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 deathcore, synthwave, hardcore 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.
Crosses - "Vivien"
Earlier this year, Deftones frontman Chino Moreno revived his long-dormant side project, Crosses, by dropping a pair of great songs — synthwave-y, gothic and woozily catchy. As it turns out, the duo of he and Far's Shaun Lopez had more to say. Today they announced a whole new EP, PERMANENT.RADIANT, that doesn't feature either of the two songs from earlier this year, but does contain "Vivien," a sterling electro-rock number with bleary atmospheres and a chorus that fucking pops.
SPIRITWORLD - "Relic of Damnation"
Of all the bands combining elements of metal and hardcore, SPIRITWORLD have one of the most singular sounds in the current landscape. Slayer leads, Obituary grooves, Power Trip mosh parts and scabrous Integrity vocals all coexist in harmony on a song like "Relic of Damnation," which continues to world-build the band's morbid Southwestern setting with lyrics about coming face to face with the devil while hopped up on mescaline in "a honky tonk in North Texas." Giddy up!
Vulvodynia - "Artificial Divinity"
Lorna Shore frontman Will Ramos says Vulvodynia are "the heaviest band out there," and it's certainly one of those instances where real recognizes real. The South African band are making brutal death metal that isn't afraid to tread new ground, like on "Artificial Divinity," where a djenty bassline snakes through the breakdown and the slamming riff is as evil as Behemoth but as chug-inducing as your favorite deathcore band.
Avatar - "Dance Devil Dance"
SPIRITWORLD aren't the only extreme-metal band who felt like adding a dash of cowboy twang to their latest tune. Avatar's "Dance Devil Dance," the title-track from their just-announced album, sees Johannes Eckerström's group toying with a rootin', tootin' lick that twirls atop galloping death metal drums and hard-ass chords. Like so many Avatar songs, the operatic hook fits snugly between the heavy elements, and the way it breaks down and builds back up by the end is thrilling.
Show Me the Body - "War Not Beef"
"War Not Beef" is such a hard sentiment. Fuck delaying the inevitable with squabbling, let's get to the point. The New York band's new album, Trouble the Water, seesaws between stark hip-hop cuts and bone-cutting bangers like this one, which is where their sound feels most at home. "In these days of hate/I search for truth/all I've got my hands/that's what I'll use," frontman Julian Cashwan Pratt grunts over a sludgy, industrialized hardcore breakdown.
Polyphia - "Bloodbath" (Feat. Chino Moreno)
Chino's had a busy week. Outside of Crosses, the singer's vocal feature on Polyphia's new album finally saw the light of day, and in typical Polyphia fashion, it dodges all expectations. The down-tuned riffing during the alt-metal breakdown is offset by a funky little lick during the verses that makes you want to dance in bell-bottom jeans. Moreno's voice brings that metal section to life, though, blending his signature breathy coos with the guitar lick that stretches into the ether.
