Metal Track of the Week: More Howard Jones = More Better

One of heavy metal’s premier vocalists, former Killswitch Engage frontman Howard Jones is back with new single The Blade. New band SION has been formed in collaboration with YouTuber, guitarist and lord of memes Jared Dines. Jared is continuing to flex his muscles with recent collaborations with Trivium‘s Matt Heafy. I have to say straight up, Howard‘s vocals are absolutely killer on this track. Whether with Killswitch Engage, Light the Torch or here, does Howard Jones ever not kick ass?

Sumo Cyco add to their recent release Bystander with new single No Surrender from their upcoming album Initiation. Their fusion of bouncy nu-metal rhythm, punk aggression, dance hooks and metal chugging helps them stand out, and they certainly nail what they do. I previously mentioned I never really ‘got’ Sumo Cyco, but they’re definitely growing on me. Maybe their new release will get me fully onboard the hype train?

Rob Zombie is back this week with new album The Lunar Eclipse Please Don’t Make Me Remember The Entire Title, and new accompanying single Crow Killer Blues. It’s exactly what you expect from a groovy Rob Zombie track – tasty John 5 riffs, filthy groove, and plenty of weird. Whilst the single released from the new album have been top quality, the rest of the album is a little hit and miss as I recently wrote.

Fantasy power metal hits back this week with Creatures of the Dark Realm by Sweden’s Bloodbound. No messing, straight in with the riffs. Like an alternative world where Eurovision is dominated by heavy metal, fantasy power metal really has a love/hate quality about it. I never shy away, I fucking love it. No shame here in raising the horns and blasting my lungs to a singalong chorus. Bloodbound do this as good as anyone.

Maybe I have been a little passive in my observation, but are we hitting a boom of EDM-core? Call it progressive metalcore, fusion metal, or just banner it under the djent umbrella. I don’t feel like so much of it has been around as it is right now? I tend to just badge it as EDM-core. Stripped back it’s really just modern downtuned metalcore crossed with clean, ambient EDM/techno/*insert dance genre here*. Yes I know this makes its way on to all of the ‘got djent’ playlists. But for me there is a clear distinction between the choppy djent style and the obviously EDM influenced prog metal.

A plethora of the aforementioned EDM-core has been released this week. Most notable of which is Shadow Autonomous from Alabama’s ERRA, Heartbeat Failing by Swedes Dead By April and Terrorist by Parisians Novelists FR. That not enough atmospheric metalcore for you? It’s fitting on Mother’s Day (at least here in the UK) we have a track released by DEAR MOTHER. Stepping further into the djent’y spectrum, as we also have with Pyrochemical from Beyond Awareness.

I find often there can be far too much going on in these tracks to really stand out as a notable and memorable track. However Satellite by DEAR MOTHER got me quickly back for a second (+ more) listen. Downtuned chugs and a chorus full of the feels is easy to enjoy.

I first discovered Stormruler this week. Long curly locks, medieval body armour, swords and shields. Raise your fists to more fantasy power metal right? Wrong. 30 seconds in to Reign of the Winged Duke and it’s hammering straight through your soul with filthy black metal. Blast beats, tremolo picking and wailing vocals – check. Reminds me a lot of OG Amon Amarth. I find it really hard sometimes to get into straight up black metal. However when the riffs are on point as they are here, it’s easy to conform and declare my soul to the beasts of the night. Or just listen to the music. Haven’t decided yet.

Stepping further into the pit of despair, Fata Morgana from Marianas Rest is a prototypical doom’y blackened death metal track. I generally have little interest in doom metal. The high energy from heavy metal is what gets me going. However there is plenty to like here, and I managed to listen to all 7 minutes without getting bored. Which if you know my disinterest in doom metal means this track has something special about it. Or I dozed off for 5 minutes.

It’ a little unfair, but after opening up with a new track featuring Howard Jones, did anyone else stand a chance this week? Of course not, such is the charisma and straight up badass vocal work of this force of nature. Write Jared Dines off as ‘just a YouTuber’ at your peril, he knows his way around a killer guitar lick. So this weeks Metal Track of the Week goes to their collaboration SION with The Blade. Please Mr Jones, wait at least a couple of weeks before releasing another track to give others a fair shot.

Check out last weeks Metal Track of the Week.

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