Single Slam: Pupil Slicer, Aurorawave, Deaf Havana, Beauty School, Kusanagi, Devilhusk, Katatonia, FangSlinger, Pathos & Logos, Diesect, Summoners, Caskets, The Pretty Wild, Hearts & Souls, Justice for the Damned, Wildernesses, and Orbit Culture!

Today’s single slam features Pupil Slicer, Aurorawave, Deaf Havana, Beauty School, Kusanagi, Devilhusk, Katatonia, FangSlinger, Pathos & Logos, Diesect, Summoners, Caskets, The Pretty Wild, Hearts & Souls, Justice for the Damned, Wildernesses, and Orbit Culture. You can read our thoughts about the latest singles from these bands below.

Pupil Slicer – Heather/Black Scrawl

Pupil Slicer, the critically acclaimed mathcore band known for their boundary-pushing intensity, is back with a new double single, ‘Heather/Black Scrawl’! Marking the first taste of what’s to come from camp Slicer.

Explains vocalist/guitarist Kate:

These tracks explore both my own experiences as a non-binary autistic person, as well as the more generalized treatment of many kinds of minorities as a whole.

In Heather, the unique experience of your existence being used as a political tool and your rights cast aside for the goals of others, whilst Black Scrawl deals more with the self-destructive elements of trying to just keep yourself together and overcome the sorrow that comes with such an immense amount of hatred that you will never be able to escape, let alone dealing with your own self doubts and flaws as a person.

I’m really happy to be writing more from my heart on this new material and I don’t want anyone mistaking what PUPIL SLICER stands for – this is Trans Inclusive Radical Hatred.

I love this band and I’m so excited about their future, and this first taste shows an evolved, experimental, intense, and emotional sound. Talking about Heather first, it’s fantastic to hear this band using melody in a more prominent way, while not dropping the sharp ferocity that they are so well known for. The vocals, delivered in scathing fashion, are immense and the ion behind the lyrics comes through so strongly. It’s a banger, but so is Black Scrawl, which is nastier, heavier, faster, more abrasive, especially from a guitar point of view. The word that comes to mind is ‘dangerous’ but ‘angry’ works too, and live, this one is going to kick off hard. I love this band.

Aurorawave – Villain

Rising rock band Aurorawave have returned with their new single, ‘Villain’, a bold testament to the band’s signature reggaecore sound.

Frontman Nathan Aurora shares:

‘Villain’ is the kind of track we always wanted to make — aggressive, melodic, and in your face. We’re not trying to fit into reggae or rock. We’re building something new that reflects all of it.

A creative effort that has experimental alternative rock ideas, blending genres to create something that compels the body to move, but also sparks effortlessly in the mind. ‘Reggaecore’ may not be easy to define, but one listen to this track and most will have a clearer idea of what it means and why Aurorawave are such an exciting listen. The cherry on top? Intriguing and unexpected cinematic elements. Check it out here.

Deaf Havana – Lawn Tennis

Deaf Havana have announced their long-awaited seventh album, ‘We’re Never Getting Out’, set for release on Friday October 3 via So Recordings/Civilians. To mark the news, the English alternative rock band have unveiled its shimmering lead single, ‘Lawn Tennis’, offering a first glimpse into their most personal work to date.

The icons are back and with a lovable alternative rock track that is filled with heart and soul, but as always, is unbelievably infectious. The melodies are awesome, the vocals buoy the soul, and the rockier chorus is the stuff of alternative dreams. They’re back and based off this track, they’re in a very creative place.

Beauty School – When I’m Feeling Down

Yorkshire alt-rock sextet, Beauty School, have released their new single, ‘When I’m Feeling Down’.

From the moment this track starts, the feet will be tapping and the fingers will be rapping along to the delightful rhythms, and its infectious nature only increases from that point. Beauty School are very adept at writing memorable alternative rock hits and this new single is them through and through, utterly lovable. Check it out here.

Kusanagi – Dream Projector

Kusanagi have released astral new single ‘Dream Projector’, out now via Ripcord Records. Taken from their forthcoming album ‘Paramnesia’, which is set for release on 30th May.

A haunting, beautiful, powerful, and convincing piece of music that has familiar post rock elements, but refuses to be labelled as simply as that. Kusanagi love to experiment and this effort is no different, showcasing deep drama, captivating mellow moments, and intense thicker touches, all without a single word sung or spoke. Instrumental post rock at its finest.

Devilhusk – I See God

Blending elements of dubstep and drum and bass with djent and hardcore, Devilhusk are forging a path of sonic innovation that sets them apart in the music scene. Their debut single, ‘I See God’ is out now.

