Metal Contraband

Southpaw FLHC Put the "Nail In the Coffin"
The New Album The Standard Out July 31st
Via Spinefarm Records.

Record Release Show Set For August 1st, Band
To Embark On Late Summer Tour.

Fast-rising hardcore band SOUTHPAW FLHC — Alan King, guitar; Harrison Linder, drums; Marc Laroche, bass; and Daryn LaMontagne, vocals — have built their reputation brick by brick, focusing on the messages of self-empowerment, pushing through struggle, perseverance, and building a legacy that speaks to all walks of life. They recently announced their upcoming album The Standard, which arrives July 31 via Spinefarm.

Watch Here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8EBrzd1uZoE

Pre-Order Here:
https://southpawflhc.lnk.to/TheStandard

Ahead of the release, the band has shared the video for their latest anthem "Nail in the Coffin." The song's percussive thrust, gnarly breakdown, three-chord energy, and robust singalongs are sure to incite circle pits and walls of death from coast to coast.

Despite the potentially negative connotation of the title, "Nail in the Coffin" is actually a song about rebirth, strength, and growth.

"'Nail in the Coffin' is ultimately a conversation with your current and past self," says LaMontagne. "We are not defined by what we are born into nor do we have to be a victim of the people, situations, or places at play. While your past self may have dealt with a lot of frustrations within, hard times, situations that are 'not by choice,' loss, and/or generational curses, your future self will be thankful for those times, people and places. Because that is what will make you stand taller, stronger, more wise and stoic in the end."

Moreover, the song is about a mindset shift.

LaMontagne continues, "When you seek a better way of life, it's not about getting to the destination as quickly as possible. Instead, it's about the daily decisions you make and the person you become because of those decisions. The character you build and the person you become along the way is key. Essentially, 'Nail in the Coffin' is a final goodbye to your old ways, the individuals you fell victim to for periods of time, past habits, and excuses that ultimately kept you from getting to your overall destination."

He finishes, "Driving that final nail in the coffin and burying a weaker version of yourself will ensure that you never become a product of what you were thrown into, never become the same as the average man, and that you will reach your full potential. This is an experience of ENLIGHTENMENT."

About the album as a whole, Southpaw FLHC has said" "All gas, no brakes. Driven by hunger, discipline, and a relentless passion for the love of the game. This is The Standard."

THE STANDARD TRACK LISTING:
"Rolling Stone"
"Run Game"
"TTG"
"Nail In The Coffin"
"The Gavel"
"Torches"
"The Path" (Feat. Eric Ellis)
"Play The Fool"
"The Standard"
"DTWD"

Southpaw FLHC, who bridge the gap between the old and new generations of hardcore with elements of punk, metal and hip hop, crashed the scene with their self-titled EP, released in 2020. They haven’t taken a breath since, releasing seven singles with accompanying music videos. Clearly, their DIY ethic is strong, as the band also hit the road — and hard. They've shared stages with and toured alongside With Blood Comes Cleansing, Tracheotomy, Bodysnatcher, Surfaced, and Hoods, inciting furious moshpits in every city they played. In 2025, they embarked on a headline run with Cutthroats, Kind Eyes, Unvow, and Resistor. Their hometown roots run deep as marrow, as evidenced by the fact that they headline and packed the first-ever show at a brand new venue called HARDLOVE in Jacksonville. Southpaw FLHC ain't playing and they've established themselves as an up and comer in the hardcore scene. This is only the beginning. Their worldwide partnership with Spinefarm will allow them to ascend to the next level — because that is where they are ultimately headed.

"Southpaw is all about never giving in — being able to stare in the face of defeat and not allowing it to take you down," concludes LaMontagne. "We want to be a sign of strength for people no matter what they're going through, regardless of race, political party, or anything else. Southpaw is for everybody."

SOUTHPAW FLHC have also announced a late summer headline tour that runs through August and September. All dates are below, including a newly-announced record release show on August 1 in Jacksonville. Details are in the poster above.

SOUTHPAW FLHC ON TOUR:
8/1—Jacksonville, FL—Hardlove*
8/18—Pensacola, FL—The Handlebar
8/19—Lafayette, LA—The Pit
8/20—Houston, TX—The End
8/21—Austin, TX—Come and Take It
8/22—Lubbock, TX—Jake’s Sports Cafe
8/23—Oklahoma City, OK—89th Street Live
8/25—St. Louis, MO—Red Flag
8/26—West Chicago, IL—WC Social Club
8/27—Detroit, MI—The Sanctuary (Crypt)
8/28—New Kensington, PA—Preserving Underground
8/29—Eaton, OH—Mitch×Fest
8/30—Cleveland, OH—The Foundry
9/1—Manchester, NH—Bungalow Bar & Grill
9/2—Brooklyn, NY—The Wood Shop
9/3—Manalapan, NJ—Locals
9/4—Albany, NY—Empire Underground
9/5—Reading, PA—Reverb
9/6—Salisbury, MD—Lurking Class Skate Shop
9/8—Lynchburg, VA—Super Rad Arcade
9/9—Chapel Hill, NC—Local 506
9/10—Spartanburg, SC—Ground Zero
9/11—Knoxville, TN—Karns Community Center
9/12—Nashville, TN—Drkmttr
9/13—Birmingham, AL—Nana Funks
9/15—Warner Robins, GA—The Reverb Room
9/16—Tampa, FL—Brass Mug
9/17—Orlando, FL—Boardwalk Bowl

*Record Release Show

Mental Cruelty Awakens “The Serpent of Midgard” with Crushing New Single & Cinematic Video. European Headline Tour with Ov Sulfur, Extermination Dismemberment & More This November and December.

