This week’s new heavy metal releases include Satanic experimentalists, live pirates, unplugged alien monsters, and more! To the metals…
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Alestorm – Live In Tilburg
Genre: Folk/power metal Origin: Perth, Scotland Label: Napalm
Starting this week with a party. The is a live set from Alestorm's 2019 show at the 013 in Tilburg. It includes songs from their entire career up to that point. Plenty of yo-ho's, shoutouts to alcohol, and love for a giant rubber duckie here.
Alluvial – Sarcoma
Genre: Atmospheric death metal Origin: Atlanta, Georgia Label: Nuclear Blast
Now to completely shift gears. Here is the sophomore from Alluvial. The band that's comprised of Wes Hauch (ex-Faceless, Glass Casket), Keven Muller (The Merciless Concept), Tim Walker (Entheos live), and Matthew Paulazzo (ex-Amiensus, Aegaeon) is unsurprisingly technical and heavy on Sarcoma. Fans of Rivers of Nihil, The Faceless, and atmospheric death metal in general should give this a go.
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Burning Witches – The Witch Of The North
Genre: Heavy/power metal Origin: Brugg, Switzerland Label: Nuclear Blast
After only a year Burning Witches are already back with a new record of soaring heavy metal. With tracks like "Winter's Wrath," "Lady of the Woods," and Dragon's Dream," you know what you're in for here. This would be the perfect soundtrack for your upcoming battle with your neighbors or even your forest rituals.
Eminence – Dark Echoes
Genre: Groove/melodic death metal Origin: Belo Horizonte, Brazil Label: Blood Blast
How about some South American grooves? Dark Echoes reminds me a lot of mid-era Soilwork (which makes the Björn Strid cameo on the title track so perfect) coupled with DevilDriver rhythms. This is one that will get your head moving.
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Gwar – The Disc With No Name EP
Genre: Acoustic heavy metal Origin: Richmond, Virginia Label: Pit
You know what's surprisingly fun? Gwar unplugged. There's something special about "Fuck This Place" with some folksiness and twang to it. This EP gives you that track and other Gwar classics like "I'll Be Your Monster," "Gonna Kill You," and "The Road Behind"(mostly) all on grandpa's guitars. The perfect EP for a campfire singalong…if you're a murderous alien, that is.
Noctule – Wretched Abyss
Genre: Black metal Origin: Bristol, England Label: Translation Loss Records/Church Road Records
Serena Cherry from the hardcore outfit Svalbard is setting out on a grim path with Wretched Abyss. This came to be during all the lockdowns and is themed around Skyrim with each song about a different thing from the game. Next time I decide to give being terrible at Skyrim another shot I can put this on as a soundtrack. It'll make being killed by a dragon seem cooler.
Perturbator – Lustful Sacraments
Genre: Synthwave Origin: Paris, France Label: Blood Music
Look, I'm talking about ten albums this week. Most of them are heavy, so give me one album that we can dance to. On his first studio album in five years James Kent is bringing the spooky synths and atmosphere once again. This is nine odes to John Carpenter and the 80's with a couple guest appearances from True Body and Hangman's Chair.
Satanic Planet – Satanic Planet
Genre: Experimental metal Origin: Salem, Massachusetts Label: Three One G Records
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Now for a wild record. This is a noisy sometimes metal, sometimes industrial, and usually weird experience. The minds behind this are just as wild with Lucien Greaves (The Satanic Temple co-founder and spokesperson), Luke Henshaw (Planet B, Sonido de la Frontera), Dave Lombardo (Mr. Bungle, Beloved Ghouls), and Justin Pearson (The Locust, Dead Cross). This also includes one of my favorite tropes in music. It includes a self-titled song on a self-titled album, so you're getting a "Satanic Planet" by Satanic Planet from Satanic Planet.
Silver Lake by Esa Holopainen – Silver Lake by Esa Holopainen
Genre: Melodic metal Origin: Finland Label: Nuclear Blast
Last year Amorphis guitarist Esa Holopainen started a solo project and here is his first album. Rather than an instrumental guitar shredding album, like he very well could have done, Esa called in some pals to handle vocal duties on some rather epic and varied tracks. Those friends include Katatonia's Jonas Renkse, Anneke Van Giersbergen, Einar Solberg from Leprous, Björn Strid from Soilwork (because he's on everything now?), and more.
Stormruler – Under The Burning Eclipse
Genre: Black metal Origin: St. Louis, Missouri Label: Napalm
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Wrapping this week with something evil and awesome. I mean look at the knight on the cover. You already know this is going to be rad, and it's pretty rad. Tremolo picking, blast beats, fantasy lyrics, shrieking vocals, and everything else you'd want in a black metal record. A solid debut from this duo.
Also dropping today…
Adarrak – Ex Oriente Lux (Blood Blast Distribution) – Death metal
Alastor – Onwards and Downwards (RidingEasy Records) – Psychedelic doom metal
Angstskrig – Skyggespil (Despotz) – Black metal
Bleeth – Harbinger (Seeing Red Records) – Doom/post-metal
Bloodbound – Creatures Of The Dark Realm (AFM) – Power metal
Cirith Ungol – Half Past Human EP (Metal Blade) – Heavy metal/doom
Countime – No Apologies, No Regrets (Demons Run Amok Entertainment) – Hardcore
