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 post-hardcore, black-metal, deathcore 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.
Lamb of God - "Omens"
There's no one who gels together heavy and catchy quite like Lamb of God. The Richmond troupe's latest groove-metal creation calls for all the go-to adjectives — crushing, thunderous, face-mauling — and yet, by the time it's over, you'll find yourself "dun-dun-dun"-ing along to the sticky riff and shrieking along to Randy Blythe's menacing melody. No wonder they got members of Body Count, Cold Cave, H20 and Youth Code to join in on gang vocals. "Omens" is a crowd-pleaser — and a crowd-killer.
Brutus - "Liar"
Brutus are a band who color outside the lines of the post-hardcore genre they're loosely contained in. While their music ranges from proggy and ethereal to downright spastic, the the Belgium trio helmed by drummer and singer Stefanie Mannaerts play it relatively straight on the astoundingly catchy "Liar," and every component clicks into place perfectly. The ragged intonations in Mannaerts's voice and the band's almost-out-of-breath urgency keeps it grounded in punk and not like a ploy for radio play, but we'll be damned if this soaring hook couldn't connect with an arena full of screaming fans.
Goatwhore - "Born of Satan's Flesh"
The kings of blackened death-thrash have returned. Goatwhore's first album in five years, Angels Hung From the Arches of Heaven (sick name), is due out in October and lead single "Born of Satan's Flesh" is a blood-spewing banger that harnesses everything that makes this band exciting in one tight package. The interplay between frontman Ben Falgoust's diverse array of growls and guitarist-vocalist Sammy Duet's goblin shrieks is terrific, and their masterful transitions between black-metal speed, thrash riffage and just plain ripping death metal heaviness is unmatched.
Lorna Shore - "Cursed to Die"
"Cursed to Die" silences any haters who think Lorna Shore are a one-trick-pony. Yes, brutal breakdowns and epic black-metal synths abound, but there're also waves of ambient guitar washing atop the blast-beats in a way that's almost, dare we say, beautiful? Vocalist Will Ramos is best known for his inhuman shrieks and grunts, but the way he holds notes during the refrain here is closer to the desperate emotionality of symphonic black-metal than the quick, ground-shaking detonations most deathcore vocalists employ. It's one of their most glorious songs yet.
Behemoth - "The Deathless Sun"
All of the singles from Behemoth's new album, Opvs Contra Natvram, have been as intense as we expected, but "The Deathless Sun" is a different kind of intensity. Instead of a blasty gallop, the song moves at a triumphant stomp as Nergal's snarling proclamation, "I am nothing without him," gets echoed by ghoulishly baroque choir harmonies. The riffing is evil incarnate, the guitar solo is sharp enough to take an eye out, and as always, watch the fucking music video for god's sake. Shit's like a movie.
Armed for Apocalypse - "Hourglass"
It's been nine years since Armed for Apocalypse dropped their last album, but this October they're closing that gap with a new LP called Ritual Violence. Second single "Hourglass" more than makes up for lost time, proving that their uniquely uncompromising style of hopped-up sludge-metal hasn't aged a day. In fact, this is some of the heaviest, grooviest, throat-squeeziest stuff from this genre that we've heard in a while. Unrelenting energy, anger and turned-to-11 nastiness. Fuck yeah.
