This week's new heavy metal releases include 100% less children's music because some of you have no humor in your dead hearts, as well as black metal, grooves, riffs, and more! To the metals…
Agathodaimon – The Seven
Genre: Symphonic/black metal Origin: Mainz, Germany Label: Napalm
Starting this week with some epic, evil shit. This album is the band's seventh album and first in nine years after Sathonys and Ashtrael regrouped with some new pals in 2020. You're getting grand orchestrations, blast beats, and all the best parts of the whole symphonic black metal scene.
Children of the Sün – Roots
Genre: Psychedelic rock/hard rock Origin: Arvika, Sweden Label: The Sign
On the less heavy side of things we have Children of the Sün. These folks toe the line between folksy rock and straight up Royal Thunder-esque riffage. They're catchy as hell and can scratch the itch of those that want some 70's throwback vibes. This band screams bell-bottoms at a renaissance faire, and they rule.
Dark Funeral – We Are The Apocalypse
Genre: Black metal Origin: Stockholm, Sweden Label: Century Media
It's been six long years, but it's finally time to throw on some corpse paint and get that neck back to windmill shape with the latest from Dark Funeral. These black metal OGs came back swinging too. Jeff has a deep dive here wherein among other things, he calls it their best album.
Extinction A.D. – Culture Of Violence
Genre: Thrash/groove metal Origin: Long Island, New York Label: Unique Leader Records
Jesus Christ this hits hard. The production makes this feel especially heavy too. The grooves will get your head moving while the thrash is bound to get a circle pit going anywhere this plays. Go on and play some at a bank and watch the tellers lose their shit.
Let's slow things down for a bit. Friends Of Hell is the kind of band I think of when someone says "doom." Rhythms are slow, riffs are low-tuned, and the vocals howl. None of this should surprised me after learning that this features that Tas from Satan's Wrath and Sami from Reverend Bizarre.
The L.I.F.E. Project – Big F.O.U.R. EP
Genre: Thrash covers Origin: Des Moines, Iowa/Des Moines, Iowa Label: Blood Blast
With Stone Sour not up to much, Josh Rand has kept active with The L.I.F.E. Project. On this EP he and Casandra Carson from Paralandra take on a song from each of the Big Four of Thrash. You're getting "South of Heaven," "Caught In A Mosh," "Symphony of Destruction," and "One." Honestly, a solid batch of songs that are all well done.
Slægt – Goddess
Genre: Heavy/black metal Origin: Copenhagen, Denmark Label: Century Media
On Goddess you're getting a nice mix of blackened metal and throwback hard rock. The chords are minor, the vocals are gravely, but the beats are oddly jaunty. It's like evil Iron Maiden and it's a lot of fun.
Trench – Encased In Chrome EP
Genre: Deathcore/Nu metal Origin: Calgary, Alberta Label: New Damage
If you're in the mood for some low, low guitars over some driving grooves, then get on the new Trench. Lots of angst and rage woven into this. It's like if Soulfly did their version of Code Orange. Or maybe vice versa?
Without Waves – Comedian
Genre: Experimental metal Origin: Chicago, Illinois Label: Prosthetic
Wrapping his week with a wild and wildly underrated band. Every song is a different experience with this band. One moment you're getting anthemic prog, which jumps to a moment of Dillinger Escape Plan madness, then to emotive rock, and on to deathcore, then in even more directions after that. That's literally just in the song featured below too. Prog dorks need Without Waves in their lives, and a lot of you less dorky folks will appreciate them too.
Also dropping this week…
Aeviterne – The Ailing Facade (Profound Lore) – Experimental death metal
Audio Karate – ¡OTRA! (Iodine Recordings) – Punk
Berthold City – When Words Are Not Enough (WAR Records) – Punk
