This edition features a diverse offering of power metal, progressive, fuzziness, and more! To the metals…
Admiral Sir Cloudesley Shovell – Keep It Greasy!
Genre: Psychedelic/hard rock
Origin: Hastings, England
Label: Rise Above
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With Graveyard on their way out, Admiral Sir Cloudesley Shovell will be the band to sneak into that spot in your heart. Their sound is a little more punk and rambunctious than the aforementioned Swedish bluesmen, but it's still certainly a good time. These weirdos have been a well kept secret, despite their bird-headed mascot making it difficult not to notice them. It's time that secret gets out with Keep It Greasy!
Anciients – Voice From The Void
Genre: Progressive metal
Origin: Vancouver, Canada
Label: Season of Mist
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Their first full-length, Heart of Oak, was a game changer in modern prog. Voice From The Void showcases plenty of growth and sound expansion, and feels like a logical next step for these proggy Canadians. This is a stellar sophomore effort from a great band. This is another band that needs to be less of a secret.
Darkthrone – Arctic Thunder
Genre: Black/Speed metal
Origin: Vinterbro, Norway
Label: Peaceville
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OG Black Metalers Darkthrone are keeping it grim after thirty years in the game. They are tapping into their black metal roots more that they have in years, so long time fans should be pretty stoked about that.
The Dillinger Escape Plan – Dissociation
Genre: Math metal/Progressive
Origin: Morris Plains, New Jersey
Label: Party Smasher/Cooking Vinyl
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Like every Dillinger Escape Plan album, this one is equal parts chaos and melody. The lyrics seem to focus on death more than normal, so the fact the band is ending after this record feels fitting. The end will be sad, but this will serve as a pretty solid farewell that showcases everything this band is about. Our full review is here.
Eden’s Curse – Cardinal
Genre: Power metal
Origin: Bishopton, Scotland
Label: AFM
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I decided to feature this album to showcase something a bit more upbeat and fun. So much death and darkness above, so why not? This is Eden's Curse's fifth album of their pretty solid blend of progressive rhythms and musicianship with soaring power metal. They're like a Dream Theater that keeps their songs tighter.
Red Fang – Only Ghosts
Genre: Stoner metal/rock
Origin: Portland, Oregon
Label: Relapse
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This album is the album I've been waiting for from these guys. Their previous albums have been fun stoner records, but have a tendency to run together after a few songs. This album has the band shaking things up and growing. They're pushing the occasional use of synthesizers to the forefront here, which may alienate purist fans. I'm for it fellas. Be artists and go even more nuts on the next record.
Also dropping today…
40 Watt Sun – Wider Than The Sky (Radiance) – Doom
As Lions – Aftermath EP (Better Noise) – Hard rock/post-grunge
The Black Moods – Medicine (Another Century) – Fuzzy had rock
Brainstorm – Memorial Roots Re-Rooted (AFM) – Power metal
Cardinal Wyrm – Cast Away Souls (Svart) – Doom
Deadships – The Darkness That Divides Us (Stay Sick) – Metal/hardcore
Departe – Failure, Subside (Season Of Mist) – Post-black/death metal
Extreme – Pornograffitti Live 25 DVD/CD (Loud & Proud) – Heavy metal
Fvnerals – Wounds (The Native Sound) – Doom/shoegaze
Hardline – Human Nature (Frontiers) – Heavy metal
Heaven Below – Good Morning Apocalypse (EMP) – Hard rock
Homewrecker – Extinction By Design EP (Good Fight) – Crossover
Iron Mask – Diabolica (AFM) – Power metal
Secret Sphere – One Night In Tokyo DVD/CD (Frontiers) – Power/progressive metal
Seeker – Loss (Victory) – Sludge
Shvpes – Pain.Joy.Ecstasy.Despair (Spinefarm) – Metalcore
Sonic Syndicate – Confessions (Despotz) – Alt metal/metalcore
Sparrows – Let The Silence Stay Where It Was (New Damage) – "Spacy Punk post-whatever"
Theatres Des Vampires – Candyland (Scarlet) – Gothic metal
Tyketto – Reach (Frontiers) – Hard rock
Unwill – Past Life (eOne) – Rock
Venom Prison – Animus (Prosthetic) – Death metal/hardcore
Wormrot – Voices (Earache) – Grindcore
