This week’s Heavy Song of the Week feature highlights the new single “Belligerence” from The Ocean, the second single from their phenomenal Solaris due out later this year. This one clocks in at over 10 minutes in length but, despite that, forgoes the typical construction The Ocean have wielded in the past for longer tracks, instead having a lot of riff changes and pivots in the mood and color of the music.
This week was difficult, with three songs dropping that in other weeks would have handily taken the top spot. Two of those, however, being the newest singles from Anthrax and Mastodon, see bands we’ve quite recently given the top nod, clearing the way for The Ocean to slide in with “Belligerence,”. This one contains a universe of sound, opening almost like a hardcore track before having tight thrash or technical death elements before getting to a doomier prog section nearly 7 minutes in that finally sounds like The Ocean as we knew them before.
It seems to contain a universe of sound, opening almost like a hardcore track before having tight thrash or technical death elements before getting to a doomier prog section nearly 7 minutes in that finally sounds like The Ocean as we knew them before. The gambit of the band to reboot their lineup, both freeing up the former members to pursue other projects and life beyond the perennial cult favorite group as well as taking in fresh blood to pursue new ideas, has paid off in spades.
By the end of the time of the lineup The Ocean debuted on the Heliocentric / Anthropocentric albums, they had developed an established sound that was verging on predictability, even if it hadn’t delivered a dud yet. “Belligerence” shows them take on new harmonic ideas, new approaches to riffing, a new vocal attack with both a female and male vocalist delivering harsh vocals that dig into each other like warring harpies, all adding up to a sound that is as dynamic, forceful, and heavy as ever, just a bit more in-step with modern ideas.
Honorable Mention
Anthrax – “The Edge of Perfection”
This was a genuine jaw-dropping moment for me. I’ve always liked and respected Anthrax, but I’ve found it difficult to consistently connect with their music in the same way I have with the other Big Four, albeit loving them when I do. “The Edge of Perfection” sounds like a completely new band. The opening and the chorus give more than a whiff of Deafheaven and their influence on heavy music, while the verses bridge the gap between thrashers and the thrash-ballad format pioneered by Metallica. Combine this with a sly little planed minor chord black metal trick in the middle of the chorus and vocals that are genuinely the best that have appeared on any Anthrax record thus far and it reads not only as a capable peer of Testament’s similar more death and black metal driven present but also like the result of two or three albums that time forgot, a quantum leap in Anthrax’s sound over 40 years into their career.
Mastodon – “Snakes for Dinner” feat. Josh Homme
Even as an ardent defender of Mastodon post-Crack the Skye, it’s hard not to view that record as a watershed release for them not just in terms of mainstream presence but also sonic approach, seeing them polish their edges to take the mantle of a heavy metal Genesis or swaggering Yes. “Snakes for Dinner,” alongside earlier single “Your Ghost Again,” feels like it belongs to that magical early period of the band from Call of the Mastodon to Blood Mountain, cheekily referenced here with the vocal reference to “Hearts Alive,” the monumental 13-minute epic from Leviathan. This song is at once heavier and more explicitly prog than their recent (quite excellent) albums, with João Nogueira once more being given a quite sick Moog solo owing to his official role in the band now.
Psycroptic – “Ashes of a New Dawn”
Technical death metal is so satisfying when done correctly. Avoiding the endless repetition of aimless sweep picking and speed that ignores making a gnarly ass riff, you get music that’s both wildly imaginative and heavy as hell, the ideal combination for heavy metal in general in most cases. Psycroptic have a deeply balanced sound, being melodically driven without forgetting to put some really gross riffs in there, willing to groove as much as they’re willing to blast and do absurd guitar pyrotechnics, have progressive and avant-garde elements that don’t disrupt the incredible catchiness and approachability of their music.
Servant – “Tabula Rasa” feat. P.G. of GROZA
Melodic black metal is hit or miss for me for much the same reason cleaner, more melodic metal in general is. We all love strong melodies, obviously, but it’s so easy to lose a sense of real aggression without replacing it with a genuine emotional depth. I was worried that might happen here until the vocals kicked in, providing an impassioned wolf howl, far from the sound of overly-trained screamers replicating the same vocal texture, which suddenly made the melodicism of the instruments feel anxiety-ridden in a powerful way. The song is a plea, the blastbeat the freneticism of desire.
In conclusion, this week’s Heavy Song of the Week highlights the best in heavy music, from The Ocean’s epic 10-minute single to Anthrax’s surprising new sound and Mastodon’s return to form. With honorable mentions from Psycroptic and Servant, it’s clear that the world of heavy metal is as vibrant as ever, with a wide range of styles and sounds to explore. Whether you’re a fan of technical death metal, melodic black metal, or something in between, there’s something for everyone in this week’s selection of heavy songs.
Pixel P. Snarkbyte, widely regarded as the “Shakespeare of Sh*tposts,” is a video game expert with a unique knack for turning pixels into punchlines.
Born in the small town of Respawn, Pennsylvania, Pixel grew up mashing buttons on an ancient NES controller, firmly believing that “blowing into the cartridge” was a sacred ritual passed down through generations.
Pixel P. Snarkbyte: proving that life, much like a buggy open-world game, is better with a little lag-induced chaos.
