Here at Revolver, we're always on the hunt for great new music — indeed, it's a big part of our jobs. With that in mind, here are the tracks released this week in metal, hard rock, hardcore and beyond that have been on heavy rotation at Revolver HQ. For your listening pleasure, we've also compiled the songs in a Spotify playlist, below, which will grow each week.
Wristmeetrazor - "XOXO (Love Letter From a Loaded Gun)"
The best part about musical revivals is having the hindsight to eliminate the worst elements of a genre or scene. Wristmeetrazor have done just that with early 2000s metalcore on their new single "XOXO (Love Letter From a Loaded Gun)." From the style of the song's accompanying music video to the band members' half-dyed hair, the group clearly takes inspiration from Aughts heavy-hitters such as Converge, Norma Jean and Eighteen Visions. But unlike a lot of lesser bands of that era, Wristmeetrazor keep only the good shit, hitting you with a neat, sub-two-minute package of buzzsaw riffs, emo-lite vocals and all-out aggression.
Ghostemane - "Flesh"
Extreme-music–inspired hip-hop artist Ghostemane decided to say fuck it, and released his new album N/O/I/S/E a week before its previously announced release day. One of the LP's standout cuts, "Flesh" revs up with electronic dissonance, creating a visceral sense that shit is about to hit a fever pitch before the track clicks into a breakdown and Ghostemane throws down a verse. The frenetic, nontraditional song structure keeps listeners on their toes, as "Flesh" flips from straight screaming to staccato rapping to crushing blasts of noise, all delivered with palpable energy.
Glacial Tomb - "Drowned"
It's not an easy task making growling, guttural death metal sound relaxing, but Denver outfit Glacial Tomb have done exactly that with their latest single "Drowned." With chilled-out mid-tempo blast beats and Khemmis singer Ben Hutcherson's throaty delivery blending melodically into the icy guitars tones and impeccable groove, the track is as oddly and compellingly smooth ride for a new band with a sound this heavy.
Zola Jesus - "Wiseblood (Johnny Jewel Remix)"
If you've ever wondered what it would sound like for a husky-voiced pop singer to lend her talents to an Angelo Badalamenti soundscape, this track is a dream come true. Featuring beautifully reflective lyrics asking an eternal question — "If it's not good for you, why are you doing it?" — the self-reflective and warmly encompassing tones of Johnny Jewel's remix of Zola Jesus track "Wiseblood" push the original's synth-pop boundaries into haunting, poetic ballad territory.
The Prodigy - "Fight Fire With Fire" (ft. Ho99o9)
It's not difficult to draw a line from the aggressive, punk–injected electronica of U.K. trailblazers the Prodigy to the subterranean noise-hop of New Jersey–bred duo Ho99o9. On the former's new single, "Fight Fire With Fire," the two like-minded groups prove, not surprisingly, to be good bedfellows, putting their collective heads together for a funky, down-tempo banger that spits venom. It's no Metallica cover, but it still thrashes hard.
Urzeit - "Anmoksha"
In an age where record labels don't necessarily stand for a whole lot, it's good to see Vrasubatlat throw back to the glory days of Earache, Hydra Head and more — when an imprint was a stamp of quality. Urzeit's debut full-length hit the digital shelves today courtesy of the Vrasubatlat crew, and it's a terrifying and wholly original approach to that tired old trope of black metal. On the title track, the band roars out of the gate, toying with tempo and style but never letting you forget that the true cornerstones of the genre are misanthropy, brutality and terror. This is black metal at its most inspired and furious.
