Thunder Bay, Canada’s The Fixer has dropped their new single ‘Ugly Knots’, a sonic and emotional powerhouse that sets the tone as they kick off their The Ugly Knots Tour this October with fellow hometown band Teknosis.
‘Ugly Knots’ is a raw, genre-defying track that fuses industrial metal with hardcore grit and ambient textures. It opens with abrasive riffs and harsh electronics before evolving into a sweeping, melodic climax, mirroring the emotional journey the band intends for listeners.
“This song is for the kind people we’ve seen be hated, harassed, and threatened. It’s written from the first-person perspective, but the spoken word section—contributed by our friend John Forget—comes directly from someone who lived that experience. It’s a message of strength in the face of cruelty,” says the band.
Lyrically and musically, ‘Ugly Knots’ is one of The Fixer’s heaviest and most artful releases to date. Eschewing formulaic conventions, the band leans hard into their industrial roots while exploring themes of anger, sadness, and resilience. Fans of their heavier material will find plenty to latch onto, while new listeners will be drawn into its emotional depth.
British metalcore outfit DEFENCES have released a brand new single. The new music video, for the track ‘Lithium Kiss,’ is the brand new single from the Hertfordshire-based alternative metal band and marks their first new music since their latest studio album, Shadowlight, which was released in November last year, via Long Branch Records.
Speaking about the new song, the band shares, “the inspiration for ‘Lithium Kiss’ came from one of our members’ personal experience being prescribed the mood-stabiliser Lithium for a couple of years, and the frustrations and difficulties that came along with the benefits. When treatment stopped, rather than feeling like before, there was instead a feeling of being almost hyper-rational, rather than feeling like they could react instinctively and naturally.
“’Lithium Kiss’ is NOT about not taking your medication and taking care of yourself and we would never want it to come across that way. It’s instead a crystallization of a paranoia that we are consumed by illness and treatment, adversity and reconciliation. The Lithium Kiss is our way of referring to this relationship, the symbiotic necessity for difficulty to bring about individual growth, whilst ensuring that it does not come to consume you.”
LIVING DEAD GIRL gets bloody in the bath tub in the sanguine video for new single ‘Succubus.’ The song lives (or dies?) on the new album CONSPIRACY, out now.
“‘Succubus’ is a song written from the perspective of a mythological sex demon that seduces you and kills you in your sleep — need I say more?,” says LDG herself. “It’s sultry, it’s alluring, and it’s sure to be your new go-to song for passionate nights.”
FRAYLE have released a brand new music video. The new music video, for the track ‘Boo’, is the final single lifted from the Cleveland-based doom metal band’s upcoming album Heretics & Lullabies, which is scheduled to be released on October 10 via Napalm Records. The track features a guest appearance from Jason Popson (ex-MUSHROOMHEAD) and arrives ahead of the band’s upcoming USA tour supporting occult rockers DOGMA.
Speaking about the new single, FRAYLE shares, “’Boo’ was inspired by an incident in Germany, when Gwyn, walking alone on a dark street, startled a woman traveling with her companions. She screamed, and the entire group hurried to the other side of the road. The song is a tongue-in-cheek response to moments like these – because for some of us, every day is Halloween.”
After the announcement of their signing with Art Gates Records in the summer, it has been confirmed that Italian Melodic Death Metal band 5Rand will release their long awaited third album Ordhalia on November 28 via the label. Produced by Marco Mastrobuono (Fleshgod Apocalypse, Hour Of Penance) and mastered by Jens Bogren (Kreator, Opeth), the album features a guest vocal appearance from Fear Factory vocalist Milo Silvestro on ‘The Nihilist’. Portraying life when anxiety and anguish become constant companions, new single ‘Bloodlife’ is now streaming in music video form.
Italian power metal band ELETTRA STORM return with their electrifying new single and video, ‘Hero Among Heroes,’ the third track unveiled from their upcoming sophomore album Evertale, due October 24 via Scarlet Records.
‘Hero Among Heroes’ pays homage to the golden age of ‘80s melodic metal, while keeping a modern, energetic edge through addictive vocal hooks, groovy drum patterns, and a dazzling guitar-keytar duel. The song celebrates everyday heroes, those who fight life’s battles beside us, set to a soundtrack of epic proportions.
Holy Wars have unveiled haunting single ‘Metamorphosis’. Written in the aftermath of the devastating loss of vocalist Kat Leon’s parents and sister, the LA band are back with another soaring, emotional anthem.
Speaking on ‘Metamorphosis’, Kat has shared: “‘Metamorphosis’ is about bringing closure to the shadow self and surrendering… It’s about allowing yourself to heal so the light can come in.”
Chrissy Costanza has shared powerful single ‘Rope’, taken from the deluxe edition of 2024 EP VII.
Speaking on ‘Rope’, Chrissy has shared: “I wrote this with @josh_gilbert & @josephcmcqueen before I even knew I was going to create a solo project and have been holding on to it because I knew it was just so special and agonized about releasing it right. iIthought at first my solo project wouldn’t do it justice, but this song means everything to me. it’s the first time I’ve written about this particular concept and has opened a deeper well for me to go down. It was a wake up call & coming of age moment for me in more ways than one. I love this song SO much it is deeply etched into my soul, I hope you love it too.”
