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 hardcore, prog-core, post-punk 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.
Periphery - "Wildfire"
Periphery's new album is titled Periphery V: Djent is Not a Genre (hilarious), but that doesn't mean they've given up on djent the sound. "Wildfire" explodes with a dug-a-dug-a-dug-dug-dug-dug blast of syncopated grooviness, with guitars tuned down-low and Spencer Sotelo's scabrous screams rolling atop the malestrom. It packs everything you'd want from a Periphery song into six-and-a-half minutes; the solo, the mechanical guitar dissonance, the clean belting, and yes, dem chugs.
Hanabie - "Pardon Me, I Have to Go Now"
It's gonna be really tough for any metal song this year to be more exhilarating than "Pardon Me, I Have to Go Now." Hanabie's latest stunner is a distinctly modern update on the garishly fun electronic-core that took off in the late 2000s; neon party synths, breakdowns with the jingly catchiness of a radio hip-hop beat, and wheel-screeching turns between throat-searing screams and buttery cleans. Hanbie add flecks of traditional Japanese instrumentation and notes of hyperpop onto that pile, and the result is a blindingly fun anti-work anthem that'll make you want to slam your computer shut and gleefully stomp it to pieces.
Grave Pleasures - "Society of Spectres"
It's been a long six years since we've heard from Finnish post-punks, Grave Pleasures, but the Revolver HQ favs are back in business with "Society of Spectres." This brisk, zippy cut has all the tenets of an 80s goth gem — chorus-laden guitars, melancholy vocals, eerie synths — but avoids all the style-over-substance pitfalls that so many present-day revivalists fall into. The riff has real punch to it, the hook is genuinely catchy and the subtle dynamic build sneaks up on you in a thrilling, unpredictable way.
Kruelty - "Burn the System"
Death metal and hardcore are romantically entwined these days, but Kruelty do things a little differently with their take on that common crossover. The Japanese band's new single, "Burn the System," ramps up the death-doom elements of their past material, channeling a band like Asphyx in the way the towering riffs crash against the burly, trudging mosh grooves. It's basically full-on metal, with just a teensy bit of hardcore bite.
See You Next Tuesday - "Why Can't You Behave"
See You Next Tuesday are veterans in the milieu of grindy, mathy metalcore that's having a huge resurgence right now, with newer bands like Kaonashi and Mouthbreather bringing back the sounds of MySpace era 'core skronk. See You Next Tuesday's second song since 2008, "Why Can't You Behave," is just as fresh and ferocious as anything in that form today, from its thrashing verses to the squirmy, alien-like guitar effect that cuts through in the middle section.
One Step Closer - "Turn to Me"
In the time since their 2021 debut, This Place You Know, One Step Closer become one of the most talked-about bands in contemporary hardcore. Their riotous live shows are a big part of their success, but with songs as well-crafted as "Turn to Me," it's no wonder that kids are flocking to jump off their stages and scream back their tattered hooks. It's hard to avoid the Title Fight comparisons (especially since OSC originate from the town over), but if anything, OSC have just picked up where their forefathers left off — playing catchy, ennervating, emotionally-nuanced hardcore that's very hard to dislike.
