Head Lock Grave Unleash Monstrous New Single + Video ‘Ruination’
Auckland groove-metal outfit Head Lock Grave kick off a new chapter with Ruination, the first single from their forthcoming album Rewake In The Mold of Travail, accompanied by their debut music video.
Ruination is the first taste of Rewake In The Mold of Travail, an album born from hardship, personal experience, conflict and the resilience it takes to push through it. The new record takes what Head Lock Grave have established so far and pushes it further, both musically and thematically. At its core are the experiences, conflicts and questions that shape humanity, with the band digging into some pretty confronting territory along the way.
At the heart of Ruination is a question that feels as relevant as ever: what is it all for? The track takes a clear anti-war stance, confronting conflict driven by religion, power and the desire to inflict suffering. Rather than glorifying violence, Ruination turns its focus towards our inability to accept difference — and the consequences that can follow when humanity becomes its own worst enemy.
It’s dark, heavy and doesn’t pull any punches. But there’s more to Ruination than simply staring into the abyss. It’s about recognising what’s happening around us and questioning whether we’re prepared to accept it.
Says Head Lock Grave: “When we wrote the music for Ruination, we knew the lyrics needed to carry a strong message. There was already a real weight and intensity in the music, and that naturally shaped where the lyrics went. Once we found that direction, the words basically wrote themselves…”
The accompanying music video marks another first for the band, bringing Ruination into a visual world of conflict, higher powers and humanity. It expands on the themes running through the track, adding another layer to the story while giving Head Lock Grave their first visual statement as a band.
And this is only the beginning. With Rewake In The Mold of Travailset to arrive in November, Ruination opens the door on a new era for Head Lock Grave — heavier, more focused and ready to take things further.
Ruination is available on all major streaming platforms from today.
Rewake In The Mold of Travail is available on all streaming services 20 November 2026.