Today, MENTAL CRUELTY unleashes their crushing new single "The Serpent of Midgard." Diving deeper into Norse mythology, the track tells the tale of Loki’s second child, Jörmungandr, and his legendary final battle with Thor. Blending crushing heaviness with black metal and melodic death metal influences, the song captures their fateful confrontation as the giant serpent rises from the depths. Never wake the giant - or witness the end of the world.

Watch Here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wkGO603Og4w

MENTAL CRUELTY about the new single:

“On last year’s ‘Helheim,’ we expanded our instruments beyond typical deathcore fare (guitar, bass, drums and, of course, monstrous vocals) to include folk music’s talharpa, aiding in the telling of Norse mythology’s Hel. It’s only appropriate we continue darkening our sound with more black metal and melodeath inspirations as we tell the story of her brother, Jörmungandr, the titular ‘Serpent of Midgard,’ in his epic ocean battle with his uncle Thor. For those unfamiliar with the folklore, it ends in both of their demises: talk about family issues!

"Musically, we wanted to capture the intensity of the conflict, with our guitarist Nahuel Lozano’s working title of ‘Gojibehe’ summing up key influences. You can guess those, but we’ll spell out the inspiration behind the chunky mid-section and the closest thing we get to a full-on breakdown here: our brothers Signs of the Swarm and the insane tones on their latest album!

"But while we learned from bands we look up to and friends alike musically, sadly, we never learn from ourselves and once again shot the music video in subzero temperatures. The results are worth it—you can see for yourself—but damn, that was cold.”

Following a packed touring schedule across Europe and North America, MENTAL CRUELTY will return to the road later this year for an extensive European headline tour. Joined by Ov Sulfur and Extermination Dismemberment, with Acranius and Sun Eater appearing on select dates, the tour will take the band across 21 cities throughout Europe from late November to December.

European Headline Tour

w/ Ov Sulfur, Extermination Dismemberment, Acranius, Sun Eater

27.11🇳🇱Rotterdam @ Baroeg ~

28.11🇩🇪Köln @ Club Volta ~

29.11🇳🇱Nijmegen @ Doornrosje ~

30.11🇬🇧Birmingham @ Asylum ~

02.12🇬🇧Manchester @ Academy 3 ~

03.12🇬🇧London @ Downstairs At The Dome ~

04.12🇫🇷Paris @ Glazart ~

05.12🇧🇪Antwerp @ Zappa ~

06.12🇩🇪Hamburg @ Bahnhof Pauli ^

07.12🇩🇰Copenhagen @ Hotel Cecil ^

08.12🇸🇪Stockholm @ Kollektivet Livet ^

10.12🇫🇮Jyväskylä @ Lutakko ^

11.12🇫🇮Helsinki @ Ääniwalli ^

13.12🇸🇪Gothenburg @ Monument ^

14.12🇩🇪Berlin @ Hole 44 ^

15.12🇨🇿Prague @ Rock Café ^

16.12🇩🇪Frankfurt @ Das Bett ~ ^

17.12🇩🇪München @ Backstage ^

18.12🇨🇭Aarau @ KIFF ^

19.12 🇩🇪Schweinfurt @ Alter Stattbahnhof ^

20.12🇩🇪Karlsruhe @ Substage ^



^ w/ Acranius

~ ⁠w/ Sun Eater

Mental Cruelty has been descending into darkness since 2014, when they started as a slamming deathcore band in Karlsruhe, Germany. Since then, they’ve steadily blackened their sound, most hauntingly on 2023’s 'Zwielicht' and predecessor 'A Hill to Die Upon' (2021). New single “The Serpent of Midgard” and last year’s “Helheim” (both based on Loki’s children from Norse mythology) push the evolution even further, embracing folk metal and melodeath in addition to black metal’s frosty bite.

It’s the kind of genre fluidity that has allowed them to play with Kanonenfieber and Cradle of Filth, in addition to Lorna Shore, Shadow of Intent, Signs of the Swarm, Angelmaker, Synestia, Carnifex, and more. With a forthcoming European headline tour debut, featuring 2024 tourmates Ov Sulfur and Extermination Dismemberment, and hints of more to come, it’s clear a blackened Nacht is coming.

