Greetings once again all you metal nerds. This was a rough week. Rough in a sense that there was almost too much good stuff to talk about from so many genres, subgenres, subsubgenres, etc. I could have gone on and on with this week's WEEKLY INJECTION, but alas, the fancy beer I can't pronounce is setting in. Now, onward…
Altar of Plagues – Teethed Glory and Injury
Genre: Black Metal
Origin: Cork, Ireland
Label: Profound Lore
Ireland’s Post Metal masters have returned with the follow-up to the mighty Mammal album. Teethed Glory and Injury still features all the atmosphere of their Post past you've come to know and love, but it is comprised mostly of shorter blackened tracks. This almost makes it seem like you are getting more music from the band, and more Altar of Plagues (or rather the illusion of more) is not a bad thing.
Arsis – Unwelcome
Genre: Melodic Technical Death Metal
Origin: Virginia Beach, Virginia
Label: Nuclear Blast
This is a band that doesn’t sound like they have put out five albums. Usually, a band hits a slump around album number three and a desperation to stay relevant begins to seep out of their music. This is not the case for Arsis. They managed to keep the listeners’ interest peaked with Maiden-esque guitar work, and the perfect blend of chaos and melody.
Coliseum – Sister Faith
Genre: Sludge/Stoner Infused Punk
Origin: Louisville, Kentucky
Label: Temporary Residence
Coliseum are a band that appeals to several hard rock audiences. They are upbeat and punky, they’ve got the right fuzz for stoner rock fans, and they have enough of a sludge influence to turn metal heads. Greg was right in his post last week, you won’t be disappointed.
Howl – Bloodlines
Genre: Sludge Infused Death Metal
Origin: Providence, Rhode Island
Label: Relapse
There has been a lot of hype behind this record. Their last album, Full of Hell, was great and the latest is also good. The band manages to avoid the sophomore slump by redirecting their sound just enough to showcase growth, but this one doesn’t exactly reinvent the metal wheel. Still worth a listen, for sure. Our homies at MetalSucks have the stream right here.
Melvins –Everybody Loves Sausages
Genre: Melvins
Origin: Montesano: Washington
Label: Ipecac
Melvins are the kings of doing whatever the fuck they want. For album nineteen they likely thought, “Why not get some friends and put out some covers?” The bands Buzz Osbourne and the rest covered are incredibly diverse. They include Queen, Venom, David Bowie, whoever originally did “Black Betty,” and many more. The guest spots are quite the odd mix as well with folks like Scott Kelly from Neurosis, former Dead Kennedy/current Guantanamo Medicine leader Jello Biafra, and Foetus just to name a few. A must get for diehard fans, and a fun record for the casually curious or ignorant.
The Ocean – Pelagial
Genre: Progressive/Sludge
Origin: Berlin, Germany
Label: Metal Blade
Robin Staps once again proves his genius. Pelagial is a great collection of songs with titles you’ll never take the time or energy to pronounce based on the layers of the ocean. Yes, it is a little pretentious, but god damn it’s good. Fans of the last few albums will be super stoked on this one.
Purson – The Circle and the Blue Door
Genre: Progressive/Psychedelic
Origin: London, England
Label: Metal Blade
This band’s Facebook lists their genre as “Vaudeville Carny Psych.” Purson, you had my curiosity, now you have my attention. I can’t say there are any bands that sound like them. They share a sonic aesthetic of bands like Graveyard, Ghost, and Bigelf, but with a bigger bag of tricks and a phenomenal voice fronting their band in lead vocalist/guitarist Rosalie Cunningham. Hopefully, this band catches on, because they are wonderfully unique and enjoyable.
Also out today:
Agrimonia – Rites Of Separation (Southern Lord)
Amorphis – Circle (Nuclear Blast)
Avantasia – The Mystery Of Time (Nuclear Blast)
Battle Dagorath – Cursed Storm of the Ages (De Tenebrarum Principio)
The Body – Master, We Perish (At A Loss)
Bone Sickness – Alone In The Grave (20 Buck Spin)
Cathedral – The Last Spire (Metal Blade)
Cauldron – Tomorrow's Lost (Earache)
Corsair – Ghosts of Proxima Centauri Re-Release (Shadow Kingdom)
Deep Purple – Now What?! (Eagle Rock)
Famous Last Words – Two-Faced Charade (InVogue)
Freedoms Reign – Freedoms Reign (Cruz del Sur)
Heaven Shall Burn – Veto (Century Media)
Hessian – Manégarmr (Southern Lord)
HIM – Tears On Tape (Razor & Tie)
Hybrid – Angst (Deepsend)
Louna – Behind A Mask (Red Decade)
Mechanical Swan – Black Dawn Romance (Bakerteam)
Monarque – Lys Noir (Sepulchral)
Moonreich – Terribilis Est Locus Iste (ATMF)
NightShade – An Endless Vision (Bullet Tooth)
Pushmen – The Sun Will Rise Soon On The False And The Fair (The End)
Rainbow – Live In Munich 1977 CD/DVD (Eagle Rock)
Redrum – Victims Of Our Circumstances
Revelation – Inner Harbor (Shadow Kingdom)
Sacred Mother Tongue – Out Of Darkness (The End)
Sacrilegious Impalement – III:Lux Infera (Woodcut)
Simulacro – Fall Of The Last Idol (De Tenebrarum Principio)
Soul Of Steel – Journey To Infinity (Bakerteam)
Starkill – Fires Of Life (Century Media)
Tom Keifer – The Way Life Goes (Merovee)
Ugly Kid Joe – Stairway To Hell (MRI)
Watertank – Sleepwalk (Solar Flare)
Yellow Eyes – Hammer Of Night (Broken Limbs)
