Best of 2022: Quarter 2

Here we are to mark the half point in a year that has been anything but boring and carried on in a just as unpredictable and unstable fashion. With Spring just around the corner, the insane modern metal theme park that was Q2 opened its gates and let the madness spread like wildfire. Legends returned, future heroes rose and all around bands and labels delivered on the hype with some of the best works they have ever produced.

Stacked with few of the most anticipated releases of 2022, some surprise drops and huge announcements, the quarter reached its climax in June with a premiere calendar for the history books. While we are still recovering from the sheer brilliance of the previous months, lets go over the key moments and biggest single and album drops that defined the period and raised the bar higher than ever.

20. Fit For A King - 'Reaper'

The long-awaited return of the kings with a bold statement of intent, Fit For A King raised the stakes higher than ever in the bone-crushing whirlpool of lead single 'Reaper'.

19. Moodring - 'N.I.K.E.'

One of UNFD's brightest stars Moodring finally dropped their hugely anticipated debut LP Stargazer, delivering on the hype with atmospheric bangers like 'N.I.K.E' and 'SYNC.wav' and becoming the latest to ride the unstoppable wave of modern Aussie-core.

18. Betraying The Martyrs - 'Swan Song'

With new lead singer and recent switch to Out Of Line, French metalcore royalties Betraying The Martyrs opened a new chapter with their 2021 single 'Black Hole', followed by the moody 'Swan Song' all leading to the high octane EP Silver Lining just last week.

17. Secrets - 'Get Outta My Head'

Fresh off joining the Velocity Records crew last year, California metalcore crew Secrets dropped 'Get Outta My Head' in a series of blistering back-to-back bangers leading towards their solid fifth album The Collapse in June.

16. Novelists FR - 'Heretic' (ft. Flo Salfati of LANDMVRKS)

French metalcore squad Novelists FR recruited fellow countryman and living legend Flo Salfati from LANDMVRKS in a fiery collaboration that blends the best of both worlds and teases a killer new album Déjà Vu due in early September.

15. Bury Tomorrow - 'Life (Paradise Denies)'

The second new single to feature permanent new members Ed Hartwell and Tom Prendergast, 'LIFE (Paradise Denied)' picked up where 'DEATH (Ever Colder)' left in a conceptual series hopefully leading to Bury Tomorrow's upcoming album announcement.

14. Future Palace - 'Dead Inside'

One of the brightest stars in the contemporary European heavy scene, the Berlin post-hardcore trio Future Palace released their brilliant new album Run, celebrating the premiere with yet another fantastic single 'Dead Inside'.

13. Miss May I - 'Bleed Together'

Fully back in our world, Miss May I offed two top quality oldschool metalcore ragers with 'Bleed Together' and 'Earth Shaker', the second and third singles ahead of their hugely anticipated return with Curse of Existence in September.

12. The Devil Wears Prada - 'Salt'

Getting better and better with each subsequent single, and steadily sailing towards new horizons while remaining as brilliant as always, The Devil Wears Prada offered yet another amazing piece ahead of their upcoming Colour Decay LP drop in September.

11. AVIANA - 'Anomaly'

A more intimate single showing a vulnerable and just as fearsome side to Aviana, 'Anomaly' became the seventh episode in a series of back-to-back bangers that would eventually become one of the hottest releases of 2022 - Corporation, out 3rd August.

10. Windwaker - 'Supersticious Fantasy'

Confident, fresh, mischievous and impossible to pin down, newcomers Windwaker's 'Supersticious Fantasy' was just one side of the modern metal mayhem that is their stellar debut Love Language.

9. Void Of Vision - 'ALTAR' (ft. Hannah Greenwood of Creeper)

Australia and UNFD in particular really went full ballistic in Q2, unleashing hoards of uncontainable modern metal outfits upon the world, Void Of Vision claiming one of the top spots with 'ALTAR' from their furious CHRONICLES II: HEAVEN EP.

8. Bleed From Within - 'Flesh And Stone'

Steadily becoming a global modern metalcore powerhouse, Bleed From Within kept on dropping rager after rager, destroying everything in their way for their latest offering Shrine to finally premiere to immediate universal acclaim.

7. Architects - 'when we were young'

Between touring their stellar FTTWTE and recording orchestral masterpieces, noone really expected this nostalgic new single by Architects, the gift that keeps on giving banger after banger in whatever style they see fit.

6. While She Sleeps - 'EYE TO EYE'

On the back of the brilliant Sleeps Society, While She Sleeps wasted no time in a year packed with touring the world and preparing the deluxe re-issue of their 2021 effort, 'EYE TO EYE' hitting hard with signature energetic riffs, anthemic choruses and stunning visuals.

5. Lorna Shore - 'Sun//Eater'

If 2021 taught us anything is that when Will Ramos speaks, screams, squeaks or whatever ungodly sound Lorna Shore produce next, we ought to listen in silent admiration, 'Sun//Eater' and 'Into The Earth' the next two steps in their relentless charge to metal immortality.

4. Thornhill - 'Raw'

Fully embracing their newly-found purpose and sleek aesthetic, Thornhill dropped the final piece of the groovy puzzle that would eventually become Heroine, a beautiful sophomore effort and solid AOTY contender in its mezmerizing entirety.

3. Motionless In White - 'Slaughterhouse' (ft. Bryan Garris of Knocked Loose

Bryan's chilling screams, the furious 'Pulse Of The Maggots'-esque riffage and the bone-crushing breakdown in 'Slaughterhouse' were all it took to push the expectations for Motionless In White's Scoring The End Of The World to a whole other level, and boy did they deliver in June.

2. Spiritbox - 'Rotoscope'

The metal world simply cannot keep up with its dearest sweethearts Spiritbox, their surprise triple single EP 'Rotoscope', 'Sew Me Up' and 'Hysteria' delivering a refreshed sound, vibe and visuals that are bound to be on repeat until the rest of the year.

1. We Came As Romans & Brand Of Sacrifice - 'Darkbloom' (Reimagined)

We Came As Romans dropped 'Darkbloom' back in 2021 and it was an awesome track, yet noone expected a suprise collaboration would see Brand Of Sacrifice's imagination run absolutely insane in a new version that stands in its own rights and is potentially the defining moment of the entire year.

With all of these sick tracks already on repeat across our Modern Metal and Alternative playlist, Vecna stands no chance!

The 10 Most Anticipated Records For Quarter 3:

Banks Arcade - Future Lovers (UNFD), 29 July

Stick To Your Guns - Spectre (End Hits Records), 29 July

Aviana - Corporation (Arising Empire), 3 Aug

The Halo Effect - Days Of The Lost (Nuclear Blast), 12 Aug

Miss May I - Curse of Existence (SharpTone Records), 2 Sep

Novelists FR - Déjà Vu (Out Of Line), 2 Sep

Tallah - The Generation Of Danger (Earache Records), 9 Sep

Electric Callboy - Tekkno (Century Media), 9 Sep

Stray From The Path - Euthanasia (UNFD), 9 Sep

The Devil Wears Prada - Color Decay (Solid State), 16 Sep

Wildcard: Parkway Drive - 'Glitch'

While this is admittedly far from Parkway Drive's best release, the sheer excitement of having the undisputed metalcore royalties come back after 4 years with a huge arena anthem is worthy of an honourary mention.