Single Slam: Fit for a King, Hiroe, Lock Horns, Shrapnel, Forlorn, Bad Juju, Slik Spinster, HANABIE., Finding Aurora, Devilhusk, Lord of the Lost, and Hammer!

Today’s single slam features Fit for a King, Hiroe, Lock Horns, Shrapnel, Forlorn, Bad Juju, Slik Spinster, HANABIE., Finding Aurora, Devilhusk, Lord of the Lost, and Hammer. You can read our thoughts about the latest singles from these bands below.

Fit for a King – Lonely God

Fit for a King have announced their new album and eighth overall, titled ‘Lonely God’. It will arrive on August 1 via Solid State Records and the band has dropped the first single and video for the title track.

Banger after banger, even as their sound has evolved, Fit for a King return with a blast of garish and brutal intensity warped by modern creativity that goes hard throughout. It’s a chunky beast, with methodical rhythms, driven by pounding drums and roaring vocals. If this is a sign of things to come, we’re looking at the possibility of FFAK releasing their heaviest album to date.

Hiroe – Collider

Hiroe, the new darlings of the American post-rock underground, have revealed their latest single ‘Collider’, taken from their forthcoming debut album, Wield, due 20th June via Pelagic Records.

Hiroe’s guitarist Eric Kusanagi comments:

‘Collider’ is a song that when we play live seems to be a crowd favourite. It’s the longest song in our catalogue, at about 10 minutes long, and we wanted to take the listener on a journey that goes through a lot of peaks and valleys.

Outstanding. That’s it, that’s what this track is, and if you weren’t already excited for the new album, this will push everyone over the edge. It’s so clever, so charismatic, so exciting, so interesting, so detailed, and beautifully intense. It’s ten minutes of glorious post rock that feels like two. That’s how mesmerising it is. Check it out here.

Lock Horns – Frenzy

Belfast progressive-metal strike-force Lock Horns break cover with stand-alone single ‘Frenzy’, the quartet’s first new music since last year’s widely lauded album Red Room.

Alex da Costa (vocals) says of the new track:

‘Frenzy’ is a story of mankind. It is the failure of perception – blind mass obedience.

In the face of adversity, people distrust their own judgement. They become sheep, mimic the noise and kneel before the media, the authorities and their fear itself. Pressure to follow others outweighs the instinct to question what they see and hear. Irrational responses are justified only because everyone else is doing the same. To follow blindly is to disappear – or, in other words, to ‘Sail Away’.

The evolution of this band is startling, and there is a real sense that they are beginning to turn heads. All thanks to the sheer brash power of the impressive progressive metal ways. Lock Horns stand out as something quite unique in this genre, which is hard to do, and deliver something that lives up to its name. It’s a frenzied display of groove-infused progressive and technical metal that needs multiple listens to fully appreciate. Check it out here.

Shrapnel – Kingmaker

Revered British metal act, Shrapnel, have released the brand-new track ‘Kingmaker’.

The band comment on the new single:

We’re wrapping the writing for a new record and have a busy summer playing our biggest shows whilst getting back over to mainland Europe. Now is the perfect time to unleash ‘Kingmaker’ – we hope to see as many of you as possible belting this out with us on the road!

Welcome back Shrapnel, who are turning the clock back a bit here to their thrashier roots, while making sure their modern metallised sound is still prevalent. It’s the sound of a band having grown in confidence, embracing all aspects of who they are, and delivering something that calls to the best of their abilities. A head banger with one hell of anthemic chorus.

Forlorn – The Weight of it All (Remix)

Forlorn have released a brand-new remix of their track ‘The Weight of it All’, remixed by digitalbreath.mp3. Originally released in February 2023 as part of UK Metal outfit Forlorn’s seasonal cycle of singles, ‘The Weight of it All’ would quickly prove to be the band’s most celebrated offering to date.

Remix artist digitalbreath.mp3 comments:

Having been given the trust by Forlorn to re-imagine The Weight of it All, I really wanted to enhance the influences heard in this song, whilst also bringing a fresh perspective on the original.

The existing sound design in the arrangement was very detailed and the vocals throughout are consistently strong, making the process very enjoyable for me to experiment both of these foundational components. I re-imagined this remix around the sound design with the intention of aggressively placing the vocals on top whilst other core elements filled out the spaces in between.

I’m very thankful for the trust invested in me by Forlorn in one of their most recognised creations.

This is cool, and importantly, different. A Forlorn classic given a dark, electronica-focused twist that puts emphasis on the vocals, while not losing the haunting aspect of the band’s style and sound. Who would have thought that Forlorn’s music could be banging out of the speakers of a club? Thanks to this remix, it’s not such a mad prospect anymore. Check it out here.

