Austria-based metalcore band Bite To Break just unleashed their new single, "In Between". This is a viciously melodic new tune that'll capture any fan of the genre. Heavy-handed and melodic instrumentals lie beneath a powerful vocal performance as listeners are treated to earth-shattering breakdowns and spot-on production work. What a release! Bite To Break - "In Between" Only the second track released by the band, this serves as another example of why Bite To Break is a band

A dash of Against Me, a scoche of Face to Face, and sprinkle the slightest bit of emo on top, and you have the new track "Romeo" by the DIY punk rockers Lady Susan. Upbeat without being saccharine, heavy without being pummeling, this one checks a lot of boxes, and I really enjoyed it. Good production for a DIY project and some great gang vocals, what's not to love? These days, with recording technology being what it is, it's my opinion that DIY is the way to go unless you've

First off, the band name makes you laugh and simultaneously makes you feel smart for getting it, and I don't often feel smart, so I thank them for that. What we have here is an upbeat, easy song to listen to that's very stylish in its simplicity. It's fun and catchy and very well-executed, and on the surface, that could be it. Well done, review over. Then you read the lyrics and realize that it's a very clever warning: don't believe the car salesman with the great pitch, for

Simple, well-executed old-school punk rock is always welcome. Catchy hooks, dual vocals and the rolling bassline that made us love Matt Freeman put a smile on my face every time as well. ill jill has all of that with their new single "Burning Bright", off their upcoming album, We are Not the Problem. Couple that with the fact that these Riot Grrls are flying the flag for the overlooked and the marginalized, and I like it even more. After all, isn't Punk Rock's main goal to gi

"Innocence" is a single released earlier this year by the Kansas-based Nu-Metal band The Absent. Coming fully equipped with ripping instrumentals, powerful vocal flows, and spot-on production work, this is a wild new ride that any fan of the genre is going to love. What a release! You can check out the music video for the single below. We also added the track to our Heavy Heavy Heavy playlist on Spotify. Make sure to follow The Absent so you can stay on top of what else they

"Death Of The Party" is a single released earlier this year by the Seattle-based band PUNKTUALS. Boasting a raw and infectious energy, this track wastes no time handing listeners dynamic vocal flows, ripping instrumentals, and impressive songwriting. What a release! You can check out the music video for the single below. We also added the track to our Underground Punk and Underground Indie & Alternative playlists on Spotify. Make sure to follow PUNKTUALS so you can stay on to

"Smell the Rot" is a single released earlier this year by the London-based metal band Perpetual Paradox. A single from their new EP, May Misery Befall You, this is a wild new tune that rips hard with heavy-handed instrumentals, powerful vocal flows, and anthemic energy. If you like what you hear, we highly suggest you check out their new EP in its entirety because this thing rips. You can check out the music video for the single below. We also added it to our Heavy Heavy Heav

Nebarska-based artist EverWill just unleashed their new single "Stay". Boasting a dynamic blend of styles under the Hard Rock umbrella, this track pulls from elements of Alt-Rock, Metal, Emo, and more. The end result is a refreshing sound that feels nostalgic while at the same time new. That's not an easy feat to accomplish with music, especially today. What a release! Powerful vocal flows pull you into this track as you're gifted heavy-handed instrumentals, unique transition

Well hell. What is a beginner music critic to do when reviewing the work of a friend and peer? And what’s more, what to do when this friend has consistently put out really lovely songs for what seems like forever? The answer? I reckon it’s to listen closely and disassociate any and all personal feelings, right? Ok, here goes: Although bands like Lagwagon, Eve 6 and Descendents don’t often get lumped together, for the purposes of this review, it fits. Just bear with me. Each h

Screamed verses and sung choruses are becoming the norm in today’s brand of Metalcore and, as long as it’s executed deftly, I have no problem with it. It plays on the dynamic of two very disparate approaches and attitudes, and the juxtaposition between the two makes for some interesting works. Enter Love Like Enemies and their new release, “The Wasp and the Spider”. Aggressive, impressive and impossibly guttural, the vocalist chugs forth like a locomotive fueled by anger, and

