1. “Servants”—Zeal & Ardor
“Blues/soul/gospel mixed with metal, led by Manuel Gagneux. I’ve never heard anything like it before; the genre blend is seamless and compelling.”
2. “Canal”—Anomalie
“I’ve always wanted to make electronic-jazz music, and now I don’t have to—because this exists. It’s a far better attempt than anything I could’ve dreamed of doing!”
3. “Like a Sieve”—My Brightest Diamond
“Shara Nova is incredible and easily one of my biggest influences. I saw her live in 2012 after being a fan for years, and it was one of the greatest shows I’ve ever seen. A Thousand Shark's Teeth is a refreshing mix of eerie orchestral parts, indie rock and beautiful, haunting vocal melodies.”
4. “Japanese”—Owane
“The whole Yeah Whatever EP is perfect, trust me. If you’re reading GW, you’ll love it. It’s an inspiration to guitar players across all genres.”
5. “Absolute Hope Absolute Hell”—Fit for an Autopsy
“My favorite gym jam. This song makes me want to absolutely wreck stuff. The disgusting riffs mixed with the super-clean production get a 10 out of 10.”