Single Slam: Corrosion of Conformity, Damnata, Sugar Horse, Lord of the Lost, Catalysis, Eville, Hanry, The Heir Apparition, A.A. Williams, Defences, Filth is Eternal, Collapse the Sky, Fleeting Joy, Earthbound, A-Tota-So, and Hellripper!

Today’s single slam features Corrosion of Conformity, Damnata, Sugar Horse, Lord of the Lost, Catalysis, Eville, Hanry, The Heir Apparition, A.A. Williams, Defences, Filth is Eternal, Collapse the Sky, Fleeting Joy, Earthbound, A-Tota-So, and Hellripper. You can read our thoughts about the latest singles from these bands below.

Corrosion of Conformity – You or Me

‘You or Me’ is the latest single from American heavy metal icons Corrosion of Conformity. The crushing new track comes off the band’s mammoth new double album, ‘Good God / Baad Man’, set for release on April 3rd via Nuclear Blast.

With some strong old-school Corrosion of Conformity vibes, this new single is the kind of head banger that all fans of crunchy guitar and bass tones can enjoy, and then some. It’s heavy, but not in the way modern bands often are, and it has this really trippy middle interlude that is experimental as heck and adds a strong jam session feel to things. I dig it.

Damnata – Call the Exorcist

Damnata are a relentless and crushing three-piece band from Wiltshire, Southwest England, formed in 2024, showing other bands in the scene what it means to be loud. The band draws inspiration from metal titans such as Testament, Pantera, Lamb of God, and Exodus. Their debut single, ‘Call the Exorcist’, is out now.

A vitriolic blast of ugly heaviness and speed, Damnata’s approach to metal is to make it feel weaponised, albeit with a likable amount of groove injected within. You will feel attacked, but you’ll be head banging regardless. An attention grabbing debut single. Check it out here.

Sugar Horse – Ex-Human Shield

Heavy experimental rock act Sugar Horse will release their third album ‘Not A Sound In Heaven’ on 10th April 2026 via Fat Dracula Records. The band have now released the second single from the album titled ‘Ex-Human Shield’.

The band says about the new single:

Britain is a country defined – and governed – by corruption.

Our leaders are bought and paid for by corporations both homegrown and foreign.
Every few years we have the privilege of deciding which particular favour of corruption we want to vote for. Will it be the openly racist corrupt guy or the one the hides it a bit better? Will it be the one who wants perpetual war or the one who will simply go to war reluctantly.

Regardless of how they seem to display themselves, they all seem to end up actioning the same life destroying policies, targeted at our society’s most downtrodden.

Ex-Human Shield is about that corruption. It’s about the perpetual cycle of Liberal Democracy and how it only ever seems to benefit those who already have everything anyway.

They’d sell us all just to keep the machine running.

A track with a statement that I, and many others, believe in wholeheartedly. This is the sound of frustration. The sound of anger at a system that makes everything feel so hopeless but delivered in unique Sugar Horse fashion. Going from methodical abrasive noise to downright choral beauty in an instant. Something that wonderfully expands as the track goes on, leading to a final section that is nauseatingly heavy.

Lord of the Lost – My Funeral

On 10th April, OPVS NOIR Vol. 3, the final part of Lord of the Lost’s OPVS NOIR album trilogy, will be released. Now, the Hamburg-based band presents another preview in the form of their new single, ‘My Funeral’.

Quantity over quality? Nope, it turns out that it’s quantity and quality as Lord of the Lost’s latest creative direction takes us down a moody, atmospheric, and anthemic path. Where dark romance meets gothic opulence, delivered with cinematic aplomb. It’s very Lord of the Lost. Check it out here.

Catalysis – Deathblow

Scottish metal band, Catalysis, are back with a brand-new track called ‘Deathblow’. They have also announced their forthcoming EP ‘Serpentine’, set for release on April 17th.

Vocalist Andrew Downie comments that lyrically, the song targets ‘moral leaders’ who exploit their own followers for personal gain:

It’s a middle finger to the architects of abuse and a call to arms for everyone else.

A feral blast of punchy heavy metal delivered in unmistakable meaty Catalysis fashion, this is a head banger through and through. Razor sharp riffs, gut-punching drums, and raging vocals, it’s a tight showcase of their immense power.

Eville – fetch

Following their breakout 2025, during which Brighton’s fast-rising misfits Eville released their debut EP ‘BRAT METAL’ and played pivotal festival slots at Reading & Leeds, 2000 Trees and Burn It Down Festival, the trio continue their unstoppable momentum with their new single ‘fetch’.

