Dutch symphonic metal titans EPICA have released a brand new single, ‘Arcana’. The track heralds a new chapter in EPICA’s two-decade-long history and marks the band’s first new release since the group’s chart-topping 2021 album Omega and the collaboration EP The Alchemy Project. It offers a glimpse into the band’s future music, coming in 2025. EPICA comments: “‘Arcana’ guides you through the universal stages of spiritual evolution in life. It leads the way to a higher consciousness and spiritual self-awareness. Writing this song was a spontaneous effort, so it came together quickly, which felt so natural that it wrote itself. The music contains classic EPICA elements but has some vibes that might remind you of ’80s alternative rock or modern metal.” [via Blabbermouth]

Birmingham UK based noisemongers Vanitas release ‘Wait And See’, their last single from a very impressive 2024. They pronounced earlier this year that “Vanitas return matured and dangerous, promising to deliver their heaviest release yet”. Said release was their musclebound Chaos Theory EP. Vanitas proclaim that “’Wait And See’ is an epic anthem, exploring the duality of excitement and anxiety of trusting an unknown future, out now.” [via Planet Mosh]

VUKOVI have released a new music video. The new music video, for the track ‘Misty Ecstasy’, is taken from the Scottish alternative band’s upcoming new album, My God Has Got A Gun, which is scheduled to be released in January next year, via SharpTone Records. Speaking about the new song, vocalist Janine Shilstone shares, “the most fun/tongue-in-cheek song we’ve created. We wanted to put out something that could cut through a very dark and uncertain time for this day and age. Sex should be fun and safe without judgement. OUR BODY OUR CHOICE.” [via Distorted Sound]

Poppy’s new album, Negative Spaces, is finally here, and it comes with the post-genre auteur’s most extreme and crushing song yet: ‘the center’s falling out.’ The album’s pre-release singles have showcased the record’s range — from the neon-soaked synth-pop of ‘crystallized’ to the dynamic metalcore of ‘they’re all around us.’ But ‘the center’s falling out’ is a different and more dangerous beast entirely. Raging from start to finish, it puts even Poppy’s Grammy-nominated turn with Knocked Loose, ‘Suffocate,’ to the heaviness test. The song — which was co-written by House of Protection’s Stephen Harrison (formerly of Fever 333 and the Chariot) — arrived accompanied with a sick performance video in which Poppy throws down in Argento-esque red fog while being surreally filmed by herself. [via Revolver]

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French modern metal act Pyrah is thrilled to announce the release of their latest video for the single ‘End Of The Slope,’ taken from the critically acclaimed album Veni Vidi Delevi, available now via Wormholedeath. Known for their powerful blend of aggressive riffs and emotionally charged lyrics, Pyrah delivers a fresh take on modern metal with a fierce, unmistakable edge. ‘End of the Slope’ takes you deep into the shadows of regret and emotional torment. A relentless cycle of guilt, haunting memories, and suffocating isolation—fear and hope collide in this extreme metal journey. Prepare to face the darkness within.

Luna Kills have released a new music video. The new music video, for the track ‘slay ur enemies,’ is the brand new single from the Finnish alternative metalcore band and its release comes as the band sign with SharpTone Records. The new single was mixed and mastered by Jeff Dunne [MAKE THEM SUFFER, KNOCKED LOOSE, ICE NINE KILLS, DISTURBED]. Speaking about the new single, vocalist Lotta Ruutiainen shares, “’slay ur enemies’ describes an inner dialogue and feelings during a panic attack. Mostly the lyrics depict the hopelessness of those emotions, but also the will to fight & endure and survive this absolute nightmare. The song actually pretty much wrote itself right before we hit the studio. We listened to the demo in the middle of the night, thinking either we had all collectively lost our sanity, or the song was a fucking banger.” [via Distorted Sound]

VUKOVI are set to release their new album MY GOD HAS GOT A GUN early next year. The full-length is due on January 24 via SharpTone Records.It was produced by Machine at The Machine Shop Recording Studio in Austin, Texas, and has artwork painted by vocalist Janine Shilstone. Commenting on the new album, Janine says: “A new chapter of sound is about to unfold. These songs will speak to places we’ve all been, but few have heard.” To coincide with the announcement, the band have released a new single ‘GUNGHO’ – check it out below. [via Dork]

