Single Slam: Believe in Nothing, Ventenner, Struck/Down, Civil Service, sunbleached, PINKNOISE, Downpour, Atlas, Falling Below, male//gaze, The Devil’s Trade, and Evil Scarecrow!

Today’s single slam features Believe in Nothing, Ventenner, Struck/Down, Civil Service, sunbleached, PINKNOISE, Downpour, Atlas, Falling Below, male//gaze, The Devil’s Trade, and Evil Scarecrow. You can read our thoughts about the latest singles from these bands below.

Believe In Nothing – The Children Are Cattle

Believe In Nothing have dropped ‘The Children Are Cattle’, the second new single from their debut LP ‘Rot’. Out October 31st via Church Road Records.

Says Caine Hemmingway (vocals/noise):

This is about a future with no sun, no rain, no dignity, just defeat. A world where children are grown in sacks and hunt in hordes. A consequential dystopian human existence.

Dystopian as f**k. Believe in Nothing’s new single oozes destructive and dangerous dark vibes, building tension until it uncoils vehemently in an explosion of garish noise. Blending a restrained tempo, punctuated by the hefty drums and obnoxious whines of guitar feedback, with frenzied bursts of chaos dictated by vocals that howl and roar with raw intensity. It’s a staggeringly impressive track.

Ventenner – Solvent

After rising through the ranks steadily from their 2014 album Distorture through to 2017’s Invidia record and following a series of EPs and singles, alternative rock hybrid outfit Ventenner recently announced their return with new EP ‘Slow Dissolve’ on 31st October (Athanor Records).

Now sees the release of the 2nd single ’Solvent’ with frontman Charlie Dawe stating:

Solvent is creatively very exposed. It’s a very direct approach to making a feeling into a song. It’s full of contrasts and honesty, musically and lyrically. And that comes from not putting it through any kind of filter or second guessing the process. It feels very primal.

One of the most creative bands in the world, Ventenner take us into dark, industrial-tinged territories with this infectious new effort. Where a rawness saturates everything, causing discomfort, but not to the point where anyone will want to turn it off. It’s far too interesting for that. This new EP is going to be very special. Check it out here.

Struck/Down – The Slog

Canterbury alternative/groove metal unit Struck/Down have shared their new single, ‘The Slog’ via self-release, alongside a rowdy music video.

Tackling themes of persevering through the natural strife and obstacles of life, discussing ‘The Slog’, the band states:

The song is from the perspective of someone right on the edge of becoming nothing and wondering whether it’s worth even pulling away from such a conclusion. ‘The Slog’ references issues with image, self worth, health, disease, and trust in the wrong friends. Everyone’s experience is very different, but those that take on the slog of tomorrow are champions in our eyes.

Groovy as hell, with gargantuan riffs, and vocals that soar, Struck/Down’s new single is a powerful effort. One with massive anthemic qualities (you’ll hear a lot of your favourite bands in this one), least of all the chorus, and the layered atmosphere throughout. At its core though, it’s a head banger and that is what Struck/Down do so well.

Civil Service – Black Giraffes

Civil Service have released their new single ‘Black Giraffes’. Taken from their forthcoming album ‘DARK ///’, out November 21st via A Cheery Wave and Ripcord Records.

Says the band:

Black Giraffes was a song born from finding the hope in the apocalyptic. In 2019, Civil Service visited Kyiv with friends. In 2022, following the latest invasion, the band penned and performed a new song, Black Giraffes, at a Ukrainian benefit gig in Leeds.

Having developed over the intervening period, Black Giraffes returns on Dark///, with a series of quotes obtained from Ukrainian aid workers and civilians on the front line in Eastern Ukraine – explaining why they are proud to be resisting the current invasion.

In addition, the song features violin parts from the Severn Duo, adding a weight and atmosphere befitting the apocalyptic themes.

Filled with potency and emotion, focusing on a harsh reality for so many, Civil Service expand on their layered sound in a collaborative way. The result is a very special track that feels grander than ever. It’s creative post rock at its finest and you’ll feel its impact in your soul. Check it out here.

sunbleached – Stain

Brisbane grunge rock/emo-infused punk band sunbleached are back with their brand-new single, ‘Stain’.

When asked to interpret the track, frontman Josh Baker declares:

Stain is the first song I wrote after my wife and I decided to end our relationship. The instrumental had been written by Bradley years earlier, but nothing ever came to me for it, until then. Just a couple of weeks after that decision, when everything felt sharp and unfiltered, the song finally found it’s voice. Writing it helped me sift through those first emotions; the grief, confusion, frustration and heaviness that came with watching a chapter of your life permanently close. For me, it was cathartic and necessary, but I’d rather listeners interpret it however it speaks to them.

A short and sharp blast of grungy emo-infused rock that has a lot of heart and soul, and not just because of the lyrical content. The melodies are powerful, the riffs are punchy, and the chorus is very infectious. It’s a very memorable effort that oozes passion. Another great sunbleached effort. Check it out here.

