July 13th is World Rock Day , and fans of the genre take advantage of the month to celebrate the music they love so much. And here at Wikimetal, it's no different.
Here are 13 rock and heavy metal bands for you to discover and celebrate this month in style! Check them out below:
Black Sun
The melodic heavy metal band Black Sun, originally formed in Ecuador, underwent a significant transformation by incorporating two new Finnish members: producer and guitarist Nino Laurenne and vocalist Netta Laurenne .
The duo completes the band with the original members, Nicolas Estrada on drums, Christopher Grünberg on guitar and Santiago Salem on bass.
To date, Black Sun has released four studio albums: Tyrant from a Foreign Land (2005), Dance of Elders (2010), The Puppeteer (2017), and the most recent, Silent Enemy (2020).
In 2024 alone, the group has already released two singles: "Slay the Queen" and "Drown in Sin" – the latter of which you can listen to below.
Montanee
The Rio de Janeiro-based group Montanee is about to release their second EP, Recalling Dreams, following Breakless from 2020. So far, two singles have been released: “Gray” and “Brooklyn Sleeps” – the latter of which you can listen to below.
The band draws influences from rock artists such as Foo Fighters, Arctic Monkeys, Nothing But Thieves, Royal Blood , and more.
Montanee consists of Felipe Areias (vocals and guitar), Teo Kligerman (drums), and Raphael Moraes (bass and guitar).
NOAPOLOGY
Formed in Ukraine, NOAPOLOGY combines the best of hard rock with melodic metal. Despite not yet releasing a full album, the group has already gathered fans in all corners of the world with just four singles: “Ashes”, “Deadhearted”, “Defenseless”, and “I'm Done”.
The band consists of Daria Zaritskaya (vocals), Sergey Sershen (guitar), Alex Shturmak (bass), and Dmitry Kim (drums).
Death Atlas
Deth Atlas is a duo formed in 2023 in Brighton, United Kingdom, consisting of Dean Theodosiou and Greg Knoll.
With a sound rooted in heavy metalcore, the duo draws inspiration from bands like Wage War , Counterparts , and The Ghost Inside . In a statement released to the press, they explain the meaning of the project's debut track: "'Self Sabotage' deeply explores the universal struggle of defeating one's own inner demons and emerging stronger on the other side."
With no release date yet set for their next album, the group is currently promoting "Self Sabotage," which you can listen to below.
Audience of Rain
Audience of Rain is a rock band from Akron, Ohio, USA. Their inspirations come from their hard rock, metal, and metalcore roots, allowing them to build a modern sound with imaginative lyrics that are also focused on the real world.
According to the band, their goal is to convey a message of unity. Even when isolated, we all share common frustrations and fears, hopes and dreams, and in that sense, we are never abandoned or alone.
The group consists of Cody Griffin (vocals), Matt Snider (guitar), Daniel Powell (guitar), Steve Neuge (bass), and Alex Kornas (drums).
LohArano
LohArano , a trio from Madagascar, has released their newest EP, Devl .
Featuring six songs, the group offers a reflection on our society, delivering intense bass lines and striking vocals.
The trio is made up of Mahalia on vocals and guitar, Mika on bass and Natiana on drums.
Edge of Paradise
Edge Of Paradise has been gaining considerable attention lately following the release of the acclaimed albums Universe (2019), The Unknown (2021), and Hologram (2023). Furthermore, they have already toured with Lacuna Coil, DragonForce , and Amaranthe .
The band consists of Margarita Monet (vocals/keyboards), Dave Bates (guitar), David Ruiz (guitar), Jamie Moreno (drums), and Kenny Lockwood (bass).
Listen to the latest single “Rogue (Aim for the Kill)”:
Shiraz Lane
Hailing from the city of Vantaa, Finland, Shiraz Lane stands out as a name within the hard rock scene that has emerged in more recent years, combining diverse elements from various musical styles in a way that impresses and is well above average.
The band recently released the EP Acoustic Archives , which features some reinterpretations of songs from their previous works. However, it is not available on streaming platforms, only on YouTube and in physical format.
Shiraz Lane is made up of Ana Vilkkumaa (drums), Hannes Kett (vocals), Jani Laine (guitar), Joel Alex (bass) and Miki Kalske (guitar).
The Defiants
The melodic hard rock group The Defiants has already released three studio albums: the self-titled album (2016), Zokusho (2019) and Drive (2023).
The band consists of Paul Laine (vocals), Bruno Ravel (bass), and Rob Marcello (guitar), all current or former members of Danger Danger.
Chey 'N' Shiners
The French band Chey 'N' Shiners released their debut EP, Let's Get Mad, on June 12th. Featuring five tracks, the work showcases the band's hard rock and funk rock influences.
Chey 'N' Shiners is Cheyenne Janas (vocals), Jerem G (guitar), Pierre Gardet (drums) and Hugo Préverand (bass).
Hurricanes
Hurricanes , a rock/blues band, is about to release their second studio album, scheduled for release sometime in 2024. Their most recent work was "Big Eyes," which you can listen to below.
Regarding the song, guitarist and producer Leo Mayer explains: "It was written back in Rio Grande do Sul, days before we moved to São Paulo, and was left in a drawer for a while."
In addition to this, Hurricanes has also released another song from their upcoming album, titled "Penny In My Pocket".
Myrath
Myrath , meaning "legacy" in Arabic, is a band from Tunisia that started in 2001. Until 2006, however, they used the name X-Tazy . Their sound is a mix of progressive metal with traditional Arabic music, being considered a "blazing desert metal".
The group recently released the album Karma , which you can listen to below.
The band consists of bassist Anis Jouini , guitarist Malek Ben Arbia , vocalist Zaher Zorgati , drummer Morgan Berthet and keyboardist Elyes Bouchoucha .
RF Force
Conceived by guitarist Rodrigo Flausin , from the bands Hardstuff and Children Of The Beast, RF Force draws influences from traditional heavy metal bands such as Judas Priest, Dio, Iron Maiden , and Accept .
The band released their first, self-titled album in 2022 – listen below.
Besides Flausino, the group consists of Daniel Iasbeck (guitar – Exxótica, Secos & Molhados), Marcelo Saracino (vocals – Heaven & Hell, Undertime) and Lucas Emidio (drums – Hatematter, Scenes From a Dream).
