Single Slam: Pupil Slicer, The Devil’s Trade, Survivalist, The Comfort, Caskets, Civil Service, Rageful, Paradise Sins, Annisokay, Son of Boar, Ventenner, Harroway, Shields, Going Off, and Dying Wish!

Today’s single slam features Pupil Slicer, The Devil’s Trade, Survivalist, The Comfort, Caskets, Civil Service, Rageful, Paradise Sins, Annisokay, Son of Boar, Ventenner, Harroway, Shields, Going Off, and Dying Wish. You can read our thoughts about the latest singles from these bands below.

Pupil Slicer – Fleshwork

UK mathcore dissonants Pupil Slicer return this autumn with a record that drags them further into the shadows. Their upcoming full-length, ‘Fleshwork’, is a brutal reawakening, sharpened, unflinching and ready to push their extremity into new, more harrowing territory. The album will be released on 7th November via Prosthetic Records.

The third single from the album, title track ‘Fleshwork’, lands with suffocating weight. Accompanied by a stark, cinematic video directed by longtime collaborator David Gregory, the single unravels a narrative that stretches across the album’s visual accompaniments, drawing listeners deeper into the record’s bleak thematic core.

The band comment:

‘Fleshwork’ as a track originally started as experimentation into more industrial and groove-oriented writing that we found really worked well in the practice space. Since road testing this song, we’ve found it hits like a brick wall live and really works in that setting so we believe it’s a great starting point for this new era. Lyrically, this song encompasses a lot of the themes of the album, dealing with manipulation, death, and total eradication of one’s own humanity to further a cause you don’t believe in and perpetuate a cycle of killing. The music video was directed by our good friend David Gregory who we are excited to be collaborating with again. The narrative in the video spans across all of the upcoming singles for this release, to tell a story that depicts the tonal and thematic elements of our album through a cinematic eye.

Without a shadow of doubt, this new Pupil Slicer album is one of the most anticipated of the year, and this third single might be the best of the bunch so far. Filled with ferocious intent, powerful guitar rhythms, the chunkiest of drumbeats, and the most vitriolic of vocals, except there’s so much more too. Not only does it have melody, but it delivers haunting atmosphere and unique sounding clean singing. It’s such a clever, and addictive song. Pupil Slicer have never sounded sharper, or heavier, and as if to hammer that point home, the last section of the song is downright doomy.

The Devil’s Trade – Weltschmerz

Acclaimed post-doom artist The Devil’s Trade has announced his new album ‘Nincs Szennyezetlen Szép’, to be released 7th November via Pelagic Records. In celebration of the news, the first single from the album, the haunting ‘Weltschmerz’ has also been unveiled.

The Devil’s Trade comment on ‘Weltschmerz’:

‘The word ‘weltschmerz’ is much more than just ‘world-pain’ – it is a mood of weariness, sadness, or melancholy about life, rooted in an acute awareness of the world’s evil and suffering. It can be understood as a deep sadness about the insufficiency or cruelty of the world and the gap between ideal expectations and harsh realities. It signifies a sorrow one might feel and accept as part of life, carrying elements of pessimism and a melancholic view about existence and the human condition.

The song is about all the sacrifices to evolve to a better person to be able to provide a more loving, safer and healthier home but at the same time the world outside has already been hopeless.

Dark and morose, but with layers of beauty, The Devil’s Trade brings forth big and potent doomy sounds here. The kind that gets under the skin, burrows into the mind, and renders the soul. An unforgettable listen that demands you wallow, and wallow you will. Check it out here.

Survivalist – Radio Bleed

Born on the unforgiving streets of Belfast, Northern Ireland, Survivalist have forged their identity in the fires of personal struggle, societal decay, and the fractured world around them. Through a unique sonic alchemy, the band transforms fear, frustration, anger, and despair into a sound that is unbowed, unbroken, and uncompromising — a relentless fusion of bulldozing grooves, titanic riffs, concussive breakdowns, and devastating vocals. They call it Groovecore and their latest single, ‘Radio Bleed’, is out now.

Kicking so much ass, as per usual, Survivalist are back and with a garish, hard-hitting, and spicy blast of heavy groove. The kind that is easy to let loose too, and the kind that has a hostility that you can’t help but enjoy. Music this venomous shouldn’t be as anthemic as this head banger is.