Speaking about the track, vocalist and guitarist Eva Sheldrake shares:

When we wrote this song, we were feeling incredibly angry and betrayed. This raw emotion fuelled the heavy sound we wanted to create. Jude’s dog Lola even features on the track, which inspired the song’s concept.

I don’t think there’s a limit on what Eville can achieve and the proof comes in the form of everything they release, including this new anthemic banger. A stompy, abrasive blast of heaviness that has a soaring singalong chorus, those demanding more intensity from the band won’t be left wanting. I don’t think I’ve ever heard a chorus of dog barks leading into a roaring breakdown before. Check it out here.

Hanry – Aurora

French post-rock collective Hanry have announced their debut album ‘What Came From Silence’, arriving 29th May via Pelagic Records. Alongside the announcement, the band have unveiled the album’s first single, ‘Aurora’, offering the first glimpse into their carefully sculpted world.

Explains the band:

‘Aurora’ is our first single from the album and the spark that ignited the band’s story. Originally composed around ten years ago by Anthony Leliard, the track was later reshaped and arranged collectively for our debut album What Came From Silence. Dark and tense, ‘Aurora’ moves through contrasting periods, from heavy, shadowed moments to brighter, more radiant passages. The piece builds and recedes in hypnotic waves before culminating in a massive, liberating explosion that carries the listener toward new horizons.

A staggering five (almost) minutes of post rock that delves deeply into experimental moodiness while retaining the heart and soul of the genre. Hanry take the listener on an unforgettable immersive journey here, one made up of shimmering rock dynamics and effervescent melody, and all without a single word sung or spoke.

The Heir Apparition – The Others

UK progressive rock crew, The Heir Apparition have released their new single, ‘The Others’. A standalone track, it introduces a brand-new character to the band’s ever-expanding mythos, accompanied by a video.

A creative effort that moves at a peppy pace, what might first seem to be little more than a foot tapping rock tune ends up being a multi-layered effort with deep story-telling aspects. This is what helps make this band stand out from the crowd and while elements of their sound are familiar, the whole thing comes together in memorable fashion. Check it out here.

A.A Williams – Hold It Together

After wrapping up a successful UK and European tour, musician, singer, and songwriter A.A. Williams, known for her atmospheric, emotionally charged music, returns with her new single and video for ‘Hold It Together’ taken from her newly announced forthcoming album ‘Solstice’, due for release on 5th June via RPM. Pre-orders for the album open on April 22nd.

‘Hold It Together’ explores the fragile tension between resilience and internal collapse.

Speaking about the song, A.A. Williams explains:

Silence exists where you long for answers, a bleak fragility that you daren’t disturb. Where beauty stood only the faintest glow remains, afraid of smothering it you shrink into a mould of your own making. Your edges dulled, your features disappearing, you put on that brave face not knowing whether you do it to protect others or yourself. You smile, you carry on, feeling everything, showing nothing.

A.A. Williams’ ability to hypnotise the listener with dark and mood-altering music is near unparalleled and once again, the eclectic artist delivers something wholly unique. A haunting effort that oozes melancholy until around the halfway point where it ‘powers’ up, transforming into something decadently epic. Check it out here.

Defences – Metamorphosis

Modern metalcore band, Defences are back with their brand new single ‘Metamorphosis’.

Says the band:

‘Metamorphosis’ is all about transformation, and surrendering to it. We are evolutionary beings, constantly growing and adapting to the different paths life takes us down. Constantly saying goodbye to old versions of ourselves. It can be painful, uncomfortable and terrifying, even when we know it’s meant for us. This song is a motivational reminder to keep going, a reminder that you get to write your own story, and sometimes that can mean burning everything down to start over.

A modern core banger that has big anthemic qualities, showcases passion and power, and impressively balances melody and metal, there’s simply no stopping this band. With each new release they refine themselves that little bit more and with each new release, more and more people turn their heads in their direction. Their future has never looked brighter.

Filth is Eternal – Hellfire

Seattle’s Filth Is Eternal will release their new album ‘Impossible World’ on 17th March via MNRK Heavy. The final single ahead of its release is called ‘Hellfire’, and it’s out now.

The band state:

Hellfire is committing yourself to fighting for a better world at all costs.

A noisy effort that crashes and smashes with excitable abandon, delivering something that has two-step vibes, but probably sits more comfortably in the alternative metal camp. That’s Filth is Eternal for you though, somewhat indefinable, but so enjoyable and this track is delightful, especially when we get a wild sounding guitar solo too. Check it out here.