German symphonic metal icons, Xandria, are about to chart new paths with their epic upcoming nine-track EP, Universal Tales, out on November 22 via Napalm Records. This EP follows the success of their latest top 10 charting album (German charts), The Wonders Still Awaiting (2023), which introduced an impressive new line up featuring the fantastic Ambre Vourvahis, who stuns audiences with her vocal talent that blends elements of rock grit, operatic highs and even growls. This fresh sounding masterpiece highlights Xandria’s reinvention by elevating their trademarks to a new level, setting the bar for modern symphonic metal while presenting four brand new majestic songs that showcase the band’s refined versatility and impressive intensity. Xandria unveils the new offering of the upcoming EP, ‘No Time To Live Forever’, together with a visually stunning official music video. Driving drums and fast-paced riffs underscore the dramatic lyrics of the apparent loss of reason in the world and the rise of chaos, while the five-piece aligns with their signature sound of impressive orchestral interludes and the majestic operatic highs of vocalist Ambre. Xandria on the new single ‘No Time To Live Forever’: “You already know ‘Universal’ from our upcoming EP, and after receiving such overwhelmingly positive feedback from you, it is now time for ‘No Time To Live Forever’. If you loved the bombastic choirs and operatic vocals in ‘Universal’, you are in for a treat with this one… prepare for a ride.” [via Brave New Words]

April Art’s latest single ‘Burn’ was released last week coinciding with the debut of its official music video. The track features on the band’s new album Rodeo, out now. ‘Burn’ delves into themes of inner turmoil and past trauma. The lyrics paint a picture of an individual grappling with haunting memories, feelings of betrayal, and a daily struggle against internal voices. The song’s narrative conveys a sense of isolation and ongoing emotional battles. [via Metal Cue]

Lacuna Coil are looking to take your breath away with their latest atmospheric single. With that in mind, it’s only fitting that the Italian metal veterans’ newest number is called ‘Oxygen.’ The new track follows the recent ‘Hoisting the Shadow’ collaboration with Lamb of God’s Randy Blythe, and it will be a part of the band’s newly confirmed tenth album, Sleepless Empire. This time around, vocal phenom Cristina Scabbia is handling the mic with elemental whimsy (“My breath is getting lighter/I float on crimson waters”) as the rest of the band leans into an outsized and epic arrangement. “‘Oxygen’ is a powerful exploration of emotional struggle and inner conflict,” Scabbia commented. “The lyrics convey a sense of drowning in a toxic environment… where attempts at salvation, represented by ‘oxygen’ are somehow futile. This song encapsulates the feeling of struggling to break free from what holds us down, when the journey is filled with difficulty. It’s a raw anthem of vulnerability, resilience and the courage to face what seems insurmountable.” As for the newly unveiled music video, which the band had been teasing on Instagram over the past week via a series of liquid-y snippets, it accordingly taps into that aqueous lyrical energy with dramatically plunging visuals and near-death experiences. Scabbia added that staying in the water through the shoot was “cathartic,” and you can drink in the visuals below. [via Revolver]

Lauren Babic has released her new single ‘Let It Die’. The track showcases Babic’s vocals alongside guitars by Adam Bentley, who also served as the mixing engineer. Lee Albrecht handled the mastering duties for the song. ‘Let It Die’ evolved from a demo originally titled ‘Hypermetal’ by Adam Bentley. Babic and Bentley collaborated to expand on this initial concept, incorporating a nu-metal inspired bridge into the final version. Lyrically, the song draws from Babic’s personal experiences, aiming to create a more intimate and relatable connection with listeners. [via Metal Cue]

