Heavy Song of the Week is a feature on Heavy Consequence breaking down the top metal, punk, and hard rock tracks you need to hear every Friday. This week, the honor goes to Many Eyes for their new single “Harbinger.”
Band breakups can be messy business, as was the case for long-running, now defunct metalcore act Every Time I Die. Shows were cancelled, words were exchanged on social media, and singer Keith Buckley eventually split from the rest of the group, spelling its demise.
Now that the dust has settled a couple years later, both parties find themselves immersed in new creative endeavors. The other members of Every Time I Die formed Better Lovers with Greg Puciato and garnered immediate success, while Keith Buckley has built up his own new band, Many Eyes.
In some ways, a song like the band’s latest single “Harbinger” is more akin to Every Time I Die than Better Lovers’ output thus far. First of all, there’s the recognizable vocals of Buckley, who sounds like he’s screaming with a renewed sense of urgency here. We’re not suggesting there’s a rivalry, but in the history of bad band breakups, a degree of competition is inherent between the subsequent projects of the estranged band members — and comparisons are inevitable. But to continue, secondly, the song is steeped more in the extreme metalcore style that was always synonymous with Every Time I Die (whereas we’re hearing a bit more post-hardcore and slam-thrash with Better Lovers).
Thankfully, it seems like both camps have found a steady new groove with their respective bands. Like Better Lovers, Buckley and Many Eyes are gathering momentum fast, with a debut album and tour supporting Sum 41 on the horizon.
Honorable Mentions:
BAND-MAID and The Warning – “SHOW THEM”
A cross-continental collaboration like “SHOW THEM” presents some challenges, including integrating all eight musicians between two bands. Against all that, Japan’s BAND-MAID and Mexico’s The Warning knocked out a solid tune that should appeal to the fanbases of both groups. The track captures the hard-rocking essence of both bands, while giving the members of each act a chance to showcase their individual talents.
Satan’s Satyrs – “What the Winds Brought”
There’s a delightful scuzz to new single from occult rockers Satan’s Satyrs. The crushed-out lo-fi sound is pure Velvet Underground, with acoustic guitars, fuzz-distorted electrics, and British Invasion vocals slathered together in the mix. It sounds bent and twisted — some might even say evil.
Tremonti – “Just Too Much”
Mark Tremonti is a busy man. When he’s not playing guitar for Creed or Alter Bridge, you might find him singing Frank Sinatra songs or playing in his eponymous solo outfit Tremonti. It’s the latter that released the new song “Just Too Much” earlier this week, showcasing the guitarist-singer’s multitude of talents. His heavy blues-inflected guitar riffs provide the backbone for the song, while he simultaneously nails a commanding vocal part. Let it be known, Mark Tremonti is a gifted singer, even if he doesn’t get to his use pipes so much in his other bands.