Single Slam: MONO, Hands Like Houses, XNRS, Urzah, Melrose Avenue, Gout, Della Nova, Catalysis, Port Noir, On Borrowed Time, divedown, and Graphic Nature!

Today’s single slam features MONO, Hands Like Houses, XNRS, Urzah, Melrose Avenue, Gout, Della Nova, Catalysis, Port Noir, On Borrowed Time, divedown, and Graphic Nature. You can read our thoughts about the latest singles from these bands below.

MONO – Winter Daphne

Japanese post-rock legends MONO have announced details on their new album ’Snowdrop’ set for release on 12th June via Temporary Residence. The first single ‘Winter Daphne’ is out now.

One of the best to ever do it, MONO are back and with something so very special. Something haunting, something powerful, something emotional, and something with layers of gorgeous post rock. It’s beautiful, but it’s also got some exciting experimental touches and a grand cinematic latter portion that lingers long after.

Hands Like Houses – DEAD (feat. Dream on Dreamer)

Canberra rock heavyweights Hands Like Houses have announced the ‘Lótus’ EP, set for release on Friday 22nd May via Civilians. The announcement arrives alongside their new single ‘DEAD’.

‘DEAD’ is about admitting how often we manipulate ourselves just to get through the day.

Shares the band:

We bend the truth, numb the doubt, and call it strength so we don’t have to face how empty things can feel.

We build a life that looks held together, then act surprised when it still feels bare inside. The dread in this song isn’t dramatic, it’s familiar, routine, something we learn to live with. Saying out loud that everything is already hard enough, and pretending otherwise is part of what’s been breaking us.

A big sounding alternative anthem that showcases passionate vocals, roaring riffs, experimental use of electronica, and a chorus that gets jammed in the brain. Even with all of this, there’s a notable moodier tone that sells the story effectively. It’s a track with plenty of widespread appeal. Check it out here.

XNRS – The One

Excinerus (XNRS) pr. “ex-SIN-er-us”
From Latin “ex cineris” meaning “from the ashes”.

For millennia, humanity’s lust for violence has plagued the earth. Mankind once prayed to the Old Gods for victory in war, and time after time new gods replaced the old as each civilisation was dominated by the next. Now, after centuries hidden away within the mists of time, the Old Gods return; Avatars of War have come spread a new doctrine of peace, and to denounce humanity’s proclivity for death and destruction.

This is the Will of The One.

‘The One’ is the debut single of XNRS.

An exciting new band to have on the metal scene, XNRS bring some intense sounds and a sense that we’re only scratching the surface of what they have to offer with this debut song. Though that doesn’t mean this track doesn’t give plenty too. It’s an aggressive, but groovy beast with raucous riffing, blistering vocal screams, touches of electronica layered in, and even a cool sounding guitar solo. Check it out here.

Urzah – Hunter in the Veil

Bristol based progressive sludge metal band Urzah have released ‘Hunter in the Veil’, the second single from their new album, ‘A Tranquil Void’, out on June 5th via APF Records. A track which draws on mythic symbolism and elemental imagery to explore cycles of power, death, and renewal.

This new Urzah album is promising to be one hell of a step forward for the band and all the proof needed is in tracks like this. Showcasing a sludgy, doom-tinged, groove-twisted intense sound that comes with so many addictive layers. It’s clever music, compelling to the extent that its runtime is immaterial. Utterly outstanding stuff.

Melrose Avenue – Bad Guy

Hotly-tipped, Sydney melodic metallers, Melrose Avenue, have returned with their explosive new single, ‘Bad Guy’.

Speaking on the new single vocalist, Vlado Saric shares:

There’s been this shadow that’s been hanging over me for years, and ‘Bad Guy’ was finally my way of confronting it. It comes from that raw place of betrayal – when someone you trust turns on you and paints you as the villain just to lift themselves up. This song is me owning that narrative and calling it out for what it really is.