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Greywind‘s ‘Antidote’ is an unforgiving blast of anthemic emotion; a biting dose of catharsis using the familiar lure of revenge as creative fuel. The track delves into the band’s darkest conflicting thoughts whilst also delivering their largest pop-driven chorus to date. Jointly produced by Sam Guaiana (Neck Deep, Silverstein, Like Pacific) and The Wonder Years guitarist Casey Cavaliere and mastered by Mike Kalajian (Saosin, New Found Glory, Circa Survive), it is but a taste of what’s to come from Greywind. “‘Antidote’ is full of all our rage,” says vocalist Steph. “We’ve always treated everyone with respect and kindness, but we saw so little of that in return. Really, these songs are a reminder to ourselves and to people listening that only you can save yourself. You can be in a dark place, and you can have all the support in the world—and I did, from Paul—but [sometimes] you’re the only one that can get yourself out of a toxic feedback loop.”

Scarlet Lastrapes’ debut single, ‘Shady Little Lady,’ releases via Eye Knee Records. In the tradition of artists like Lucy Dacus, St. Vincent, and Linda Rondstadt, Lastrapes blends pop elements of now and forever with her own, uniquely skewed imagination. ‘Shady Little Lady’ is a fresh slice of indie-pop, from a young voice both bright and assured. Speaking of the track, Lastrapes said, “‘Shady Little Lady’ is my own compulsion personified. I imagine she crawled through my ear one day, when I was just twelve years old. I believe neurodivergence to be sorely underrepresented in pop music, so, I tried to craft the song I wish I’d had when I was a kid, and first met Shady.” Her new track is also accompanied by a music video that blends live action and animation, providing a cinematic visual aid for the song’s storyline, tracking the pair’s relationship over the years.

Unapologetic rising artist CHINCHILLA has released the official video for her most recent single ‘Cut You Off’. Released last month, ‘Cut You Off’ is a power anthem loaded with feminine rage that explores the difficult emotional experience of finally cutting ties with a toxic person, representing the empowerment and freedom that comes with putting yourself first. Co-directed by the hotly tipped Harv Frost and Dora Paphides of Kode Media (The Last Dinner Party – ‘My Lady of Mercy’), the new video sees CHINCHILLA take a mind-bending journey through her brain and emotions, represented by different rooms as she moves from scene to scene. Commenting on the new video, CHINCHILLA says: “While writing ‘Cut You Off’, I was quite literally writing up the music video at the same time. I wanted the main idea of the video to emulate a dream world cult-like girly sleepover with your ‘girls’; the ceremony of blocking someone’s number. Each scene steps into different cutting-off worlds; an Edward Scissorhands hairdressers, a post-apocalyptic butchers, and a medieval blocking-their-number ritual… but make it all fashun.”

Breakthrough Australian singer songwriter Peach PRC takes you on an intergalactic trip aboard of her pink spaceship for the official music video for ‘Like A Girl Does,’ out now via Republic Records and Island Records Australia. In the music video, Peach PRC blasts off in a pink spaceship outfitted with four different “pleasure” rooms. Fittingly tongue-in-cheek, the visuals reflects the clever spirit of the lyrics and finds her on another level altogether.

Foremost professional whistler Molly Lewis has announced her debut album, On The Lips, alongside the brand new single, ‘Lounge Lizard’. Over the past year, Lewis has soundtracked one of the most emotional scenes in the Barbie movie alongside Mark Ronson and Andrew Wyatt, lent her singular talents to fashion houses like Chanel, Gucci, and Hermes, and supported Weyes Blood on tour. The brand new single, ‘Lounge Lizard’ comes accompanied with a music video directed by Ambar Navarro and conceptualised by Molly Lewis, inspired by Julie London’s apparition in 1956’s The Girl Can’t Help It. “Wherever you happen to be, I’d like you to let this song soundtrack the next few minutes of your life. I hope that it accentuates your surroundings, gently transforming them into the sonic equivalent of having a personal sax player serenade you from the bath,” she says of the song. [via Line Of Best Fit]