Say the band:

I See God is DEVILHUSK’s debut single and a violent opening statement of intent. The track doesn’t beat around the bush, focusing in on disillusionment with and criticism of organised religion following a loss of faith. The song lyrically features tongue in cheek recitals of bible verses that have had their meanings twisted, and musically delivers as much as a metal song can in a three-and-a-half-minute runtime. Distorted, aggressive sound design, haunting atmospheric textures and three breakdowns for good measure. While likely shocking to some, I See God is exactly what the others are looking for.

A stompy and abrasive hit of experimental noise, credit where credit is due, Devilhusk have crafted something attention grabbing here. Showcasing a violent and virulent combination of genres that shouldn’t sound as cohesive as they do. It’s a brutish sounding track that has a thick vein of uneasiness running through it. Check it out here.

Katatonia – Temporal

Swedish masters of melancholic metal, Katatonia, have unveiled the second new single ‘Temporal’ from their album, ‘Nightmares as Extensions of the Waking State’, out June 6th, 2025, via Napalm Records.

The band comments:

‘Temporal’, when the enchantment is gone. When riffing is on, the combination offers no solace other than the pleasure of the vicious circle & the colours of the night. Enjoy.

So far, so good. This new Katatonia album is shaping up to be quite special as it’s becoming clear that it’s going to showcase elements of their deep and melancholic melodic past with their more modernised dramatic progressive tones. Together, it results in a rich sound that is Katatonia through and through but equally sounds like nothing they’ve done before. It’s so exciting, and so listenable.

FangSlinger – Bloodsucker Blues

British rock trio FangSlinger return again with their fourth single ‘Bloodsucker Blues’. Seductive, sinister and soaked in sleaze, the genre-fusing comrades FangSlinger (Vocals), BloodRose (Vocals/Percussion) and HangMan (Guitar/Vocals) invite you to lose yourself in the thrill of the hunt.

They’ve not put a foot wrong yet, and this latest single keeps the good times a-rolling especially as it’s a bit of a party anthem. A bloody and sleazy hard rock party, and who doesn’t want to be there? Energetic, excitable, and featuring a kickass guitar solo, it’s just another banger from a band on incredible form. Check it out here.

Pathos & Logos – Back to You

Alternative, and progressive metal power-duo (guitarist Kyle Neeley and drummer Paul Christiansen), Pathos & Logos are back with a brand-new single called ‘Back to You’. This song is being released as a piano ballad (the Radio edit), an acoustic version and a metal version (the Torn in Two version). Each is the exact same song completely reimagined.

The 2025 Pathos & Logos journey has been fascinating so far, with the band showcasing just how far they’ve come and just how exciting that evolution is. Yet, although they’ve challenged listeners to some degree so far, this new single is something else. It is a ballad, through and through, and that isn’t going to be to everyone’s taste. Even though the vocals are lovely, the piano melody is touching, and it grows in impressive stature as it goes on. By the end, it’s a much more robust and power-focused track, and , it comes in three different styles, so if this version doesn’t do it for you, maybe the stripped back acoustic version or the frenzied speed and heaviness of the ‘Torn in Two’ version will hit instead. Check it out here.

Diesect – Hide from the Light

Brisbane metal outfit Diesect share title track ‘Hide from the Light’ off of their EP of the same name out Friday May 30th via Greyscale Records.

Chaotic and intense, manically blending electronica and metal, and infusing a hell of a lot of ion into things, Diesect go the ‘hard and heavy’ route here. Delivering an intense amount of stompy energy with abrasive layers of unusual effects. It all works well together and promises an EP filled with fire, even if it’s not the most memorable track the band have ever put out there. Check it out here.

Summoners – The Abyss

Summoners return to the depths with ‘The Abyss’ – their dark and eclectically unique dance/nu metal/psychedelic/grunge hybrid. It is the fourth single from their debut EP ‘No Control’, due for release on June 25th.

Explains the band:

The song tells the tale of being stuck in the relentless grind of modern life – feeling exhausted, powerless… like you’re drowning. The Abyss is a metaphor for the emotional place you’re dragged down to when the pressures of life do not relent.

A track that needs multiple listens to unpack, even if its surface level sound seems so easily definable. Summoners are a layered band, and while they have an inherent catchiness to them that comes from danceable energy, nu-infused groove, and grungy alternative tones, it’s the layers that make it a more notable listen. Happily, it’s such an enjoyable listen that coming back to it time and time again is a no-brainer.

