The nu-metalcore scene has exploded as of late – bands like Boston’s Vein.fm and the UK’s Loathe have blended elements of mid-aughts metalcore with the downtuned and tortured sounds of 90s bands such as Slipknot and Deftones. In the midst of this, alternative metal and post-hardcore have sealed their place in the hearts of many of these artists as well, and Toronto quartet New Demons is one such group. Their debut single “Devil Inside” is a short, nostalgic burst of hardcore After an ethereal, gradual synth intro, frontman Matt Krawchuk’s gutturals and highs jointly burst the song open into a Korn-esque chug that gets the head bobbing. A subdued verse follows, with a soft falsetto leading the listener into a melodic, harmonized chorus that sticks in the mind. The song’s bridge is interesting – coming after the second verse rather than the chorus as is traditionally heard, it moves dynamically from quiet to loud to stomping snare march and back again without ever feeling disjointed. The end of the song is strong as well, culminating in a multi-tracked wall of singing, growling, riffing and drumming that puts a bow on the whole thing. For melodic-yet-rhythmic metal fans, New Demons offer you a bit of the old and a bit of the new on their debut single and look to have a fruitful career ahead of them.