Curated by Monk
As we plummet headlong into the second quarter of the year, leaving the long cold winter behind and looking forward to a potentially equally cold summer, it’s perhaps astounding to think that in such a short period of time we have warmed the cockles of your aural cortices with something like 160+ new single releases having won their way onto our playlist in just three months, demonstrating both the wealth and depth of talent currently plying their trade in this hoary old Überverse… And we’re about to add to that tally with another haul of eclectic, quality tunes for your delectation and enjoyment… so, let’s go Idaho…
Priest – ‘Just A Game’ (Blue Nine Records)
We kick off with a heady dose of synthwave thanks to Swedish crossover innovators Priest, who once again blend cyberpunk influences with dark gothicism, all mixed in a heady rave groove:
Chastity Belt – ‘Laugh’ (Suicide Squeeze)
The Seattle noise pop quartet have definitely brought a smile to our faces with this, the (sort of) title track of their just-released new album, ‘Live Laugh Love‘. They play six dates in the Über Kingdom at the end of June.
No Guidance -‘Oh Hell’ (Thousand Islands Records)
These German melopunks are inviting us to hold a mirror up to ourselves and face the consequences of our actions, beliefs, decisions and choices with this emotive and powerful first cut from their upcoming second album, ‘Late To The Party’, due later in the year.
Foreign Hands ‘ ‘God Under Fingernails’ (SharpTone Records)
A heady dose of metalcore now, as this American five-piece prepare to prove that they can stand face-to-face, shoulder-to-shoulder, toe-to-toe with some of the genre’s heaviest hitters with the release of their new album, ‘What’s Left Unsaid‘ – which is very little on the basis of what we’ve heard so far…
SeeYouSpaceCowboy – ‘To The Dancefloor For Shelter’ (Pure Noise Records)
Co-incidentally, this post-hardcore crüe are about to head out on the road with our previous inductees, but in the meantime have served up this collaboration with Courtney LaPlante of Spiritbox as yet another enervating sample of their own forthcoming album, ‘Coup de Grâce‘, which comes out later this month:
Last Addiction – ‘The Pretty Witch’ (Self-Released)
This French melocore mob pay tribute to Lilith with this impactful new cut, which is a worthy taster of their new album, due later this year…
Streetlight – ‘Endless’ (Frontiers Music)
Another change in mood now, as these emerging Swedish AOR proponents serve us up a standalone cover of the Toto deep cut as a space filler prior to starting recording their second album later this year:
Never Elected – ‘One Of These Days’ (Self-Released)
The Washington DC quartet are in somewhat retrospective mood as they prepare to look back on ‘Turbulent‘ times with the re-release of their debut album, which blends grunge with classic rock vibes.
The Pressed – ‘Shook’ (DroopyJoe Records)
This Oslo quintet blend jangly shoegaze with alt-folk rock in a way that sounds fresh and youthfui:
Empires To Ruins – ‘Peacekeepers’ (Self-Released)
Hailing from the north coast of Northern Ireland, this debut single is a declaration of intent from ETR, who show the experience of their combined members while at the same time sounding fresh and energetic with this impressive slice of anthemic post-punk:
Keg – ‘Michael Phelps’ (Alcopop! Records)
The first of two songs on this week’s playlists to name check celebrities, this unlikely ode to the most decorated Olympian of all time sees the London alt collective blend a crunching Melvins-esque grunge riff with staccato Talking Heads witticisms and sparkling splashes of intertwining lead guitar:
High Desert Queen – ‘Time Waster’ (Magnetic Eye Records)
The Texan desert rockers certainly ain’t wasting their time with this follow-up to their previous #DailyPick, another very tasty morsel served up as a more-than fulfilling appetizer from their forthcoming second album, ‘Palm Reader‘, being released at the end of May… can’t fucking wait, if I’m being honest (which I am!):
Better Lovers – ‘The Flowering’ (SharpTone Records)
Greg Puciato is a man who doesn’t believe in sitting around doing nothing… having just completed his own solo tour, he’s heading back out on the road again, this time with his bandmates in Better Lovers, for another string of European festival and headline shows, ahead of which they have released this energetic three minutes of aural mayhem:
Chiral – ‘Kubrick’s Odyssey’ (Self-Released)
This latest offering from Irish sci fi-inspired proggies Chrial is a suitably atmospheric and expansive journey through both the wide open spaces of the universe around us and the more claustrophobic ones within us:
Walter Trout & Dee Snider – ‘I’ve Had Enough’ (Provogue)
It may seem a highly unlikely collaboration, but it is one forged through mutual admiration, and we can’t get enough of this fiery slice of incendiary blues rock which defiantly draws on the musical heritage of both artists:
Mammal – ‘Keanu Reeves’ (Self-Released)
The Melbourne neo-punk/funk rockers use the internet’s favourite actor to deliver a typically acerbic , pop-culture-laden indictment of web-based misinformation, delivered with scintillating spitfire style:
Kittie – ‘We Are Shadows’ (Sumerian Records)
The renascent metal queens follow-up their recent comeback single – itself their first new music in 13 years – with this dark addressing of facing the uncertainty of an uncontrollable future. There is no doubt that the Canadian quartet have made an emphatic and triumphant return, with the promise of much more to come when their new album emerges later in the year.
Bob Vylan – ‘Reign’ (Ghost Theatre)
Arguably the hottest duo on the alt-punk crossover scene, Bob Vylan continue their apparently inexorable rise with the release of their new album, ‘Humble As The Sun’ and a just-started record store tour and more to come over the summer, including appearances at the Primordial, Slam Dunk, Jera On Air, Rising, 2000Trees and Y Not festivals.
Kickhunter – ‘Mine All Mine’ (Metalopolis)
Everyone knows we love a big swelling (Hammond) organ here at ÜRHQ, and our appetite has been more than amply satiated with this suitably ebullient latest cut from the classic rocker’s imminent “best of…” compilation, the suitably titled ‘Greatest Kicks’, coming out at the end of May:
Daytime TV – ‘Lost In Tokyo’ (Self-Released)
Our penultimate selection sees this alt-rock four-piece effortlessly blend synthpop, pop punk, indie and classic rock as they take us on a wild audio adventure on the first extract from their forthcoming EP, ‘Island‘:
Orange Goblin – ‘(Not) Rocket Science’ (Peaceville)
Our final selection is yet another “comeback” as a band regarded as among the giants of modern British metal open a new chapter with a new label, a new line-up and their first new music in six years. This is the first taster of their tenth studio album, ‘Science, Not Fiction‘, due to be released in July:
And there you have it, another eclectic selection of what we feel are the hottest new tunes tickling the airwaves at the moment – with most of them being completely ignored by the mainstream media, of course. We’ll be back with the full-blown Club in two weeks’ time, but don’t forget to tune in each and every day for out #DailyPick… Until then, keep ‘er lit, keep ‘er between the hedges and keep on Über Rockin’ baybee \m/