Top-Tier Titles selected by Gimme Metal's owner of the aux cord, Brian Turner.
Dødheimsgard – "Abyss Perihelion Transit"
Vicotnik and company return with another psyche-stirring journey into the cosmos, their dense, extreme leanings unfurled into meditative, melancholy explorations of the void.
Thick with hopelessness, trudging forward rich in content, “Abyss Perihelion Transit” marks a side of Dødheimsgard fans may not expect, but should embrace thoroughly. Not your average black metal for certain. Black Medium Curren’ unfurls on April 14.
Vintersea – "At The Gloaming Void"
Portland’s Vintersea continue to excel at what they do best: ethereal-tinged blackened death metal, with soaring prog elements well attuned to the gray majesty of their northwest US natural surroundings. Singer Avienne continues to swoop in with otherworldly growls, still carrying the melodic elements but adding serious grit to the loftiness of the music presented. Woven Into Ashes hits May 5 on M-Theory Audio, and we’ve finally got a hold of the band to present their first ever guest DJ special on Gimme May 19 so mark your calendars!
Elder Devil – "Endless Need"
Crust-flanked and spazzoid, this California quartet navigates goregrind with great tempered precision, all the while blasting at full throttle. Lyrically, vocalist Stephen Muir reflects on recent family loss, navigating the twists and turns of the band’s musical path to express a range of emotions through the pockets and corners of the band’s sound. Again, creates a vast array of emotional range for being saddled in the grind categorization, really looking forward to the June release of Everything Worth Loving on Prosthetic.
Ecstatic Vision – "TV Eye"
Plopped on a gorgeous Sardinian beach, Dunajam is probably the coolest stoner festival mankind can ask for, and our Philly pals Ecstatic Vision of course raged at the last one, now documented on their latest live LP. Most adept at their Hawkwind sun-staring heavy attack, they go all out bonkers with wah frenzy on this Stooges Fun House LP standard, thick bassline gliding along with echo-plexed sax for possibly the best way ever to watch the Mediterranean sun go down.
Defiled – "The Highest Level"
On The Highest Level (out April 28 on Season Of Mist), Japanese death kings create a futuristic look at, well, nostalgia. Equal elements death and thrash, these vets of 30 years on the scene soak up the modern metal zeitgeist with a no-holds-barred blast of everything they’ve absorbed and reinvented with sharpness and lobotomizing effect. This title track shows them firing on full throttle, and they hit the road in Japan in April hopefully with more international appearances to follow.
