While this year has been turbulent, there’s no denying that we’ve gotten some great music out of it. Some bands are really coming into their own and making their voice heard, being a shining light in one of the worst years we can recall. I’m beyond glad to see these bands get the spotlight, as the effort exuded matches some undeniable talent. Take a gander at the bands that are ruling 2020.
Sleep Token
While Sleep Token‘s Sundowning didn’t make its way to my ears until this year, I am obsessed. Some of the most divine vocals to grace your ears comes with a succinct instrumental backing with the production turned up to 11. The range at hand in Sundowning is unbelievable; you simply can’t narrow down what band Sleep Token sounds like, which makes them stick in your mind. This mysterious act hides its members, and does it well, as no one has any clue who’s behind the masks. Sundowning saw a deluxe version release in 2020, with intimate versions of four tracks. Sleep Token is one of the most unique, captivating things going in the scene in 2020.
Spiritbox
Borne from the ashes of Iwrestledabearonce, Spiritbox is slowly but surely gaining the traction that they deserve in 2020. You’ll see in social media threads as far as the eye can see that fans are touting the act as one of the best things going on right now. The band has a self-titled EP and a collection of singles under their belt, but their newest offering “Holy Roller” is racking up tons of plays thanks to an impressive performance on SiriusXM’s Liquid Metal, currently in spot #3 of their Devil’s Dozen. Courtney LaPlante is metal’s best-kept-secret, and the cat’s about to be out of the bag.
Loathe
Released early in 2020, Loathe’s I Let It In And It Took Everything is still at the top of many album-of-the-year lists. This record, released in February, could be chalked up to the second coming of Deftones (approved by Chino Moreno himself). Pairing an unparalleled aggression to desperate, fleeting vocals makes this band’s sound clear-cut and masterful. Evocative and memorable, ILIIAITE has been put on repeat by several of us at New Fury.
END
Supergroups are always so fascinating to experience. In the case of END, their sophomore effort, Splinters From An Ever-Changing Face, is out-of-this-world. A hardcore outing for the ages, the mix of Brendan Murphy, Will Putney, Greg Thomas, Jay Pepito, and Andrew McEnaney make for a knockout punch of some of the genre’s best coming together to crush it. While members already have a lot on their plate of heaviness, the band is eager to get back to playing shows, and would be splitting faces right now if touring was still active. For now, we can mosh in our rooms to Splinters From An Ever-Changing Face.
Alpha Wolf
And now, for a band that’s set to close out 2020 in style. Alpha Wolf has been around for a while, but are gearing up for one of metalcore’s biggest releases of the year for A Quiet Place to Die, releasing September 25th. Touring this year with Chelsea Grin and making a return to the stage in early 2020 for the reunion of The Red Shore, the band’s stage presence is something that has to be seen to be believed. Their latest single “Creep” is turning a lot of heads and personally has me dead set on hearing more and more.
So, who did we miss? Who else is making the most out of 2020? Who’s poised to dominate 2021? Let us know!
