The IG algorithm has figured out I post about music a lot and now most of my ads are paid announcements for new singles. I am not complaining. Lol.
You can check out part one of the playlist, as well as the entirety of part two. Below are the songs that have been added since 3/10/24.
Note: Singles are not always added in order of release. Sometimes, I stumble across things that have been out for a while,but I still include them so long as they were put out this year.
I have started part 2 of the playlist. There have been so many releases already this year. I decided doing two months’ worth of singles per playlist (in this case, 8 hours and 37 minutes of music) is more digestible than three or four months to most listeners.
You can listen to the entirety of part 2 here. And don’t forget to check out part 1.
Here are the songs that have been added since 2/25/24.
Post-hardcore/prog rock band Skies of Terra is back with a new single entitled “Invincibility Codes,” which features alternative/trap metal artist Seethe. The track is now available to stream everywhere!
Hard-hitting from start to finish, “Invincibility Codes” is sure to satiate the tastes of even the most discerning heavy music fan. When asked about the story behind the song, vocalist/instrumentalist Euclides Polanco had this to say:
“‘Invincibility Codes’ is about the anxiety-driven feeling of falling. [In this case] ‘falling’ could be used as running out of time, losing sight, close to giving up, and negative contemplations. Phrases like ‘leave the lights on, I’m on my way home’ are calls to the ones the main character is speaking to before deciding…to leave this life. There is a lot of talk about confusion and being driven off the deep end while trying to hide behind a fake smile each day.”
The frustration and hopelessness behind living this way is expressed through music, vocals, and lyrics, all knitted together into a piece that is relatable to anyone who has had to put on a brave front in their day-to-day life. The verses are host to a rapid-fire beat, matched by a driving riff, all topped by Euclides’ clean vocals. “Am I alive? Or barely just breathing?/This isn’t living or existing, behind a malignant smile/And I cannot break free!”
This combination climbs to the bridge and chorus, during which, conversely, the music is more rhythmic while vocalist Justin Townsend unleashes a tidal wave of pent-up rage. “Falling from the sky/Above my head, you are watching me from a vengeful drone/I’m falling fast/The darkness spreads/Leave the lights on, I’m on my way home!”
As the second bridge reaches its close, Euclides announces “Wait, we’re not quite finished yet!” and we are launched into the final breakdown, penned and delivered by Seethe. The story of this collaboration makes it seem as if it were always meant to be.
“Skies of Terra and myself, we’re from the Pittsburgh scene,” explains Seethe. “In 2019, my band signed to a label called Brutal Business Entertainment, but going into 2020 [when Covid happened], the owner wanted to step down. He essentially gave me the label to run. Skies of Terra was one of the first bands that I personally signed.”
“Seethe showed us love very early on,” Euclides recalls. “I had written the demo for ‘Invincibility Codes’ in January 2020. It was originally written for the EP, The Party is Over, but it didn’t fit the narrative and vibe. It just wasn’t ready. Seethe had written a section that sounded pretty sweet, but we left the track alone until fall of 2022. [That’s when] I re-wrote it and sent it to Seethe to work on. He’s the one that ended up creating a big foundation for how things were articulated throughout the album. ‘Invincibility Codes’ has very important motifs that are revisited in other tracks.”
“Clides brought [‘Invincibility Codes’] to me, and he was like, ‘I really want you on this outro’,” Seethe says. “The track was kinda the same as it is now, but a lot of the kinks weren’t worked out. We went back and forth about it, then we shelved it. Out of nowhere, [in 2022], Clides gave me the music and they had me write my breakdown for the end.”
“It was nerve-wracking,” Seethe adds. “They gave me a blank slate at the end to do whatever I wanted. I felt the pressure, because Clides and Justin are both great vocalists, so without knowing what they were gonna do ahead of time, I had to make sure I sent the track out on a high note.”
True to his aim, Seethe does conclude “Invincibility Codes” on a high note. He grants the listener a final eruption of anger, an audible picture of hitting the breaking point. “Push it to the brink/Push, push/I’m coming!/I’m coming home!”
Stream “Invincibility Codes” now, and check out the lyric video below!
Follow Skies of Terra on all their socials so you never miss anything!
