Slay Squad

Slay Squad tap into modern metal’s love for hybrid sounds, mixing metalcore, trap influences and electronic textures into a slick, contemporary package the California-based sextet themselves call ‘trap death’ and ‘ghetto metal’. Their music thrives on contrast: heavy riffs and breakdowns sit alongside polished hooks and rhythmic beats. While still a relatively new name, they’ve quickly built a following through a strong online presence and a knack for immediacy. Lyrically, themes often centre on self-expression, identity and the pressures of digital culture and there’s a sense that they’re speaking directly to a younger generation of fans. Whether you’re drawn in by the heaviness or the hooks, Slay Squad offer a snapshot of where the metal scene is spreading some of its tentacles. (#GMM26)