New Zealand’s highest streaming rock band, WRITTEN BY WOLVES, have recruited Trenton Woodley of Hands Like Houses for a reimagined version of track ‘Better Luck Next Time‘ and a corresponding cinematic music video.
The new single takes a tongue-in-cheek look at one of the only inevitable facts of life: no matter what we do, no one gets out alive. Woodley not only contributed vocals, but also co-produced/mixed the track and starred in the music video directed by Written By Wolves guitarist, Bahador Borhani.
‘Better Luck Next Time’ is the second single from Written By Wolves’ upcoming EP, ‘The Collab Project’, out on 17th September (self-release). The 5-track EP is a collection of re-imagined collaborations of tracks from their debut album Secrets, released in late 2019. In addition to Woodley, Kellin Quinn (Sleeping With Sirens), Sonny Sandoval (P.O.D.), and others have collaborated on tracks for the EP.
Written By Wolves vocalist Michael Murphy says, “The Collab Project is an on-going initiative to try and spread awareness, and to remind our fans and our followers, that no matter what they are going through, no matter what mental health struggles or demons they are going through right now, they don’t have to do it alone and they don’t have to deal with it on their own.” He adds, “The aim is to help normalise talking about our mental health issues and to help to breakdown the stigma attached to mental health.” Watch the band’s video explanation of The Collab Project here.
Written By Wolves are a fresh and progressive cinematic rock band and one of the most exciting new rock acts to come from New Zealand in recent years. Renowned for their highly energetic live show, the band have already shared the stage with international heavyweights such as Machine Gun Kelly, Limp Bizkit, Pendulum, Sublime With Rome, Suicidal Tendencies, We The Kings and Four Year Strong, to name just a few. Since forming in 2014, the band has amassed over 310,000 monthly listeners and more than 36 million streams on Spotify, as well as over 100,000 subscribers and 46 millions views on YouTube.
Check out the video for ‘Better Luck Next Time’ below or you can stream the track via the following link.
September 2021 is locked in for Slam Dunk Festival where we now have confirmation of the acts who will be playing this years iteration of the festival.
Along with confirming the acts who will still be playing from the originally scheduled May dates, the festival organisers have also announced that Crown The Empire, Escape The Fate, Malevolence, Hacktivist, and Snuff will also be joining the bill.
The acts who sadly are unable to confirm that they can make the rescheduled dates and are no longer part of the bill are 3OH!3, Billy Talent, Code Orange, Dance Gavin Dance, Grayscale, Hands Like Houses, I Am The Avalanche, Issues, Motion City Soundtrack, Sleep On It, The Wonder Years, Young Guns, and Yours Truly.
More acts are set to be announced in the coming weeks.
Check out the full list of bands below.
A The Baboon Show Basement Blood Youth The Bottom Line Bury Tomorrow Chunk! No, Captain Chunk! Comeback Kid Counterparts Crown The Empire Days N Daze Deez Nuts Doll Skin Don Broco Dream State Escape The Fate Face To Face The Faim Four Year Strong Free Throw Hacktivist I Am The Avalanche Ice Nine Kills Knuckle Puck Malevolence Mayday Parade Me First And The Gimme Gimmes Movements NOFX Normandie Pennywise Popes Of Chillitown Reel Big Fish ROAM Snuff Spunge State Champs Static Dress The Story So Far Stray From The Path Sum 41 This Wild Life Trash Boat The Vandals Vukovi Wargasm We Are The In Crowd While She Sleeps With Confidence Your Demise Zebrahead
Slam Dunk Festival 2021 will take place on September 4th 2021 at Temple Newsam, Leeds and on September 5th 2021 at Hatfield Park, Hatfield.
Tickets from last years event will be honoured and remain valid for 2021.
Remaining tickets are on sale now with a range of payment plans, and can be purchased online from seetickets.com.
Happy October everyone!! Welcome back to the new music video roundup. We’re here for a roundup of ten of the best recently released music videos. They’re not all within the same genre and they’re all different in some way or another but that means that there’s a little something for everyone here but come on, let’s get down to the music!