The Comfort – Isolate.Fixate.Deteriorate

Brisbane alternative rock trio The Comfort share ripping new song ‘Isolate.Fixate.Deteriorate’ off their forthcoming album, Let the Love In, out Friday October 3rd, with vinyl available via BreakThrough Records.

Isolate.Fixate.Deteriorate is a personal one for vocalist Liam Holmes. He explains:

This song comes to terms with a habit I didn’t even realise was destroying me – and the people I love. I’ve always had the urge to disappear when I’m struggling, thinking that if I locked myself away long enough, I could outthink the pain. At the time, it felt like the safest option. In reality, it was me slowly deteriorating and cutting myself off from everyone who cared.

The song is written like a conversation with someone I love, a strange mix of confession and warning, telling them exactly how I’d pull away, without seeing the damage it would cause. It’s about the illusion of control, the comfort of isolation, and the moment you realise you’ve been romanticising your own decay.

A catchy and energised showcase of modern alternative rock and metal, with the focus being on melody, giving it an ‘emo’ vibe. Which, depending upon your taste, will be the best thing ever or the worst. Judge with your ears, and you’ll find a listenable anthem that has heart and soul and delivers a mighty chorus. Check it out here.

Caskets – Closure

Yorkshire melodic metallers, Caskets, have released new single, ‘Closure’, from their forthcoming new album ‘The Only Heaven You’ll Know’, due out November 7th via SharpTone Records.

Speaking on the new song, vocalist Matt Flood says:

Closure speaks about the breaking point in a toxic cycle, that moment when you realise the answers you search for will never come. Then having to walk away knowing there will always be this cell of wonder and confusion clouding your mind. This song talks about coming from a place of asking ‘Won’t you stop me at all? I wonder whether we’re both to blame’. Being caught up in lies, deceit, fighting battles you have no actual interest in winning, just yearning for answers, for reason to the madness. I’ve learnt that closure sometimes doesn’t come from the words or actions of others, but from finally saying it’s over, it’s okay, and walking away.

If you’re hoping for something unique or inspired sounding, you’re in the wrong place, sadly. It gives me no pleasure to say that about a band as good as Caskets, and regardless, I still think it’s a good track, but you’ll struggle to pick this out of a Caskets, and modern melodic metal/metalcore, line-up. That’s how ‘by the numbers’ it is. Check it out here.

Civil Service – URBNDCY

Manchester-based instrumental rock collective Civil Service are back with their brand new album, ‘DARK ///’, out November 21st via A Cheery Wave Records and Ripcord Records. To celebrate the announcement, they have also released the first single from it, ‘URBNDCY’, alongside a video.

Says the band:

URBNDCY [going with this stylisation, pron. Urban Decay] is a dark take on the destruction of our living environments by the humanmade perils of war, greed and pollution.

The darker tone of this track isn’t immediately prevalent, but like so much of what this band does, it’s all about how the track evolves and how the listener becomes more and more immersed as it goes on. Civil Service are a potent instrumental band, but it’s their ability to tell a story and make you feel, that makes them special. Through a combination of deep melodies, spirited rock rhythms, and post tones, they create something gripping. I can’t wait to hear the full album.

Rageful – Black Hole

Emerging from Lisbon’s underground scene, Rageful first erupted with their 2020 debut album Ineptitude, and followed it with a punishing split EP alongside with their “brothers in arms” Ruttenskalle in 2024. Now, Rageful return with their devastating new single, ‘Black Hole’.

A band that always delivers on the promise of savagery, potent and punchy heaviness, and once again, they smash heads and crush bones with this latest single. A screaming powerhouse of heaviness that will have all fans of death metal (old or new) banging their heads hard. Check it out here.

Paradise Sins – Bad Bad Bad

Rising British rock renegades, Paradise Sins, light the fuse with their explosive new single and video, Bad Bad Bad, out now. It shows the bands darker side, with a video that puts you front and centre of a Paradise Sins show.

What an anthem! Paradise Sins’ put the silliest smile on faces with this latest, lovable, effort. One that has so much swagger about it, but one that also leans into the metal side of the band, giving it a hardier, more vigorous edge. It will be stuck in the head for hours after.

