Content Breakdown
Health and Chelsea Wolfe – Mean
Beauty School – When I’m Feeling Down
Pig Pen – Mental Mentality
Caskets – Make Me A Martyr
Orbit Culture – The Tales Of War
En Masse – justthisonce
Bite The Hand – Razorblade
Wildernesses – Four Hour Drive
–
Newish Music Playlist Update
Every week, our inbox is flooded with new singles from across the alternative scene, and while we’d love to highlight them all, there’s simply too much great music to keep up with. That’s where Already Heard Recommends: Songs of the Week comes in. We sift through the latest releases to bring you a handpicked selection of the standout tracks you need to hear.
Whether it’s rock, punk, emo, hardcore, metal, or something in between, we cut through the noise and bring you the songs that deserve your attention.
HEALTH and Chelsea Wolfe – Mean
It feels somewhat organic that HEALTH‘s industrial pulse complements Chelsea Wolfe‘s bewitching vocals. Coming together on ‘Mean,’ its underpinned with steely intensity. Produced by Stint (Oliver Tree, Demi Lovato), HEALTH‘s electronic pounce serves as the track’s backbone, allowing Wolfe’s sultry, spellbinding voice to heavenly lift the track up.
‘Mean’ follows HEALTH‘s previous collaborations with Bad Omens, Lauren Mayberry, and Filter. While Chelsea Wolfe continues to tour off the back of last year’s ‘She Reaches Out to She Reaches Out to She ‘ and its two complementary EPs, ‘Undone’ and ‘Unbound’.
Beauty School – When I’m Feeling Down
Leeds-based outfit Beauty School have always been likeable lads. With sextet having played together in various bands, their roots lie in stirring emotional alt-rock.
Latest single, ‘When I’m Feeling Down,’ sees them poignantly reflect on those instances when life is put on pause. Whether that be between jobs, between tours, or moments of uncertaintly, Beauty School guitarist and songwriter Dan Shaw uses the track to ruminate on the down time, compounded by his wife being away working and the loss of his grandparents. Ultimately,
Musically, it highlights Beauty School‘s ability to deliver emotionally-charged anthems that border on the fine lines of alt-rock, emo, and pop-punk. A trio of guitarists (Shaw along with Grant Beeden Clayton and Jordan Hill) provide a rousing drive, complemented by bassist Jason Blackburn and drummer Charlie Thomas. While Joe Cabrera’s often soulful vocals lead with conviction.
Pig Pen – Mental Mentality
It’s no surprise hardcore newcomers Pig Pen were making headlines before releasing any music. The Canadian outfit are fronted by Matty Matheson, known for his role of Neil Fak in ‘The Bear’ and as a chef and restaurateur. Joining him in the venture is Wade MacNeil of Alexisofire, Dooms Children, and formerly Gallows. As we said, it’s clear why Pig Pen were getting attention.
Nevertheless, they fulfill any hype with ‘Mental Mentality’. Completed by Daniel Romano, drummer Ian Romano (Daniel Romano’s Outfit), and bassist Tommy Major (Daniel Romano’s Outfit, Young Guv), Pig Pen deliver a rugged and breakneck slice of hardcore, with a hint of rock n roll flair.
Their debut album, ‘Mental Madness’, is sure to feel right at home on Flatspot Records, promising an array of frantic riffs and pounding rhythms, tied together with a DIY aesthetic. Much like ‘Mental Mentality,’ the core narrative of Pig Pen‘s upcoming album hones in on pushing through negative mindsets with positive energy and profound friendship.
‘Mental Madness’ by Pig Pen will be released on June 27th on Flatspot Records.
Caskets – Make Me A Martyr
Yorkshire metallers Caskets have never been afraid to express themselves. Whether that be the personal struggles threaded through debut album, ‘Lost Souls’, or the highs and lows explored on ‘Reflections’. Now as they return with new single, ‘Make Me A Martyr,’ they continue to show explosive catharsis. Utilising their familiar melodic vulnerability, ‘Make Me A Martyr’ is a sharp and soaring slice of metalcore, signalling a band in a reflective, and resilent mood, yet reinvigourated.
