Single Slam: Lord of the Lost & Within Temptation, Blessings of Mara, Beauty School, Stone Soup, Glass Bridges, The Comfort, Awaken Eternity, Jessie Dipper, Malevich, Caustic Waves, Trudger, Comastatic, To Octavia, and Orbit Culture!

Today’s single slam features Lord of the Lost & Within Temptation, Blessings of Mara, Beauty School, Stone Soup, Glass Bridges, The Comfort, Awaken Eternity, Jessie Dipper, Malevich, Caustic Waves, Trudger, Comastatic, To Octavia, and Orbit Culture. You can read our thoughts about the latest singles from these bands below.

Lord of the Lost & Within Temptation – Light Can Only Shine in the Darkness

Lord of the Lost & Within Temptation have released the video for the new single ‘Light Can Only Shine in the Darkness’. Which comes from Lord of the Lost’s new album, OPVS NOIR Vol.1 out 8th August via Napalm Records.

Vocalist Chris Harms commented on ‘Light Can Only Shine in the Darkness’:

Shortly after playing the final show of Iron Maiden’s 2022 tour together with Within Temptation, the idea for ‘Light Can Only Shine in the Darkness’ was born – an attempt to create a hybrid song between Within Temptation and Lord of the Lost, and ultimately a duet for Sharon and me. The fact that it actually came to life is a dream come true, because a duet with Sharon has been… no, had been, at the top of my bucket list for over a decade!

A mighty cool aspect of this new Lord of the Lost record is how collaborative it is, and they have sought out a variety of top-tier guest artists to help them make this record special. Case in point – Within Temptation on the gorgeous Light Can Only Shine in the Darkness, where Sharon den Adel’s stunning vocals soar and work so well alongside Chris Harms’ deep tones. It’s a powerful piece of music that takes the best of both bands and combines them in a highly dramatic and anthemic way.

Blessings of Mara – Obani Moons

Delivering hypnotic ambience combined with gut punching heaviness, Blessings of Mara is a British metalcore band hailing from South London. Their new single, ‘Obani Moons’ is out now. Lyrically, it dives into the feelings of obsession and how letting it consume you can affect your whole life.

Displaying a modern sound that draws from the worlds of metalcore and alternative metal, Blessings of Mara’s new single is one to sink into. Featuring dramatic melodies, strong clean singing, noteworthy atmosphere, and choppy, punchy heaviness that gives the track more oomph overall. Check it out here.

Beauty School – Lately

Yorkshire alt-rock sextet, Beauty School, have announced their new album, ‘From Now On, for an October 3rd release on Slam Dunk Records.

In conjunction with the announcement, the band have released new single, ‘Lately’, a favourite of and meaningful one to guitarist Dan Shaw, who explains:

The playful nature of the melodies contrasts heavily with the themes of drug use, workplace neglect and corporate life. I had recently started a job in which I was told I’d have incredible opportunities, but the reality was very different. There was this expectation that I would work harder than everyone else, putting in extra hours without any support.When I reached out for help, it was like I was being ignored, and instead, I was given PowerPoint slides… To manage this I spent most of my downtime smoking and when I wasn’t smoking I was drinking to get to sleep on an evening, this took me down a spiral I struggled to remove myself from. Lately is a comment on how much of a toll corporate life can have on a person and how poor support mechanisms in modern life lead to drug misuse and dependency.

One of the best alternative bands in the UK scene right now, Beauty School continue their fine form with another absolute banger here. A nostalgia-laden pop-infused rocker that is filled with memorable passion. The chorus is so delightful it will make you laugh out loud through sheer joy.

Stone Soup – Fuzzy Brain

Hard rock/ stoner blues innovators Stone Soup have released their next single, alongside a music video, ‘Fuzzy Brain’.

Says the band:

Have you ever experienced the mind fog?
A mental haze clouding your thoughts and actions?
From the collective addled minds of Stone Soup comes our latest single Fuzzy Brain!

A homage to the hollow headed sensation of cerebral cloudiness that lingers within us all.
A celebration of inebriation, be it from chemical imbalance or little grey men messing with your grey matter.
Alleviate your mental drain and feel no pain as you rock away your clarity to our latest fuzzed-up tune!

