Single Slam: Blackbriar, Plaiins, Call to the Void, Needless, Replica Jesus, Foxhaunt, Spin Class, Softcult, Underking, Cyhra, Sacred Little Toaster, SOMA, Not Enough Space, Onion Mash, Airwave Mantra, Krooked Tongue, …and Oceans!

Today’s single slam features Blackbriar, Plaiins, Call to the Void, Needless, Replica Jesus, Foxhaunt, Spin Class, Softcult, Underking, Cyhra, Sacred Little Toaster, SOMA, Not Enough Space, Onion Mash, Airwave Mantra, Krooked Tongue, …and Oceans. You can read our thoughts about the latest singles from these bands below.

Blackbriar – The Fossilized Widow

Dutch symphonic metal band Blackbriar have announced that their brand-new album ‘A Thousand Little Deaths’ will be released 22nd August via Nuclear Blast Records. Together with this exciting news the band have also shared their new single ‘The Fossilized Widow’.

Pushing their dynamic sound to even greater heights, this is as inspired Blackbriar we are hearing, and their bombastic symphonic style is on show here. However, this is not just a repeat of other bombastic sounds, and there’s a fresh focus on being anthemic, while layering in strong gothic vibes. It’s very impressive.

Plaiins – Sports Bar

Fiery punk, indie rock band Plaiins present ‘Sports Bar’, the second single of their debut album which will be released this summer via Long Branch Records.

Comments singer Chris Reardon:

‘Sports Bar’ is a tongue in cheek poke about sports fanaticism. I don’t know how the concept was developed, the opening verse and chorus just spilled out. By the time it was written, I read through the lyrics and was laughing to myself. This happens a lot when writing, they come very in the moment and I just let it flow and not second guess what it’s about or where its going. I just trust the creative process and what’s coming out. We finessed the lyrics all together later, and one of the goals with this song was there had to “LOL” moments and had to paint the picture in the way of a caricature. The imagery I had in my mind is like a cover of a Tom Sharpe book. The illustrator is an artist called Paul Sample, one of my favourites, and I wanted the lyrics to have that over the top feeling but also comment on something a little more poignant underneath. We leaned more on our love of indie and garage rock on this track, bands like The White Stripes and Arctic Monkeys but pushing the almost rap like vocals from the likes of Mike Skinner from The Streets. He’s been a constant inspiration, those first two albums, wow! Desert island discs for me. At the very end of the song I came up with in the studio whilst we were recording, I wanted to end the song with a kind of pub-like end of night drunken lullaby. You know when everyone’s battered arm-in-arm and got their half filled pint glasses in the air and everyone’s singing like it’s their last days on earth. Although ‘Sports Bar’ is a little poke, there’s something beautiful about the sense of community and passion for a sports club and I wanted to end the song with a tip of the cap to that.

An awesome band giving us awesome music, this is Plaiins at their most playful, delivering an anthem that is so easy to love. A rocking blast of excitable energy that has a chorus you’ll be singing all day and night long. It’s indie, but there’s a clever vein of garage rock running through it, and an undercurrent of punk. Honestly, it’s a banger, simple as that. You’ll love it. Check it out here.

Call to the Void – A Girl Like You (Edwyn Collins Cover Feat. Tairrie B of My Ruin)

Joining forces for a duet cover of the Edwyn Collins classic ‘A Girl Like You’ – My Ruin vocalist Tairrie B. Murphy teams up with longtime friend Jack Osborne and his band Call to the Void in this darkly playful, amplified interpretation of the 1990s hit. A coming together of two friends and a reflection on their history & connection through the years.

This is so cool. Two fabulous artists working together on a fun cover that fits both their styles but also pushes them to be a bit more daring. Of course, the focus is on the vocals but Call to the Void give us plenty of rocking groove and excitable energy too. How good does Tairrie B sound here? You don’t have to love, even like the original, to get a kick out of what is being done here.

Needless – Twilight Cradle

Progressive death metal band, Needless have released the brand-new track, ‘Twilight Cradle’, the second track to come from thier upcoming full-length album, ‘Premonition’, which will be released on May 30th, 2025, via Inertial Music.

A punchy head banger with elements of melodic death blended with progressive metal, then covered in a thick layer of darkness. It’s a beastly listen, but an addictive one, and shows both imagination and flair. Two tracks, two bangers, this new album is looking pretty damn tasty! Check it out here.

Replica Jesus – Bonegrinder

Replica Jesus, the fuzzed-out heavy stoner punk masters, are back with a brand-new single called ‘Bonegrinder’.