PINKNOISE – Flesh and Bone

Hot off the heels of their recent debut EP release, ‘HUMAN=KIND’, non-binary trailblazing hard rock artist PINKNOISE has released their new single, ‘Flesh and Bone’.

Another alternative banger from PINKNOISE that ticks all the boxes for modern rock and metal, yet once again, the super-talented artist rises above familiarity with genuine passion and power. PINKNOISE is one of the most convincing artists out there and creates a whirlwind of anthemic intensity here. The chorus is stunning. Check it out here.

Downpour – Barely Afloat

UK-based melodic hardcore upstarts Downpour have released their new single ‘Barely Afloat’. It sees the band open up about their shared experiences with mental health struggles:

Says vocalist Richard:

The song was born during a period when Jesse [guitar/vocals] was facing serious health challenges. I connected deeply with that, having fought my own battles with health. Together, we were able to channel those experiences into something that, despite its origins, radiates a sense of positivity.

A defiant blast of chaotic energy that starts off hot, and aside from a more melody-laced chorus, stays that way throughout. It’s Downpour at their most vibrant and it results in an easy to love track. Hardcore intensity blended with uplifting harmonies. What more could you want?

Atlas – Salt and Sulfur

Finnish Northcore visionaries Atlas descend into the ice-cold depths of grief and impermanence with new single ‘Salt and Sulfur’.

Metalcore with a bit more bite and coated in darkness, Atlas’ new single hits hard, not just from a heavy or melodic perspective, but from how it makes the mind, body, and soul feel like it has been submerged in ice-cold depths. It’s breath-stealing stuff, and easily one of their most intense effort to date. Check it out here.

Falling Below – Pieces

Falling Below will release their sophomore EP ‘Holding Out for Hope’ on 20th February 2026. Ahead of the EP’s launch, the band have unveiled their new single ‘Pieces’.

Captivating melody, a chunky riff, a powerful guitar solo, and smooth vocals… Falling Below start this track off in head-turning fashion. Yet, it just gets better and better as it goes on, especially when the chorus hits. It’s an accessible alternative head banger that sounds downright stadium sized.

male//gaze – Get Well

male//gaze have released their lead single ‘Get Well’. Taken from their forthcoming EP ‘Too Late Now’ [Self-released], out November 28, 2025.

This is brilliant. Shoegaze blended with pop melodies and post-hardcore intensity; it’s a combination that is unique and makes for one hell of a listen. Call it what you want, when it boils down to it, male//gaze have created something touching, exciting, and memorable. One listen turns into ten, and it just gets more mesmerising each time. One of the best songs of the year. Check it out here.

The Devil’s Trade – The Sleep That Dragged You Away

Acclaimed post-doom artist The Devil’s Trade has unveiled ‘The Sleep That Dragged You Away’, the new single taken from his new album ‘Nincs Szennyezetlen Szép’, out 7th November via Pelagic Records.

The Devil’s Trade mastermind Dávid Makó comments:

‘The Sleep That Dragged You Away’ is the hardest and therefore the most liberating song of my life so far. It was my first experience of failure as a songwriter and singer. The writing process itself was a near nervous breakdown experience, and then I completely broke down during the recording. I had to withdraw and seriously consider the possibility of giving up. This song is closely connected to the prophecy in ‘Dear Mother’, heard on Those Miles…, which was released eleven years ago. It deals with one of the most defining childhood traumas of my life and the most defining trauma of my adult life so far. It has become a real cliché that music can have a therapeutic effect, and I usually avoid that term, but in this case, it is a truly cathartic processing every time I listen to or perform it.

A thick, dark, and diabolic sounding track that showcases weighty doom riffs, enigmatic melodies, haunting vocals, and burgeoning atmosphere. It’s a track that gets under the skin, gripping the mind tightly, and refusing to let go for nearly eight minutes. While you can say that the Devil’s Trade often crafts potent and layered heaviness, this is something else entirely. Check it out here.

Evil Scarecrow – Shoptimus Prime

Evil Scarecrow return with ‘Shoptimus Prime’, the final single to be released ahead of their forthcoming album ‘Silicon Tea’ due for digital release on 1st October 2025.

‘Shoptimus Prime’ is a genre bending consumerist admonition, we might all want to be better people, but we all take the most convenient options sometimes, are we quietly contributing to the downfall of humanity? It’s something to consider while you change the batteries in the TV remote and absent-mindedly caress your reversible sequined Nicholas Cage pillow.

It’s almost time, and you should be so very excited. Not just because it’s Evil Scarecrow, but because they’re proven with each single release that this new album is going to be special. An opinion given even more weight with this exceptional effort that has their usual anthemic elements, but takes a more melodic approach, without losing its heavy edge. Some great use of synth, a chant along chorus, a strong guitar solo, and clever lyrics, it is Evil Scarecrow at their best.