MENTAL CRUELTY are:

Lukas Nicolai – Vocals
Nahuel Lozano – Guitars, Vocals
Marvin Kessler – Guitars
Jonathan Koltun – Drums

Aussie Deathcore Titans TO THE GRAVE Announce New Album 'LIBERATION FRONT' Set for Release on October 2nd via BLKIIBLK

Unleash New Single "NAIL MARY" North American Co-Headline Tour w/ Crown Magnetar, Face Yourself and More Kicks Off on September 17th:

Today, TO THE GRAVE, the world's preeminent vegan deathcore band, are proud to announce their BLKIIBLK debut album, 'LIBERATION FRONT,' set for release on October 2nd. The announcement arrives alongside the band's ferocious new single, "NAIL MARY," and its official video, offering another glimpse into the album following the recent release of lead single "EYESTALK ABLATIONS."

Watch Here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EeJ0A7hltAQ

Pre-Order Here:
https://ffm.bio/tothegrave-liberationfrontalbum

On the new single "NAIL MARY," vocalist Dane Evans shares:

"'NAIL MARY' is about how people use religion and god to justify all kinds of atrocities and proclaim dominion over animals. We’re holding a torch (or chainsaw) to any kind of god or follower that demands ritual slaughter with this one and nailing them to the walls."

Since forming in 2010, TO THE GRAVE have become one of Australia's most uncompromising heavy exports, earning acclaim for crushing releases including 'Global Warning,' 'Epilogue,' 'Director's Cuts,' and 2024's 'Everyone's a Murderer.' Armed with a singular mission to confront animal cruelty and environmental destruction through some of modern metal's most punishing deathcore, the Sydney outfit have forged a reputation for pairing unrelenting heaviness with fearless activism. Their live assault has taken them around the globe alongside Lorna Shore, Thy Art Is Murder, Shadow of Intent, Carnifex, Oceano, and more, with Revolver hailing them as "one of the country's heaviest exports" and Distorted Sound calling them "one of the most intense, enthralling bands the genre can offer."

Now, the band returns with 'LIBERATION FRONT,' their fifth album and BLKIIBLK debut, a statement of pure intent. Brutal and uncompromising in both sound and message, TO THE GRAVE transform their death metal-infused assault into a vehicle for activism, raging against animal cruelty and environmental destruction while delivering their most direct and fully realized work to date. From the breakdown-laden opener "MEAT THE HUMANS," 'Liberation Front' marks a ferocious return to the band's deathcore roots. While recent releases leaned further into hardcore, the new album embraces deathcore at its most savage and relentless.

Evans comments about the album:

"'LIBERATION FRONT' was born as a concept on tour last year in Australia after we decided we wanted to make the sequel to 'Director’s Cuts.' What came out was something between that and a more pi**ed off brother to 'Everyone’s A Murderer.' It’s got so many things I love about the band and a bit of everything pushed to 100 with a really bleak kind of aggression that’s just reaching for your throat the entire time. Very keen to play some of these songs live and it’s an exciting chapter to add.”

TO THE GRAVE Live:

Australia w/ No Cure, Algor Mortis, Bloodmouth

Sept 2 - Perth, AU @ Amplifier Bar *
Sept 3 - Adelaide, AU @ Lion Arts Factory *
Sept 4 - Frankston, AU @ Singing Bird
Sept 5 - Melbourne, AU @ Max Watts
Sept 6 - Canberra, AU @ The Baso ^
Sept 10 - Sydney, AU @ Crowbar
Sept 11 - Newcastle, AU @ Hamilton Station
Sept 12 - Brisbane, AU @ The Triffid

* no Bloodmouth
^ no Algor Mortis

North America w/ Crown Magnetar, Face Yourself

Sept 17 - Chicago, IL @ Subterranean *
Sept 18 - Detroit, MI @ Catacombs at The Sanctuary *
Sept 19 - Cleveland, OH @ Mahall’s *
Sept 20 - Pittsburgh, PA @ Preserving Underground *
Sept 22 - Toronto, ON @ Lee’s Palace *
Sept 23 - Montreal, QC @ Foufounes Électriques *
Sept 24 - Hartford, CT @ Webster Underground *
Sept 25 - Brooklyn, NY @ The Meadows *
Sept 26 - Harrisburg, PA @ Capital City Music Hall *
Sept 27 - Worcester, MA @ The Palladium *
Sept 28 - Baltimore, MD @ Metro Gallery ^
Sept 30 - Asheville, NC @ Revival ^
Oct 1 - Nashville, TN @ The End ^
Oct 2 - Atlanta, GA @ The Masquerade (Purgatory) ^
Oct 3 - Jacksonville, FL @ The Albatross ^
Oct 4 - West Palm Beach, FL @ The Banyan Live ^
Oct 6 - Dallas, TX @ Club Dada $
Oct 7 - Austin, TX @ Come and Take It Live $
Oct 9 - Mesa, AZ @ Rosetta Room
Oct 10 - Los Angeles, CA @ Echoplex +
Oct 11 - Roseville, CA @ Goldfield Trading Post +
Oct 13 - Portland, OR @ The Hawthorne Theatre +
Oct 14 - Seattle, WA @ El Corazon +
Oct 16 - Salt Lake City, UT @ Soundwell ~
Oct 17 - Denver, CO @ HQ ~

* w/ Backbiter
^ w/ Tracheotomy
$w/ Squelching
+ w/ I Declare War
~ w/ Ameonna