Can’t Ice Spice enjoy her McDonald’s in peace? The rapper was attacked while dining at a Hollywood location of the fast food franchise early Wednesday morning, TMZ reports.
Crá Croí’s Flesh Machines lurches out of the speakers like a sermon delivered through a busted factory intercom, all pressure, poison, and bad electricity. It has the ugly gleam of modern life at its most seductive, where every promise comes plated in chrome, and every convenience asks for a small surrender of the soul. You can almost smell the overheated wires. You can almost see the skin going pale under fluorescent light.
This song from the Irish duo hits hard in this collision of body and mechanism as something filthy, seductive, and spiritually expensive. Flesh Machines observes people crawl willingly into the machine, trading touch for simulation, instinct for programming, spirit for speed, and it sounds properly sickened by the bargain. There is a queasy recognition that we have all already signed a contract without reading the fine print.
RG gives the arrangement a hard-edged sense of motion. The guitars come in sharp and sudden, like metal catching light in a dark room. The rhythm section keeps everything pinned to the floor with a grim, danceable insistence, pushing the track forward like a body being marched toward its own transformation. You can hear the family tree, sure: Joy Division’s dread, The Sisters of Mercy’s severe grandeur, a little Type O’s romantic rot. There’s even a little Iron Maiden coming through.
Flesh Machines never feels like a crate-digging exercise assembled from old parts. It has heat in its lungs. It moves like it means it. CD’s voice carries genuine wear in it, a sense that the person singing has seen too much neon, too many ruined faces, too many bright new systems built to flatten our hopes and dreams. It gives the song a human wound at the center of all that mechanical menace.
The video sharpens that unease. Built from stock footage of biomechanics, bodies, and mechanised imagery, it gives the song a visual counterpart that feels fittingly dislocated, as though humanity is being slowly reprocessed into raw material for some new synthetic order. There is something blunt and effective about that approach. Rather than over-explaining the theme, the video lets image after image pile up into a vision of flesh and DNA meeting steel, spirit meeting system, and neither side coming away intact.
Watch Flesh Machines below:
Crá Croí (pronounced cra-cree) have made a song that sounds contaminated by the present tense, a song for people trying to keep their pulse steady while the world turns itself into product, process, and permanent display. Flesh Machines stares into that mess with bloodshot eyes and comes back with thunder.
After numerous world tours, 10 full-length albums, and globally recognized acclaim, unstoppable groove metal legends Devildriver remain full speed ahead in their second decade of decimation. Today, the band announces their explosive eleventh full-length, Strike and Kill, out July 10 via Napalm Records.
With the all-star lineup of frontman and mastermind Dez Fafara, virtuoso guitar duo of Alex Lee and Gabe Mangold, eruptive drummer Davier Ortega Perez, and the return of founding bass legend Jon Miller, Strike and Kill sees Devildriver return to their carnivorous origin, reigniting the incendiary sound that founded their legacy, a must-listen for all fans of the genre.
Dez Fafara on Strike and Kill: “My headspace hasn’t changed, I have not become complacent or soft in my view of the world or in my music. Metal is our outlet as listeners and writers, so on this record, we focused on ‘getting it all out’ lyrically and backing those lyrics with savage, relentless music that fuels the heavy California groove like no other. Devildriver has never sounded like any other band; we do our own thing in our own way, and I’m most proud of that. I’m so proud of these musicians, this music, and the vibe around this record. DevilDriver sounds like no one else out there right now, we are here to Strike and Kill!”
Alongside today’s announcement, they unleash the fierce album opener upon the masses. Debuting yesterday on SXM’s Liquid Metal, “Dig Your Own Grave” is a vitriolic onslaught of machine gun riffs and uncompromising aggression, lyrically lambasting fools responsible for their own undesirable fates. Full of piss and vinegar, this is Devildriver at maximum ferocity, giving listeners just a taste of the unspeakable carnage waiting within Strike and Kill.