 

 

Caskets – Make Me A Martyr

Yorkshire melodic metallers, Caskets, have released their brand-new single ‘Make Me A Martyr’, via SharpTone Records.

Speaking of the new single, frontman Matt Flood says:

Make Me A Martyr refers to an exploration of self-destruction and emotional turmoil. ‘Break me down, I’m nothing, I’m yours’ shines on the raw vulnerability of letting yourself become so lost in someone else. ‘You make me feel nothing, leave me to rot’ is a nod to the numbness that comes from being so depressively and deeply trapped in a toxic connection. It’s a cry for a real connection even if that means completely losing your own self-worth in the process of finding it.

Not exactly Caskets at their best, this new track is fine, perfectly solid and enjoyable overall. Especially when the chorus hits, yet, when you consider this is a band known for always raising the bar, you can’t help but find the lack of effort and ion within it, disappointing. It’s just far too formulaic. I expect better from Caskets, even though I don’t think it’s a bad song by any stretch of the imagination. Check it out here.

The Pretty Wild – Omens

Rising metaphysical metalcore powerhouse The Pretty Wild have unleashed their powerful new track ‘Omens’ and its accompanying visualiser, with an official music video to follow (via Sumerian Records).

When asked about the track, Jyl shared:

‘Omens’ is an anthem for those done performing. Our song calls out the masks we all are subconsciously conditioned to wear to survive in life and the tragic loops they lead us into. It’s about finally choosing inner truth over applause, and the painful realisation that to find true coherence, the mask must be ripped off, along with the life, lies, and illusions built around it.

With each new track, expectations rise and rise, but The Pretty Wild continue to reach them and, in the case of anthemic wonders like this, they set an even higher bar for themselves. This is great, a fantastic showcase of modern alternative elements crossed with intense ‘core’ aspects, and with a chorus that is absurdly catchy. The cherry on top of this? The freaking breakdown. Don’t you dare accuse this band of lacking ‘heaviness’.

Justice for the Damned – Built to Be Broken

Sydney metal heavyweights Justice for the Damned have announced their third studio album, ‘Stay Relentless’, will be releasing Friday August 15 via Greyscale Records. The band share their devastating new single ‘Built to Be Broken’ as a taste of what’s to come.

The band shares:

Every element is showcased at one point or another. The vocals are the meanest Bobak has ever sounded, the guitars relentlessly hammer the main riff into your brain, the drums are fast and precise and the bass soars on its own toward the end to lead you into the final breakdowns (both of them) where everything comes together to totally crush your skull.

Short and to the point, this new single from Justice for the Damned doesn’t mess around and is all the better for it. Exploding with stompy intensity from the start and not letting up for a second. The instruments are thick, the vocals are brutal, and the ending is rabid intensity at its best. A banger track. Check it out here.

Hearts & Souls – Little While

Brit rock ‘n’ rollers, Hearts & Souls, have now released their engrossing new single and video, ‘Little While’.

A lovely rock and roll ditty that doesn’t do any kind of ‘shaking up’ of the formula but is delivered in such likable fashion that it’s hard to care. Who cares about innovation when what is begin heard is so enjoyable, and Hearts & Souls pour a lot of ion into this.

Wildernesses – Four Hour Drive

‘Four Hour Drive’ is the debut single from the London based dreamo band, Wildernesses. Although the band has only been around for a short spell, the line up boasts of scene veterans and expert song crafters such as We Never Learned To Live, Earth Moves and Late Night Fiction.

Says Phillip Morris (vocals/guitar):

‘Four Hour Drive’ explores heritage, family, caring responsibility, procrastination from that responsibility, diversions and fantasies of a hypothetical ‘other life’.

Say hello to Wildernesses, your next favourite band, and all because this debut track is so special. An utterly spellbinding listen that has immense infectious aspects, turning six minutes of music into a quarter of that through the sheer power of its beauty. I can’t wait to see what comes next from this band. Check it out here.

Orbit Culture – The Tales of War

Sweden’s Orbit Culture mark a new beginning with ‘The Tales of War’, their first single with new label Century Media.

The band comment:

‘The Tales Of War’ marks the beginning of a new chapter for Orbit Culture. While other songs evolved and shifted during the writing process, this one stayed exactly as it was from the very start. 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.

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.

It really is fantastic that the brilliance of this band is finally being recognised on a much larger scale, and to get to this point, the band aren’t compromising on their heavy sound in the slightest. In fact, are they getting heavier!? This new track punches hard, while also being furiously groovy in places, and having a chorus that soars to new heights. It’s an aggressive banger, and the future of this band has never looked brighter then it does right now.