Singles Roundup: Helion Prime - Amaranthe, Weezer, & Daughtry

 This week, the new singles I've been hearing are more interesting to talk about than some of the albums I could be covering, so we're going to stick with them today. We've got four new ones to examine, starting with:

Helion Prime - Madame Mercury

I've been listening to "The Forbidden Zone" with great regularity, and the second single from the record follows suit. Written about Katherine Johnson, the key figure in making the space program work in the 60s, the song is another fun jaunt through the world of modern power metal. The guitars give us some nifty playing, as well as that tone that still sounds a bit futuristic (even if it's been around for a while), while Mary delivers the melody that grows each time I listen to it. I don't know if it's just my ears, but everything about the band sounds more melodic and memorable in this new form. I really like it.

Amaranthe - Strong

Another thing I really like is where Amaranthe are taking metal. Plenty of other bands have been trying to do the same thing, and they're always relatively fun, but no one is able to match their ability to make hooks so sticky you can't wash them off. They are the masters of pop metal, and with Noora from Battle Beast guesting on this track, it's got even more vocal firepower than usual. I know it can be a bit much for some more 'true' metal fans, but holy hell is this stuff fun.

Weezer - Beginning Of The End

The horrible gimmick of an album "Van Weezer" has been delayed from this pst May all the way until next May, due to the pandemic, which seems like overkill. It also seems unfair, because as this song indicates, this could be the first Weezer album worth giving a damn about since at least "Maladroit", and maybe even "Green". What this song reiterates is that Rivers is at his best when he's channeling his 80s rock roots, and not chasing pop trends. He can't do modern, or clever, or even sincere, so trying to be Van Halen is perfect for him. I hate myself for liking this.

Daughtry - World On Fire

Speaking of people who should stick with their roots, we have Daughtry, who at least for one song remembers that he became famous for being a rock guy in a pop world. His recent pop albums were terrible, and maybe he's gotten the message, because the guitars are back. This finally sounds like a rock song again, taking us back to the days of the debut and "Leave This Town", which were really good albums. I liked Daughtry a lot back then, and hearing this song, I remember why. He's damn good at making catchy, pop-ish rock songs. If he has a whole record that follows suit, he might rise from the dead next year.