About the track, Fafara states: “‘Dig Your Own Grave’ is about how one wrong decision, one wrong move can see your whole world turned upside down, effectively ‘digging’ your own grave… It’s that simple. It can also refer to how your decisions can fuck someone else. This is why there’s the line ‘Six feet ain’t deep enough for you,’ because only a deep, deep hole is fitting for what you’ve done or tried to do to others. Be careful when you choose to make decisions at midnight.”
This track launches directly into the video without an introduction, instantly engaging listeners with the captivating voice of singer Bec Hollcraft. She establishes her presence with authority, skillfully juggling introspective moments and strong, assertive passages. Producer Kerry Gray and songwriter Alissa Gray have crafted a song with robust dynamics that transitions between alternative rock, hard rock, and metal. The influences of Evanescence and Linkin Park are apparent throughout the composition.
The song emerges as a powerful declaration—a final, overwhelming statement directed at an emotionally abusive ex-partner. It carries a sense of emasculation and an unapologetic triumph that resonates deeply. This track channels the voice of a woman who has liberated herself from a situation of abuse. It is a representation of resilience that many women can relate to, as domestic violence remains a critical and contemporary issue.
The instrumentation is a significant element of the song, delivering a blend of heavy riffs and melodic undertones. As the distorted guitars roar during the chorus, they amplify the overall sensation of empowerment. Hollcraft’s voice rises to higher notes, creating an intense atmosphere that accentuates the emotions expressed. There is a perfect balance between strength and vulnerability that resonates throughout the entire piece.
Fault Line – Lyrics
The underlying themes address the struggle and triumph over adversity. The lyrics reflect an inner journey, transforming pain into strength. With repeated listens, the depth of experience becomes apparent. Each verse adds layers to the narrative, bridging moments of vulnerability with declarations of independence. The emotional weight of the song is reinforced by Hollcraft’s vocal performance, capturing a breadth of expression that many will find familiar.
Fault Line – Performance and Production
The production plays a key role in enhancing the emotional impact of “Fault Line.” Each element is meticulously placed, ensuring that the vocals and instrumentation shine. The fusion of genres creates a distinctive energy that is hard to ignore. Listeners are taken on a journey that is as much about self-discovery as it is about confronting past experiences.
The chorus is particularly memorable, encapsulating the theme of resilience. It provides a visceral reaction, creating a feeling of release from the shackles of past trauma. The combination of heavy guitar riffs and soaring vocals delivers an explosive impact that is exhilarating. This is the part of the song where listeners are most likely to experience a surge of empowerment.
Moreover, the societal relevance of the song cannot be understated. It resonates with many who have experienced similar situations. This track serves as an anthem for those seeking to reclaim their narrative, confronting the struggles that arise from abusive relationships. The message is clear: there is strength in adversity, and liberation is possible.
“Fault Line” is a remarkable discovery that deserves attention. It combines elements of alternative and hard rock, producing a dynamic blend that feels fresh and invigorating. The single stands out not only for its musical composition but also for the important message it delivers. This track invites everyone to listen and reflect on their own experiences while resonating with a universal theme of empowerment.
This is the second album from Doodswens, a black metal band from the Netherlands. Doodswens comes to us with a refreshed lineup, (including a member of Dödsrit/Ossaert), and 37 minutes of occult black metal. Doodswens know how to put on a live show, but how does this now translate onto record? Very well, it turns … Continue reading “Doodswens – Doodswens (Review)”
Midwestern metallic hardcore band No Grave have released “Endless Blue” as the second single from their new album, “Suffer Together“. That record is slated for a May 01st release on Heroes & Martyrs and will feature a guest spot from 100 Demons on the closing track, “The Silenced“. Below you can check out this newest…
Every week the Stereogum staff chooses the five best new songs of the week. The eligibility period begins and ends Thursdays right before midnight. You can hear this week’s picks below and on Stereogum’s Favorite New Music Spotify playlist, which is updated weekly. (An expanded playlist of our new music picks is available to members on Spotify and Apple Music, updated throughout the week.)