Wipe the blood from your teeth and get in the pit: it’s time for a recap of this week’s best hardcore, metal, and punk rock. We dug through the record crates to find the new tunes we think you need to spin and rage to. Looking for some new death metal to bring into your life? Got you covered. Need some grindcore to get your wedding reception off on the right foot? Say no more. Strap in kiddies, it’s time to rock.
“Heavenward is a process of illumination through darkness. It is pure introspection into a person living through loneliness, dying friends, paranoia, love and love lost, misery, and longing. The intent is not to glorify depression but instead to fearlessly confront the void and inspire catharsis in anyone who understands. Ascension from the lowest place anyone could touch.”
SYK play some twisted metal. It literally sounds like a tangle of riffs, rhythm and vocals. It’s a strange experience but one that you can’t seem to shake. The song “The White Sun” is playing below and it’s a soaring jam that is melodic in the oddest ways, never letting up, like a dark creature slowly crawling towards you. It’s seductive and angry. If nothing else, we can all agree that SYK has a sound all their own. We can’t think of a band to compare them to, and that’s a good thing. It’s rare to have somebody put out something so wholly unique. Keep an eye on this band, as they’re onto something very special.
(Decibel)
We’ve told you that Martyrdod’s new album is a crusty, thrash masterpiece already. Now you can hear for yourself as the band as released a stream of the whole thing. List is a low-fi crusher, a blistering and mean record that sounds like a buzzsaw. There are no frills and no wasted space, just a parade of screams, riffs, and blast beats. This is the kinda of music that makes you want to punch your hand through a window and break a bottle on your head. It’s the kind of music that inspires mosh pits and riots. Something about it just makes you want to set the world on fire. Killer stuff, all the way through.
Hark play the kind of hard rock you can listen to with your pops in the garage. They have a classic sound that requires throwing up some horns and banging your head. You can’t really call it metal and you can’t really call it hardcore. It’s just rock, man. While a lesser band might have polished this song and shoved it out to major radio, Hark let keep it raw and honest. This song is heavy and mean; there’s something jagged and rough about it. The vocals are ugly and bitter. It’s good any way you cut it. Tell your dad to pop open a beer and meet you in the garage, because Hark brings families together.
Atmospheric black metalers WRVTH have released a video for their song “Cease to Exist” and it’s an arty affair. It’s a depressing bombardment that fits the song perfectly. Watching it will make you feel lost and more than a little depressed, as it’s chalky full of complex emotions. WRVTH’s complex and starling sound could remind you of bands like Deafheaven, at first, but it’s clear these dudes have a heavier, more visceral edge to them. They aren’t afraid to let the double bass just ride and the guitars grind. They’re darker than many of their contemporaries in the atmospheric metal world. The video is rad and the song is even radder, so do yourself a favor and check out WRVTH. They’ll take you to Bummer Town and beat you to death when you arrive. You know, in a good way.
And that’s it for this holiday edition, kids. What heavy tunes helped you through the holidays? Feel free to share them in comments if you think they’d be our speed.
Image: Reid Haithcock
Gif: The Loud House/Â Nickelodeon
Benjamin Bailey writes for the Nerdist and can be found on Twitter talking about Godzilla, comic books, and hardcore music.
