This week's new heavy metal releases include some yo-ho's, some Norse folk, and some more! To the metals…
Alestorm – Voyage Of The Dead Marauder
Genre: Folk/power metal
Origin: Perth, Scotland
Label: Napalm
Buy now on Bandcamp
The mighty pirate metal outfit has returned with a five song EP that'll get you swashbuckling. This one includes their trademark epic power metal, some synth-infused rockers, and more. The lead single includes guest Patty Gurdy wielding my favorite atypical metal instrument; the hurdy-gurdy. Hell yes.
Apparition – Disgraced Emanations From A Tranquil State
Genre: Death metal/doom
Origin: Los Angeles, California
Label: Profound Lore
If you want your death metal with some low and slow moments, then this is the record for you this week. Apparition balance death metal fury and doom lurch into a unified two-headed beast. Sometimes this has the pingiest dang snare I've heard in a while and it gives it some classic flair.
Brodequin – Harbinger Of Woe
Genre: Brutal death metal
Origin: Knoxville, Tennessee
Label: Season Of Mist
Buy now on Bandcamp
Woo boy. This is a heavy one. There is a ton of energy on this one musically while the vocal approach is that low, down in the mix approach that is usually paired with slower, more ethereal death metal. Makes for an interesting combination.
Hideous Divinity – Unextinct
Genre: Technical death metal
Origin: Rome, Lazio, Italy
Label: Century Media
Buy now on Bandcamp
Like the last one, there is a lot of energy here. This takes breaks for some melodic moments and includes technical runs throughout though. A different death metal beast entirely, but they could pair well with Brodequin.
Leaves' Eyes – Myths Of Fate
Genre: Symphonic/power metal
Origin: Ludwigsburg, Germany/Stavanger, Norway
Label: AFM
Buy now on Amazon
On their ninth record, Leaves' Eyes are once again taking listeners on fantastical journeys. From what I skimmed of lyrics and song titles, there are tales of swords, dwarves, the Norse god of the sea, Einherjar or "those who have died in battle and are brought to Valhalla by valkyries" (thanks Google), and more. Part history, part fantasy, but all epic good times.
Sylvaine – Eg Er Framand
Genre: Folk
Origin: Oslo, Norway
Label: Season Of Mist
Buy now on Bandcamp
Concluding this week with an artist taking a…well, honestly a rather unsurprising turn. For over a decade Sylvaine has been putting out some atmospheric, blackened, shoegaze, folk metal sort of stuff. On this EP she's ditching much of that and stripping the sound down to just the folk and the atmosphere. What remains is a beautiful experience that is sure to please the forest dwelling creatures.
Also dropping this week…
- Aberration – Refracture (Sentient Ruin) – Black/death metal
- Altar of Betelgeuze – Echoes (Wiseblood Records) – Doom
- Atrexial – The Serpent Abomination (Non Serviam Records) – Black/death metal
- Avralize – Freaks (Arising Empire) – Metalcore
- Civerous – Maze Envy (20 Buck Spin) – Black/death metal
- Critical Defiance – The Search Won't Fall… (Unspeakable Axe Records/Dying Victims Productions) – Thrash
- Cruzh – The Jungle Revolution (Frontiers) – Heavy metal/glam
- Deaf Club feat. The HIRS Collective & Fuck Money – Split (Three One G) – Hardcore/noise
- Deception – Daenacteh (Mighty Music) – Melodic death metal
- Fall Of Serenity – Open Wide, O Hell (Lifeforce) – Melodic/blackened death metal
- Fixed View – Ours To Keep (Rest Assured Records) – Hardcore/crust
- Fracture Point – Act Of Malice (Self-released) – Thrash
- Furor Gallico – Future To Come (Scarlet Records) – Folk metal
- Ghostkid – Hollywood Suicide (Century Media) – Modern metal/metalcore
- Hamferð – Men Guðs hond er sterk (Metal Blade) – Doom
- Hammer King – König und Kaiser (Napalm) – Heavy/power metal
- Hashtronaut – No Return (Blues Funeral Recordings) – Stoner/doom
- Holler – Reborn (Scarlet Records) – Hard rock
- Inner Whiteout – Bottom Seeker (Self-released) – Metalcore
- Keygen Church – Nel Nome Del Codice (Metal Blade) – 8-bit metal?
- Khold – Du Dommes Til Dod (Soulseller) – Black metal
- Mastiff – Deprecipice (MNRK Heavy) – Sludge/hardcore
- Moon Incarnate – Hymns To The Moon (Iron Bonehead) – Gothic death metal
- Mudshow – Destiny (Horror Pain Gore Death Productions) – Sludge
- Omnivide – A Tale Of Fire (Self-released) – Technical/progressive death metal
- Origod – Impression (Argonauta Records) – "post-core"
- Perpetua – Resurgence (Seek & Strike) – Groove metal
- Rickshaw Billie's Burger Patrol – Big Dumb Riffs (Permanent Teeth) – Experimental metal
- Shaving The Werewolf – God Whisperer (Self-released) – Hardcore/noise
- Snuff – Off On The Charabanc (Sbam) – Mod-punk
- Sonic Wolves – III (Argonauta Records) – Stoner/doom rock
- Spaced – This Is All We Ever Get (Revelation Records) – Hardcore punk
- Take & Take – Disillusion (Self-released) – Melodic death metal
- Thor – Ride Of The Iron Horse (Cleopatra) – Heavy metal
- Thornbridge – Daydream Illusion (Massacre) – Power metal
- Unshine – Karn Of Burnings (Rockshots Records) – Symphonic metal
- Velcros – Strange News From The Vault (Crazysane) – Punk/indie
- Voyager-X – Magic (Dr. Music Records) – Progressive metal
- The Wizards – The Exit Garden (High Roller Records) – Heavy metal
- Wormwitch/Sadistic Ritual – Split (Boris Records) – Black/death metal
- Zombi – Direct Inject (Relapse) – Space rock