This week's new heavy metal releases includes piano-infused death metal, trains, and more!
To the metals…
Abrahma – In Time for the Last Rays of Light
Genre: Psychedelic Doom/Stoner Metal
Origin: Paris, France
Label: Deadlight Records
Abrahma's third album is centered around a slow, sad core, but each song meanders into heavier or faster or unexpected directions. It winds up being an album that rewards the listener on repeat listens. Fans of a band like Ancestors will probably dig this.
[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_TlR21ATk0][/youtube]
Destrage – The Chosen One
Genre: Progressive metalcore
Origin: Milan, Italy
Label: Metal Blade
My favorite weirdos from Italy have returned with an other record of Destrage chaos. I'm impressed how this band continues to grow and change. This time they have seamlessly woven in some additional spacey synth elements (without going overboard), that feels natural in the band's already crazy sound. It's really not wildly different than the last couple albums, but it still feels fresh.
[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rWD4yxCXVF8][/youtube]
Diamond Head – The Coffin Train
Genre: NWOBHM
Origin: Stourbridge, England
Label: Silver Lining
One of heavy metal's OGs has returned with an ode to both the locomotive and death. While only guitarist Brian Tatler remains from the band's first run, the vibe is still very much of that 70's rock sound that's very in again. The band perhaps best known for being covered by Metallica still has their own good thing going.
[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BbnmxqdtTV4][/youtube]
Earth – Full Upon Her Burning Lips
Genre: Psychedelic/Post-Rock
Origin: Olympia, Washington
Label: Sargent House
Let's bring it back down with the always hypnotic slow rock of Earth. On their first album in five years (that wasn't a collaboration) Adrienne Davies and Dylan Carlson return with engrossing instrumentals that are minimalist and experimental. It's impressive how sparse this album is while not being boring.
[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=suVxSq0YCOY][/youtube]
Fleshgod Apocalypse – Veleno
Genre: Symphonic/Technical Death Metal
Origin: Perugia, Italy
Label: Nuclear Blast
I don't know about you, but Velno marks the return of MY favorite band that tours with an upright piano and corpse paint. You're of course getting some wild death metal with grand orchestration and the returning guest vocals of Veronica Bordacchini. Overall what you'd expect and hope for from the band.
[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3RMEoOl80SM][/youtube]
Neckbeard Deathcamp – So Much For The Tolerant Left
Genre: Raw Black Metal/Noise
Origin: Illinois / Michigan
Label: Prosthetic
This is a band that I see pop up a lot, but I don't think I've ever actually listened to them. Good god is this dissonant noisy shit. It really winds up being an odd pairing to have this sound and a cover that features a wedgie. They're a hyper political band, but it's hard to tell if you take the music away from the visuals.
[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c6U6aLrbizs][/youtube]
Also dropping today…
Borders – Purify (Long Branch Records) – Metalcore/djent
Emil Bulls – Mix Tape (AFM Records) – Hard rock
Genus Ordinis Dei – Nemesis (Eclipse Records) – Symphonic death metal
Irata – Tower (Small Stone) – Hard rock
Kull – Exile (Black Lion Records) – "Barbarian" metal
Misþyrming – Algleymi (NoEvDia) – Black metal
Nihility – Thus Spoke The Antichrist (Black Lion Records) – death/black metal
Nocturnus AD – Paradox (Profound Lore) – Death metal
Of Virtue – What Defines You (SharpTone) – Metalcore/hard rock
Plastic – Drink Sensibly (Self-released) – alt rock/grunge
The Progerians – Crush The Wise Men Who Refuse To Submit (Mottow Soundz) – Punk/sludge
Rendezvous Point – Universal Chaos (Long Branch) – Progressive metal
Salem's Bend – Supercluster (Ripple Music) – Psychedelic
Samsara – Reap What You Sow EP (Innerstrength) – Hardcore
Scardust – Sands Of Time (M-Theory Audio) – Power metal
Siamese – Super Human (Long Branch) – Pop metal
Soto – Origami (InsideOut) – Hard rock
Stormlord – Far (Scarlet Records) – Symphonic Black/Power Metal
Tanith – In Another Time (Metal Blade) – Hard rock
Vale – Burden Of Sight (The Flenser) – Black metal/crust
Valley of the Sun – Old Gods (Fuzzorama Records) – Stoner rock
Visigoth – Bells of Awakening (Metal Blade Records) – Heavy/power metal