After a week of silence, the WEEKLY INJECTION has returned with a shiny new writer. There are a few gems on the list of albums dropping this week, but they are a few and far between. However, those that shine, do so quite well though. Now, without further introduction to my awkward writing style…. to the metal!
Empyrios – Zion
Genre: Progressive Metal
Origin: Rimini, Italy
Label: Scarlet
This is an incredibly diverse batch of songs. At times, the album walks the line between djent and power metal. At others, electronic elements and soaring guitar solos are showcased. It's techy enough for prog-nerds, and epic enough for those seeking a soundtrack to slay something to. The only band out right now doing anything like this might be Mutiny Within.
Lair Of The Minotaur – Godslayer EP
Genre: Sludge
Origin: Chicago, Illinois
Label: The Grindhouse
Calling this an extended play is generous, but it is a pretty great pair of tunes from one of my favorite mythical creature themed bands. This Record Store Day exclusive, turned digital EP, is a great way to get a taste of some this band's Chicago Sludge before journeying further into their Lair. Also, enjoy our last bout of gushing we did for the band.
Queensrÿche with Geoff Tate – Frequency Unknown
Genre: Heavy Metal
Origin: Tate is from Stuttgart, Germany but Queensrÿche is from Bellevue, Washington
Label: Celopatara
I've really got to give credit where credit is due to the L.A. Guns. Until fairly recently, the world endured a surprisingly long time with two versions of the band because of a name dispute. Neither version of the band managed to make their name sharing confusing by putting out albums at the same time. In fact, Tracii Guns and friends only put out a live album before disbanding. Queensrÿche with Geoff Tate and Queensrÿche with not-Geoff Tate aren't making their coexistence as easy. Tate was just able to get ahead of the others by a few months and give his former bandmates, and the world for that matter, a rather mature FU (note: the clever album cover). It leaves me curious as to what came into Geoff Tate's mind first, the FU abbreviation or the proper, and fairly nonsense, album title? I must say, the 54-year-old Tate was actually able to show that he still has some chops and sounds much better than he has on any Queensrÿche release for quite some time. Your move Todd La Torre's Queensrÿche.
Steak Number Either – The Hutch
Genre: Post Metal
Origin: Wevelgem, Belgium
Label: Indie Recordings
This band has successfully flown under my radar for the last five years since their first release. This fact is a shame because They would have fit right in with the atmospheric metal phase I went through in the late aughts. Their third album is a wonderful blend of sludgy guitars, epic vocals, and a dark atmosphere. The Belgium band could easily be the younger brother of The Ocean.
Woe – Withdrawal
Genre: Black Metal
Origin: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Label: Candlelight
This band plays self-described, "Black metal against hope." While I can attest that there is no hope to be found anywhere in the band's third album, there is atmospheric black metal that manages to retain that which makes it "atmospheric" without bordering into pretentious territory. It feels like a long time since there's been a black metal album this solid.
Rob Zombie – Venomous Rat Regeneration Vendor
Genre: Shock rock/Heavy Metal
Origin: Haverhill, Massachusetts
Label: Universal
Rob Zombie is one of those artists that will always get some attention with every album. Long time fans are bound to be curious what their film directing "Superbeast" is up to, while others may swing by for the sake of nostalgia. Rob found time to set down the clapperboard and put out his fifth album of groovy, driving, vaguely industrial metal. And of course it wouldn't be a Rob Zombie record without songs about cars, monsters and more utterances of "YEAH!" than you can shake a season box set of CSI:Miami at.
Also out today:
Across Tundras/Lark's Tongue – Split (Cavity)
Ace Augustine – The Sick And Suffering (Red Cord)
Amorak/Hell – Split (Vulture Print)
Beastwars – Blood Becomes Fire (Destroy)
Cold Blue Mountain – Cold Blue Mountain (Vulture Print)
Cult Of The Fox – Angelsbane (Rock It Up)
D-A-D – Dic.Nii.Lan.Daft.Erd.Ark (AFM)
Hacride – Back To Where You've never Been (Indie Recordings)
ID: Exorcist – Paths To Exile (Inverse)
Kaledon – Altor: The King's Blacksmith (Scarlet)
Laurasia Awaits Us – Apathy Remains Victorious (Domestic Genocide)
Nahar – The Strange Inconvenience (Avantgarde)
Nicumo – The End Of Silence (Inverse)
Nocturne – Ave Noctem (Do Or Die)
Red Eleven – Idiot Factory (Secret)
Roots Of Pain – Countdown To Armageddon (Memorial)
Snowfall – Cold Silence (Escape)
Teardown – Inner Distortions (Inverse)
Thaw – Thaw (Avantgarde)
War & Peace – The Flesh and Blood Sessions Re-Release (Cleopatra)
Whitesnake – Made In Japan DVD/CD (Frontiers)
XIII – Helltongue (Inverse)