Lyrically, it sees Caskets vocalist Matt Flood confront the fallout of toxic love and the emotional manipulation. He describes ‘Make Me A Martyr’ as “an exploration of self-destruction and emotional turmoil… a cry for a real connection even if that means completely losing your own self-worth in the process of finding it.”
Orbit Culture – The Tales Of War
Having started the year supporting Trivium and Bullet For My Valentine, Orbit Culture are considerably riding a wave of momentum. Ahead of an appearance on the main stage at next month’s Download Festival, the Swedish four-piece have dropped a new single, ‘The Tales Of War’.
Labelled by the band as “the beginning of a new chapter,” it sees Orbit Culture deliver a meaty slice of furuious and vivd metal. The thriving cut exemplifies their familar flair for arresting hooks, and layered atmospherics, ultimately pummeling their way through with conviction.
“While other songs evolved and shifted during the writing process, this one stayed exactly as it was from the very start,” Orbit Culture explain. “It captures everything that defines Orbit Culture – the cinematic elements, the build-up, the verses, and the chorus. From the beginning, we knew this had to be the first song to introduce this new era.”
The Swedes also commented on how they’ve moulded their usual lengthy cinematic intros into the body of ‘The Tales Of War’. “On almost every show we’ve ever played, we’ve used these long, cinematic intros to set the mood – but this time, we figured: why not bake that feeling straight into the song itself? Even as we move forward and leave parts of our past behind, we needed a bridge to the future – and this track became that bridge.”
Orbit Culture will play the Apex (main) stage at the Download Festival on Sunday, June 15th.
En Masse – justthisonce
With a sound reminiscent of Glassjaw and Deftones, Connecticut post-hardcore trio En Masse show plenty of promise on ‘justthisonce’.
Taken from their forthoming ‘newviolenttrends’ EP, the track is delivered with cinematic urgency thanks to Zack Santiago’ soaring vocals. While guitarist Jari Javier and bassist Peter Parkes take charge of its overall drive. Underpinned by a textured and dynamic atmosphere, ‘justthisonce’ is a melodic and aggressive affair that leaves you wanting more.
Lyrically, it delve deep into the internal tug-of-war between personal growth and recurring struggle. En Masse‘s vocalist Zack Santiago expands on this by commenting, “In life there’s growth through situations and sometimes those situations reappear later through life as a test, ‘justthisonce’ is asking myself and the listener, have you truly learned anything at all?”
‘newviolenttrends’ by En Masse is released on June 20th on Fever Ltd.
Bite The Hand – Razorblade
Following in the footsteps of Scowl, Gel, and Fleshwater, Arizona’s Bite The Hand are part of a crop of rising hardcore bands. Their new single, ‘Razorblade’, sees the quintet embrace a sharper sound, blending a metallic bite with subtle pop hooks.
Treading the fine line of chaos and cathartic, ‘Razorblade’ is a rallying call to anyone who’s ever been belittled, especially by men. “It’s definitely an anthem for anyone who has to deal with constant, violent misogyny,” reflects vocalist Echo Breen (she/her). It slots into Bite The Hand‘s inclusivity ethos: “We want more women and marginalized voices to be recognised.”
The release of ‘Razorblade’ follows last year’s ‘Conned Out Of Life‘ EP, which honed in on the band’s self-styled “sugarcore” sound.
Wildernesses – Four Hour Drive
Describing their sound as “dreamo”, Wilderness are a new London quartet featuring members of We
Never Learned To Live, Earth Moves and Late Night Fiction. Their debut single, ‘Four Hour Drive,’ is an impressive blend of post-rock, shoegaze and dream-pop.
Surging with Phillip Morris’ earthly vocals and Jonathan Oakley-Birch’ textured guitars, ‘Four Hour Drive’ proves to be an evocative number that shifts into a spine-tingling post-rock that effortlessly draws you in. Overall, it highlights Wilderness’ emotional heaviness and combines it with a glistening musical versatility.
