Worst Ones premiere protest-driven new single ‘Cold Case’ via Side-Line
Worst Ones
Philadelphia-based industrial sludge metal duo Worst Ones will release their new single “Cold Case” on June 13, 2025. The track is now available to stream in advance via Side-Line as a lyric video.
Written and recorded by vocalist/guitarist Drew Ew and mixed/mastered by Jared Birdseye, “Cold Case” combines industrial grooves with a 303 bassline, noise guitars, and atmospheric textures. Its sound draws influence from “Twitch”-era Ministry, Skinny Puppy, Die Warzau, and the early aggression of The Prodigy.
Lyrically, the single takes direct aim at institutional violence and societal complicity. “Cold Case” confronts the mechanisms by which injustice is ignored or excused, framing its title as a metaphor for willful denial.
The video, directed by Drew Ew, enhances this message with imagery that underscores Worst Ones’ ongoing focus on protest themes.
The single will also include a remix version.
About Worst Ones
Worst Ones was formed in 2016 by Drew Ew in Philadelphia as a solo industrial sludge project. The band took shape as a duo in 2018 with the addition of Doppelganga, whose contributions on drums and programming introduced a more complex sonic palette.
Early work produced by Dan Kishbaugh led to a placement on Suicide Bong’s “Killed by Philadelphia Vol. 1” and a cassette compilation via Black Monk Records.
In 2024, the band released three digital singles – “Broken Cost,” “Love Bomb,” and “Web of Lies” – followed by the 2025 release of “Vex”. Previous releases include “Is It Worth It?”, “Badman,” and “Born of Pain,” among others. The “Badman” remix album featured collaborations with Super Thief, Das Black Milk, and Jordyn.
Chief editor of Side-Line – which basically means I spend my days wading through a relentless flood of press releases from labels, artists, DJs, and zealous correspondents. My job? Strip out the promo nonsense, verify what’s actually real, and decide which stories make the cut and which get tossed into the digital void. Outside the news filter bubble, I’m all in for quality sushi and helping raise funds for Ukraine’s ongoing fight against the modern-day axis of evil.
Since you’re here …
… we have a small favour to ask. More people are reading Side-Line Magazine than ever but advertising revenues across the media are falling fast. Unlike many news organisations, we haven’t put up a paywall – we want to keep our journalism as open as we can - and we refuse to add annoying advertising. So you can see why we need to ask for your help.
Side-Line’s independent journalism takes a lot of time, money and hard work to produce. But we do it because we want to push the artists we like and who are equally fighting to survive.
If everyone who reads our reporting, who likes it, helps fund it, our future would be much more secure. For as little as 5 US$, you can support Side-Line Magazine – and it only takes a minute. Thank you.
The donations are safely powered by Paypal.
