Songs of the Week
Softcult – Pill To Swallow
Cancer Bats – Backstab the Rat Race
Fit For A King – No Tomorrow
Arm’s Length – The Weight
Foxhaunt – The Daylight Between Us
Storm – Fame
Lastelle – Tired Eyes
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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.
Softcult – Pill To Swallow
Over a series of EP, Canadian twins Phoenix and Mercedes Arn-Horn have been winning folk over with their shoegaze-y brand of grunge. Better known as Softcult, the Ontario duo have finished recording their much-anticipated debut album. While details of LP#1 remain under wraps, the Arn-Horn sisters have teased us with a new single, ‘Pill To Swallow’.
It breezily elevates Softcult‘s shoegaze elements with searing admiration. Mercedes’ guitar shimmers as Phoenix’s drum work anchors the track’s subtle grunge-rock tone. It provides a welcome return to Softcult. Yet, like many of us, the Arn-Horn siblings are weighed down by ongoing events in the world. However, ‘Pill To Swallow’ serves as a call for positive change.
“‘Pill To Swallow’ is a rallying cry for everyone feeling particularly exhausted and burned out by the current state of the world. It’s a reminder to keep pushing for and believing in positive change,” Softcult shares.”As impossible as it can feel sometimes, we can’t allow the current social and political climate to jade us. Even when we feel hopeless and disenfranchised, we can’t slip into apathy or we let the oppressors win.”
Although the self-produced full-length isn’t quite ready to see the light of day just yet, Softcult will be returning to the UK in November and December for shows in Newcastle, Manchester, Nottingham, Leeds, Cardiff, Southampton, Bristol, and London.
Cancer Bats – Backstab the Rat Race
Everyone loves Cancer Bats, right? Well seemingly not so as some utter scumbags stole their tour van, trailer, gear, merchandise, and personal belongings earlier this week in Indianapolis. This sh*t is always awful to hear about, especially when it’s a beloved band like Cancer Bats, who were just four days into a month-long US tour.
Thankfully, their fans and the punk and hardcore community at large rallied together and donated over $30,000 to a GoFundMe in less than 24 hours. As a heartfelt thank you to everyone, they’ve unleashed an unreleased rager called ‘Backstab the Rat Race’.
Recorded during the sessions for 2022’s ‘Psychic Jailbreak’ full-length, ‘Backstab the Rat Race’ is a razor-sharp ripper. A melting pot of thrash and hardcore, it bounces with a gritty groove as Liam Cormier roars his way through Mike Peters’ pounding drum work.
Go and show some love for Cancer Bats by donating to their GoFundMe.
Fit For A King – No Tomorrow
Texan metalcore titans Fit For A King deliver a cinematic number as they return with ‘No Tomorrow’. With Trey Celaya’s pummeling drum work, Ryan Kirby’s versatile vocals, and harmonious hook, the quintet showcase a bold, ferocious sound. It’s an infectious slice of metalcore that exemplifies Fit For A King as one of the standout bands in the genre.
As 2022’s ‘The Hell We Create’ record showed, ‘No Tomorrow’ highlights FFAK‘s emotional depth. “This song is about love and tragedy,” says Fit For A King‘s Ryan Kirby. “A couple [is] experiencing the end of the world together. But instead of living through it in fear, they choose to enjoy their last moments enjoying each other and celebrating what they had.”
Additionally, the track is the first to be released following recording sessions with producer Dan Braunstein (Spiritbox, Dayseeker). Details of Fit for a King‘s eighth studio album are expected soon.
Arm’s Length – The Weight
Up-and-coming indie/emo group Arm’s Length are easing ever closer to releasing their second album, ‘There’s A Whole New World Out There’, next month. ‘The Weight’ is the final single to be shared of its May 16th release. It sees the Ontario, Canada quartet maintain their familiar introspective tone, and pairs it with a melodically punching emo/pop-punk sound.
‘There’s A Whole New World Out There’ promises to expand on the personal themes of their debut album, ‘Never Before Seen, Never Again Found’, exploring personal trauma, love, and loss. ‘The Weight’ is no different as Arm’s Length vocalist and guitarist Allen Steinberg says, “It is a song written primarily about eating disorders and specifically relating the feeling of wanting to be physically small with longing to be insignificant in the grand scheme of the world. Sometimes I want to be so small I disappear, and I think people can relate to that”.
Arm’s Length well-balanced mix of lyrically contemplative and musically energetic makes for an exciting proposition. ‘There’s A Whole New World Out There’ is sure to continue their surge in admirers in the coming months.
‘There’s A Whole New World Out There’ by Arm’s Length is released on May 16th on Pure Noise Records.
Foxhaunt – The Daylight Between Us (ft Rebekah Kirk of Sixth Wonder)
Yorkshire alt-rock quartet Foxhaunt are on a wave of momentum. Coming off the back of a headline show at The Key Club in Leeds, they’ve launched their latest single – ‘The Daylight Between Us’. Joined by Rebekah Kirk of the recently featured Sixth Wonder, the track sees Foxhaunt up the ante, combining their proven melodic flair with a denser sound. Its rising chorus segues into Kirk’s adaptable vocals, adding a metallic bite to Foxhaunt‘s solid alt-rock foundation.
Lyrically, it sees Ollie Swift pour out his frustrations with societal divides. “‘The Daylight Between Us’ is inspired by the growing divide in society, driven by power and wealth. The lyrics highlight how those at the top make decisions that negatively impact ordinary people, decisions made without ever walking in their shoes,” Foxhaunt explain.
