Smoke signals are now being seen in the metal world; something is spreading serious heat, and through Denver's own Fox Lake—may these fires purify us. Formed in 2017, the nu-hardcore outfit have set their sights on scorched earth with their sophomore album, New World Heat. Released through MNRK HEAVY, this is a 12-track collection torched in hardcore riffs, Nu-Metal era vocals, merciless drum grooves, and vicious turntable breakdowns. These guys would sound like the tougher and bigger brother of Limp Bizkit if they chose the hardcore scene as their proving grounds. May nothing Fox Lake touch remain unburned.
"You Can’t Bury What Was Born In The Fucking Dirt"
This entire album is tough as damn nails: opening with "For The Love Of The Game," heavy bass and turntable scratching pour out of the speakers like we're in an underground hip-hop show before snatching you into hardcore riffs and a call for two-stepping. When a track starts with just the bass playing something with heavy distortion, I know it's about to be a jawbreaker. Pure aggression, a loud & proud attitude, and no excuses—I introduce you to fucking Fox Lake. Coming off a tour with New Orleans metalcore act Cane Hill, the band has made a huge leap since their 2020 debut album, "Silence & Violence," furthering their craft in this blend of nu-metal's rap veins into the harsh pits of the hardcore world.
Unforgiving storytelling, "Tough Luck" is a catchy head bobber, and as the second track, you start seeing these guys aren't taking basic fundamentals of genres and calling it a band—there's deliberate note selection, song structuring, and drum grooves within their beatdowns. Guitarist Brandon Kemp and bassist Zachary Swafford are filthy with it, trading off in songs between slow chugs, harmonic-filled riffs, and thick bass lines that carry verses—these two are on the top of their game. "Freestyle," ft. AVOID, a previously released single, is riddled with intense turntabling and vocalist Nathan Johnson rapping verses and screaming harsh vocals of zipping your enemies in a body bag. This is the metal version of drill music, and for those that take our music seasoned with conflict—this album is for us. The music video is an animation of the band as characters in a Gorillaz-like fashion fighting off hordes of living trash. It's creative and fresh, and you're sucked into the video not just for the music but also for how entertaining it is to simply watch.
"Freestyle" ft. AVOID OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO
"Go 4 The Throat" is thrashing, with hints of metalcore riffing through the track, and like the name, this is a mosh pit mandatory track. Slow chugging breakdowns, a bouncing chorus, and tough vocals and drumming—there's no breath caught with Fox Lake. Whoever is doing these turntables deserves a damn raise; the scratching in the tracks is visceral and tasteful, and any band that throws them in their music is automatically a favorite of mine.
"Cold Hard Truth" is a callout to those that don't seem to remember the motto of 'Talk-Shit-Get-Hit', and with an end breakdown of slow drums combined with fast riffing, the outro is damn near explosive and lifts you off your feet. "Real Fast" shoves the pedal to the metal, with guitar distorted effects that sound like they came out of Alpha Wolf's playbook but were mutated into Fox Lake's love for the hardcore. In the center of this album, we hit a literal "h a l f t i m e," an instrumental hip-hop/R&B beat with trumpets and piano, which is the only time we're shown musical mercy in the album. Having done a dedicated non-metal instrumental track on their previous album, it's an homage to the 808 community and those of us with inner-city roots. It stands strong on its own, and you have to give respect to the band for throwing this bone to us; it's certainly going into my rap playlist immediately.
It's not just knuckle and bone with Fox Lake; there's a means to an end with their brutality. The change you want for yourself and your environment comes with a price and the harsh truth that the price isn't always as peaceful as it is on paper. The band comments:
"The basic concept of the album is about burning things down in order to restart. It's about who you are versus who you want to be. The world you live in versus the world you want to live in. It takes guts to strip everything away and take a hard, honest look at your life and the world around you."
The first time I caught wind of Fox Lake was their previously released single, "Pure Adrenaline," and I wonder why I didn't hear of these Denver maniacs before because I missed out. This is a star track, with rapid-fire riffs and drums; Nathan shines as more than just a rapping vocalist within a metal band. His harsh vocal side is a great counterpart in his toolkit, and he just sounds pissed as fuck. This is a vocalist who sonically sounds like he will bite your head off, and with good reason. Whoever chose the classic aesthetic video setup of the night driving with heavy music behind it is about to get paid more than the turntable guy—diabolically cool as hell.
"Pure Adrenaline" OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO
Aiming at the corrupt legal system, "Headshot" slings the neck and eats at the leg of modern politics—corporations funneling their power from pharmaceutical companies, the silencing of everyday consumers, and being part of a losing game that was rigged against our favor. "Savior" cracks the governing powers that be further, lighting upon social division and how we are curated to hate our fellow neighbor through tainted media, court systems, and law enforcement. The flames in the distance aren't wildfires; they are a call for resistance.
Wrapping up the album with "Gut Check," it clocks us with the revelation that if we aren't willing to press our face against our limitations, we will be stuck where we are, and we will deserve it. Preached throughout the album is that sole message—you must be hungry for change. "Excessive Damage" closes the album with machine gun drums and harmonic-driven grooves; this kicks the enemy while they're down. For my nerds out there, who may not play the popular card game Magic the Gathering, 'excess damage' occurs when your attack total surpasses your opponent's health points—leading to an overkill. Fitting for a closing track that yells to break free of the routine burdens that put us down relentlessly.
"Savior" OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO
New World Heat is a nu-hardcore beatdown of an album, where Fox Lake comes showing teeth and fists against redundancy and for the demand of respect. They've earned it with this one. If you're a fan of nu-metal's rap counterpart and want it to sound like it could hit you with a damn crowbar, this is the band for you. Let it all burn.
