Once Human Unleash Explosive New Single, “Sledgehammer”

Once Human are figuring it all out and coming into their own sound as they go, trial by error of sorts. I don’t remember being impressed by their 2015 debut, The Life I Remember, but I do recall its followup, Evolution, creeping up on me — lots of solid jams. Now the band have returned with “Sledgehammer,” the first single from their third album, and all signs point to a continued upward trajectory, both musically and career-wise.

I’m not familiar enough with Once Human’s catalogue to know whether this is the first time we’re hearing Lauren Hart sing clean vocals, but if it’s not, they certainly weren’t a focal point… and either way, she sounds great here. Always cool when bands push their own boundaries and expand their sound, IMO.

Says guitars Logan Mader (who is also currently involved with Machine Head’s 25th anniversary Burn My Eyes shows) on that very thing:

“‘Sledgehammer’ smashes from start to finish. It has insane riffs, relentless drumming, and Lauren Hart just kills it! She showcases totally new and powerful cleans in the massive chorus hook. This marks a new chapter in Once Human’s sound. I had tons of fun producing and mixing this track. I utilized more analog gear than I normally do, so it’s really explosive. Our last album sounds good — but this one actually smokes it.”

Check out “Sledgehammer” below; it premiered yesterday on Metal Injection. Once Human’s third album title and release date haven’t yet been announced, but presumably we’ll hear about all that real soon.