Not quite what you might expect when you read words like ‘stoner’ and ‘fuzzed out’, even though both do apply, Replica Jesus are rockier and poppier, and it gives their music a fresh feel. Especially as it is heavy, just not in the conventional way, and it is punky, but in a unique way too. It’s weird, but it is groovy, and very memorable, and it’s likely that it causes some real body shaking behaviour in the live environment. Check it out here.

Foxhaunt – The Daylight Between Us (feat. Rebekah Kirk of Sixth Wonder)

Leeds alt-rock outfit Foxhaunt have released their brand new single ‘The Daylight Between U’s (featuring Rebekah Kirk from UK metallers Sixth Wonder). The band are currently finalists in Kerrang Radio’s “The Deal” competition, and should they win, they will get to open proceedings at this years’ Download Festival.

Experimenting with a heavier sound, while keeping their alternative ways front and centre, Foxhaunt show off just what makes them such a listenable band in a handful of minutes. Energetic and anthemic, their imagination is running a bit wild here, and it stands out for so many reasons, least of all its excellent chorus. The kind of track that would go off nicely in the live environment.

Spin Class – Bagel Bagel Bagel

Bristol-based rock four-piece Spin Class have released their brand-new single, ‘Bagel Bagel Bagel’, taken from their upcoming second EP ‘Dinner at Derek’s’ out later this year. With ‘Bagel Bagel Bagel’, the band wanted to capture the frenetic energy of their live show, opting to record the track live in its entirety with Josh Gallop (Krooked Tongue, Phoxjaw, Sergeant Thunderhoof) at Stage 2 Studios in Bath.

An energetic rocker with punky undertones, and some exceptional creative twists and turns, Spin Class want to get you moving here, but in an incontrollable way. From the moment it starts, it has your attention, and then it just gets better from there. Weird and wonderful, this is brilliantly imaginative stuff. Check it out here.

Softcult – Pill to Swallow

The buzzy, Ontario-based sibling duo behind Softcult redefine what it means to be a modern grunge band with their new single, ‘Pill to Swallow’, out via Easy Life Records.

Speaking of the track, the band share:

‘Pill To Swallow’ is a rallying cry for everyone feeling particularly exhausted and burned out by the current state of the world. It’s a reminder to keep pushing for and believing in positive change. As impossible as it can feel sometimes, we can’t allow the current social and political climate to jade us. Even when we feel hopeless and disenfranchised, we can’t slip into apathy or we let the oppressors win.

Soft and shoegazy, and with restrained passion, this new Softcult track is memorable. Not just because it has impressive melody, vibrant rock tones, and a certain level of theatre, but because it comes with such a strong message that is delivered with care. The instruments have power, but it’s the dreamy vocal style that really gets under the skin. It’s a great track.

Underking – King Under the Mountain

Underking, the epic rock and metal solo act composed of multi-instrumentalist Maxwell Jeffries, has released the brand-new single, ‘King Under the Mountain’. It is the second single to come from Underking’s upcoming 2025 release and is inspired by Smaug from The Hobbit.

More great stuff from Underking, giving us plenty of reasons to bang the head and throw the horns through a medley of heavy rock and metal ideas. It, like everything from this band, has an epic feel, one based in the fantastical, but one that doesn’t let the tropes dominate. It’s fast paced, exciting, and extremely likable heavy music with anthemic qualities. Check it out here.

Cyhra – Mark of My Sins

Swedish melodic metal supergroup Cyhra (featuring Amaranthe co-founder Jake E and current The Halo Effect, Kamelot, The Crown, and Suburban Tribe members) are continuing to take the metal world by storm with the release of their new digital single ‘Mark of My Sins’.

Sounding bigger and stronger, Chyra march forward with epic intent, delivering a powerful blast of dramatic heaviness. Rising above some melodeath tropes, while embracing others, the end result is a head banger with accessibility, modern accessibility. You don’t have to even like melodeath to like this, it’s that strong.

Scared Little Toaster – NO DECAF

Scared Little Toaster, the experimental noise rock/noise punk bass and drums duo from London, have released their new single, ‘NO DECAF’. A track that band themselves describe as:

Encapsulating the intense frustration and confusion of encountering disappointment – whether it’s a lukewarm decaffeinated beverage or a burnt slice of toast.

The immediate word that comes to mind when describing this track is ‘baffling’, but alongside that, words like ‘fun’ and ‘wacky’ also crop up. That’s Scared Little Toaster for you though and they continue to showcase a unique sound with this new slice of textured chaos. It’s noise, but it’s surprisingly compelling and interesting noise. Check it out here.