A blast of high energy stoner rock and heavy roll, Stone Soup keep it simple here, and highly anthemic. Especially as it’s got a raw, punky edge that helps keep things so lively. It’s a kick ass tune that is far catchier than first expected. Check it out here.

Glass Bridges – Breathe

Glass Bridges are a four-piece alternative rock band from the south of the UK. The band intend to share a message of self-actualisation, championing the determination to embody their most authentic selves – in a world that so often preaches the opposite.

Their latest track ‘Breathe’ epitomises this message of Glass Bridges, exploring the struggle of persevering through life’s darkest of moments.

A cool pop-infused alternative rock track with a thick anthemic vein running through it. Glass Bridges are an attention-grabbing band and not just because of their song-writing abilities. No, they turn heads because tracks like this showcase the heart and soul that they infuse into everything. Being catchy is great, but this is what gives them longevity. Check it out here.

The Comfort – Stay

Brisbane alternative rock trio The Comfort have announced their forthcoming album, Let the Love In, out Friday October 3rd, with vinyl available via BreakThrough Records. Now, they unveil the album’s third single, ‘Stay’. Which follows on from earlier singles ‘Down (How Many Times Can I Lose Everything)’ and ‘Blossom’.

‘Stay’ is a stirring reflection on the collapse of society as we know it. The band explores the bittersweet experience of watching a corrupt system unravel with a sense of clarity and responsibility.

They explains:

There’s something strange about witnessing the destruction of a corrupt society, and not exactly being happy about it, but all the while knowing that you’re doing your part to try and save it. We spend our lives desperately trying to be better humans and making decisions with the earth and society in mind. It hurts to watch people burn it down for monetary gain. The only consolation we can take from that is knowing we’re ready to rebuild it from the ground up.

Pretty and potent, The Comfort’s new track is something that touches the soul via its dramatic melodies and impressive vocal performance. It almost has a ‘gazy’ feel, at least as far as the instrumentals are concerned, but will be most remember for how it makes you feel.

Awaken Eternity – Peitho

Awaken Eternity are a progressive/alt metal band based in Birmingham, back with their brand-new single, ‘Peitho’. A landmark moment for Awaken Eternity, signalling not only their first new music in over two years but also the dawn of a new era for the progressive metal band.

Beginning in thoughtful and cinematic fashion, as the vocals arrive, the alternative feel is strong. Yet, with an exciting tone switch, it transforms into something dark, heavy, and industrialised. Albeit with layers of interesting and exciting melody. It’s a very creative track. Check it out here.

Jessie Dipper – I’m A Mess

UK-based artist, producer and songwriter Jessie returns with I’m A Mess — a raw, grunge-infused anthem that marks a bold sonic departure from her recent Nashville Vignettes EP.

Following on from Little Miss London — a standout track from her 2022 album Sticky Floors — I’m A Mess continues the narrative arc, shifting from external chaos to internal reckoning. Where Little Miss London captured a lipstick-smudged stranger on a midnight train, I’m A Mess turns the lens inward, exploring Jessie’s own vices, coping mechanisms and the beauty found in imperfection.

A brilliant example of an artist’s development, Jessie Dipper not only showcases her creative journey with this track but delivers something cathartic and anthemic. A track that is filled with pop power and grunge rock intensity, reaching a staggering high with a chorus that is stupidly infectious. Check it out here.

Malevich – Into Bliss (featuring Sunrot)

‘Into Bliss’ is latest single from Atlanta based blackened/screamo outfit Malevich. This is the second single to be released from their third LP (and Church Road debut) ‘Under a Gilded Sun’, which is set for release on August 22nd.

Talking about ‘Into Bliss’, the band shared:

The lyrics are about the importance of connection with community despite the fact that connection inherently brings pain. We tapped our friend Lex from Sunrotto add his voice and lyrics to the song, and his contribution really tied the lyrical themes together and made the song feel complete.

Five-plus minutes of auditory distress, featuring a cacophony of soul crushing horror and brain-melting intensity. Be it the slow and filthy groove sections, the disconcerting clean vocal segments, or the bursts of vitriolic noise, it’s a track that leaves one hell of an impression. Horrid to hear, but impossible to turn off, that’s this track and once it has you, it doesn’t let go.

Caustic Waves – Compromised

Melodic alternative rock / post-hardcore with a pinch of late-90s nostalgia, it’s Caustic Waves and the journey to the new album, ‘Echoes’ continues with the third single, ‘Compromised’.

