[2026] A Must-See for Western Metal Fans! A Roundup of the Latest Popular and Notable Tracks

TONGUESThornhill

Thornhill – TONGUES [Official Music Video]

Melbourne, Australia’s post-hardcore band Thornhill dropped a stunning track in March 2025.

Interweaving aggressive riffs with dark melodies, the song dynamically captures the tension between desire and resistance, surrender and defiance.

One of the highlights is vocalist Jacob Charlton’s masterful blend of clean singing and screams.

With producer George Lever on board, the result is a sophisticated sound that balances heaviness with delicacy.

As a lead single from the forthcoming April 2025 album “BODIES,” this track is certain to win the hearts of progressive metal fans.

Highly recommended for anyone who wants to revel in dynamic rises and falls in sound.

A Little Is A Little Too MuchHelloween

HELLOWEEN – A Little Is A Little Too Much (Official Music Video)

A playful, exhilarating rock number delivered by the elder statesmen of power metal.

Written by vocalist Andi Deris, the song offers a lesson—“even a touch of excess can lead to unexpected consequences”—wrapped in bittersweet humor.

Its lively sound, reminiscent of ’80s hard rock, is paired with melodies that carry Helloween’s signature blend of wistfulness and pop sensibility, guaranteed to stick in your head after a single listen.

The call-and-response vocals by Deris and Michael Kiske form a superb ensemble that further elevates the track’s appeal.

Included on the album “Giants & Monsters,” slated for release in August 2025.

With a catchy chorus tailor-made for mass sing-alongs at shows, this is the perfect number when you’re in the mood for a refreshing lift.

Make Sure It HurtsACCVSED

ACCVSED – Make Sure It Hurts (OFFICIAL VIDEO)

This is a track by ACCVSED, a four-piece metalcore band from Wiesbaden, Germany.

Since forming in 2021, they’ve earned high praise from specialized media and built a reputation for solid musicianship.

After signing with a major label in June 2024, they’ve been attracting even more attention.

This song conveys a fierce resolve to fully confront and overcome the intense pain born from betrayal and hatred.

The venom-laced vocals and apocalyptic breakdowns leave a huge impact.

Released as a single in July 2025, the track is also included on their first full-length album, “Dealers of Doom.” Give it a listen when you want to purge your inner anger and conflict through an intense sonic onslaught.

Set In FlowAs Everything Unfolds

AS EVERYTHING UNFOLDS – SET IN FLOW (OFFICIAL VIDEO)

As Everything Unfolds, formed in High Wycombe, England, fuse a wide range of genres from post-hardcore to progressive metal.

In June 2025, they released their first single since moving to major label Century Media Records.

While retaining vocalist Charlie Rolfe’s emotive delivery, this release breaks new ground in sound production—incorporating autotune and showcasing exceptional quality.

Overcoming the profound grief of their drummer’s passing in August 2024, the track conveys the band’s determination to seize a new momentum with strength.

Things We Tell OurselvesBetween the Buried&Me

BETWEEN THE BURIED AND ME – Things We Tell Ourselves In The Dark (OFFICIAL VIDEO)

Between the Buried and Me, hailing from North Carolina, USA, continue to be celebrated as a charismatic force in the scene, presenting a unique sound built on a labyrinthine, genre-spanning ensemble and a musicality influenced by classic progressive rock.

The track they unveil opens with a funky bassline led by bassist Dan Briggs and unfolds over roughly eight minutes, morphing fluidly from jazz to extreme metal to prog—a sound that could only be theirs.

Also note how vocalist Tommy Giles Rogers Jr.

delivers the introspective theme of “the dark cloud of ego” with a confident style, as if singing a pop song.

This piece was released in June 2025 as an advance single from the album The Blue Nowhere, due out in September 2025, and it signals a bold new musical frontier for the band.