Biig Piig has shared new single ‘Watch Me’. The R&B voyager shared her excellent Bubblegum mixtape earlier this year, but the creativity hasn’t stopped. Moving between London and Paris, she draws on the energy of both cities for her latest single release. Out now ‘Watch Me’ was constructed alongside Zach Nahome (PinkPantheress, Teezo Touchdown) and Maverick Sabre, and it contains the energy of her zesty live shows. A song about empowerment, ‘Watch Me’ reaches towards new-found confidence, with Biig Piig commenting: “’Watch Me’ is a track about empowerment. I found confidence in pushing new limits with it. It’s a song to feel yourself unapologetically and to strut to. Telling the world, I am that bitch, watch me.” In a neat twist Biig Piig takes the reins for the video, her directorial debut, no less. Co-directing alongside NWSPK, she adds: “I had a really clear vision of what I wanted the video to be, even when writing the track. I wanted to build a surreal world of strength through movement. That vision was a series of settings that were striking and confident.” [via Clash]

New Orleans-based chanteuse Anna Moss has announced her debut solo LP, Amnesty, set for release on March 22, 2024. On November 4, Moss released album track ‘Gravy,’ and now, she has released the song’s surrealistic video. Directed by New Orleans-based director Sasha Solodukhina in collaboration with production designer and painter, Sarah VanDerMeer, the video features Moss in an underwater scene – like a painting come to life, a singular world imagined through several mediums. ‘Gravy’ came to life in the wee hours of the morning as Moss was playing upright bass in her kitchen. “The wood floors make the bass sound amazing, and I was sinking into that sound,” she says. “I was thinking about the idea of falling in love and how people are often so ready and willing to abandon the labels and confinements they had built for themselves. Falling in love is like shedding a skin and becoming a new person. I was fixated on that feeling….losing all senses and truly being lost in the sauce,” she adds. “The urge to merge is powerful enough to sway any pre-existing concrete beliefs and thoughts. Love moves us like nothing else.” ‘Gravy’ also features New Orleans legend, Ashlin Parker (Dumpstaphunk, Trumpet Mafia), on trumpet.

Irish alt/rock band NewDad have shared their latest track ‘Nightmares’ – the third to be released from their upcoming album, MADRA. Speaking of the new single, vocalist/guitarist Julie Dawson says: “’Nightmares’ is about longing for something or someone, even though you shouldn’t, for whatever reason. It’s about not wanting to fall for someone because you know it’d never work. Basically, just wishing you despised them instead of adoring them.” The official video was directed by Zack Arlo with co-direction by Oliver Day. In their words, “The Irish word for Nightmares is tromluí, meaning trom (heavy; burden; oppression) + luí (lying down; state of rest). We took this as inspiration for the concept of the “Nightmares” video, given how much the Irish language has inspired the band. As Julie escapes the mundanity of her bedroom, her fate is sealed with the bite of a forbidden plum.” [via Line Of Best Fit]

The Byron region artist GIMMY’s new single, ‘Tell Me I’m Your Girl’, is out now via Third Eye Stimuli Records. In a statement, GIMMY’s Gemma Owens described ‘Tell Me I’m Your Girl’ as a tacky love song. “I love romance, all the chaos and honesty of it, not just the shining stuff but all the grit as well,” she said. ‘Tell Me I’m Your Girl’ offers a sly challenge to the heteronormative status quo. “Being queer, it feels important to me to reinvent and challenge gender roles,” said GIMMY. GIMMY directed the ‘Tell Me I’m Your Girl’ music video, with Dom Sullivan handling the camera work. The video – which features Owens and GIMMY band members Samson (guitar), Kyle (bass) and Barclay (drums) – supplements the song’s interrogation of gender roles. “I came up with the storyline and concept of challenging gender roles,” GIMMY said, “with Samson dressed as a woman, myself dressed as a man and Kyle and Barclay dressed as neutral, furniture-like objects to represent gender neutrality, in the respect that women can also portray a masculine quality of being chivalrous as well as men.” [via Music Feeds]

