Here we go again. Following Electric Callboy’s nail biting narrow victory to claim the first Wall of Sound EuroSound Song Contest crown, we have rounded up the best songs from across Europe for you to choose your favourite. It’s a diverse bunch from goth legends to small town thrash bands, with deathcore and black metal in between.
A couple of rules:
- Songs must have been released as singles or on EPs/Albums since July 1st 2022
- Bands and songs are listed under a country listed in their biography, even though members might have been born elsewhere.
- Vote below for your five favourite songs from the contenders. Your first place gets 5 points, second gets 4 points, third gets 3 points, and then it’s 2 and 1 for your last two spots in order.
- You can’t vote for the same song more than once.
Here are the contenders for 2023. Vote via the link at the end. Voting closes Friday 12th May.
England: Architects - ‘tear gas’
British metalcore heroes go industrial with an arena-ready anthem. Heavy and catchy without compromising who they are.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X45uvccd5rA
France: Gojira - ‘Our Time is Now’
Stand alone single from one of the world’s best metal bands. Inspirational and determined lyrics with their usual brilliant technical arrangement.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=76u8h0gjd-Y
Italy: Frozen Crown - ‘Fire in the Sky’
We profiled them among bands from the Italian underground (read here). This is glorious power metal.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WqNVklVPj4A
Spain: Rancor - ‘Bury the World’
Spanish thrash with a touch of growl. An absolute headbanger.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yPar9JPu9pA
Germany: Lord of the Lost - ‘Blood & Glitter’
Germany’s entry into EuroVision 2023, we want to see how it goes against other metal songs. A bit goth with industrial/metalcore riffs.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5I9CYu668jA
Sweden: In Flames - ‘State of Slow Decay’
Melodic death metal veterans with a massive festival favourite. Will get stuck in your head.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=goddrM-QozI
Finland: Ville Vallo - ‘Neon Noir’
LoveMetal legend returns with a slow burning percussive master class in dark pop.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kSk4FzX2yfo
Norway: Darkthrone - ‘Impeccable Caverns of Satan’
Black metal meets stoner vibes and it’s somber and bleak as you’d expect. A riff master class.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ki1g9vkbb2k
Austria: Oceans - ‘Home’
Back again thanks to their LP compilation of their EPs, ‘Home’ is a catchy nu metal infused song. Will get you bouncing and taps into a longing we all feel.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=73MFtkg0Izs
Poland: Behemoth - ‘Ov My Herculean Exile’
The early favourite, with its epic arrangement that pushes black metal to progressive new places. And it’s savage.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=092uOnSTnyI
Scotland: Hellripper - ‘The Nuckelavee’
Proper thrash from a one man project. An absolutely lightning bolt of speed.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4rry7l5msjQ
Denmark: Cabal - ‘Magno Interitus’ (ft Joe Bad)
Pure deathcore with electronic embellishments. Devastatingly heavy with Fit for an Autopsy’s Joe Bad chiming in.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=amj49T04FCQ
Ukraine: Defiant - ‘Final Stand’
Profiled as part of our Ukrainian heavy bands, Defiant are high octane prog/power metal champions here to inspire their under siege homeland.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z46POOy5uw8
Netherlands: Epica - ‘Sirens - Of Blood and Water’ (ft. Charlotte Wessels & Myrkur)
Symphonic metal legends release a collaboration EP that teams Simone Simons with Charlotte Wessels and Myrkur. Just epic.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=svGQ-q9gx68
Belgium: Brutus - ‘Brave’
Post-harcore with shades of punk from a three piece fronted by drummer Stefanie Mannaerts. Very gnarly.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gfy2v3myD0Y
Greece: Planet of Zeus - ‘Sworn to Avenge’
From the The Republic motion picture soundtrack, stoner rock gods with grooving riffs and plenty of swagger.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-EHDh427KKI
Czech Republic: Alkehol - ‘Lehce nad věcí’
Veterans punk rockers with a Czech acoustic beer drinking song. Only released a few weeks ago so give it a listen.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vamO2_uxXgA
VOTE HERE
Voting closes Friday 12th May.
Words: KJ Draven (Twitter and Instagram).
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0BZz6WPjuzg6dyOKejIGrf?si=61e7eaa40ec54def
