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 metal, hard rock and hardcore that have been on heavy rotation at Revolver HQ. For your listening pleasure, we've also compiled the songs in a Spotify playlist, which will grow each week.
King Mothership - "Cosmic Meltdown"
First up, we have the newly announced project, King Mothership, from Periphery's Spencer Sotelo and Matt Halpern and Slaves' bass player Tai Wright. The ideas for this have been stewing in Sotelo' head for about eight years, and the group's upcoming album, The Ritual, finds him expanding beyond singing by recording all guitars and keyboards. Of course, the dynamic singer still lets loose, vocally, with his smooth croons and punching screams, but "Cosmic Meltdown" really shines because of its driving melody and bouncing chorus — à la Coheed and Cambria — that are just plain fucking fun.
Narrow Head - "Hard to Swallow"
We're always down for some solid old-school Helmet worship. On "Hard to Swallow," Texas upstarts Narrow Head employ a heavy, punishing noise-rock riffed but soaked it in gauzy shoegazery and infectious vocal hooks. Says vocalist-guitarist Jacob Duarte, "I wanted to write something you could bang your head to while still singing along to the melody." Mission accomplished.
Rezz and Grabbitz - "Someone Else (Underoath remix)"
EDM powerhouses Rezz and Grabbitz teamed up for this powerful song in April and garnered over 13 million streams worldwide. However, the latter grew up listening to metalcore and today she's dropped her second collaboration with one of her favorite bands, Underoath. The scene heavyweights' remix of the dance track take it to a whole new level. They've amplified the atmospherics with clear guitar tones, sneaked in some violent screams and deftly injected the immediately recognizable drumming of Aaron Gillespie.
Avatar - "Wormhole"
Swedish theatrical metal outfit Avatar promised to kick off a dark "new era" for the band with their just-released album, Hunter Gatherer, and in that vein, each single off the LP has been grimmer and grimier. Grimmest and grimiest of all, however, might be non-single and album closer "Wormhole." Featuring a massive, skull-splitting riff and swirling, Faith No More-esque vocal lines from Johannes Eckerström, the cut will carry you straight through the infinite void.
Fit for a King - "Locked (In My Head)"
Fit for a King's forthcoming album, The Path, is their heaviest yet, but its third single, "Locked (In My Head)," leans into the band's poppier inclinations, highlighting their refinement of their patented mix of abrasive pummel and inescapably catchy choruses. The approach perfectly suits the song's motivational theme: how our internal struggles can only be overcome by our own will power and perseverance.
Gojira - "Another World"
Probably the biggest metal news this week was the surprise standalone single from French progressive metal outfit Gojira — which, of course, is fucking epic. Accompanied by an impressive sci-fi-themed animated music video, the aptly titled "Another World" obliquely addresses our apocalyptic times while offering a stirring sense of hope for the future. "Hope for the world but prepare for the worst," bandleader Joe Duplantier sings. "I'd rather find a way on my own/Another world, another place to be."