Gossip have announced Real Power, their first new album in 11 years. The new album was produced by Rick Rubin, who previously worked with Beth Ditto and the band on 2009’s Music for Men. The follow-up to 2012’s A Joyful Noise is out on March 22 via Columbia. Check out the Cody Critcheloe–directed video for ‘Crazy Again’ below. “Getting to work with Rick again was a true gift,” the band told NME. “He doesn’t remotely care about outside opinions around what you could or should be making. He creates calm, positive, open spaces—emotional space and the actual physical vibe of his studio—that make you free to experiment.” “We felt genuinely cared about and supported,” Gossip continued. “We’re both such maniacs, he’s amazing at helping us focus the chaos. We were writing like crazy, there are probably 30-40 songs and bits of things that came out of it, just throwing everything against the wall and having the best time! It’s not only about music, Rick helps you connect with yourself and everything else comes out of that. It’s a deep jam. We trust him completely.” [via Pitchfork]

In a deft indie-rock bop, Lucy McWilliams breaks down the intricacies of building a fake persona that is more lovable than what she thinks her true self is. ‘Plastic’ tugs at the heart strings of anyone who’s felt the need to put on a front for others. We’ve got a few distinct sections here in this song and each of them serve a different aspect of this narrative. The broken down verse sections utilize playful but somber guitar riffs, wandering baselines, and a minimalist kick and snare pattern to set the scene. The chorus comes in with a fully Weezer’d fuzz guitar tone after a moment of instrumental break. Chugging quarter notes fill the space. There’s a small jam as well that leans on guitar harmonies that are reminiscent of 90s power pop. All of it captures that 90s vibe, but McWilliams’ delivery keeps things contemporary and interesting. [via Melodic Mag]

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Swiss electro-metal powerhouse, Rage Of Light, has dropped their highly anticipated new single, ‘Touch And Destroy.’ The explosive track pushes the boundaries of genre, seamlessly fusing the raw intensity of metal with the pulsating energy of electronic music, creating a sensory spectacle that is both groundbreaking and adrenaline-fuelling. Martyna Halas, the band’s lead vocalist, shared her excitement about the release. “Not all that glitters is gold… or is it?” she teased. “We always love a video challenge, and this time, our own Simon Burri took the lead behind the lens. The result couldn’t be complete without the incredible talent of Andy Straubhaar, who is probably still finding golden glitter everywhere! Lyrically and sonically, ‘Touch And Destroy’ is dark and twisted, setting a relentless pace from the very beginning. We hope listeners will enjoy the wild ride!”

Ragana signed with The Flenser in late 2022 and now announce their forthcoming debut LP for the label, Desolation’s Flower, incoming October 27. Written over the past few tumultuous years, Desolation’s Flower is the band’s most devastating effort to date, containing seven incantations of loss, rage, pain and hope. Expertly engineered by the masterful Nicholas Wilbur at the Unknown Studio in Anacortes, Washington (Planning For Burial, drowse, Divide and Dissolve, Have a Nice Life), the album serves as the culmination of the past decade+ of the band’s ethos and execution. The album’s eponymous album opener sets the theme for the record and embodies the spirit of Ragana: “a hymn of gratitude for queer and trans ancestors, known or unknown, by blood or affinity, whose joy and survival make our lives possible, and whose memory inspires and helps us resist the tide of increasingly visible hatred and oppression,” the band explains. Pain mourns and celebrates a childhood best friend lost to an overdose, excavating beneath shame and sadness, to stand in the pain and the joy together.

Vukovi have signed to SharpTone Records and released a new single. ‘CREEP HEAT’ marks the band’s first new music since the release of their album NULA in October last year, and arrives ahead of a trio of UK shows with Babymetal later this year. Speaking about their new signing, Janine says: “We have both been fans of Sharptone throughout the existence of VUKOVI. Our paths finally meeting is a real pinch me moment” Of the single and self-directed video, she adds: “I want this to be a catalyst for more women to start believing they are more than capable of directing; the industry and future generations need us. I’m always learning and growing as I go, there is never a right time to start other than now. I’m very grateful to be so well supported and believed in by Hamish and our team. I feel seen.” [via Dork]

Crypta is back with the third single from their coming new record Shades Of Sorrow, and it’s a doomier one. Crypta is now streaming the slower-paced new song ‘The Other Side of Anger’ alongside a full-band performance video. “With the third single we wanted to show one more side of the album!” said Crypta bassist and vocalist Fernanda Lira. “‘Lord of Ruins’ brought the melodies that permeate the whole record, ‘Trial of Traitors’ has the aggressiveness and a fast pace and with ‘The Other Side of Anger’, we wanted to show the more gloomy, slow paced side of the record!” [via Metal Injection]