First up this week is Hyro The Hero (Formally known as Hyro Da Hero) the Rock and Hip Hop artist.
The track, ‘We Believe Feat. David Draiman (of Disturbed)’ is the start of a brand new record cycle will feature on his upcoming yet to be announced effort which is a follow up to his 2018 record, ‘Flagged Channel’.
Check out the video for ‘We Believe’ below.
Time for a cover.
A couple of months ago, Nekrogoblikon released a version of System Of A Down‘s hit ‘Chop Suey!’, and now they have a video to go with it.
This is what the band had to say about it.
“Today marks the 84-day anniversary of the release of our cover of System Of A Down’s ‘Chop Suey!’ so to celebrate here’s a very serious and politically charged video of Nicky and John making chop suey in a kitchen.”
Next up are the Dallas, Texas death metal newcomers Frozen Soul have released their debut single, ‘Crypt Of Ice’, and it comes with an accompanying video too.
Here’s what the band had to say about it.
“This year has been a nightmare fuelled fire and we’re ready to bring in the cold front and finally show everyone the the record we’ve created! ‘Crypt Of Ice’ is everything we could have hoped for and we are really proud of how it’s turned out, we can’t wait for everyone to freeze while listening to it!”
Lande Hekt is set to release her debut album ‘Going to Hell’ via Queer-run independent label Get Better Records on 22 January 2021. This record represents a time when Hekt was coming out as gay.
“I’m no stranger to queer punk and queer politics,” she says. “I’ve always taken a special interest for obvious reasons, but this record is important to me because it’s the first time I’m releasing anything as an outwardly gay person.”
‘Going to Hell’ was recorded by Hekt’s friend Ben David (from the band The Hard Aches) in the Adelaide Hills in Australia, whilst she was over there for a solo tour with him in February, luckily fitting in the recording and flying home before lockdown kicked in. The intense experience saw Hekt laying down all instruments on the album, with the exception of percussion.
‘Whiskey’, the first single from ‘Going to Hell’ is out now and is representative of the album’s mood. “This song is essentially about how there were so many things that didn’t feel right in my life,” says Hekt. “It’s about learning how to come to terms with being gay or, more accurately, realising that pretending you’re not gay can’t go on forever.”
Coming out is a prevalent topic throughout the record with the title track itself being “about how homophobia and heteronormative culture can make you feel isolated and scared of being yourself,” as Hekt herself explains her thoughts and feelings surrounding her sexuality, continuing: “I internalised a lot of that culture for a long time and it wasn’t until I found myself surrounded by queer and trans people and friends, that I realised I could live happily in a way that felt right. I know I’m not alone in feeling like this and it was other people sharing their experiences with me that helped me out, so I named the album after this song to try and reach people who might want to be reached. It’s also not a dig on all Catholics; it’s just an expression of scepticism from a gay person regarding conservatism.”
‘Going to Hell’ sounds like the sum of Hekt’s wide-ranging influences – The Replacements, The Raincoats, Sharon Van Etten, The Slits, Patti Smith, Sacred Paws, Le Tigre, Against Me! – multiplied by her own distinct voice.
Check out ‘Whiskey’ below.
Moving to Jamie Lenman for our next pick whom released this video for ‘Like Me Better off his new mini-album ‘King Of Clubs’ just before its release last Friday.
Speaking on the track, Lenman had this to say.
“‘Like Me Better’ was one of the tracks I added to the album when I decided I wanted to make something with a bit more depth than an EP. I had to go against my instincts and trust the strength of the song in order to not fuss it up or make it more complex than it needed to be – just three chords and a slow beat. I ended up whacking a big riff at the end of it cos I love big riffs but otherwise it’s a very simple tune, and probably better for it.
Lyrically it’s about things that repulse you at first but later you come to appreciate. This could apply to food or music or anything that provokes a strong reaction but in this instance it’s definitely about people and physical attraction. When people talk about having a secret crush, it’s usually about someone who looks a bit odd but nevertheless has a certain something about them. The whole record is about complex, contradictory and potentially uncomfortable feelings so it fits right in.”
Let’s change the style up a touch. The Driver Era have released their new single, ‘Fade’.
