We checked in with ascending Brit hard hitters Cartoons Can’t Die, who are poised to set loose their much-anticipated new album, Rebirth, on Friday 6th February. The band’s biting single and video, ‘Kinslayer,’ has just dropped, and it’s a thumper. We exclusively asked the diverse metallers to name the top five tracks that have greatly influenced their formidable sound.
1. ‘Walk With Me In Hell’ by Lamb of God
The drum patterns and fills in this track shaped a lot of our rhythmic thinking, locking aggression and groove together. Randy’s vocal delivery showed us how intensity can stay precise and expressive. The overall pacing and tension helped influence how we build heavier sections without losing clarity or direction.
2. ‘Hallucinate’ by The Devil Wears Prada
The emotional weight behind the vocals and guitars is what carries this song. There’s desperation, honesty, and rawness, all tightly controlled. The whole album is powerful, but this track in particular taught us how to translate genuine emotion into heavy production and make every part feel necessary.
3. ‘Confrontation’ by Otep
Maria was influenced by the blend of spoken rhythm and harsh vocals here. The half-spoken, half-screamed style creates attitude and personality without sacrificing heaviness. It showed us how rap phrasing and metal aggression can work together, and how vocal character can cut through dense instrumentation.
4. ‘Leviathan’ by Monuments
This track captures everything we love about groove-focused djent. The syncopation, pocket-locked riffs, and melodic intelligence shaped a lot of our rhythmic instinct. Olly Steele and John Browne’s approach influenced our writing over the years, pushing us toward complex grooves that still hit with force.
5. ‘Luck as a Constant’ by Periphery
This track balances clean atmosphere, technical riffs, and one of the most expressive guitar solos in modern prog. The final build taught us how to create space before releasing into something powerful. It shaped how we think about dynamics—letting emotional moments land before everything erupts again.
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