This week’s new heavy metal releases include lots of Black Sabbath covers, heavy emotions, lots of EPs, and more! To the metals…
Bring Me The Horizon – Post Human: Survival Horror EP
Genre: Metalcore/alternative metal Origin: Sheffield, England Label: Columbia
Starting this week with an EP of melodic singalong metalcore. Fans of the last album Amo will probably dig what the Bring Me the Horizon are doing here as it continues that vibe. This EP includes some rather diverse guests with Amy Lee (Evanescence), Babymetal, Nova Twins and Yungblud.
Carcass – Despicable EP
Genre: Melodic death metal Origin: Liverpool, England Label: Nuclear Blast
On their first batch of new material since 2014, Carcass are doing things a bit differently than a band normally would. Typically, you'd get an album THEN the b-sides. Carcass are prepping an album to drop in 2021, and these are the four tracks that didn't make the cut. I imagine the full-length will be quite good if this EP is the stuff they set aside.
Emma Ruth Rundle & Thou – May Our Chambers Be Full
When this collaboration was announced it was a surprise, but it introduced a pairing that made perfect sense. Thou are able to mesh their epic and intense doom with just about everyone, but when you put Emma Ruth Rundles's emotional vocals on top of that, holy hell are you in for a powerful ride. This is the heaviest thing (musically) that Emma has been a part of, and I would love to hear her in this world more.
Mr. Bungle – The Raging Wrath Of The Easter Bunny Demo
Genre: Thrash Origin: Eureka, California Label: Ipecac
I truly never thought I'd see a Mr. Bungle reunion. Then when they announced they were back as their earliest thrash identity with Scott Ian and Dave Lombardo in tow, I was very intrigued. Here they decided to re-record their The Raging Wrath Of The Easter Bunny Demo with their OG thrash pals, and may have dropped the best thrash album of the year. Fans of "Squeeze Me Macaroni" or ""Goodbye Sober Day" might be a bit disappointed as this is not that. It's still madness, but a different madness. Max has a full review here.
Nothing – The Great Dismal
Genre: Post metal/showgaze Origin: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Label: Relapse
Nothing are keeping their every other year album cycle moving with another collection of heavy, atmospheric, not quite metal, but not-not metal tracks that engulf you. Indie kids, post-metal fans, and shoegaze lovers will once again be able to sway together with this playing loudly. Once there are places to sway in again, of course.
Nuclear Power Trio – A Clear And Present Rager EP
Genre: Shred Origin: International Label: Metal Blade
It's pretty impressive that this trio of world leaders were able to find the time to record and release an EP of technical metal together. I'm perhaps most impressed by Putin's bass slapping skills. When you unmask everyone and find that Nick Schendzielos (Cephalic Carnage), Greg Burgess (Allegaeon), and Pete Webber (Havok) are the masterminds behind this weird outfit, everything makes sense. Still, it's fun to think that instead of pooping (which is a wild claim by the North Korean government) Kim Jong-un spends his time playing drums.
Puscifer – Existential Reckoning
Genre: Alternative rock/experimental Origin: Los Angeles, California Label: Alchemy/Puscifer
The last new years have been quite busy for Maynard. 2018 saw the first A Perfect Circle album in a bunch of years, last year the first Tool record in slightly less years, and now the first Puscifer in five years. Fans of his trippy, sorta-trip hop, experimental stuff will have a lot to enjoy here. The band has come a long way since "Cuntry Boner."
Various Artists – Best Of Black Sabbath [Redux] & Vol. 4 [Redux]
Genre: Black Sabbath Covers Origin: Various Label: Magnetic Eye Records
Buy Best of Black Sabbath [Redux] on Bandcamp Buy Vol. 4 [Redux] on Bandcamp
Magnetic Eye have put out a bunch of these cover compilation things over the years with heavy bands taking on Alice In Chains, Pink Floyd (included a front-to-back cover of The Wall with twenty-six different bands), Helmet, and more. It felt like it was only a matter of time before they took on Black Sabbath. Today, they're dropping TWO Sabbath cover albums. One that's has bands like Thou, Spirit Adrift, Zakk Sabbath, and more covering all of Vol. 4 and a second "best of" with Earthless, Howling Giant, and others covering songs from just about every other 70's album.
War On Women – Wonderful Hell
Genre: Hardcore Origin: Baltimore, Maryland Label: Bridge Nine
Ending this week with some straight up hardcore intensity. This album comes at a time when it feels needed. This is hardcore with a message, but one with some hope.
Also dropping today…
Audn – Vokudraumsins Fangi (Season Of Mist) – Atmospheric black metal
Autopsy – Live In Chicago (Peaceville) – Death metal
Bad Omens – FGBGFM Unplugged EP (Sumerian) – Acoustic metalcore
Begräbnis – Izanaena (Weird Truth Productions) – Funeral doom
Black Stone Cherry – The Human Condition (Mascot) – Hard rock
Bleeding Out – Lifelong Death Fantasy (Profound Lore) – Deathgrind
Bliss of Flesh – Tyrant (Listenable Records) – Death/black metal
Botanist – Photosynthesis (The Flenser) – Black metal/experimental
Convulse – Deathstar (Transcending Records) – Death metal
Crass – Crassical Collection (One Little Independent) – Avant-garde/punk
Dead End America – Crush The Machine (Southern Lord) – Hardcore/punk
Dead Girls Academy – Doves In Glass Houses (Mission Two Entertainment) – Metalcore
Draconian – Under A Godless Veil (Napalm) – Gothic/doom metal
Evildead – United $tate$ Of Anarchy (SPV/Steamhammer) – Thrash
Fearsore – Wetworks (Dead Sage) – Industrial
Fenisia – The Spectator (Eclipse) – Alternative metal
I Prevail – Post Traumatic (Fearless) – Metalcore
Ice Nine Kills – I Heard They KILL Live! (Fearless) – Metalcore/post-hardcore
Insidious Disease – After Death (Nuclear Blast) – Death metal
