This week's new heavy metal releases include lots of aggression, someone asking you "why?" a bunch, tasty riffs with a grindcore aesthetic, and more! to the metals…
Belphegor – The Devils
Genre: Black/death metal
Origin: Salzburg, Austria
Label: Nuclear Blast
After half a decade (and some additional delays) the latest from these black metal masters has finally arrived. Over the albums thirty-six-ish minutes the band frankly doesn't surprise you a lot, but it's hard to be upset since they're doing what they do well. Jeff has a review here.
Box – Cherry Blossoms at Night
Genre: Progressive metal
Origin: Portland, Oregon
Label: Miserable Pyre Of Secrets
Buy now on Bandcamp
This is a weird one from a band of many hats. The album's two lead singles should be enough to tell you that you're in for a ride. "Succumb" is a grindy, grim track while "Cherry Blossoms At Night" is like a Leprous track with some 80's flair. The rest of the record is full of even more unexpected twists.
Chat Pile – God's Country
Genre: Experimental/noise
Origin: Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Label: The Flenser
Buy now on Bandcamp
Gosh, this is a odd dark record. Instrumentation is fuzzed out, sludgy, and usually in bummer minor keys. This is then paired with a very pissed off, kinda-sorta spoken word vocal delivery. I don't know why I expected something fun from a band called "Chat Pile," but this is no fun. Max has a full review here.
Funeral Chic – Roman Candle
Genre: Stoner metal/hardcore
Origin: Charlotte, North Carolina
Label: Prosthetic
Roman Candle is a record of bluesy grooves with lots and lots of grit. The band has strayed far from their grindcore sound, but there is still that nastiness that they had before. Also, the title track has a video with puppets. Can't be mad at that. Peep that below and peep J. Andrew's review while you're at it.
Krisiun – Mortem Solis
Genre: Death metal
Origin: Ijuí, Brazil
Label: Century Media
Pairing well with the new Belphegor, we have twelfth sonic ass kicking from Krisiun. Some shreddy moments here and there, but this really is all about the straight-ahead rhythmic bludgeoning.
Stick To Your Guns – Spectre
Genre: Hardcore
Origin: Orange County, California
Label: Pure Noise
Buy now on Bandcamp
Wrapping this week with some anthemic hardcore to give y'all a boost into the weekend. Spectre will get you wind-milling and screaming "whoa-oh" whether you want to or not. This is a powerful one with enough catchy moments to keep you coming back.
Also dropping today…
- Banks Arcade – Future Lovers (UNFD) – Hard rock/electronic
- Bastions – Acres Of Love (Church Road Records) – Alternative/hardcore
- Beach Rats – Rat Beat (Epitaph Records) – Punk
- Black Magnet – Body Prophecy (20 Buck Spin) – Industrial – Full review
- Blacktoothed – Juli (Arising Empire) – Alternative/post-hardcore
- Canadensis – The Decades Apart Have Weathered Us Both (Medicine for a Nightmare) – Drone/post-rock
- Cara Neir – Phantasmal (Self-released) – Experimental/grindcore
- Crystal Gates – Torment & Wonder: The Ways Of The Lonely Ones (Wormholedeath) – Symphonic black metak
- Daidalos – The Expedition (Extreme Metal Music) – Symphonic/dark metal
- Dance Gavin Dance – Jackpot Juicer (Rise) – Post-hardcore/progressive rock
- Eosphorus – From Fire Into Birth (Wormholedeath) – Melodic black metal
- Gallower – Eastern Witchcraft (Dying Victims Productions) – Black metal/thrash
- Haunted Horses – The Worst Has Finally Happened (Three One G Records) – Industrial noise
- Her Head's On Fire – College Rock & Clove Cigarettes (Iodine Recordings) – Indie/hard rock
- Ithaca – They Fear Us (Hassle Records) – Melodic hardcore
- My Sleeping Karma – Atma (Napalm) – Space rock/psychedelic
- Nightbearer – Ghosts Of A Darkness To Come (Testimony) – Death metal
- Oceans – Hell Is Where The Heart Is – Part II: Longing (Nuclear Blast) – Nu metal
- Prosper Or Perish – Shroud Of Serpents (Jobson Productions) – Melodic death metal
- Reeking Aura – Blood And Bonemeal (Profound Lore) – Death metal
- Sator – Return of The Barbie-Q-Killers (Wild Kingdom) – Hard rock
- Stick To Your Guns – Spectre (Pure Noise) – Hardcore
- Torture Killer – Dead Inside EP (The Other) – Death metal
- Triumvir Foul – Onslaught To Seraphim (Invictus) – Death metal
- Urban Primate – Desolation (Wormholedeath) – Hard rock
