This week's new heavy metal releases include lots of heavy stuff (you're welcome), polka metal (you're welcome), and more! To the metals…
ALSO! Today, Bandcamp is doing one of their days of giving 100% of what you pay directly to the labels and artists as Covid-19 Pandemic relief. So if you can get stuff from Bandcamp, please do. Or can also check out select new releases here via Gimme Metal.
All Out War – Celestial Rot
Genre: Metalcore/hardcore
Origin: Newburgh, New York
Label: Translation Loss Records
Buy now on Bandcamp or via Gimme Metal
In their thirty-plus years these New Yorkers have always brought the rage. Their eighth full-length is no different. Don't let the "metalcore" label fool you. This is hardcore with old school metal infused. So no singalongs here, unless you sing in nothing but roars. Max's full review is here.
Memoriam – Rise To Power
Genre: Death metal
Origin: Birmingham, England
Label: Reaper
Buy now via Gimme Metal
Like All Out War, this is not one for the metal fan in search of melody. Karl Willetts (ex-Bolt Thrower) and his heavy pals are hitting you with no bullshit death metal on Rise To Power. This is the second in a trilogy of records that began with 2021's To The End, and they're taking on heavy subjects like the Holocaust ("Never Forget, Never Again (6 Million Dead)") and the Ukraine war ("Total War"). So not a light listen in any way.
Russkaja – Turbo Polka Party
Genre: Polka/ska metal
Origin: Vienna, Austria
Label: Napalm
Buy now on Bandcamp
Russkaja are usually a very fun band, and there are still plenty of fun songs here. However, tracks like "No Borders" show the band calling for peace as members of this international posse share Russian, Ukrainian, and more heritage. On the lighter side of the record, this also includes a cover of Wham's "Last Christmas." Seems a little out of season, but it's sure to give Mariah some competition when the next snowy season starts.
Sanguisugabogg – Homicidal Ecstasy
Genre: Brutal death metal
Origin: Columbus, Ohio
Label: Century Media
Buy now via Gimme Metal
On their second album, these nasty death metal lads are taking things a little more serious. This is still heavy as fuck and gore-filled, but compositions are evolved a bit. The cavepeople out there will be too distracted headbanging to notice an arpeggio sneak by. Max's full review is here.
The Winery Dogs – III
Genre: Technical hard rock
Origin: Brooklyn, New York
Label: Three Dog
Buy now on Amazon
If you're a fan of flashy musicianship and dad rock, then this is the one for you this week. The trio of Billy Sheehan (Mr. Big), Richie Kotzen (ex-Mr Big), and Mike Portnoy (part of the drum solo section from BtBaM's "Fix The Error") shred on every level once again. III sounds like stuff you'd hear on the radio, but a really good version of that.
Xandria – The Wonders Still Awaiting
Genre: Symphonic/power metal
Origin: Bielefeld, Germany
Label: Napalm
Buy now on Bandcamp or via Gimme Metal
Concluding this week with some epicness. Xandria's first album in five years has them returning with the only familiar face being Marco Heubaum. The new folks know what this band is about though, and they help to make this another solid entry into the canon of the band.
Also dropping today…
- Carathis – The Moonstone Temple (Personal Records) – Black metal
- Clouds Taste Satanic – Tales of Demonic Possession (Majestic Mountain Records) – Doom
- Elderseer – Drown In The Shallowness (Meuse Music Records) – Doom/melodic death metakl
- Endorphins Lost – Night People (Rotten To The Core/To Live A Lie Records) – Crust
- Eyes – Congratulations (Indisciplinarian) – Hardcore/noise rock
- The Freqs – Poachers (Self-released) – Noise rock/sludge
- Fvnerals – Let The Earth Be Silent (Prophecy) – Ambient/doom
- Holy Water – Holy Water (The Flenser) – Post-metal
- Lansdowne – Medicine (AFM) – Hard rock
- Mithridatum – Harrowing (Willowtip) – Black metal/dissonant death metal
- Osiah – Chronos (Unique Leader Records) – Technical deathcore
- Rexoria – Imperial Dawn (Sound Pollution/Black Lodge) – Heavy metal
- WuW – L'Orchaostre (Pelagic) – Avant-garde doom