Annisokay – My Effigy

German metalcore heavyweights Annisokay continue their unstoppable rise. Having recently played in front of their biggest crowds ever at Wacken and playing Summer Breeze Open Air, moments they now reflect on in their brand-new music video for ‘My Effigy’.

One of the most consistent modern metalcore bands out there, Annisokay are back, and back with a straight-forward blast of intensity that does little fresh, but is so damn listenable, it hardly matters. It is, simply, a fiery and energised Annisokay track with moments of brutality wrapped around a chorus that everyone will be trying to sing along to. Check it out here.

Son of Boar – U.F.O.

Bradford based stoner doom heavyweights Son of Boar are back with a brand-new single, ‘U.F.O’. A vagabond’s tale of fungal experimentation.

I love the spirit of this band, returning with a track that is them through and through, but also one that has experimental flashes and a bevy of twists and turns. It’s dark, it’s heavy, it’s groovy, it’s doomy, it’s thick, and it’s got that unmistakable whiff of stoner metal, but more than any of this, it’s Son of Boar. Only they can make a twelve-minute track feel like half that. This one that will be getting replay after replay after replay, it’s great to have them back. Check it out here.

Ventenner – Ultraviolet

Industrial, electronica, rock hybrid Ventenner return with new EP ‘Slow Dissolve’ on 31st October (Athanor Records). This latest release marks a new era for the band, following several years of major changes and upheavals. The first single ‘Ultraviolet’ is out now.

Gloomy and grubby, this new Ventenner track is a thrilling blend of industrial and electronica thump and thrum, warped by an underlying rockiness that has strong anthemic qualities. Evident by a chorus that is akin to the sun momentarily breaking free of the dark clouds and bathing us all in warmth. it’s a very cool listen. Check it out here.

Harroway – Run It

Sydney metalcore outfit Harroway return swinging with vicious new single ‘Run It’, a no-holds-barred track of rage and defiance.

A band that rarely puts a foot wrong, Harroway are back and, guess what? Yep, it’s a banger that gets the heart racing, the head banging, and the feet moving. Liable to explode in the live environment as it has an electrifying groove that you can see bouncing off a crowd looking to let loose. The cherry on top is a punchy breakdown. Check it out here.

Shields – Kill

Acclaimed British metalcore band Shields have released their new single ‘Kill’. It is the band’s third brand new song this year, following the singles ‘Abuser’ and ‘Red & Green’.

Says singer Joe Edwards:

Pushing the boundaries of our band’s sonic identity was a huge part of writing ‘Kill’. We experimented with different editing styles – including rapping, a genre I have immense respect for since my brother introduced it to me at a young age. Most of the lyrics in this song were taken from a poem written by my late brother, which binds me to this track intimately. My brother battled addiction for much of his life, and he wrote this poem during his withdrawals.

An interesting, if a bit polarising, Shields track that can certainly be praised for its experimental value. Something that does make for a more stimulating listen, but not one that guarantees a ton of replays. It is good, and it is memorable though, and more than anything, it’s great to hear Shields trying new things, even if not all of it works here. Check it out here.

Going Off – Mourning

Going Off are back with their brand-new single ‘Mourning’. Based on the loss of human life – the song is centred around the story of mother’s loss of her first-born son to extreme violence. The track is taken from their forthcoming EP ‘Kill List II’, out 31st October.

I’m going to sum this new Going Off track really simply as it’s a straight-forward raw hardcore blast of noise. If you like to feel like you’re being punched in the head over and over again, you’re going to love this. Calling it violent sounding is an understatement. Check it out here.

Dying Wish – Revenge in Carnage

Dying Wish have released, ‘Revenge in Carnage,’ the second song to be released from their forthcoming album ‘Flesh Stays Together’ – set for release September 26th via SharpTone Records.

Elaborating on ‘Revenge in Carnage’, vocalist Emma Boster shared:

‘Revenge in Carnage’ is an anthemic moment of man-made apocalyptic violence. Imagine when you hear the isolated vocal starting the song that you have entered your final moment. Our final moments on this earth will not be peaceful. There’s no time for reflection, only survival.

How about this!? The evolution of Dying Wish is in full swing now, and as well as sounding heavier than ever here, the layering of clean vocals over harsh ones, makes for a unique listen here. The chunky methodical instrumental approach works well alongside the varied vocals, but perhaps the most startling moment is the last minute of cinematic melody and clean singing. Unexpected, but potent.