Heavy metal music is a subgenre of hard rock that features loud, distorted guitars, infectious rhythms, dense bass-and-drum sounds and strong vocals. The genre has evolved into various styles such as glam metal, thrash metal and death metal.
Heavy metal lyrics often focus on death, sex and romantic tragedy; however, subject matter varies across bands. Some have more aggressive lyrics while others make less explicit references to death, sex and occultism.
Stain The Canvas
Stain The Canvas are an Italian band formed in 2019 that has quickly made a name for themselves in the metalcore scene. They offer classic metalcore with an updated twist, featuring breakdowns and creative melodies. Their vocalist is particularly impressive, helping them gain momentum rapidly.
They have been releasing an abundance of music in 2022 which has earned them a considerable amount of attention. Be on the lookout for these guys in 2023!
Their primary influences come from horror rock and metalcore music genres. As a result, they’re experiencing immense success and growing in popularity daily.
Their debut album “God Made Hell” garnered them much attention and even managed to book a tour with an established European band in 2021. Now, the duo is gearing up for their largest EU/UK run with Atilla in February 2023!
Their style is defined by heavy riffs and breakdowns, which is ideal for the new horror rock subgenre. They have truly nailed down the heavier side of this subgenre and will definitely be one to check out in 2023!
Another significant aspect of their music is its dramatic flairs. They possess an incredibly powerful and distinct sound that has captured the attention of millions around the world.
They boast an impressive lineup of musicians that work together to make this band truly remarkable! They boast a highly skilled bassist, drummer and lead guitarist who are all accomplished professionals.
This band is a brand-new addition to InVogue Records and they’re certainly making waves! After only having one single in 2021, they’re rapidly gaining radio airplay and an enthusiastic fan base. Furthermore, they have an upcoming tour with legendary rock band Famous Last Words which promises to further showcase their abilities.
The band is making a major impression in the metalcore scene and are beginning to see their music played on Octane Sirius. Furthermore, their EP has seen great success and they are currently touring extensively.
Dark Divine
One of the most captivating heavy metal bands on the rise is Dark Divine. A four piece with an exciting bass and guitar lineup that delivers on all counts, this group deserves their place among metal’s elite. After recently finishing up a major EU and UK tour, Dark Divine have demonstrated why they deserve such respect in the genre. Through innovative ways to showcase their music, they’re taking it to new heights. With a new record due out early 2023 and ambitions high, keep an eye out for this talented group!
Though they had a rough start, this Californian band has the talent and an eye-catching website and app that are worth downloading. Combining goth, glam and sleaze into one infectious sound that’s hard to resist. With new music coming soon as well as tours planned for 2019, they look set to join the industry’s big boys soon enough.
Hath
Hath may be a relatively young band, but they quickly made an impression with the release of their debut full-length album, Of Rot and Ruin. Their sound elicits feelings of regret while offering an intense and angry sonic assault – it’s an ambitious but rewarding approach to music making that Hath masterfully achieved on Of Rot and Ruin.
The New Jersey quartet offers a distinctive blend of progressive death metal with blackened riffage and melodic touches. Drawing inspiration from Opeth, Symphony X, as well as other popular bands on this side of the pond, they maintain an unremitting brutality rooted in European metal tradition.
On Of Rot and Ruin, their debut LP, offers an addictive blend of sonic brutality and melodic complexity that will have you hooked from the first listen. Their lyrics are introspective, dealing with themes such as change, promises kept and broken.
With All That Was Promised, Hath’s second full-length release, they continue to build upon the soundscape created by Of Rot and Ruin by channeling heavy influences such as Gojira, Lamb of God, and Pantera into something truly powerful.
They owe much of their success to AJ Viana’s exceptional mixing and engineering, which helped make their debut record such a hit in 2019. I don’t know why it took them so long to put together their sophomore effort, but it speaks volumes about the talent behind Hath that they were able to produce such an impressive sonic assault from such a small band.
Burner are one of the UK’s most promising up-and-coming metal bands. Their latest EP, as well as an upcoming album due in 2023, demonstrate that their trademark blend of chainsaw-fueled riffage, mind-boggling time signature manipulation and obscene breakdowns is worth checking out. Their live show is a real treat for fans of this genre – hopefully they get more recognition on UK festival stages soon!
Replicant
Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner is one of those films that can be classified as either a slow noir, high action/low drama, or even just an exploration of humanity and technology. Personally, I preferred the latter option since it made me really consider what the film was trying to convey.
Replicants are artificially-created human beings whose lifespans are limited to four years. They’re manufactured by Tyrell Corporation and its subcontractors for specific roles like workers or servants, designed with perfection so they don’t suffer the consequences of flaws or errors like human beings do.
The replicants’ lack of soul is evident in their eyes, which appear glassy and reflective rather than lifelike. This serves to symbolize how their eyes cannot go through the same struggles humans must in order to see, leaving them without perception of what’s around them.
Deliberate replicants lack an understanding of what it means to be human, which is evident in tests such as Voight-Kampff that Deckard conducts to assess their capacity for empathy.
Though programmed to be perfect in every way, replicants do have a lifespan. This is done to prevent them from rebelling against their creators or suffering from emotional development issues.
As the replicants’ mission comes to an end, Chief Replicant Roy Batty is left as the sole survivor. As he speaks with Deckard, Roy acknowledges that it’s time for him to pass away.
Batty’s self-denial stands in stark contrast to their constant struggle to stay alive. Even after being tested beyond his limits, Batty still manages to find peace in his final moments as he releases a dove into the air, symbolizing his freed soul.
These themes are further reinforced by the replicants’ treatment of animals as though they were endangered species, an allusion to Philip K. Dickens’ original novel and Scott’s deft use of allusion.