This week's new heavy metal releases include melodic guitar flurries, experimental weirdness, and more!
To the metals…
Ad Infinitum – Chapter I: Monarchy 
Genre: Symphonic metal
Origin: Montreux, Switzerland
Label: Napalm
Let's start this Friday off with some melodic epicness. Ad Infinitum sound a bit like Nightwish while sounding a bit like Soilwork, which is a pretty cool combo. This band feels oddly topical as all members that aren't vocalist Melissa Bonny are dressed as plague doctors.
[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Ugq3ZBNEIM][/youtube]
August Burns Red – Guardians
Genre: Metalcore
Origin: Lancaster, Pennsylvania
Label: Fearless
In their seventeen years as a band August Burns Red has always brought unmatched shreddy metalcore. Their ninth album continues that trend with guitarist JB Brubaker and drummer Matt Greiner standing out as the stars. If you've enjoyed anything they've done since Messengers, you'll dig this.
[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=48L67oBBvHQ][/youtube]
Conforza – Irresolute
Genre: Progressive metal
Origin: Manchester, New Hampshire
Label: Self-released
Buy now on Bandcamp
Conforza are a really cool band I feel like more people should know about. They combine hardcore, groove metal, some almost djenty bits, and other stuff into one heavy package. Irresolute is a solid release that features the band at their best and an appearance from Guy Kozowyk of Red Chord fame.
[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zfmTW8YCRzg][/youtube]
Pure Reason Revolution – Eupnea
Genre: Progressive rock
Origin: Reading, England
Label: InsideOut
One of my favorite prog rock bands has finally reunited and they're already back with new music. Pure Reason Revolution are channeling the vibe of their debut, The Dark Third, here over six lengthy, atmospheric tracks. Fans of Porcupine Tree, Pink Floyd, and jammy post-rock should get on this.
[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5khMXtZ6YjE][/youtube]
Testament – Titans Of Creation 
Genre: Thrash
Origin: Oakland, California
Label: Nuclear Blast
Every Testament album is a powerful experience, however with the recent health scare of Chuck Billy and others, this one feels extra triumphant. These thrash masters have broken their four year album break with yet another great record. This is the perfect soundtrack for your shelter at home circlepit.
[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cF2hIrXq2ss][/youtube]
tētēma – Necroscape 
Genre: Electronic/Experimental
Origin: Eureka, California/Melbourne, Australia
Label: Ipecac
Mike Patton and Anthony Pateras's electronic collaboration has returned with their first album in six years. Necroscape features all the trademark scatting and vocalizations of most non-Faith No More Patton projects, also those looking for soaring Mondo Cane singing should look elsewhere. This is perhaps closer to late Mr Bungle, but it's very much its own strange beast.
[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RyrZxEuYzuY][/youtube]
Wvrm – Colony Collapse
Genre: Death metal/grindcore
Origin:
Label: Prosthetic Records
Let's end this week in a heavy and chaotic way. Colony Collapse is a bludgeoning that doesn't let up save for moments of feedback between sonic assaults. Your getting some hardcore, some death metal, and some grindcore in one convenient package here.
[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LWg8qCGbcfQ][/youtube]
Also dropping today
- All Time Low – Wake Up, Sunshine (Fueled By Ramen) – Pop punk/hard rock
- Aara – En Ergô Einai (Debumur Morti Productions) – Atmospheric black metal
- Ande- Vossenkuil (Self-Released) – Black metal
- Beggar – Compelled To Repeat (APF) – Sludge
- Bonfire – Fistful Of Fire (AFM Records) – Hard rock/heavy metal
- Cabal – Drag Me Down (Long Branch Records) – Blackened death metal
- Dynazty – The Dark Delight (AFM) – Power metal
- Errant – Errant EP (Manatee Rampage Recordings) – Sludge
- Freeways – True Bearings (Temple of Mystery) – Heavy metal
- Fury – The Grand Prize (Self-released) – heavy metal
- Her Name Was Fire – Decadent Movement (Raging Planet Records) – Stoner/grunge
- Live Burial – Unending Futility (Transcending Obscurity Records) – Death metal
- Loviatar – Lightless (Prosthetic) – Doom
- Lucifer Star Machine – Devil's Breath (The Sign Records) – Hard rock/heavy metal
- Night – Feeling it Everywhere EP (The Sign Records) – Hard rock
- Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs – Viscerals (Rocket) – Psychedelic/stoner
- The Project Hate MCMXCIX – Purgatory (Mouth of Belial Productions) – Industrial death metal
- Sydney Fate – Silicon Nitride (Eclipse Records) – Alternative metal
- Weed Demon – Crater Maker (Electric Valley Records) – Stoner
- Witches Of Doom – Funeral Radio (My Kingdom) – Doom/stoner
