10 new songs you need to hear from Gojira, K.Flay, Body Count and more
New songs this week cover topics from love and heartbreak to social and environmental issues. Royal & The Serpent sings about toxic relationships, Vic Mensa comments on society and more.
Whatever mood you’re in or genre you want to listen to, all the music shared this week will certainly not disappoint. Check them out below.
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Kamiyada+ – “U Made The Devil Cry”
The passionately furious rapper Kamiyada+ is back with “U Made The Devil Cry,” following up his recent track “Metal In Me.” The new song’s ominous video adds to the gritty and dark vibes of the lyrics. Kamiyada+ recently signed to Hopeless Records and wants to use elements of darkness to tell stories in his music, which is evident in this track. “‘U Made The Devil Cry’ captures a look at death,” Kamiyada+ says. “In some cases intentional, accidental from a viewpoint so saddening that even the devil himself couldn’t bear it.” The plus sign in Kamiyada+, the stage name of Jovani Duncan, is meant to illustrate the infinite possibilities he holds in not only his music but his life as a whole. This sentiment is evident in “U Made The Devil Cry,” as he doesn’t shy away from being authentically himself and singing about what he wants.
Arkells – “You Can Get It” (feat. K.Flay)
Celebrate spring finally arriving with Arkells‘ latest song featuring K.Flay. “You Can Get It” is a positively upbeat song about not listening to the negative voices in your head and doing exactly what you want to do. The colorful Wheel Of Fortune-inspired video sees the band playing the iconic television show game, but all the answers are things quarantine has prevented us from doing within the past year. This, combined with Arkells‘ signature vocals and K.Flay’s witty lyrics, is sure to inspire you to think big. “This song is about finding your momentum, the potential energy that’s inside of you,” K.Flay says. “The moment when you scream to yourself, ‘I don’t give a fuck. Tell me what you want. You can get it!’ So often, the future doesn’t just feel unknowable—it feels impossible. We wanted this song to feel like possibility. Like the world is opening up. Like you are powerful.”
Body Count – “The Hate Is Real”
Ice-T and Muppets in the same sentence is probably something no one ever would expect until now. Body Count recently shared a video for “The Hate Is Real,” which features Muppet-like puppets. The band asked fans to create and submit videos about the song, which is off their 2020 album, Carnivore, before choosing 25-year-old Brooklyn filmmaker Seby Martinez. “The Hate Is Real” is a raw and raging song about the personal and systemic hate in our world. “Bum-Rush,” another song from Carnivore, made headlines earlier this month when it won the band a Grammy for Best Metal Performance.
Gojira – “Amazonia”
Gojira have shared “Amazonia,” a new single that aims to draw awareness to environmental and cultural issues plaguing indigenous tribes in the Amazon. The band hope to use their platform to directly help those in the area affected by issues such as deforestation, forced labor and harassment. All the proceeds from “Amazonia” will go to The Articulation of Indigenous Peoples of Brazil, and Gojira are also launching a month-long charity campaign. “This is a call for unity,” vocalist/guitarist Joe Duplantier says. “The music community can be powerful when united toward something meaningful like this. So many friends, great artists [and] bands have joined the movement without hesitation by donating instruments. This is a collective effort from so many people around us!” The campaign will feature the auction of one-of-a-kind musical items from the band and their friends, including an engraved guitar from Metallica’s bassist Robert Trujillo, a signed photo of Lamb Of God’s Randy Blythe and a limited-edition Rockhard Slayer motorcycle helmet.
Sincere Engineer – “Out Of Reach”
“Out Of Reach” is the newest song from Sincere Engineer, the Chicago band fronted by Deanna Belos. The song combines Midwestern emo with heartfelt and self-deprecating lyrics that will connect you to Belos and her emotions. Though she started as a solo artist in the Chicago punk scene, she’s now backed by a full band. This gave her the opportunity to expand into the unique sound Sincere Engineer now possess, and “Out Of Reach” is proof of just that. Within the last year, the band have also released singles “Tourniquet” and “Trust Me.”
The Knocks – “R U HIGH” (feat. Mallrat)
Electronic duo the Knocks have joined forces with Australian singer Mallrat for “R U HIGH,” a dizzying song that showcases the Knocks’ thrilling beats and Mallrat’s sensational lyrics. “I’ve been a fan of Mallrat since I heard her early stuff,” the Knocks’ Ben Ruttner says. “We talked about doing a song together, and eventually our schedules aligned while we were both in California and got together for a couple of days. Her sense of melody and lyric writing is really special and in a lane of its own. All of her work is honest and personal, which is hard to find these days.” Following the duo’s recent collaboration with Foster The People on “All About You,” “R U HIGH” doubles as both a chillout song and a banging dance club number, perfect for whatever mood you’re currently in.
Royal & The Serpent – “i can’t get high”
With her newest song “i can’t get high,” Royal & The Serpent can now justifiably say she’s a poet and music video director alongside being a singer-songwriter. Opening with a relatable spoken-word poem about heartbreak, the video shows the highs and lows of a toxic relationship. In the video, which was partially shot in the Mojave Desert, she also gets an actual tattoo, done by Beauty School Dropout’s Cole Hutzler. If you think you recognize the track, it’s probably from her set on YUNGBLUD’s the Weird Time Of Life digital tour last year, where she gave fans a tease of the song. 2020 was also a big year for Royal & The Serpent music-wise, as she released multiple singles, including the viral hit “Overwhelmed,” which you may have heard before on TikTok.
Vic Mensa – “FR33DOM” (feat. Zacari)
Vic Mensa never misses with his sharp lyrics and deep messages, and his latest drop “FR33DOM” is only further proof of that. The song, which features Zacari, is both a silky smooth and punchy commentary on society. The track is off his latest EP, I TAPE, featuring artists such as Chance The Rapper, Wyclef Jean and more. Whether working with his band 93PUNX or by himself, Mensa’s music always addresses different injustices in the world. I TAPE follows suit as it brings awareness to topics such as incarceration, poverty and criminal justice through Mensa’s impeccable artistry.
State Champs – “10AM”
State Champs have shared an artistic stop-motion video for their song “10AM” from their Unplugged EP. The video offers a unique cinematic concept that feels like you’re watching an entire movie, all in less than three minutes. It also seamlessly represents the feelings and emotions behind the track. “This is an experimental mixed media piece featuring miniature sets, a dollhouse and thousands of cutout still video images of us band guys and the actors,” frontman Derek DiScanio says. “Nuri Yilmazer did a wicked job at making this come to life and portraying the feelings that come along with listening to the song to create an overall visual experience unlike any music video we’ve done before.” State Champs also announced the launch of Champs Fam, a new platform to give their dedicated fans a better experience. “Champs Fam is a fan club platform where we give you guys first dibs on everything—merch, tickets, new music, videos, meet and greets, giveaways, snacks, etc.—as well as exclusive access to all of the above that no one else can get!” DiScanio continues. “We have so much behind-the-scenes footage of tours and studio that we will be uploading exclusively to Champs Fam and have lots of sick ideas for the future, so get at it!”
Royal Blood – “Limbo”
Ahead of their upcoming third album, Typhoons, Royal Blood have shared a new single “Limbo” with fans. The rock duo show off their unique sound in the song, with intense instrumentals and tight vocals contributing to the powerful vibe. “It is without a doubt the most ambitious and wildest we have allowed ourselves to be, and we can’t wait to invite you this far down the rabbit hole with us,” Royal Blood say. They will be performing “Limbo” at the 2021 Bloxy Awards as virtual avatars March 27. Typhoons is out April 30, and you can preorder it here.
