Single Slam: Melrose Avenue, Hollow Pact, Waterparks, and GORE.

Today’s single slam features Melrose Avenue, Hollow Pact, Waterparks, and GORE. You can read our thoughts about the latest singles from these bands below.

Melrose Avenue – Cemetery Friend (feat. The Funeral Portrait)

Fresh from a standout performance at Download Festival 2026 and the announcement of their biggest UK headline tour to date, set to begin in January 2027, hotly-tipped, Sydney quartet Melrose Avenue return with their new single, ‘Cemetery Friend’, featuring The Funeral Portrait.

Speaking of the new single, vocalist Vlado Saric shares:

We met The Funeral Portrait last year whilst out on tour with Ice Nine Kills and there was just an immediate connection that saw us all radiate towards each other. They have this awesome ability to make darkness feel theatrical and when we wrote Cemetery Friend we immediately knew that was what it needed, We essentially wanted this song to feel like a car crash between the 2 acts and we are pretty sure that’s what we’ve achieved here!

Every single time they release something, they raise the bar, and by collaborating with talented bands and artists, they’re getting to explore new creative paths. This new single is one of hell of an enthusiastic effort, featuring hyperactive rhythms, potent alternative melodies, and heavy beatdown groove. Another banger from a band that continues to rise and rise.

Hollow Pact – Tear

Rising hard rock outfit Hollow Pact have announced their signing with new label home, Sumerian Records. In celebration of the news, the band, fronted by Jager Henry, grandson of Led Zeppelin drummer John Bonham, has released their new single and its official music video.

When asked about the inspiration behind ‘Tear’, the band commented:

‘Tear’ lives in the space between comfort and collapse – a broken reflection of attachment, erosion, and the weight of holding on to something for too long. In other words everything you don’t need but crave.

It’s not exactly the most exciting of listens, especially as the alternative rock and metal sound that the band employs is lacking freshness. However, there is heft, and the screamo moments come with plenty of fire. There’s a touch of anthemic quality to it, even if it’s not coming from the most obvious of places.

Check it out here.

Waterparks – Better Than Therapy

Waterparks have released a brand new single, ‘Better Than Therapy’, ahead of the release of their new album, ‘JINX’, on July 24th via BMG.

A very cool sounding track that has a Summer-style kind of pop rock and pop punk bounce, but one that is warped by cynicism and no small amount of experimentation. Waterparks are very talented band, and it’s great to hear them being a bit weird with it, even if we still get a delightfully infectious chorus.

Check it out here.

GORE. – Lead Me to the Slaughter

Texas metal four-piece GORE. – vocalist Haley Roughton, guitarist Alex Reyes, bassist Devin Birchfield, and drummer Wills Weller – are back and with a vengeance unparalleled. The quartet has shared the video for the brand-new single ‘Lead Me to the Slaughter.

The band states:

This song is about being indoctrinated into a cult, and idolizing what kills you. Idolatry is rampant beyond human repair with social media — we now look at people like they’re gods. We idolize money, fame, and beauty more now than we ever have as a society. These idols will lead us to nothing but guilt, shame, and suffering.

Welcome back GORE. Who return with one their most potent sounding tracks to date and all because of the vocals. Especially when they shift with the heavier instrumentals. What’s really great about this track though is how a messy structure still ends up sounding so sturdy. There’s detail here, and it’s impressive.