It's Friday, Friday, got to get your fresh metal fix on Friday. That's right Maniacs it is finally Friday which means it is time to kick off the weekend with some Friday Fire.
With so many new metal releases dropping every week, it can be hard to know what to listen to, so we've taken it upon ourselves to do the heavy lifting, sorting the 'hell yeah' from the 'hell meh' you don't have to. So without fear or favour, here are is our Friday Fire: Five New Tracks We're Feeling This Friday 3rd December
Of Mice & Men - Echo
Of Mice & Men dropped their new album Echo today via Sharptone Records and have issued the titular track as their latest single. A song about one's growing sensitivity to the transient nature of life, and one's awareness to the similarities between the current human experience and human experiences of the past, Echo is a stellar example of what Of Mice & Men do best. This is melodic and emotive modern metalcore.
Avatar- Construction of Souls
It's Christmas music season and with exactly no due respect to Mariah, we'd rather be thrashing away to this absolute gem of a modern Christmas metal track from Swedish oddball metallers Avatar than ever hear All I Want For Christmas Is You ever again. Construction of Souls was written to be the musical equivalent to what Die Hard is for Christmas movies and they've absolutely nailed that description. A dark, brooding, punishing, metal song that takes a rather sinister view of the holiday season, it is to be released with a children's book portraying the 'not very child-friendly everyday life' in Santa's workshop. Fuck yeah.
Wolf & Chain - Still Alive
Be still our beating emo hearts. Adelaide MySpace emo era revivalists Wolf & Chain wrap up what has been an absolutely huge year for the band by putting a taste of their true selves out into the world with the music video for the absolute jam, Still Alive. Fronman Jack Cumes gives some insight.
"The song is a very personal one and reflects on the experiences that we went through during the making of the record, so it felt appropriate to wear it on our sleeves and bring the fantasy world of Wolf & Chain into real life. Often our stories are metaphors for things that are very real, so it felt right to showcase the fantasy and reality side by side as the finale for this era of the band." Whether playing their fantastical selves or their real ones, we think Wolf & Chain rules.
Diamond Construct - Hit It Back
Having reached their next evolution and once again making it their own, Diamond Construct return with new single, Hit It Back via Greyscale Records.
A party track balancing equal parts swagger and heavy abrasion, Hit It Back is about living life the way that you want to, removed from others expectations. Keeping true to their blend of EDM infused metal, a signature sound the band has become known for, the new track arrives at the perfect time for warm weather and festivities as the country moves out from state-based lockdowns.i Hit it back is accompanied by a visually robust music video created in collaboration with Colin Jeffs of the Ten of Swords Media Collective. The clip features a variety of party set pieces and digital glitch elements akin to a modern trap hip hop flavour that contrasts heavily with the band's previous visuals. We're huge fans of both the track and the cars in the video!
Zeal & Ardor- Golden Liar
Swiss extremists Zeal & Ardor continue apace towards the release of their self-titled, third album, with the release of epic, evocative new song, Golden Liar.
Frontman Manuel Gagneux asserts, "Golden Liar is one of the tracks on this record I’m most proud of. Unlike singles released previously from the new album, it’s a slow burn. Rather than using harsh tones to convey heaviness, it uses lyrics and atmosphere to convey weight. It’s both smoke and fire."
He's not wrong either, Golden Liar is another gamechanging offering from one of the most unique and interesting metal acts of the last decade. Crank it up.
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