Oh man. This week has so much good shit. Too much really. I just didn't have enough time, will, or stamina to talk about all the good shit. This edition still includes the (second?) biggest death metal band of all time, an album that you want to have Axl Rose on it that doesn't, prog, death metal, black metal and more (yes, there's even more!)! To the metals…
Antropomorphia – Rites Ov PerversionÂ
Genre: Death Metal
Origin: Tilburg, Netherlands
Label:Â Metal Blade
Buy now on Amazon.com
This is Death metal for those that like their death metal with a side of death metal. Their second album since their reunion, comes with more gore, more crushing riffs, and more topless women on the cover than ever before.
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VWGFBZ4yNag[/youtube]
Cannibal Corpse – A Skeletal DomainÂ
Genre: Death metal
Origin: Tampa, Florida
Label:Â Metal Blade
Buy now on Amazon.com
Does this album need any description? It's Cannibal Corpse. Expect shredding of guitars and bodies. Sidenote: How did it take them twenty-six years to have a song called "Icepick Lobotomy"?
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iuRWK17T4_M[/youtube]
The Contortionist – LanguageÂ
Genre: Progressive
Origin: Indianapolis, Indiana
Label:Â eOne / Good Fight
Buy now on Amazon.com
This is the band's first record with Last Chance To Reason vocalist Michael Lessard, and may be their finest. I dug the record a lot, but apparently did for the wrong reasons according to our faithful reader's comments. Oh well, give a shit about what I said or not, this album is fantastic for many reasons.
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rTTlR-yyj3w[/youtube]
Iron Reagan – Tyranny of WillÂ
Genre: Crossover
Origin: Richmond, Virginia
Label:Â Relapse
Buy now on Amazon.com
This side-project of various artists (Including Municipal Waste, ex-Darkest Hour, and more) is a great homage to those crossover artist that came before them. Fans of DRI, Stormtroopers of Death, and the likes should give these guys a go. And of course, if you dig Municipal Waste, you'll enjoy a few of the guys in a slightly different world than you're used to.
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2_mTsuaOj4s[/youtube]
Myrkur – Myrkur EPÂ
Genre: Atmospheric black metal
Origin: Denmark
Label:Â Relapse
Buy now on Amazon.com
This one-woman black metal act is part fury, part beauty, and all awesome. Fans of Neige projects (The Alcest guy), specifically Amesoeurs, should hear this.
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U6y5iNJ2s_A[/youtube]
Noctem – ExiliumÂ
Genre: Symphonic black/death metal
Origin: Valencia, Spain
Label:Â Prosthetic
Buy now on Amazon.com
This is a pretty great band that I am always pleased to see come through with a new record. They take death metal brutality and mix it with black metal grimness, in a way that Behemoth might, but then they add some symphonic goodness to it. The result isn't quite like Fleshgod Apocalypse, but it's close.
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8fvHa740QQQ[/youtube]
Philm – Fire From the Evening SunÂ
Genre: Experimental metal
Origin: Los Angeles
Label:Â UDR
Buy now on Amazon.com
While I'm sure the paycheck isn't as good as with his previous gig, Dave Lombardo's various other projects have to be much more creatively fulfilling. This is weird, all over the place metal that incorprates elements of prog, black metal, thrash, death metal, and more. There has already been so much growth for the band since their first. This band now sounds much more like a band than a one-off side thing.
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hb60-OEw7Ls[/youtube]
The Pineapple Thief – MagnoliaÂ
Genre: Progressive
Origin: Somerset, England
Label: Kscope
Buy now on Amazon.com
While not technically a metal band, this band has a lot of the same love of exploration of emotion with occasional heaviness that Porcupine Tree has, or Opeth has had lately. They have a rather extensive back-catalog, so if you are just finding them through this, go back and enjoy it all.
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zU7MEhiiitw[/youtube]
Slash – World on FireÂ
Genre: Rock
Origin: Los Angeles, California
Label:Â Dik Hayd
Buy now on Amazon.com
The guy with the top hat from Guns n Roses that also played in Velvet Revolver has a new album that sounds a lot like the latter. Myles Kennedy (Alter Bridge) sounds nothing like Scott Weiland, but musically this one is on par with "Slither" and the rest of that first record. Semi-related: I've always loved that Slash's band is "Slash featuring Myles Kennedy and The Conspirators." The Conspirators consist of two guys. The name of this outfit might as well just name them individually too, or would THAT be too long of a title?
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8P1wI6rwnFc[/youtube]
Also dropping today…
Abusiveness – Bramy Nawii (Arachnophobia)
Aevangelist – Writhes In the Murk (Debemur Morti)
Albert Bell's Sacro Sanctus – Deus Volt (Metal on Metal)
Albez Duz – The Coming of Mictlan (Iron Bonehead)
Algebra – Feed The Ego (Unspeakable Axe)
Alternative 4 – The Obscurants (Prophecy)
Anthrax – Chile On Hell DVD (Megaforce)
Black Moth – Condemned To Hope (New Heavy Sounds)
Bloodtruth – Obedience (Unique Leader)
Brainoil – Brainoil (Tankcrimes)
Brotherhood – Till Death (Southern Lord)
Bunker 66 – Screaming Rock Believers (High Roller)
Crucified Barbara – In the Red (Despotz)
Death Penalty – Death Penalty (Rise Above)
Emeth – Aethyr (Xtreem)
Flyleaf – Between the Stars (Loud & Proud)
Freak Kitchen – Cooking With Pagans (Lasers Edge)
Gust – Gust (Southern Lord)
Ides of Gemini – Old World New Wave (Neurot)
Ingurgitating Oblivion – Continuum of Absence (Willowtip)
Kruller – Grounds For Termination EP (HPGD)
Lago – Tyranny (Battleground)
Lord Volture – Will To Power (Mausoleum)
Majestic Downfall / The Slow Death – Split (Chaos)
Malpractice – Turning Tides (Sensory)
Matyrvore – Malevolent Desolation EP (Iron Bonehead)
Mortuus – Grape of the Vine (Ajna Offensive)
Motionless in White – Reincarnate (Fearless)
Nothgard – Age of Pandora (Trollzorn)
Num Skull – Ritually Abused Re-Release (Relapse)
Oberon – Dream Awakening (Prophecy)
Obey the Brave – Salvation (Epitaph)
Obscure Burial – Ephiphany (Invictus)
Old Wounds – Death Projection EP (Good Fight)
Red Zone Rider – Red Zone Rider (Magna Carta)
Redemption – Live From the Pit (Sensory)
Reverorum Ib Malacht – De Mysteriis Dom Christi (Ajna Offensive)
Sepultura and Les Tambours du Bronx – Metal Veins: Alive at Rock in RioDVD/CD (Eagle Rock)
Shards of Humanity – Fractured Frequencies (Unspeakable Axe)
Siftercide – Siftercide (Nailjar)
Sleepwave – Broken Compass (Epitaph)
Snailking – Storm (Consouling Sounds)
Society Sucker – Society Sucker EP (Get This Right)
Sons of Crom – Riddle of Steel (Debemur Morti)
Stallion – Rise and Ride (High Roller)
Stryvigor – Forgotten By Ages (Svarga)
Texas In July – Bloodwork (Equal Vision)
Towers of Flesh – Antithetical Conjurations (Candlelight)
Unaussprechlichen Kulten – Baphomet Pan Shub-Niggurath (Iron Bonehead)
Villainy – Villainy I (Hammerheart)
Xerath – III (Candlelight)