SOMA – Absence of Light

SOMA are a post-metal band from Belfast, blending atmospheric textures with heavy riffs, drawing inspiration from bands like Cult of Luna, Alcest, Deftones, Oceansize. Their debut single, ‘Absence of Light’ is out now and is loosely inspired by the bleak, atmospheric tone of Cormac McCarthy’s The Road, exploring themes of societal collapse, isolation, and survival.

A highly atmospheric piece of music that has strong cinematic qualities and oozes gloominess but can also uniquely pretty. That is the summation of this debut SOMA single, but alongside that comes layers of heaviness that give it a meatier flavour. It’s a lot more intense than expected, and sometimes that intensity comes from unexpected places. An attention-grabbing effort. Check it out here.

Not Enough Space – Eye 4 an Eye (feat. Anthony Martinez of Dark Divine)

Floridian quintet, Not Enough Space, have released their latest new single, ‘Eye 4 An Eye’, via Thriller Records. The new track features guest vocals from Anthony Martinez, front man of Orlando’s heavy rock act Dark Divine. Diving into the dark corners of betrayal, vengeance, and moral corruption.

Speaking of the song, the band share:

Our new collaboration with Anthony Martinez from Dark Divine, ‘Eye 4 An Eye’ captures a dark and cynical energy. This song represents how our beliefs become morally corrupt when we attempt to level the playing field with vengeance and spite after trust has felt betrayed. As the lyrics unfold, it becomes clear that forgiveness is out of reach with both sides are consumed by their distorted thoughts, leaving any possibility of reconciliation in the dust.

A stompy, noisy, and chaotic banger that draws from the modern world of alternative metal crossed with ‘core’ tendencies. Downright dangerous sounding, but with incredible amounts of infectious touches, it’s all over the place, but it works. Especially as it features a guest vocalist who can match Not Enough Space’s energy and intensity. It’s very clever, and very addictive.

Onion Mash – Legal Slaves

Onion Mash, a hard rock/metal band based in Manchester, UK, have released their new single, ‘Legal Slaves’. A track, according to the band, that:

Explores being exploited and used in a dead-end job and system that doesn’t care about you. Also, it is about how we all work our fingers to the bone and get nothing in return. And finally, the feelings of being weathered and ground down over years of exploitation.

A powerful subject, expressed in groovy fashion, Onion Mash know how to deliver a memorable rock tune, and that is certainly what we get here. It’s got a strong main riff, and great sounding vocals, but the highlight is the chorus, which is deliciously catchy. Check it out here.

Airwave Mantra – Not a Magnet

Swedish solo rock project Airwave Mantra (multi-instrumentalist Kalle Elfvin), has released the brand-new single, ‘Not a Magnet’.

From the moment this track starts, the foot (or feet) will be tapping along, and that vibe only increases as it goes on, with more body parts reacting to the infectious rhythm and melody. Highly artistic, exciting, and fun, this is three and a half minutes of delightful, accessible rock, and that’s worth celebrating. Check it out here.

Krooked Tongue – Marigold

Bristol rock trio Krooked Tongue are back with their brand-new single, ‘Marigold’. The track follows February’s ‘Let ‘Em Loose’, and 2024’s ‘Ember Mile’ and ‘Nothing Ever Grows’, taken from a longer body of material, with further details to be announced in the coming months.

Describing the single, vocalist and lyricist Oli Rainsford states:

‘Marigold’ is a love letter to the ‘what might’ve been’. Do you ever meet someone in passing and wonder where their life is going to end up? What struggles they might have, what their family is like, what they do in their spare time. It can become fantasy, and it’s interesting to speculate. I’ve always liked to people watch; you can defer so much from just a few seconds of looking at someone, and yet have no idea at all on how valid your assumptions are. Most of the time when we interact with strangers, it never gets a second thought.

A band that never fails to impress, Krooked Tongue’s latest single is very sweet. Delivering pensive melody and smooth vocals that touch the soul, while not being overly dramatic. It’s the kind of song writing and delivery that feels more authentic, and the kind of song writing and delivery that results in a hugely accessible and likable rock track. Check it out here.

…and Oceans – Förnyelse i Tre Akter

Season of Mist presents ‘Förnyelse i Tre Akter’, the new single from Finnish symphonic black metal architects …and Oceans. The track is the third and final single before the release of their highly anticipated album ‘The Regeneration Itinerary’, set to arrive on May 23rd.

A fiery blast of blackened noise, …and Oceans keep it pretty simple here, up to a point, as around the minute and a half mark, a bell ringing out sees the track shift, and it is stunning. This is what makes this band so special, even if the core take away from it is how unrelenting it is. Black metal, twisted by creativity, at its absolute best. The other singles were good, this is something else completely.