It's here! Parkway Drive have unleashed their scathing new single 'Sacred' and it's going to fire up the metalcore scene.
Kicking off with a similar guitar and synth combo akin to that of tracks from their last album Darker Still, it's not long before frontman Winston McCall commences his monstrous takeover and reminds us of the impeccable talent he has for delivering cut-throat screams and gravity defying gutturals which hark back to the band's early era in a similar vein to Deep Blue and Atlas (with a touch of Reverence for good measure). The chorus sets itself up as another all-in sing-a-long at future shows and lead guitarist Jeff Ling displays yet another fine example of just how well he's falling into the guitar god status he claimed on Darker Still. With the addition of Ben Gordon smashing away on the kit, a cheeky BLEGH! and two standout moments of sheer brutality - it won't belong before the metal elitists come crawling back with their tails between their legs.
On the new song, Winno shares:
“The mission statement for ‘Sacred’ is pretty damn simple. An anthemic wrecking ball of positive energy. Our lives and the way we exist in the world has been pushed further and further through the lenses and frames of negativity and hopelessness. Obsession with everything we lack, everything we hate, everyone we blame, everything that keeps us down. We sell the unique parts of us most precious just to buy back manufactured pieces of self in order that we may feel whole again. ‘Sacred’ is our identity. ‘Sacred’ is our time. Never lose sight and never lose hope.”
Released alongside yet another incredible music video with Aussie mastermind Third Eye Visuals behind the camera, it won't be long before 'Sacred' finds its way into your workout or running playlist - where it's best played at max volume.
Welcome back, Parkway Drive.
Stream it here
It's been a hot minute since we last heard from Parkway Drive HQ...
On top of the band recently announcing their headline slot on the maiden voyage of Hellbound Cruise in 2026 and their forthcoming Sydney Opera House show next month - which also serves as the setting for a new LIVE album titled HOME - the band have been pretty coy on the music front following their EPIC 20th Anniversary shows around Australia...
That was until they started dropping cryptic messaging on their socials yesterday which sent the scene into a frenzy.
Over the course of six hours, the Byron Bay metalcore kings released a new symbol via their stories and fans and conspiracy theorists went nuts trying to decipher the meaning... Was it spelling a word or was it ancient Viking alphabet symbols with hidden meanings?
Turns out it was the latter and we've cracked the code!
When placed side by side in order, the symbols appear to spell out the word SACRED - indicating a new song could be on the way with that title.
Exciting times ahead of Parkway Drive who released their magnum opus album Darker Still back in 2022 and took it all over the world. The band also stepped foot in the Australian mainstream spotlight for the first time receiving both radio airplay for the title track and setting foot on the field for the NRL and Fox League's promotional material for the 2022 season.
Will Parkway take the crown from AC/DC as the biggest metal export to come from Australia? They're certainly heading in that direction and it'll be interesting to see whether they return to their heavy roots for this new era, or continue on the upward trajectory which has made them a household name both in their own backyard and the heavy music scene on a global scale.
Stay tuned for more...
Words by Paul 'Browny' Brown @brownypaul
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