It’s the latest in a string of singles for the duo – brothers Ross and Rocky Lynch – following ‘Places’, ‘Take Me Away’, ‘OMG Plz Don’t Come Around’ and ‘flashdrive’.
“This song is actually a few years old, but it just took some time for people to believe in it enough to put it out,” Ross explains. “I’m really happy the song is finally coming out. The song is all about the inevitability of fading away… making the most of every moment.”
Moving to Black Honey now and we have ‘Run For Cover’.
The track – written with Mike Kerr from Royal Blood – arrives after months of lockdown, also following on from recent track ‘Beaches’.
Izzy B. Phillips explains: “’Run For Cover’ is about the nuances in sex. It’s fun but on a bit of a knife edge of risk and weird. Sex can be clumsy, emotional and complex. There’s so much baggage that it comes with.
“We wrote the song from a man’s perspective. It felt empowering to flip it to the female gaze. I think I’m exploring both power and my weakness in equal measure. We wanted it to sound manic – like Hives meets John Travolta, hips swinging. I love this song. I hope it makes women find themselves and dump their boyfriends.”
Of the video, she adds: “I wanted to explore the three different people inside me. A vulnerable character, a boss character, and a wild unhinged character. I think I can have all of these qualities and still be a woman. I wanted to explore something that pushes the binary expectation of femininity.”
How about an Aussie band now? Rock favourites Hands Like Houses took to Australias triple j’s acclaimed Like A Version segment this morning with a huge cover of Fuel’s ‘Shimmer’ alongside a performance of recent single ‘The Water’.
It comes soon after the announce of the band’s upcoming self-titled EP, due for release on Friday 23rd October through UNFD globally. The band are also offering a new cut from the EP with the single and video for ‘Dangerous’ out now. Following ‘Space’ and ‘The Water’,’Dangerous’ Continues in the bold and gritty vein of the Hands Like Houses EP.
On the track, HLH vocalist Trenton Woodley explains: “Something about this song has always been uncomfortable for me – when we started, ‘Dangerous’ was meant to be playful, confident, even arrogant – but as it came together, it felt like a reflection on frustration and losing control when all your confidence falls apart.”
Hands Likes Houses have spent over a decade defying expectations and challenging boundaries, staking their claim as one of Australia’s most acclaimed modern rock exports. With ARIA success, a triple j feature album, multiple sold out tours and legions of global fans under their belt, the band are poised to break even more ground as they step into this new decade.
On today’s ‘Dangerous’ music video, Woodley adds that it’s a reflection of the lyrical and musical volatility throughout the track.
“It’s a collage meant to evoke a sort of whiplash, cutting between cartoon bangs, pops and pows to destructive, explosive carnage that fundamentally changes the world we live in. We had the pleasure of working once again with Sam Shapiro to produce the clip, and once again he has come through with something equally as fun as it is powerful and we’re excited to put it out into the world,” he says.
Now for something a little recent but a new video to imagine alongside it, PVRIS have released a video for the title track from their new album ‘Use Me’.
It’s the title-track from the band’s latest album which was released just a few weeks ago and sees frontwoman Lynn Gunn “own[ing] her role as PVRIS’ leader and sole architect”.
“Special thanks to Griffin Stoddard, Evan Brown, Laura Burhenn, Captain Daddy Sir, Claire Montgomery, Peggy Wright, TT Britt, and everyone else who made this video happen!” she says.
And last we have the British Singer/Songwriter Yungblud whom has shared a video to accompany his recently released track, ‘God Save Me, But Don’t Drown Me Out’.
It’s taken from his eagerly-awaited second studio album, ‘Weird!’, which he announced recently and Yungblud prefaces the video explaining who the track is for.
“For anyone lying in their bedroom at 4AM wondering why they aren’t good enough…”
And that’s it for another week of a countdown of the best singles out in the world in the last week. Be sure to check back next-time for another round of great music videos. If you have any suggestions for me to check out, be sure to send an email or message us via the socials on Facebook or Twitter!
There’s more Hands Like Houses incoming this year!
