This edition, our final Weekly Injection of the year, includes cellos returning to Metallica, the return of a guitar legend, the return of a cult band, and more!
To the metals…
Apocalyptica – Plays Metallica by Four Cellos-A Live Performance
Genre: Metallica songs but on cellos
Origin: Helsinki, Finland
Label: Odyssey Music Network
Apocalyptica rightfully gained traction for their originally compositions eventually, but they are a band that respects how they started. This live album is them returning to to what first got the attention of audiences as they perform nothing but covers of Metallica. You've heard these songs a thousand times, and may have even heard these versions a thousand times, but dammit do they work still.
[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Etns5DS3Txo][/youtube]
Jason Becker – Triumphant Hearts 
Genre: Shred/Progressive Metal
Origin: Point Richmond, California
Label: Music Theories
The story of Jason Becker is of course a tragic one as he lost his physical ability to play music due to ALS. He hasn't lost his ability to compose incredible instrumental music though, and this is the album he's spent years composing. It is performed by some rather famous friends like Jeff Loomis, Marty Friedman, Steve Vai, Paul Gilbert, and a lot more (no, really. Like A LOT more). It's a triumph to never giving up and it is very, very good.
[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1gS5ibUPUvg][/youtube]
La Muerte – La Muerte
Genre: Heavy metal/hardcore
Origin: Bruxhell, Belgium
Label: Mottow Soundz
[Buy now from their label
It's been over twenty years since this band's last album, and in their time they have gained a bit of a cult status. I wasn't familiar with them before this entry, but I dig what I hear as it reminds me of Kvelertak, No Spill Blood, and Dog Fashion Disco all in one. In short, their a weird, cool fucking band.
[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UrpGsDgH42E][/youtube]
Metal Church – Damned If You Do
Genre: Heavy metal/thrash
Origin: San Francisco, California
Label: Rat Pak
With almost forty years of metal history Metal Church know how to get fists in the air with soaring metal. This album, their twelfth, is an absolute crash course on classic metal and how to do it right.
[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zy5q7bxzy0w][/youtube]
Myrkur – Juniper EP 
Genre: Atmospheric black metal
Origin: Denmark
Label: Relapse
Buy now from Bandcamp
Calling this an EP is generous since it is just two tracks, but it's some new Myrkur material, so it's hard to be mad at. Amalie Bruun, the once pop star in Ex-Cops, has been is a atmospheric folk phase and while these songs have some loud moments, this is folksier than some may like.
[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NCh_8P6T8wE][/youtube]
Squalus & Shadow Limb – Mass and Power Split
Genre: Sludge
Origin: Pacifica/Chico, California
Label: Translation Loss Records
Buy now on Bandcamp
Following the collapse of Giant Squid, Squalus was the first thing to come from the band's ashes and it is the experimental sludge as one would hope from those folks. This is them paired with Shadow Limb who are just as weird and sludgy, but maybe less obsessed with the sea. I very much get why this split came to be and it works.
[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TH7QhwY7M18][/youtube]
Venom- Storm the Gates 
Genre: NWOBHM/Speed metal
Origin: Newcastle, England
Label: Spinefarm Records
Cronos and his pals are back with what I can only assume is their response to last year's album by Venon Inc. Now, you can add Inc. all you want, but it still basically means we're in a world with two Venoms, and like when there were to LA Guns or Queensryche, it's just dumb. This is very much a straight forward album one would expect from Venom, because this IS Venom.
[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=11LNac_Vlns][/youtube]
Also dropping today, 12/14, and beyond…
Alcatrazz – Parole Denied: Tokyo 2017 DVD/CD (Frontiers) – Heavy metal/shred
Comatose Vigil A.K. – Evangelium Nihil (Non Serviam Records) – Funeral doom
Craneium – The Narrow Line (Ripple) – Stoner/doom
Death Crux – Mutant Flesh (Aural) – Gothic rock
Devil's Hand – Devil's Hand (Frontiers) – Melodic hard rock
Dirge – Lost Empyrean (Debemur Morti Productions) – Atmospheric Sludge Metal
Goblinsmoker – Toad King (Sludgelord Records) – Doom
Gotthard – Defrosted 2 (Nuclear Blast) – Hard rock
Graf Orlock – Examination Of Violent Cinema Volume 1 (Vitriol) – Hardcore
Great Grief – Love, Lust and Greed (No Sleep) – "romantic hardcore"
Infinita Symphonia – Liberation (My Kingdom) – Symphonic heavy metal
Johnny Gioeli – One Voice (Frontiers) – Hard rock
Magic Dance – New Eyes (Frontiers) – Hard rock
Night Vapor – 1,000 Miles of Mud (Corpse Flower Records) – Noise rock
Of Hatred Spawn – Of Hatred Spawn (Boonsdale Records) – Death metal
Steelheart – Rock'n Milan DVD/CD (Frontiers) – Glam
Svarta Stugan – Islands / Öar" (WOOAAARGH) – Experimental
Thunder Horse – Thunder Horse (BC/TX Records) – Doom
Valleyheart – Everyone I've Ever Loved (Rise Records) – Alternative rock
Volbeat – Let's Boogie! Live From Telia Parken (Republic) – Alt rock
Wan – Gammal är äldst (Carnal Records) – Black metal
Zealotry – At The Nexus Of All Stillborn Worlds (Unspeakable Axe) – Death metal
