Single) (Article cover)
Label – Independent