Cell Games – Release Break Neck New Single ‘ Guilt’

Ireland’s fast rising Cell Games have been the proud torch carriers for Irish Nu-Metal since their inception in 2021. Setting themselves aside from their contemporaries, the band rip up the rule book, avoiding the pitfalls of any tropes and preconceived notions of the genre, spitting back their own inimitable sound. Razor sharp songwriting with should-be-locked-up-in-a-lab infectious melodies and production that would make Ross Robinson blush. All while maintaining a sense of social understanding that often escapes some of the genres contemporaries. The band’s prolific output has seen them carve out a reputation as one of Ireland’s most exciting heavy acts, earning support from Ailsha on RTÉ 2FM, Hot Press, IMRO, First Music Contact, Ragged Cast, Rock N Load and Johnny Doom on Kerrang! Radio. Following a string of acclaimed releases including The Optical World, Witches X Bitches, Lament Configuration, Let’s Go To Therapy, HELLWORLD and most recent single, Eldritch Observations, Cell Games now return with their heaviest single to date, Guilt. The song helps mark their biggest show to date, supporting Skindred and Alien Ant Farm in Dublin’s iconic Olympia.  Clocking in at a whiplash inducing 1 minute 35secs the band waste no time in venting their considerable spleen, written after singer Maximillion witnessed a harrowing display of public racism. No one in Ireland does it like Cell Games.

Pop culture references are a red thread that run throughout the Cell Games catalogue so it’s unsurprising that even the genesis of the new single started with an unlikely source: a sample of Gonzo from The Muppets, lifted from an unused advertisement discovered during the songwriting process. What began as an excuse to use a bizarre piece of audio ephemera quickly snowballed into something far more aggressive. Stripping away excess and embracing pure velocity, the band found themselves with a lean, furious track that said everything it needed to say in 1 minute 30.

From the moment the Gonzo sample sounds off like a starter pistol being fired the band launch headfirst into a barrage of pummelling drums, jagged guitars and snarling electronics. Drawing influence from the mechanical stomp of Static-X and Rob Zombie, while maintaining the groove-driven weight of Korn, System Of A Down and Sevendust, the result is pure nu-groove violence. There are no unnecessary detours, no indulgent instrumental passages and no attempts to soften the blow. Every riff feels sharpened to a point, every drum hit lands with purpose and every second feels combustible.

As is often the case with Cell Games, beneath the pop culture references lies a genuine emotional and social core. Lyrically, the song was inspired by a real-life incident witnessed by vocalist Maximillion Foy while queuing for coffee. Watching a customer racially abuse an immigrant barista for taking too long preparing an order left a lasting impression. The lyrics channel the anger and disgust felt in that moment, with the chorus directly echoing the aggressor’s demands to “put their back into it”. Cell Games continue to use their platform to advocate for empathy and challenge prejudice wherever they encounter it.

For the recording process the band once again returned to Josh Sid Robinson at JSR Audio in Belfast, a partnership that has become central to the Cell Games sound. Having developed a creative shorthand over multiple releases, the sessions moved at a blistering pace. The song’s brevity and no-frills approach meant tracking was completed quicker than usual, allowing additional time for experimentation. It was during these sessions that the band began manipulating and chopping elements of the opening sample, transforming them into the Slipknot-inspired percussion that punctuates the chorus. Recorded and programmed in Reaper, the same software that underpins both the band’s recording workflow and their live electronic elements, the track perfectly captures the hybrid machine-and-human attack that has become synonymous with Cell Games.

Artwork duties once again fell to Jade Costello. The cover stems from a photograph Jade took while dog-sitting, capturing Tristan’s sister’s dog and a neighbour’s dog play-fighting. One dog in particular, Pierre, wore an expression so utterly unhinged that it immediately demanded immortalisation.

‘Guilt’ represents Cell Games at their most direct, most furious and perhaps most confident. Heavier, tighter and more uncompromising than ever before, the track finds the band pushing further into uncharted territory while remaining unmistakably themselves. Once again Cell Games prove they stand apart from their contemporaries, marrying electronics with crushing riffs, groove with aggression and genuine social commentary with undeniable hooks. ‘Guilt’ is short, sharp and utterly devastating. Essential listening.