The Riffs of the Week - 7/24/26
- JOSE CRESPO
- Jul 26
- 4 min read
Another week, another batch of incredible new music. As summer rolls on, the countdown to one of the busiest release schedules of the year continues, with many of rock and metal's biggest names offering another taste of what's to come over the next few months.
These are the tracks that have dominated our speakers this week. Turn them up, watch the videos below, and don't forget to check out our THE RIFFS Spotify playlist at the end of the article, where we update the very best new rock and metal releases every week.
Amon Amarth – Gjallarhorn (Metal Blade Records)
After surprising fans with Upphaf, the first acoustic song in the band's history, Amon Amarth are back in full Viking battle mode.
The Swedish metal giants have officially announced their new album, The Allfather Awakens, arriving on October 2 via Metal Blade Records, alongside the thunderous new single Gjallarhorn. In Norse mythology, the Gjallarhorn is the mighty horn whose blast signals the beginning of Ragnarök, making it the perfect title for a track that feels both epic and devastatingly heavy.
As the band declares: "The horn of Ragnarök has been heard across the Nine Realms. Answer the call. Listen to Gjallarhorn and pre-order The Allfather Awakens now." If this opening salvo is anything to go by, October promises to be another glorious chapter in Amon Amarth's legendary career.
Hollywood Vampires – Ace of Spades (Live)
Few songs embody the rebellious spirit of rock 'n' roll quite like Motörhead's Ace of Spades, making it a perfect fit for the Hollywood Vampires.
The supergroup—featuring Alice Cooper, Joe Perry and Johnny Depp—have released a blistering live version of the classic, taken from their upcoming Live at Montreux Jazz Festival release, arriving on August 14. Rather than trying to reinvent Lemmy's masterpiece, the band delivers it with raw energy and obvious respect, capturing the loose, celebratory chemistry that has always defined the Vampires. Sometimes all you need is a legendary song, a great live band and the volume turned all the way up.
Queens of the Stone Age – Easy Street (Matador Records)
Queens of the Stone Age continue to blur the line between heavy rock, atmosphere and experimentation with their latest single, Easy Street.
Released alongside the announcement of the band's next chapter, the song once again showcases Josh Homme's unmistakable songwriting, balancing hypnotic grooves with the band's trademark sense of tension and release. Speaking about the project, Homme has described it as another step forward rather than looking back, embracing the freedom to keep evolving instead of repeating past successes.
Like so much of Queens of the Stone Age's best work, Easy Street doesn't reveal all its secrets on the first listen. Give it time, and it slowly works its way under your skin—exactly the kind of song that keeps calling you back for another spin.
Slaughter To Prevail – Koschei (Sumerian Records)
Few bands deliver sheer brutality quite like Slaughter To Prevail, and this week they've unleashed a stunning new video for Koschei, one of the standout tracks from their acclaimed 2025 album Grizzly.
Frontman Alex Terrible explained that the song draws inspiration from Koschei the Deathless, the legendary figure from Slavic folklore whose essence can never truly be destroyed. "Even if you manage to discover how to kill Koschei, his soul and energy simply live on, reborn into something else." That mythological concept is perfectly matched by a video packed with fire, cinematic visuals and the band's trademark crushing heaviness.
With a busy European festival run ahead—including a headline appearance at Bloodstock Open Air—Slaughter To Prevail are proving once again why they're one of the most formidable live bands in modern metal.
Imminence – False Light (Nuclear Blast Records)
As if one new song wasn't enough, Imminence have spoiled fans this week with two new singles from their upcoming album Axis Mundi, but it's False Light that has completely won us over.
The Swedish quintet continue to blur the boundaries between metalcore, post-hardcore and cinematic soundscapes, with Eddie Berg once again weaving his haunting violin melodies into walls of crushing guitars and thunderous drums. The contrast between beauty and brutality has always been Imminence's greatest strength, and False Light captures it perfectly.
Described by the band as part of a larger conversation between "darkness and light, violence and beauty, despair and hope," Axis Mundi promises a journey through every emotional extreme. If this week's releases are anything to go by, we're more than ready to follow them wherever that journey leads.
Johnny Marr – Ophelia (New Voodoo / BMG)
Few guitarists have left a mark on alternative music quite like Johnny Marr, and Ophelia is another reminder that his songwriting remains as inspired as ever.
Taken from his forthcoming fifth solo album, The Age Of Everything, due on October 2, Ophelia finds the former Smiths guitarist combining shimmering melodies, unmistakable guitar work and thoughtful lyricism. Marr has revealed that the song was inspired by Shakespeare's tragic character, while also reflecting someone close to him in real life, giving the track both emotional weight and timeless elegance.
Sometimes the loudest riff isn't the heaviest one—and Johnny Marr proves exactly that.
The Riff Collective
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