Two dynamic female-fronted bands have recently released new singles. Hard rockers CloZure shared “The Devil Effect” on February 9th, while alt-rock outfit Modern Mimes served up “Roses in Ruins” one week later, on February 16th.
CloZure on the set of the video for “The Devil Effect”
Formed in Enterprise, Alabama, CloZure boasts a take-no-prisoners approach in their latest track, “The Devil Effect.” This is the band’s first release to feature new frontwoman Elizabeth Nikollaj. A song dealing with the emotional topics of betrayal and overcoming the anger and hatred it inspires, “The Devil Effect” showcases the renewed energy with which CloZure entered 2024. Featuring a stunning vocal performance from Elizabeth and some seriously wicked guitar work, the track understandably broke iTunes top alternative chart twice, as well as iTunes rock top 20, and it ranked at #3 on the iTunes metal charts. It also hit #1 on Amazon’s new alt-rock releases and #2 on the alt-rock best seller list.
Modern Mimes, who hail from the depths of Florida, are as velveteen and sultry as the summer nights in their homestate, and their latest single, “Roses in Ruins,” is a testament to that. According to the band, the song is about battling your inner demons, in whatever form they may take, and conquering that which poisons your roots. The track is as dark and heavy as its subject matter, and singer Adi Hernandez’s intonations soar to ever-greater heights, goosebump-inducing in their strength and clarity. “Roses in Ruins” is available for streaming on all major platforms. Modern Mimes also recently welcomed drummer Harley Mitchell to the lineup, so stay tuned for a new era in 2024!
Carbonstone is releasing a new song, “White Noise,” on February 17, 2024, and this is one you don’t wanna miss! I was given an early listen of the forthcoming release, and it is certainly a standout track in the Carbonstone library.
“White Noise” has an edge, musically revisiting the band’s heavier side. The aggressiveness of the guitars, carried by the combination of a driving drum beat and rapid-fire bass line, are the perfect foundation for a song that is thematically dark.
Front man Corey James utilizes his voice to evoke a visceral reaction from his listeners. The melodic delivery of the verses offers an audibly interesting contrast to the music; the clear intonation, almost a croon, lends beauty to the tale of heartache: “You poison everything, like you did to me…” Both the lyrics and the vocal performance speak of disappointment, a resignation to the situation our narrator finds himself in. “Somewhere I can’t be found, and now this wavelength is severed/We’re nothing but white noise.”
However, as the track progresses, anger and frustration leak through, raw growls woven intricately throughout until the breakdown, when they crescendo into a lengthy scream of catharsis. “Suffocating, close to breaking, you left me buried alive,” Corey snarls, and a strong sense of breaking free seems to be implied. Perhaps the struggle is not yet over, but the light at the end of the tunnel has been seen.
“White Noise” is a song that deals with the complexities of our relationships, romantic and otherwise, and does so in a way with which we all can connect. This is a must-hear, so head to Spotify, presave it, and get ready for Friday!
Louisiana-based metal project We Are The Virus is releasing new music on February 29th! Put together and performed by front man Ryan Henry, “Get Bent” is an instrumental piece that clocks in at 3 minutes, 20 seconds.
The driving beat and intricate thrum of the bass form a solid foundation, and for the first minute or so, a rock-oriented riff is crafted upon this pedestal. But don’t let that lull you into complacency! At roughly the 1:14 mark, the listener is carried into a journey of guitar work, from delay effects to a shredding solo that speaks of WATV’s classic metal influences. The song then falls back into a maelstrom of drums, bass, and guitar, building to its rather abrupt ending.
The story behind the track? According to Ryan, the inspiration was a literal “get bent” to those people who are nothing but a problem in your life. Where words fail, music speaks, as they say, and “Get Bent” is a musically blistering “not anymore” to those who need to be dismissed for your own peace of mind.
Don’t miss “Get Bent” on your favorite streaming service, and be sure to follow We Are The Virus on their various socials so you never miss an update! And, if you would like to learn more about the band, check out the interview I did with Ryan back in November 2023.
Oh, and I changed my mind about how I’m going to divide up this year’s playlist. I will be doing two months per part, rather than three. Most people’s attention spans are not going to hold up in the face of twenty – or more – hours of music. Lol.
These are the songs I’ve added since 1/14/24. Some of them were released before then, and I missed them last time (oops).
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