After the release of their single, ‘Space’ back in June, the band have announced the details of their upcoming self-titled EP. It’s set to be released on October 23rd via UNFD.
Check out the Cover Art, Tracklisting, Streaming of ‘The Water’ and Pre-order options below.
01. The Water 02. Space 03. Dangerous 04. Stranger 05. Wired
On the release of ‘The Water’, Trenton Woodley (Vocals) says:
“I picture the protagonist as some beautiful, fantastical, strange and surreal sea creature that has come to live among us, but wants to go home,” he says. “I feel like the voice of this song is one that has done its best to make a place to belong, but knows it doesn’t, can’t or won’t, and is trying to say a heartfelt, honest goodbye.
“Of course, that’s not to say there’s not a piece of me buried in that voice. I don’t think you get to come this far in life without wondering if you really belong to this particular path you’ve found yourself on, if there’s not somewhere else or someone else you’re meant to be. The harder the times, the bigger the question becomes in your mind. When it comes down to it, it’s a song about closing doors and opening new ones.”
The Australian Post-Hardcore/ Rock group Hands Like Houses have just ended a massive tour of the EU where they’ve celebrated by released a different take of their track, ‘Through Glass’.
The track is featured on their fourth record, ‘-Anon’ but the reworking sees them collaborate with the young Melbourne musicians Samsaruh.
Heyyyyyy. Sorry there wasn’t a post last week. I was in a massive work overdrive for my final hand in! Yes I did say final so hopefully, everything’s going to be back to normal ASAP!
We’re going to kick things off with a little bit of With Confidence and their video for “Moving Boxes”. This is coming off their newest record, Love And Loathing which was one of my favourite releases of 2018 thus far.
Now, Woes are one of my favourite new bands at the moment where they just instantly grabbed my attention. I’ve seen them twice so far this year and will see them when they support State Champs in the coming months which I can’t wait for! For now though, things are getting aesthetically pleasing in their brand new single for ‘Over it’.
Now for a little bit of Yorkshire Pop-Punk. And that’s something you don’t hear about often. Check out their latest offering in Can’t Say I’ll Miss You.
Moving on, Blackpool based band Boston Manor are gearing up for their new record release in ‘Welcome To The Neighbourhood’ which is set to be released via Pure Noise Records on September 7th. for now though, here’s their latest release in the form of ‘Bad Machine’.
For the next video we’re off to the South Coast. Up and Comers Acres have shared a new video for their amazing track, ‘Medicine’ where the writing of the lyrics for this was a cathartic process for vocalist Ben Lumber.
With Reading and Leeds Festival this weekend, Harrogate hardcore outfit Blood Youth shared the beginning of the latest chapter with their brand new song ‘Starve’. It’s their first material released since last year’s debut record ‘Beyond Repair’ and the first since introducing Matt Hollison into the fold as their full-time bassist. Check out Starve below.
Now as a solo act, William Ryan Key has been pursuing a solo career which is paying off well with the release of his debut EP, ‘Thirteen’. Taken from footage on the road, he has compiled them into the following video for ‘Old Company’.
Recently, Post-Harcore New Yorkers Glassjaw wrapped my a main stage slot at this year’s ArcTanGent festival and to top things off, they have dropped a video which comes from their acclaimed record, ‘Material Control’. Check out ‘My Conscience Weighs A Ton’ below.
And another band that are gearing up for a new record release is Pop-Punker’s WSTR. Identity Crisis is being released on the 31st of August but we’ve been given another look at what’s to offer with the video for ‘Crisis’.
We’ll go Post-Hardcore for the last video on this list. With Hands Like Houses, they’ve gone down a much more rock direction with the track for ‘Monster’. It’s the second single to come from their upcoming fourth record, ‘-Anon’ and is accompanied by a retro horror film feel.
And that’s it for this weeks music video list. I do apologise that there was a gap in last week’s countdown but hopefully it’ll be back to normal from next week.
YES! Fans of Hands Like Houses better get ready as they are coming to the UK for an October headline tour! They announced they’re joining Our Last Night on their UK/EU dates but now they’ll be coming back in the Autumn with Jule Vera as their support.
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