A band well and truly on the rise, Melrose Avenue are a name that should no introduction to any fans of alternative metal and the noise around them seems assured to grow when they’re dropping tracks like this. A modern metal banger that showcases a heavier, more intense sound from the band, albeit with bright melody and tons of undeniable passion. Exciting times. Check it out here.

Gout – Junk Sick

Loud, angry, nihilistic; Gout is the doom-inducing metal project from members of Glasgow bands Lucia & the Best Boys and The Ninth Wave. Last month the band announced the release of their new EP ‘Actual Bastard’ on 17th April, now they have shared the new single ‘Junk Sick’.

A grubby and grungy sounding track that has retro vibes and tons of disconcerting elements that come together in impressive fashion. It’s an ugly sounding track, but it does get under the skin, ensuring as much as you try, you’ll be thinking about it long afterwards.

Della Nova – New Strain

London-based three-piece Della Nova return with ‘New Strain’, the first single from their forthcoming second album due later this year.

It’s great to have them back, but even better to have them back armed with a riffy and groovy banger like this. Instantly addictive, cleverly developing into something with a bit more bite, and effortlessly memorable, it’s a very cool track from a very cool band. Check it out here.

Catalysis – Serpentine

Dundee metal titans Catalysis have unveiled the title track from their forthcoming EP ‘Serpentine’.

Says the band:

Exploring themes of coercion and betrayal, the track charts the path of a manipulator who sheds their skin only to find a new victim. It’s a heavy riff fest, an aggressive look at the cycle of destruction, from the “silver-forked tongue” to the final, suffocating constriction.

Reliably heavy and effortlessly intense, Catalysis are one of Scotland’s finest head banging inducing bands, and this new single doesn’t mess with a winning formula. It’s a beast, an exciting, violent, and furious sounding beast that is guaranteed to make fans of heavy music froth at the mouth. Check it out here.

Port Noir – Burst

Swedish prog band Port Noir are getting closer to releasing their highly-anticipated 5th studio album ‘The Dark We Keep’, out on May 15th (InsideOutMusic). Now they have released the new single ‘Burst’.

One of the best modern progressive rock and metal bands in the world, Port Noir’s ability to be so accessible and so challenging is testament to their immense musical abilities. They are so damn talented and even a track like this, with its more conventional structure, has fascinating layers. The vocals soar, the guitars are weighty, there are soft melodies, and graceful moments of eccentricity resulting in one hell of an electrifying track.

On Borrowed Time – Burden

Hailing from the wilds of Dorset, England, melodic hardcore five-piece On Borrowed Time return with their new single, ‘Burden’, available now on Omen Records.

This is different. Beginning in very rocky fashion before transforming into an intense and noisy showcase of old-school hardcore with two-step beats and gang style shouts. Then, unexpectedly, the tempo drops and we get a spoken word recording as the guitar leads us back to an explosion of harmonised heaviness that has an epic twist. It’s a really great piece of music. Check it out here.

divedown – All for What

Melbourne alternative rock outfit divedown share their reflective new single ‘All for What’, out now via Ninth Life Records.

With emo touches and plenty of rock liveliness, this new divedown track combines soul touching meaningfulness with memorable mainstream appeal. The band delivering an authentic sounding alternative banger with powerful lyrics and a chorus that charms. Check it out here.

Graphic Nature – Faceless

London quartet Graphic Nature have returned with their new single, ‘Faceless’. The release, the band’s first for new label home Century Media, lands just ahead of their one-off London headline show on April 30th.

States frontman Harvey Freeman:

Faceless is the beginning of the new era of Graphic Nature. We spent a lot of time working on what we wanted to get out of the new sound, our collective influences helped pave the way for what we’ve created. We are pleased to announce this single will be released via our new record label Century Media.

The new era of Graphic Nature, thankfully, isn’t that far removed from the last one, it’s just a more evolved version of the band that has them looking backwards. In particular, the late 90s when the likes of Limp Bizkit and Korn ruled the world with their mainstream nu-metal sound. Interesting, right? A ton of people are going to love this.