After a shake up in their lineup earlier this year, Nervosa have announced their fifth studio album, Jailbreak. Jailbreak is all about the kind of thrash-death metal that Nervosa’s known to bring. This will be the first album to feature the band’s vocalist and guitarist Prika Amaral, following the departure of Dita Satanica. Looking forward to the new record, Amaral said she was excited that the addition of a second guitarist to the band will help fill out the album’s sound. The band have released the album’s first single ‘Seed of Death,’ which you can check out below. And despite its somewhat mellow opening, the song definitely picks up to be more along the lines of what we’d expect from the band. [via Metal Sucks]

Hard rock juggernauts of BAND-MAID come back swinging in digital single ‘Shambles,’ their first new track in six months. Whereas the previous tune ‘Memorable’ offered a sentimental retrospective on US TOUR 2022, ‘Shambles’ readies fans for the next phase of world domination, with its release coinciding with the maidens’ appearance at Lollapalooza 2023 in Chicago. The fiery music videos shows BAND-MAID getting down in a derelict warehouse, surrounded by sections of mangled chainlink fence. As bassist MISA digs into her interlude and lead guitarist KANAMI shreds out her solo, a deluge of flames lick at their skin. [via J Rock News]

American heavy rock band Kaleido, consisting of Christina Chriss (vocals), Joey Fava (drums), Cody Morales (bass) and Drew Johnston (guitar), released their first single of 2023 called ‘MISERY’. The track was written by Christina Chriss, Joey Fava, Cody Morales and Drew Johnston. Produced by K Thrash. The band lead singer Christina Chriss shared on social media, “And first, I’m going to start by telling you guys that I’ve been in Michigan for the past month. And I had such a nice time Michigan in the summer. Is my favorite place Ever. I was born and raised there and I never knew how much I would really miss it until I moved away And let me tell you something, I know how much I freaking miss it now. So I went back for a month. I went for my birthday, I went for the fourth of July and I went to record three new songs.” She continued, “I’m so stoked. And the one of the coolest things right now. It’s definitely the most cinematic exciting music video that we have ever shot. And we shot it when it was like 120 degrees outside and I don’t know if it could have been any more perfect for a song called Misery, because we’re all pretty miserable when we were shooting it. And it just all came together, we worked with an amazing team from top to bottom on this one from writing the song, and producing it with Kevin Thrasher. To the homies that shot the music video for us, the whole thing goes crazy. I just can’t wait.” [via pmstudio]

We Are PIGS — the self-described “nu-metal revival” project spearheaded by South African–born producer, songwriter and artist Esjay Jones — are back with a new single, the biting ‘Private Skool,’ written by Jones and guitarist Christian Rivera. Blast it below via its high-octane music video. “‘Private Skool’ is intended to be chaotic to disrupt our thoughts and get us questioning roles and places in society,” Jones tells Revolver of the new song. “I was having a conversation with a friend about nepotism and It got me thinking: Why are some people born into great poverty when others are born into great riches? Why do some people seem to have life so easy, while others have it so hard and endure great suffering? Is it fate? Are our lives pre-destined? Is it god? If there is a god, then how does he ‘choose’ and how could he be so cruel? Is there some kind of universal order that we are not aware of?” She concludes: “It seems that the powers that be have weaved an unfair loom and the playing field is not equal.” [via Revolver]

Blood Command have released a new single. ‘The Plague On Both Your Houses’ is from the band’s recently-announced new album. World Domination will be released on September 29 via Hassle and Loyal Blood Records, and has already been teased by recent singles ‘Decades’ and ‘Losing Faith’, plus the title-track. The band comment: “Like various underground religious groups throughout history, Blood Command’s ever growing following, The Awaketeam, is rising around the globe, and we are not stopping until World Domination. So keep your eyes peeled for purple shrouds, three stripes and black and white sneakers.” [via Upset]

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