Collapse the Sky – Shark Week

To celebrate the 10th anniversary of their debut album ‘Seven Eyes’, metalcore band Collapse the Sky have re-recorded the track ‘Shark Week’. Mixed and produced by guitarist Flynn Green, this new version comes with a music video.

What a celebration and what a track to refocus on. Collapse the Sky are a hefty and heavy band who can cause some serious carnage live, and the video to this track captures this well. The song itself though is meaty, groovy, and filled with ferocious power that demands you head bang until it hurts with a kickass chorus being the cherry on top.

Fleeting Joy – Unravel (feat. Amariah Cook of Future Static)

Melbourne-based progressive rock project Fleeting Joy has unveiled debut single, ‘Unravel’, featuring Amariah Cook of Future Static. An introduction to the collaborative vision of songwriter, guitarist and creative mastermind Jordan Lalchand.

With flavours of old-school alternative rock, some grungy undertones, progressive twists, and flareups of heaviness, this is a track with a lot to unpack. Except it’s also really accessible. Modern sounding, layered, and just so happens to feature one of the metal scene’s strongest vocalist in Amariah Cook. An impressive debut. Check it out here.

Earthbound – Fallout

A bold step forward, ‘Fallout’ is the brand-new single from UK melodic and progressive metal band, Earthbound. Recorded fully DIY and mixed by Robin Leijon (An Abstract Illusion, Conquer Divide), the song explores leaders in ivory towers making self-serving decisions while ordinary people face the consequences.

The success they’ve achieved so far has been nothing short of phenomenal and more than deserved, yet it does feel like we’ve only scratched the surface of what this band is capable of. It’s time to look forward and in doing so, Earthbound unleash something distinctly power metal driven. Albeit with so much progressive potency and anthemic intensity. It’s got hit written all over it, accessible but with depth, featuring layered vocals, dramatic melody, punchy heaviness, and a chorus that can be summed up as one hell of a singalong. All hail Earthbound. Check it out here.

A-Tota-So – Death Rattle

A-Tota-So are a noisy alt-rock band powered by momentum, collaboration and a refusal to settle into one version of themselves. Known for their visceral live shows and restless creativity, the band have built a reputation on pushing their sound forward rather than looking back. They have now released their latest single, ‘Death Rattle’, out via bUTTONpUSHER Records.

Says Marty (guitar/vocals):

‘Death Rattle’ is about the feeling of losing control while life keeps moving at a super fast pace. It’s about facing the chaos, noise, and pressures around us and realising nobody gets a free pass but even so we keep going even though we tend to second guess ourselves and over analyze everything thrown at us.

A little bit weird, but also a little bit wonderful, in places, A-Tota-So are an attention grabbing band effortlessly taking the listener on a floaty journey with some expressive ebbs and flows. This isn’t an easy song to summarise as it does go in so many different directions, but it does warrant listen after listen just to experience all its intriguing layers. Check it out here.

Hellripper – Mortercheyn

Scotland’s ibex-obsessed blackened thrash bastards of Hades otherwise known as Hellripper have shared ‘Mortercheyn’, the latest single from their upcoming, fourth studio album ‘Coronach’, to be released worldwide later this month on March 27th, 2026 via Century Media Records.

Hellripper’s mastermind, guitarist/vocalist and songwriter James McBain comments on ‘Mortercheyn’:

Much like the previously released ‘Kinchyle (Goatkraft and Granite)’, the lyrics on this track come from a more personal place. The title itself is a little nod to a track on the previous album, ‘The Nuckelavee’ and mortercheyn is said to be the disease spread by the creature in its wake. It is a contagious and lethal sickness that primarily affects horses, and is used in the song to represent the decay and downfall of the world.

Musically, ‘Mortercheyn’ is a crust track at its core, drenched in a sinister atmosphere that lies between the black metal vibe of Watain and the raw aggression of bands like Martyrdöd and Skitsystem. Hints of Whiplash and Agent Steel are clearly evident in the guitar work and are paired with some uncomfortable ambience inspired by the likes of Aphex Twin and Venetian Snares. On the surface, it may feel like one of the less “complex” songs on the album, but I think there’s quite a lot going on throughout.

I think we can all agree that this is going to be Hellripper’s magnum opus (until the next one, no doubt) based off the singles heard so far, and this latest effort hammers that point home. Like a stake through the blackened heart. Furiously heavy, eye-wateringly fast, it’s Hellripper at their most basic, until you pull on some of the loose threads. Then you find a track with so much more going on, and the fun of pulling it apart begins. Over time, this is going to become a firm fan favourite, I’m sure of it.