Singles Shoot-Out — Week of 8 June, 2026

Fuming Mouth — A Blaze of Nihilism

When I think of Fuming Mouth, I think of that velcro-like HM2 guitar tone goodness — and that's what you get here. Guitars are as big as they should be, feeling full without feeling blown out. There's also a very good bass tone here, which combines quite effectively with the aforementioned guitar tone. But A Blaze of Nihilism lacks personality. Whether it's individual riffs or the overall composition, the track feels flat to me. Nothing grabs me or stands out. And this is a real bummer given the palpable style of songs like Nothing to Bleed or Burning Hand. The solo at 1:09 is wholly uninspired, and the vocals — while being executed well enough — feel like they're just happening in the background. Again, nothing stands out. Fuming Mouth is usually a reliable riff factory, so I'm hoping for better tracks on The Ringing Bell, which releases July 17.

6/10

No Cure — Convulsing in the Dark

I had the pleasure of seeing and briefly meeting No Cure recently, so I'm sorry to report this review will be totally biased as they were incredibly nice and awesome. Knowing they're good people makes me happier to celebrate their victories, one of which being this latest single, Convulsing in the Dark. The quality of the production is immediately evident. I don't know what they're doing over in Sharptone Records land, but with bands like No Cure and Psycho-Frame, they've released some of the best sounding modern metal records. Everything is at full volume. Every musical element is tight but full. Every millimeter of space in the mix is occupied. The guitar tone here feels a bit more organic and boomy compared to I Hope I Die Here. I think that might have something to do with recording "real amps in rooms" or something. The vocal mix is also different here — it feels hotter and less compressed. Not sure if that's what's actually going on, but I'm glad it feels different from the last record. It's not the same, but it's still fantastic. But this tone and production is all just to serve the riffs, and obviously No Cure comes with the stuff. I had these riffs stuck in my head for days after a first listen. The callout at the end before the breakdown — "Tell me why you deserve to keep breathing / Tell me why before you start seizing" — has me nearly suplexing strangers on the sidewalk.

8/10

Crown Magnetar — Impaled Genesis

After Desecrate Infinite, I've been itching for new Crown Magnetar. They've quickly become one of my all-time favourite deathcore bands, scratching an itch that only Whitechapel has so far been able to scratch for me. With Impaled Genesis, it feels confirmed that Crown is developing a signature formula, mixing technical chaos and anthemic choruses. Whereas the first single was heavy on the anthem aspects of Crown's writing, this track leans on the technical aggression side of things. A lot of high-speed, technical deathcore can fall into a monotony of double kicks and bass-dropped-punctuated breakdowns. Impaled Genesis proves that Crown Magnetar can keep it interesting. Some songs stumble with speed; this track never loses the punch. And the tasteful use of samples and effects elevates the aggression rather than making it feel manufactured. Crown remains big-pec, chest-out confident at the front of the pack in terms of modern deathcore. I eagerly await this upcoming album.

8/10

Lifesick — Die with Me

Die with Me kicks off like your head being pushed into a bucket of grindcore — blasting and Nails-like. There's an urgency like you're in a knife fight. Like Fuming Mouth, this falls into the category of "HM2 goodness," although I'd say the tone is a bit less textured here. Things start to slow down to beatdown territory at 0:53 and lock in with headbanging heft at 1:31. But the song basically ends at 1:50, with the remaining half of the song just being the track coming undone. Don't get me wrong, I like the vibes. But this feels like it needs the rest of the album or EP around it. I'm here for riffs, dammit! But I like what they've presented. I'm always here for more Lifesick.

7/10