Bad Juju – Honey

Melbourne-based alternative rockers Bad Juju have returned with ‘Honey’, their new single that marks a bold step forward in the band’s sonic evolution. Thematically, ‘Honey’ explores the psychological toll of toxic relationships — the fleeting relief of breaking free, and the crushing realisation that walking away for good isn’t always easy.

A moody effort that has some old-school alternative vibes. This new track sees Bad Juju pushing their heaviness into darker directions, all while retaining their lovable anthemic ways. It’s got disconcerting disharmony that comes together in the chorus in impressive fashion, and the longer it goes on, the more addictive it becomes. Check it out here.

Silk Spinster – Rockstar

Alluring heavy metal road warriors, Silk Spinster, charge forward with their self-titled debut EP, which arrives on Friday 1st August. The post-apocalyptic metallers have also revealed their new single and video, ‘Rockstar’.

A head banger through and through, Silk Spinster are having some fun here. Keeping it simple, focusing on riffs, and nailing the chorus, it’s a blast of lovable heavy metal, and sometimes that’s all anyone wants. Especially when it’s done as well as this.

HANABIE. – Spicy Queen

HANABIE. is celebrating their 10th anniversary year with the track ‘Spicy Queen’. This track is a counterpart to the fan-favourite track ‘WE LOVE SWEETS’.

As unique as ever, as fun as always, as exciting as usual, and predictably anthemic, it’s HANABIE., and this new track sticks to their beloved formula. That’s not a knock though, as HANABIE. kick a ton of ass, and deliver an addictively hyperactive blast of heaviness, breakdown included. Check it out here.

Finding Aurora – Hang On

Finding Aurora are back with their latest single ‘Hang On’, a reach out to anyone struggling in this world and a message to them to know they’re not alone. This is their final release featuring founding drummer and member Nick Doherty and will close this chapter of the band.

With moody melody, a morose vein running though it, and upbeat and comforting tones, Finding Aurora’s new track is very memorable, and for all the right reasons. The alternative rock melodies and powerful vocals sound great, but it’s how everything harmonises in the chorus that stands out. It will put a smile on faces. Check it out here.

Devilhusk – Irukandji

UK-based Nu-Metalcore innovators Devilhusk have released their second single ‘Irukandji’. The track, a visceral exploration of anxiety and fear, is accompanied by a striking 80s slasher movie-inspired music video produced by DEAD.EYE.MEDIA.

‘Irukandji’ is the latest offering from their forthcoming debut EP, ‘Sleep Like the Dead’, slated for release in July 2025. The track uses its namesake – a small, almost invisible jellyfish with a potent sting – as a powerful metaphor for the insidious and overwhelming nature of anxiety.

Are you paying attention yet? If not, you will be as this track slaps you around the head. Heavy isn’t the word, especially as it’s twisted by garish nu-metal aspects, modern extreme intensity, and an innate desire to be anthemic even while making an impossible amount of deviant noise. It’s banging.

Lord of the Lost – I Will Die in It

Lord of the Lost are back with the beautiful darkwave-metal epic, ‘I Will Die in It’, the second single released from their full-length album, OPVS NOIR Vol. 1, out 8th August 2025 via Napalm Records.

Vocalist Chris Harms comments:

‘I Will Die in It’ is a musical motivational speech to find the strength to pursue happiness that is self-determined and born of one’s own will. No matter the circumstances we were born into or raised in, we all carry the power within us to change our lives and the world around us, to give love and to receive it. At least, this is what I want to believe in – because without that belief, everything would be hopeless.

I was not born in love, but I will die in it.

The word ‘epic’ exists specifically to describe music like this, and while Lord of the Lost can never be accused of lacking in the extravagant department, this is something else. All because of the exciting gothic vein that runs through it, giving it a darker and more sinister vibe, even while being undeniably anthemic. There’s a real sense that this band has found its sound and now it’s all about refinement. Check it out here.

Hammer – Basilisk

Scottish heavy hitters, Hammer will self-release their new album ‘Trapped’ on August 1st. To tie in with the album announcement, the band have also dropped the new single/video ‘Basilisk’.

About the single, the band says:

There’s a thought experiment called Roko’s Basilisk and essentially, it’s about an AI in the future that would punish anyone in existence who didn’t dedicate themselves in some way to making that AI a reality.

I just thought let’s write a song from the perspective of someone who is aware of that situation – trapped by the design of the Basilisk and has to create it to save themselves, but at the same time creating something that’s going to punish 90% of the globe.

A meaty effort from one of Scotland’s finest heavy bands, Hammer have stepped up their game here and delivered a refined head banger that showcases all that is great about them. Namely the twin guitar assault, the thick bass lines, the crunching drumbeats, and the vocals that are downright blood-curdling a lot of the time. A great showcase of what we can expect with this new album, and based off this, it’s going to leave us all feeling a bit concussed.