This edition is a doozy, and who doesn't love a doozy! Rhythmic melodic upstarts, fist-in-the-air veterans, doom, goblins, and more! To the metals…
Armored Saint – Win Hands Down
Genre: Heavy metal
Origin: Los Angeles, California
Label: Metal Blade
Buy now on Amazon.com
John Bush and the rest are back with their second album of their second reunion. Bush sounds as great as ever, and the guitar work on this record is stellar. Just the right amount of cheese from the band's start remains too, so it feels right.
The Great Discord – Duende
Genre: Progressive
Origin: Linköping, Sweden
Label: Metal Blade
Buy now on Amazon.com
This band is a rather unique experience. They're fronted by strong female vocalist soaring atop rhythmic groovy metal. Like a cross between Stolen Babies and Leprous. I'm pretty into this album.
Helloween – My God-Given Right
Genre: Power metal
Origin: Hamburg, Germany
Label: Nuclear Blast
Buy now on Amazon.com
God damn this band is silly, but god damn this band is awesome. When I'm in the mood for power metal, Helloween is my go to, and this album stands up alongside all their classics. I'm confused who I'm supposed to side with in the accompanying video though. The Helloween men, the shiny lady or the band that set up in an abandoned construction zone without guitar cables. I'm thinking the shiny lady.
Leprous – The Congregation
Genre: Progressive
Origin: Notodden, Norway
Label: Inside Out
Buy now on Amazon.com
Speaking of Leprous! One of my favorite bands of the last decade or so is back to crush listeners while also making them swoon. There will be a full review up here soon enough, but until then I'll just shorten it to the band being more melodic than ever and still are fully able to fly the metal flag.
Nekrogoblikon – Heavy Meta
Genre: Goblincore
Origin: Santa Barbara, California
Label: Mystery Box
Buy now on Amazon.com
Pretty cool melodic extreme metal. Like, really catchy cool stuff that twists and turns. I've never really given them a chance as I couldn't get beyond the goblin shtick. I now know how worth getting passed it really is.
Paradise Lost – The Plague Within
Genre: Gothic/doom metal
Origin: Halifax, England
Label: Century Media
Buy now on Amazon.com
That last Bloodbath record was alright, but this is where Nick Holmes excels. This record is heavier and doomier than the band has been in a while, so that's a plus. Not entirely sure if you'll have the goth anthems like Tragic Idol brought, but I'm pretty sure you won't be dancing like you were on One Second. I appreciate expanding your musical offerings, but bring on the doooooooooooom.
Pyrrhon – Growth Without End EP
Genre: Technical death metal
Origin: Brooklyn, New York
Label: Handshake
Buy now on Bandcamp
Noisy fucking madness. Technically fantastic, just…it hurts my brain. Well done.
Rest Among Ruins – Fugue
Genre: Progressive
Origin: Baltimore, Maryland
Label: self
Buy now on Amazon.com
Mike Semesky (Raunchy, ex-Intervals, ex-HAARP Machine) has a proggy new project and it is technical, melodic, heavy, and epic. He brought a group of incredibly talented musicians who when combined bring us this diverse offering. Also, it's a rad concept record to boot. Added bonus for prog nerds like this guy.
Skinless – Only the Ruthless Remain
Genre: Brutal death metal
Origin: Glens Falls, New York
Label: Relapse
Buy now on Amazon.com
Like Aborted or Dying Fetus, just with less skin. Low-tuned, evil, relentless. You know, all the things you want in your death metal.
Also dropping today…
Agatha – Gravis Atque Gravior (Chaos Rural) – Sludge
Amestigon – Their (W.T.C.) – Black metal
Autokrator – Autokrator (Iron Bonehead) – Drone
Black Tower – Secret Fire (No Idea / Unspeakable Axe) – Hardcore
Caustic Method – The Virus (Pavement) – Heavy metal
Coathanger Abortion – Observations of Humanity (Comatose) – Easy listening
Cloud Rat – Qliphoth (Halo of Flies) – Grindcore
Codas – Currents EP (Crowquill) – Post metal
Cohol – Rigen (Osmose) – Post-black metal
Cult Of Endtime – In Charnel Lights (Svart) – Death metal
The Darkness – Last of Our Kind (Kobalt)
Deuil – Shock/Deny (Consouling Sounds) – Doom
Diabolicum – Ia Pazuzu (Code 666) – Industrial black metal
Distant Sun – Dark Matter (Metalism) – Power metal
Ebonillumini – Arktos (Wickerman) – Experimental black metal
Encyrcle – Encyrcle (Unspeakable Axe) – Speed metal
Exorcism – World In Sin EP (Dream) – Doom/heavy metal
Ered – Night of Eternal Doom (War Anthem) – Blackened death metal
Festerday – The Four Stages of Decomposition (Svart) – Death metal
Goatsnake – Black Age Blues (Southern Lord) – Stoner
Make Them Suffer – Old Souls (Roadrunner) – Symphonic deathcore
Maruta – Remain Dystopian (Relapse) – Gringcore/Brutal death metal
The Meads of Asphodel / Tjolgtjar – Taste the Divine Wrath Split EP (Eternal Death) – Experimental black metal/"Black n roll"
Mortis Mutilati – Melopee Funebre (Naturmacht) – Black metal
Oblivious Signal – Exordium (Pavement) – Hard rock
Perfect Fault – Electric Mountain EP (Cariad) – Hard rock
Potergeist – Crocodile Tears (God) – Southern stoner rock
Prion – Uncertain Process (Comatose) – Death metal
Sterbhaus – New Level of Malevolence (Black Lodge) – Thrash/death metal
Supuration – Reveries… (Listenable) – Death metal/doom
Teethgrinder – Misanthropy (Lifeforce) – Grindcore/crust/etc
Torture Pulse – God Leash (Xtreem) – Death metal
The Vintage Caravan – Arrival (Nuclear Blast) – Stoner prog
