This week is definitely one for the heavy-alt fans. Enjoy reading our writer's recommendations and listening to them for yourself as we approach the Halloween weekend.
Hang Me Like Jesus – Crawlers
Hang Me Like Jesus is about the feeling of sacrificing yourself for someone you love, despite them not caring for you and actively allowing your sacrifice in their name. Holly Minto, the lead singer and lyric writer, is a very personal writer and this song is no different, with powerful words that talk about the way she has been treated in the past and the way she finally managed to get over the feelings she had from the fallout of said relationship. The song is musically very solemn, with the focus being on the singing to allow for the lyrics to take centre stage. This makes for a powerfully melancholic song that is very reminiscent of Phoebe Bridgers and other such emotionally raw female artists. Crawlers’ new mixtape is coming out soon with this single featuring on it, and they are also heading to Rescue Rooms on the 7th of November, so try to catch them if you can! Jake Longhurst
KILL ALL PREDATORS – Banshee ft ZAND
Firstly, how can you not be intrigued by a song with a name like this? And secondly, how didn’t I think of this collaboration before? If anyone’s ever listened to Banshee, you know that they definitely cater to those with an acquired taste as their vocals replicate phantom screams, but more than that, they most definitely radiate bad bitch energy. This is something undeniably shared with ZAND; needless to say, one of my top-5 artists this year who’s experimented with styles dissimilar to their iconic ‘ugly pop’ brand that I fell in love with, such as Battery Acid as well as KILL ALL PREDATORS. This track is a haunting and powerful warning to rapists and harassers, and I am so glad such a song has been represented by these two phenomenal artists. Roxann Yus
living is killing us – Architects
I will preface this by saying I love Architects and I do think their new album is fairly good, however, the general consensus (and one I must concede I agree with) is that it’s lacking in variation. This song feels very similar in feel to the lead single when we were young which was a great track, and this is too, but they’re too similar to have been put on the same album and it is not noticed. The song is about the general state of affairs of the world, and that the way we are living is killing us and the planet. I can imagine that this would go off live, however, in the flow of the album it didn’t massively stick out to me. The song features the trademark biting tone of the later Architects albums, that’s become a relative calling card of the British metalcore scene that Architects are now falling increasingly into the centre of instead of their tech metal roots, which whilst not a problem is losing the band their originality and what made them so popular. The song is good, however overall, it is a signal of the path Architects are treading, which is not one that many fans are happy about. Jake Longhurst
Forever Bloom – Chelsea Grin ft Trevor Strnad
The late great Trevor Strnad of The Black Dahlia Murder has been memorialised even further by this phenomenal feature on the latest single by iconic deathcore band Chelsea Grin. The imposing frontman has had his vocal strength utilised to the absolute maximum here and takes a commanding role in making the song an absolute beast of a track. Before his tragic and untimely death, Trevor was known for having some of the best vocals on the block and they truly shine here; his enormous presence is felt all over the track and his amazing ability to create a sound that truly engulfed you is not lost even when performing with a completely different band. Chelsea Grin have now released most of the singles for their upcoming album, but if they can give us another surprise feature as good as this one it’s going to potentially be one of the best deathcore releases of the entire year. Jake Longhurst
ZUCK – cleopatrick
Oh, cleopatrick! I’ve followed their journey since their 2017 single hometown, up to their magnificently cathartic debut album BUMMER. They’ve found their place in my Spotify Wrapped ever since. We’re now entering a new era of cleo though, one full of DOOM if I may say so myself. But this DOOM is a beautiful thing. If only the doom in my life connected tracks as seamlessly and imaginatively as they’ve been able to achieve on this. Track number one, ZUCK, invites us into this era, and I’m so glad it does. It is iconic cleopatrick; it’s them as their best. Yet, they’re trialling new things, especially regarding changes in tempo and mood. There’s no doubt that I’ll have this EP on repeat for the next couple of months. Roxann Yus
The Drugs – Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes ft Jamie T
The immaculate punk icon Frank Carter has paired up with indie hero Jamie T for a blazing track about the effects of drugs and drug addiction. Starting off with the phrase “You don’t take the drugs, the drugs take you,” they are leaning into the plight of addiction very heavily. After having met when Frank was in his previous band Gallows and becoming friends, then teaming up on a Jamie T track previously, Frank asked Jamie to join him on an excellent single, and one that may be signalling the beginning of a new album cycle which I for one would be very excited by. The song is written in the same vein as the latest album by the band Sticky, with the same hard-hitting aggressive punk guitar and bombastic drumming as we’ve gotten used to. If this is the template for the new album, we can be safe to say that it’s going to be another good one. Jake Longhurst
Edited by Roxann Yus
Cover image courtesy of cleopatrick via Facebook.
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