When someone insists you push the button, and you know it’s wrong… what do you do?

It’s been a great ride so far, and here, Caustic Waves takes us in a more progressive direction, but still with the recognisable nostalgia-infused 90’s alternative vibes. Although it is fair to say that this one sits on the heavier side of things. It’s as interesting and as listenable as everything that came before, especially as it has some exciting twists and turns along the way. Check it out here.

Trudger – Occupied Frequency

Returning after an eleven-year absence, one of the UK’s most exhilarating death metal infused sludge bands Trudger are back with their brand-new album, ‘Void Quest’. The latest single from it, ‘Occupied Frequency’ is out now.

Vocalist Chris Parkinson had this to say about the track:

Lyrically, ‘Occupied Frequency’ is a rumination on humankind’s potentially naive desire to make contact with intelligent life in the universe, and to abandon our earthly restraints. Inspired by the sudden spike in UAP sightings and credible news sources reinvestigating historic alien encounter accounts, the track depicts humankind’s first encounter with extraterrestrial life in the album’s narrative. ‘Occupied Frequency”s music video incorporates real-life UAP footage captured by military aircraft and recently declassified by The Pentagon, as well as archival footage from NASA.

Have you recovered from the previous Trudger releases yet? If not, tough, because they’re back with a brand-new slab of crushing heaviness that starts off so damn hot, slows down in dark and sludgy fashion, before going absolutely wild at the end. Another absolute beast of a track from a band on the form of their lives. Check it out here.

Comastatic – Sunburn in the Summer

New Hopeless Records signees and Swiss rock breakout Comastatic have dropped their blistering new single, ‘Sunburn in the Summer’. A track that captures the exact moment you choose yourself – even if it means letting something (or someone) go.

Speaking on the track, the band explain:

‘Sunburn in the Summer’ is about the breaking point you hit when you’re stuck in something that’s been draining you for too long – whether that’s a friendship, a situation, or a version of yourself you’ve outgrown. It’s that mix of anger and exhaustion, and finally deciding you’d rather deal with a little pain than keep holding onto something that’s already gone. It’s about cutting ties, burning bridges, and choosing your own peace… even if it stings a little at first.

A lively bounce along that has impressive depth but still fits as a song to get sweaty to in the summer. It’s poppy, it’s rocky, it’s got some bite, but most of all, it’s really infectious. Comastatic are a great band and it’s heartening to hear their sound evolving as they grow as artists.

To Octavia – Talk Is Cheap

Melbourne alternative rock group To Octavia announce their debut album, ‘Melodrama’, will be out Friday October 31st, and now they share their punchy new single ‘Talk Is Cheap’.

Says the band:

It’s a call out to people who don’t act how they speak, don’t stand up for what they really believe in, or attack others without the guts to follow through.

Proof that the modern Aussie alternative scene is on fire right now, To Octavia are killing it and this debut album is hotly anticipated. Happily, we’ve had strong tastes already and this latest single is no different, hugely anthemic with modern genre-bending power that gives it an accessible sound. They’re a great band and the proof of that comes from songs like this. Check it out here.

Orbit Culture – Hydra

Sweden’s Orbit Culture have released ‘Hydra’, their third single taken from their upcoming album, Death Above Life, scheduled for a release on 3rd October 2025 via Century Media.

The band comment:

With ‘Hydra’ we dove even deeper into the heavy tunings we explored on our previous single, ‘Death Above Life’. Lyrically, it’s a raw and unfiltered track about cutting ties – direct, honest, and uncompromising. The song was written during a period of intense stress and frustration and channeling that emotion onto paper felt like a necessary release.

Visually, we drew inspiration from the vast, cinematic atmosphere of the Dune films. That same sense of scale is echoed in the production – distorted, low-tuned cellos and thunderous drums that feel like something massive is coming. This is easily one of our most ambitious videos to date. We scouted the California desert to find the perfect location – no green screens, no tricks. What you see is real: just four Swedish guys sweating it out in the scorching desert heat.

Guess what? This new Orbit Culture track is freaking heavy. Guess what? This new Orbit Culture track is intense. Guess what? This new Orbit Culture track is chunky sounding. Guess what? This new Orbit Culture track has a kick ass chorus. Guess f**king what!? This new Orbit Culture track is brilliant.

…because of course it is.