The Carringtons are a damn good band. Sure, they play a certain brand of lo-fi garage-driven rock à la The Strokes and Band of Horses, and that particular genre may often be unfairly judged “too cool” or “pretentious” by modern listeners, but I beg to differ. It takes a certain swagger and confidence to pronounce “still” and “there” in such a way as to make them rhyme. It’s stylish and smooth, and somehow sounds right. In my humble opinion The Carringtons sidestep being labe

Trickstate deliver a pounding, pummeling metal sound with impressive dual-screamers and a big, anthemic sound with their new single, “Static Truth”. This one would be just as applicable in the gym or while training as it would in the chaos of the pit. Booming drums, a baseline so low that you almost feel rather than hear it, subtly political and brashly defiant lyrics and screams and growls that peel paint off the walls, this one checks all the boxes for Metal Core/Hardcore

“I Drink Wine Now” by PASH RASH is a low-fi, mid-tempo punk/hardcore song about, well, the merits of drinking wine, really. There’s no nonsense, no flowery, thinly-veiled metaphor, just a straight-forward tune that I actually really enjoyed. But if I may scratch just slightly beneath the surface, I think it’s about getting older and accepting it gracefully. Hell, I’ve spent 20 years fronting a wild, hard-partying punk band and recently I’ve gotten sober, started using readin

Pop Punk/Skatepunk band Team22 are after my old, black heart, and I’ll tell you why. Firstly, they play happy, fun, galloping punk and appear to be truly enjoying themselves. Second, their singer has one of those hard-to-place but unmistakably non-American accents that immediately reminds me of Millencolin, and I’ve always loved them, ever since I saw Steve Caballero sit in on bass at Warped Tour circa 1998. (Jesus wept, I’m getting really oooold.) And lastly, they sing abo

Screamed verses. Sung Choruses. Repeated piano melodies. A dreamy, atmospheric part in the middle. As a critic, I hear a lot of this. These are tropes used again and again in modern Metalcore and for good reason: they create dynamism, emotion, a sense of vastness. Conversely, it can be tough to stand out within these guidelines. Let's be honest: a trope only becomes so by being somewhat derivative. "A Stitch In Time Saves None", the recent offering from Australia's Patient Si

Ya know, sometimes I feel like a real asshole. Here are The Inkreats, a very talented Street Punk band singing and playing their hearts out about an unnamed someone who has clearly upset them greatly, and I catch myself bouncing up and down like I'm listening to the frickin' Go Go's. The subject of the song, according to the lyrics, has destroyed their future and all I'm doing is having fun and smiling like an idiot. Is this wrong? Was this the plan all along? I have no idea,

Looking for a fresh set of songs that boast an infectious pop-rock energy with heartfelt lyrical work? Looking for a new release that pulls you in with melodic instrumentals, powerful vocal flows, and spot-on production work? Well... LOOK NO FURTHER! Australia-based band Harley has you covered. You're The Only One I'll See At Home is a 6-track release that does an impressive job at capturing a hypnotic sound from the first note and keeps its energy until the last. Blending th

Helsinki-based band mtvkid just dropped their new EP, Far From It. A beautifully crafted and anthemic 5-track ride, this release comes fully equipped with a dynamic blend of styles and hypnotic energy. What a release! Pulling from elements of Pop Punk, Indie Rock, Pop Rock, and more, the band shines by being able to deliver a sound that feels nostalgic while at the same time new. That is not an easy feat, and it's a true testament to the songwriting skills mtvkid has. Each tr

Breakup songs are great, especially when approached from a funny, tongue-in-cheek vibe as opposed to the whole “I’m gonna boil your bunny” angle. That one gets a little scary and sometimes even a tad incriminating. No, Pop Punk enthusiasts, Cemetery Drive aren’t heartbroken lovers or psychopathic, unpredictable exes, they’re handling it the healthy way. By writing an upbeat, cathartic and, dare I say, happy song about someone who isn’t particularly missed, and wasn’t particul

Jackie, the subject of Pop Punk band Halfway To Neptune’s new single, seems pretty cool. Some great punk songs have been written like this, (My Girlfriend by Blink 182, for instance) praising a girlfriend or wife who doesn’t get much recognition but helps keep the ship sailing and the creative juices flowing. Way to go, Jackie, we literally couldn’t do it without you. Halfway To Neptune are a young but surprisingly professional quartet from Los Angeles, and while their sound