Introducing: Rivers Collide

German band Rivers Collide draw on the energy of 2000s metal, hardcore and progressive elements to hone a thrilling sound that will most certainly appeal to people of a certain age.

The band hails from in and around Passau, in the southeastern corner of Germany, which is known as “the city of three rivers” – hence the name. The city has a strong metal scene that makes it easy for musicians to connect and discover each other, and its culture is deeply rooted in the band members’ identity and musical influences. In fact, Rivers Collide came around as Dennis and frontman Flo had previously played in another band, making it natural for them to team up again in 2019.

And on the sound they’ve honed since, the band explains: “If you’re a metal fan and your birth year starts with ’19,’ there’s a 100% chance you’re going to love our music. If you’re younger, you’ll probably also enjoy the raw energy of our live shows—especially if you find yourself in the middle of the mosh pit.”

To get a taste for this, the band sent us Annihilation of Self, which is not only the second track from their debut album Salt & Saviour, which was released on Christmas Eve, but also the first song they wrote together. It opens up with big cymbal hits intersecting stabs of guitar that flow into a chunky opening riff. Sinister vocals and increase in intensity to big screams over a menacing high-pitched repeating riff, which drops back into the heavy opening riff. Gruff vocals return and give way to clean vocals through a chorus supported by a sweeping guitar lick. Another sinister verse follows, then picks up pace through to the melodic chorus. This time it drops into a cool darting riff over heavy drums, before big vocals and wild guitars give way to chunky stabs of guitar set up a powerful outro.

On the track, the band told us: “Annihilation of Self holds a special place for us because it’s the first song we wrote together as a band. At the time, we were testing the waters to see if we clicked both musically and personally, and it turned out we connected almost immediately. The song reflects our shared love for 2000s metal, hardcore, and progressive sounds—it’s essentially a distilled version of the music we’ve always wanted to create. That said, the lyrics are really old, and to be honest, they’re just some cringey heartbreak stuff, so don’t focus on those too much!” Check it out (and ignore the lyrics) here:

The album is packed with similar levels of intensity, including the vicious Virulence, the powerful Diversity and My Order 66, excellent closing track The Fear of Losing Nothing, and a personal favourite Carry The Weight, which features cool high-pitched guitar licks and a huge closing riff.

The Rivers Collide sund has been been heavily influenced by 2000s bands like Killswitch Engage, As I Lay Dying, Mastodon, and Gojira. But, whisper it quietly, their rehearsal room playlist “features everything from Thai pop to pornogrind.”

And on what inspires them to write music, they explain: “We don’t have one overarching theme that drives our music, but our hometown and the stories it tells play a big role in shaping what we create. In general, we try to deliver life-affirming messages through our lyrics, though we also explore topics like mental isolation and loneliness. It’s a mix of drawing from personal experiences and wanting to connect with listeners on a deeper level.

There’s plenty more to come from Rivers Collide, who will be following up their excellent debut album with a new track, which didn’t quite make it onto the album, by mid-way through 2025. They’re also planning a music video dedicated to their late band member Phil and an album release gig.

And they added: “2024 was a tough year for us, both as a band and as friends. If we’ve learned anything, it’s that first, music has the power to get you through anything, and second, it’’’s important to cherish every moment with the people who matter most. Hold onto those moments like treasures, and if you can, write them down and turn them into a metal song. That’s what we do.”

You can follow Rivers Collide on Facebook and Instagram, and check out their music on Spotify, Bandcamp and Apple Music.