Rob Zombie‘s back! With Halloween just a few weeks away, it feels like perfect timing for one of the season’s biggest champions to ride back with news of new music, but he’s certainly not alone as Ice Nine Kills have also kicked out a brand new single this week too.
But we’re getting ahead of ourselves. First, the results of last week’s vote! Lord Of The Lost remain the undefeated champions of tracks of the week, adding a sixth crown to their impressive arsenal. But it was a tighter battle for the other podium positions: Ukrainian anti-war death metallers 1914 took a strong second place, with Sweden’s Avatar managing to keep Megadeth at bay enough to take bronze.
We’ve got a hefty selection for you to dive into this week, with a bunch of big-name bands in the running. As well as the aforementioned Rob Zombie and Ice Nine Kills, there’s new music from Black Label Society, as well as a whole bunch of emergent talent in the form of Cemican, Blanket, Thou and more. As ever, don’t forget to vote for your favourite in the poll below – and have an excellent weekend!
Ice Nine Kills – The Laugh Track
Kicking us off this week, the latest single from Ice Nine Kills. It’s increasingly looking like the band aren’t looking at a Silver Scream 3 for their next outing, following up their Matrix homage The Great Unknown with a track about comics’ greatest killer clown. Taking cues from Tim Burton’s 1989 Batman, The Laugh Track is everything we’ve come to expect from INK – flomboyant, fun and with killer hooks (not to mention a great use of a riff of Danny Elfman’s Batman Theme), it’s proof that even away from straight horror this band know how to entertain.
![Ice Nine Kills - The Laugh Track (Official Music Video) [Part 1] - YouTube](https://img.youtube.com/vi/2fbVUmH6mY0/maxresdefault.jpg)
Rob Zombie – Punks And Demons
Rob Zombie’s first new single in four years sees him going right back to the source. Punks And Demons feels the most industrial Zombie track since his White Zombie days – there’s a massive spectre of Ministry in that core riff – stripping away some of the more sideshow trappings of his most recent albums to get back to making an infernal racket, spelling great things for new album The Great Satan on Feb 27.
Cemican – Viaje Astral Del Quetzal De Fuego
Foreboding, otherworldly tones meet traditional Mexican folk on Cemican’s latest single Viaje Astral Del Quetzal De Fuego. In much the same way as bands like Alien Weaponry, The Hu and Blackbraid have explored their cultural identities through a fusion of folk and metal, Cemican explore Mayan culture, and this latest track serves up something soulful and powerful with Gojira-style extremity. Taken from new album ‘U_k’u’uk’ankil_Mayakaaj, out October 31, it’s a fascinating sound well worth exploring.
Jet Jaguar – Mach 10
Sticking to the borders of Mexico but looking at a very different kind of tradition are Jet Jaguar. Old school heavy metal with a proto-thrash/power metal hale energy, Mach 10 lives up to its name with a delightful sense of exuberance and thunder. Taken from new album Severance – out October 24 – it’s a must for anyone who loves the likes of Annihilator, Helloween or even more modern heavy metal revivalists like Asomvel and Tailgunner.
Pinkshift – Authority Problem
If you’re looking for more of a hardcore stomp, you’ll do well to check out Authority Problem, the latest single from Maryland’s Pinkshift. Reflecting on the state of life in America right now, the track hits with the same kind of dystopian horror as Discharge’s prime 80s material, oppressive riffs and low-end undercut by Ashrita Kumar’s manic vocals. On tour in the UK with Grandson in February next year, keep your eyes out for this lot.
Moodring – Half-Life
“Deftonescore” has certainly gained some legitimacy in recent years with more bands exploring the gumbo of alt. rock, nu metal and shoegaze with increasing confidence. Moodring have inhabited these realms long before a proper tag had been created for it, so it’s no surprise they’re not ditching it now on new single Half-Life. Weightless, ethereal melodies give way to a crunching breakdown that shows this lot have both heft and melody in their arsenal, spelling bright things for a new album next year.
Witcher – Szélhozó
Grandiose, atmospheric black metal from Hungary, Witcher’s latest single Szélhozó is gorgeous and furious in equal measure, exploring Hungarian folklore with a sense of the mystic. It’s an epic track that feels like a more underground Dimmu Borgir, really evoking the imagery of stark forests. Taken from new album Öröklét, out November 4, it’s perfect for ushering in those cold winter nights.
Cold In Berlin – The Stranger
Speaking of cold tones, Cold In Berlin’s latest single The Stranger delivers a sense of ethereal darkness. Set somewhere between the fuzzy tones of doom and miserablism of post-punk, the song is stark yet beautiful. Taken from new album Wounds, out November 7, it feels like the perfect soundtrack to the coming colder months.
Black Label Society – Broken And Blind
The wait for a new Black Label Society album must surely almost be over. The third single the band have put out in the last twelve months, Broken And Blind is lurching, old school heavy metal with a Southern tinge – just what we like to hear from Zakk Wylde and co. With the band on active duty next year – including an appearance at Bloodstock in the UK – we’d be amazed if we don’t get this new album before summer hits.
Greyhaven – Prelude: Evening Star / Shatter And Burst
We should all know by now, a soft intro seldom lasts in metal. Sure enough, Greyhaven go from a With Teeth style NIN sense of disconnect to wailing, chaotic noise on Prelude: Evening Star / Shatter And Burst, exploding with furious vitality that is delightful and continues to veer in unexpected directions as the song progresses. Touring the UK with Better Lovers this month, you can definitely hear some Dillinger in the mix.
![Greyhaven - Prelude: Evening Star / Shatter And Burst [OFFICIAL VIDEO] - YouTube](https://img.youtube.com/vi/9TpMPZ8FSBY/maxresdefault.jpg)
Blanket – Hole In My Head
We’re once again adrift in the relams of Deftones-core, and damn if it isn’t bliss. Blanket’s Hole In My Head taps into that insta-nostalgia that shoegaze evokes, floating along fuzzy low-end and hazy tones that lend a dream-like sense to even the heaviest parts of the song. Its 90s nostalgia at its finest.
Crystal Lake – The Weight Of Sound
It’s been seven years since Japanese metalcore troupe Crystal Lake last put out a record. In that time there’s been a few line-up changes – guitarist Shinya Hori stepped away in 2020, while vocalist Ryo Kinoshita left in 2022 – but the band are clearly come back strong with new single The Weight Of Sound. Tapping into metalcore’s well-worn capacity for arena anthems, the track is the first taste of their new album of the same name, due January 26 and sees new vocalist John Robert Centorrino step up to showcase his impressive pipes.
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