About two years ago, a bunch of Richmond musicians, some of whom had been in bands like Ghouli and Fried Egg, got together to form the metal-punk band Private Hell. They released their self-titled demo that October, and I really liked it. Since then, Private Hell have beens playing out and steadily getting better. They’re getting ready to release a new EP, and they’ve just come out with a powerful new single called “Tower Of Silence.”

I saw Private Hell play “Tower Of Silence” live a couple of months ago, and the song immediately jumped out. Private Hell are messing around with the thrashed-out dynamics of ’80s Metallica, and they’re able to pull off big changes and solos without losing their sense of speed. Lyrically, the song is a heavy document of despair, and it’s striking that a song can be that sad and that ferocious at the same time. Listen below.

Private Hell’s Days Of Wrath EP is coming out this fall on Persistent Vision Records.