This week's edition of THE WEEKLY INJECTION features the heavy return of your favorite guitar squealer, some Bay Area indies, goofy Norse guys and more! To the metals…
Black Label Society – Catacombs of the Black Vatican
Genre: Groove Metal
Origin: Los Angeles, California
Label: eOne
Buy now on Amazon.com
On the band's tenth album of songs that represent Strength, Determination, Merciless, Forever (whatever that means), Zakk Wylde and his band have returned to a heavy sounds not heard in a while. This album marks the first without long time rhythm guitarist Nick Catanese, which makes Wylde the sole original member of the band. It features the weird double layered vocals Wylde does all the time and guitar solos wherever possible, so basically the album isn't too different than the sound that worked for them on 2003's The Blessed Hellride.
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W7mNmiW9qts[/youtube]
Cormorant – Earth Diver
Genre: Progressive Black Metal
Origin: San Francisco, California
Label: Independent
Buy now on their Bandcamp.
2011's Dwellings was a phenomenal releases that I saw pop of on several best-of lists from the year. I shan't be surprised if this follow-up appears on more. The album has more of a straight forward blackened sound that previous efforts, which may turn off some long time fans, but I think it works for them.
hear samples here
Delain – The Human Contradiction
Genre: Symphonic Metal
Origin: Zwolle, Netherlands
Label: Napalm
Buy now on Amazon.com
For all of the symphonic female-fronted metal acts out there, I've always had a soft spot for Delain. They don't stray far from the bands one normally thinks of like Within Temptation, Epica, and the likes, but I have a fondness for their approach which is essential just pop rock with heavier guitars. They're like a drop-tuned Paramore. Sometimes I'm a sucker for simple melodies.
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ubi1m5pR3hM[/youtube]
The Graviators – Motherload
Genre: Stoner
Origin: Karlshamn/Malmö, Sweden
Label: Napalm
Buy now on Amazon.com
If you wind up listening to as much metal as I do, you find yourself putting bands into very specific rankings as your music library grows. The Graviators are one of my favorite Swedish 70's throwback bands. They blend doom, stoner, melody in a way that few match, even others in that silly sub-sub-sub genre I've put them in. Awesome release.
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9g1lHmofb3A[/youtube]
Trollfest – Kaptein Kaos
Genre: Folk Metal
Origin: Oslo, Norway
Label: NoiseArt
Buy now on Amazon.com
Remember that weird fucking band that covered Britney Spears' "Toxic" a few years ago? This is them, and this is their sixth album of crazy, borderline circus metal. This album is just fun folk metal and they're just as weird in their original material.
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=faV-_t_f_V0[/youtube]
Also dropping today…
Anette Olzon – Shine (Armoury)
Brutality Will Prevail – Suspension Of Consciousness (Siege Of Amida)
Diabulus In Musica – Argia (Napalm)
Edge Of Thorns – Insomnia (Killer Metal
Erebus Enthroned – Temple Under Hell (Seance)
Ferium – Reflections (Transcend)
From Hell – Ascent From Hell (Scourge)
For The Fallen Dreams – Heavy Hearts (Rise)
Graves At Sea – This Place Is Poison EP (Eolian Empire)
Graviators – Motherload (Napalm)
Invertia – Another Scheme of the Wicked (Ohm Resistance)
Magic Moments – Don't Fall For Me EP (Haus Of F–k)
Neige Morte – Bicephaale (Consouling Sounds)
Ormgard – Ormblot (Forever Plagued)
Septuagint – Negative Void Trinity EP (Forever Plagued)
Skogen – I Döden (Nordvis)
Tiger Flowers – Dead Hymns (Melotov)