As an independent band for the best part of seven years, it’s something they’ve experienced personally. “This divide is something we see in everyday life, and it’s especially apparent in the music industry, where art is increasingly viewed as disposable and undervalued. This song was born out of frustration, and we wanted to send a message through our own art form,” the band shared
Having honed in on an energetic brand of alt-rock, Foxhaunt‘s hard work is slowly paying off with ‘The Daylight Between Us’ highlighting their musical growth. More new music is on the way!
Storm – Fame
Despite being 16 years old, Leo Davadi Sundli, aka Storm, has already achieved a fair bit of ‘Fame’. With appearances at various festivals, including Download Festival, already on his CV, as well as a growing following on TikTok, he’s certainly on an upward trajectory.
The Norwegian’s latest cut, ‘Fame’, showcases his explosive blast of rock and pop-punk. With a slick production undertone, the track allows Storm to deliver an infectious and energetic number that sounds beyond his young age. With a raw and powerful message about choosing integrity over attention pulsating through, it sees Sundli reflect on the pressure of being surrounded by those chasing clout.
Lastelle – Tired Eyes
The UK’s ever-burgeoning post-hardcore scene continues to deliver. One of those bands is Oxfordshire’s Lastelle. Utilising a well-balanced blend of atmosphere, raw emotion, and impassioned melodic hardcore, the quintet impressed many last year with their ‘Exist – Vol i’ EP. They’re now preparing to release ‘Vol ii’.
‘Tired Eyes’ is the first preview to be lifted from the EP. It amplifies Lastelle‘s expansive and impactful sound. The combination of drummer Mike Hayden’s soulful melodies and Adam Rigozzi’s throat-shredding screams is a compelling dynamic. Rich Lester and Jonjo Williams team up to deliver a soaring wall of guitars. Bassist Freddie Whatmore assists Hayden’s bashing percussion work, giving ‘Tired Eyes’ a heavy anchor.
Having already built a reputation for cathartic songwriting, Lastelle continue to be emotionally open. Guitarist Jonjo Williams says the track is “about how love can make you choose to be blind to issues in a relationship, and the mental toll taken when trying to pull back together a relationship that’s unwillingly, although not unexpectedly, falling apart.”
The accompanying video for ‘Tired Eyes’ allows Lastelle to underline the emotional weight their music carries for them as creators. Featuring a character known as ‘The Protagonist,’ he serves as a metaphorical figure through which each member of the band engages in honest, introspective conversations, highlighting the personal truths their songwriting compels them to face. The clip also saw the band’s fanbase get involved by leaving voicemail messages, allowing them to express honest messages anonymously.
‘Exist – Vol ii’ by Lastelle is released on September 12th on You Rang? Records.
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.
This week saw 70 tracks added to the ‘Newish Music’ playlist, including music from Linkin Park, Sleep Token, The Wonder Years, Bury Tomorrow, Halestorm, InMe, Dayseeker, and Wargasm.
There are also new tracks from The Bouncing Souls, Soot Sprite, Pelican, Pinkshift, PLAIINS, HAAL, and more.
| AlphaWhores – Beautiful Music, Awful Person Archers – Better Off Arm’s Length – The Weight The Ataris – In This Diary (Acoustic) Bad Suns – Slow Karma The Bankes Brothers – Bedroom Wall Blackbriar – The Fossilized Widow Blessings – Strings of Red The Bouncing Souls – United Bury Tomorrow – Forever The Night Cancer Bats – Backstab The Rat Race Civic – The Hogg Club Night – Rabbit Dayseeker – Pale Moonlight Deerhoof – Return of the Return of the Fire Trick Star Foxhaunt – The Daylight Between Us Foxwarren – Yvonne GØK2 – B.F.T.D HAAL – Plate 43 (…Or Standing on the Toes of Giants) Halestorm – Darkness Always Wins Hell Can Wait – No Second Chances InMe – Confession Johnny Zirkel – Upside Down | Karen Dió – Casual Krooked Tongue – Marigold Lastelle – Tired Eyes Laura Jane Grace – Active Trauma Laura Reznek – Yacht Rock Lawn Chair – The Next Big Thing Linkin Park – Unshatter Machine Head – Øutsider Mother Mother – Love To Death Mugshot – Afore A Waking Nightmare / Die In Fear Nate Bergman – Wild One Native James – Block (feat. Professor Green and Double S) Not Enough Space – Eye 4 An Eye (feat. Dark Divine) OSMIUM – OSMIUM 1 Pain Magazine – Violent God Pelican – Pining For Ever Pinkshift – Evil Eye PLAIINS – Sports Bar Poison The Preacher – One Man Army Psycho-Frame – The Portal Revnoir – New World RinRin – this is not the time Saboton – Templars Scaler – Broken Entry | Senna – Drunk Dial Anthem Sleep Token – Damocles Smash Into Pieces – Paradise (ft. Elize Ryd) Softcult – Pill To Swallow Soot Sprite – Vicious Cycles Spin Class – Bagel Bagel Bagel Stay Inside – Monsieur Hawkweed Storm – Fame Stunt Pilots – Get Rowdy Svart Vinter – Torment Synapse – Sick Teeth – Let It In Telling Secrets – Faith TSS – Ending Scene Tucana – Spirit Bomb Vandoliers – Life Behind Bars Voyager – Seen Better Days Wargasm – Vigilantes Wednesday 13 – No Apologies (feat. Taime Downe) When Rivers Meet – Never Change The Wonder Years – Wyatt’s Song (Your Name) Wyldlife – Dizzy Zir Pachet – Chivalrous Respect |
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.
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