Commenting on the track, the band commented, “Four Hour Drive explores heritage, family, caring responsibility, procrastination from that responsibility, diversions and fantasies of a hypothetical ‘other life.’“
It’s clear with their experience and musical breadth, Wilderness have a lot more to offer.
Newish Music Playlist Update
Hear all of this week’s choices and more through our ‘Newish Music’ playlist. Consisting of the latest rock, punk, hardcore, metal, emo, and everything in between, it’s your go-to playlist for new music.
With over 60 tracks added this week, some of the highlights include music from Hot Milk, Deaf Havana, Of Mice and Men, Parkway Drive, Pupil Slicer, Dance Gavin Dance, Three Days Grace, and Soccer Mommy.
As well as the collaboration between HEALTH and Chelsea Wolfe, there are also collabs from Simple Plan and Avril Lavigne, Paramore‘s Hayley Williams and Moses Sumney, and Attack Attack! return with help from Will Ramos of Lorna Shore.
If that’s not enough, there are songs from Belmont, Pleaser, Kusanagi, Our Nameless Boy, Tummyache, and more.
Ashes of Billy – Never Gonna Get Me Athletics – Where I First Heard The Sound Attack Attack! – Dance! Feat. Will Ramos Avralize – helium Battle Beast – Last Goodbye Beauty School – When I’m Feeling Down Belmont – In The Sky Bite The Hand – Razorblade Black Satellite – Downfall Caskets – Make Me A Martyr Charmer – Night Chiefland – Lie To Me Dance Gavin Dance – Midnight At McGuffy’s Deaf Havana – Lawn Tennis The Disassociates – Kill Bill En Masse – justthisonce Esoterica – Paper Skull Fantazmaz – Distortion Flooding – your silence is my favorite song From Fall to Spring – I Won’t Back Down Gaupa – Ten Of Twelve | Greywind – I.K.A.M.F. Health and Chelsea Wolfe – Mean Hiroe – Dancing at the End of the World Hot Milk – Insubordinate Ingerland Hudson Freeman – Good Faith Johnny Booth – Get Well Soon Kaonashi – Red Sink, Yellow Teeth Katatonia – Temporal Kissin’ Dynamite – Queen Of The Night Kusanagi – Dream Projector little image – Novacaine Moses Sumney and Hayley Williams – I Like It I Like It Motörhead – Motörhead (The Manticore Tapes) Nevertel – Criminal Noelle Sucks – Little 2 Close 2 the Sun Of Mice and Men – Another Miracle Orbit Culture – The Tales Of War Orthodox – Keep Your Blessings Our Nameless Boy – Dress Rehearsal Paleface Swiss – River Of Sorrows (unplugged) Parkway Drive – Sacred Phase Transition – The Other Side | Pierce The Veil – Kiss Me Now Pig Pen – Mental Mentality Pleaser – Hey Girl Pretty Bitter – Thrill Eater The Pretty Wild – Omens Pupil Slicer – Heather / Black Scrawl The Rooks – Right About Now Royal Sorrow – Give In Shinedown – Three Six Five (Piano version) Simple Plan & Avril Lavigne – Young & Dumb Skeetch – Talkin’ Talkin’ The Slugz – No One Hears Your Last Call Soccer Mommy – She Is (stripped) South Summit – Catacombs Take Breath – Lying Still Tallah – A primeval detachment Teen Creeps – No-Show Tetrarch – Best Of Luck Three Days Grace – Apologies Throatcut – death//rebirth Tummyache – Stop, Drop, Roll Wildernesses – Four Hour Drive |
The ‘Newish Music’ playlist is also available on Apple Music.
Have a song to consider for a future edition of ‘Already Heard Recommends? Tell us about it here.
We are an independently owned website run by one person (Sêan Reid). By supporting AlreadyHeard on Ko-Fi, you can help cover hosting costs and keep the website ad-free.