This edition marks the last full week of album releases for 2017 with live albums from two metal titans, a split that is sure to become legendary, lots of feedback, a lil bit of Christmas (sorry), and more! to the metals…
Black Sabbath – The End 
Genre: Heavy metal
Origin: Birmingham, England
Label: Eagle Rock
The final show of the final tour of Black Sabbath. This is basically the setlist the band has released on every live album since forever, but you get what one would typically want with tracks like "N.I.B.," "Paranoid," "War Pigs," and others. It's a shame that all the Bill Ward shit happened, but this is still a cool documentation of an important gig. I'm probably going to get it and have sweaty eyes by the end.
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zxjz6VhUOr8[/youtube]
The Body and Full Of Hell – Ascending A Mountain Of Heavy Light 
Genre: Experimental/industrial/noise
Origin: Portland, Oregon/Ocean City, Maryland
Label: Thrill Jockey
The Body are keeping their feedback laden friendship with Full of Hell going with this album. You can really hear the camaraderie and joy in their collaboration with every bloodcurdling scream or every wall of noise. Not a release for everyone, but those that get it will love it. Michael reviews it here.
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SXcdG4lKLtg[/youtube]
Cavalera Conspiracy – Psychosis 
Genre: Groove metal/thrash
Origin: Phoenix, Arizona
Label: Napalm
Iggor and Max have returned with another fantastic record of their trademark grooves. On this, their fourth album in this context, the brothers cement Cavalera Conspiracy as the the best thing to come out of the classic Sepultura lineup. And once again, Marc Rizzo is the true hero of this band with his lead guitar work. Jason has a full review here.
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lfM6DRqGsuk[/youtube]
Fister & Chrch – Fister & Chrch
Genre: Doom
Origin: St. Louis, Missouri/Sacramento, California
Label: Crown and Throne Ltd.
Buy and sample now on Bandcamp.com
Both sides of this split are heavy as fuck, and both unique takes on what doom is and can be. Fister bring a twenty-minute epic that is full of feedback and aggression with a break in the middle for some tense atmosphere. Chrch pull back a little and only bringing about seventeen minutes of heaviness with some guitar harmonies, clean vocals, and oddly catchy melodies. I'm not really a huge doom guy, and I know that this release is something special. Get on this.
Godflesh – Post Self 
Genre: Industrial
Origin: Birmingham, England
Label: Avalanche
On Post Self, their second album since their reunion, Godflesh continue to show that they are the masters of what they do. This is another record of hypnotic, dark, industrial to haunt your mind. Post Self proves that A World Lit By Fire wasn't just a one-off reunion success. Kevin has a full rundown here.
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JZQohP-vLF0[/youtube]
Iron Maiden – The Book Of Souls Live Chapter 
Genre: Heavy metal
Origin: London, England
Label: EMI
This album/live video captures Iron Maiden's recent world tour for The Book of Souls. Each song was taken from a different city then spliced together to recreate their set. Features a few old jams like "The Trooper" and "Wasted Years," but The Book of Souls tracks are really, really good live so it's cool hearing the new jams in this context.
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XY-4gZ-igCk[/youtube]
Polkadot Cadaver – Get Possessed
Genre: Groove metal/experimental
Origin: Rockville, Maryland
Label: Razor To Wrist
Over the years, Dog Fashion Disco's creepy sister band Polkadot Cadaver has morphed to just sound just like Dog Fashion Disco. It's not a bad thing per se, but there was once a clear divide. And it's understandable since the band shares some of the creative minds as DFD. However, Get Possessed has PC pushing what made this band a different in the first place to the forefront with weird electronic elements and an overall spookier atmosphere. Todd Smith continues to show that he's one of heavy music's most criminally underrated voices here.
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DH1vIAtO-8k[/youtube]
Tarja – From Spirits And Ghosts (Score For A Dark Christmas) 
Genre: Symphonic Christmas metal
Origin: Kitee, Finland
Label: earMusic
It's that time of year where artists and bands are dropping their Christmas cash grabs, I mean albums. Tarja Turunen (ex-Nightwish) is getting in the game, and frankly It makes a lot sense. I'm surprised more operatic metal folks don't get in on Christmas music. Anyway, this features all your grandma's favorite songs like "Deck The Halls," "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas," and of course, "Feliz Navidad."
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=spJlqZIHK24[/youtube]
Also dropping today…
Conan – Man Is Myth: Early Demos (Napalm) – Doom/sludge
Cryptodira – The Devil's Despair (Good Fight) – Progressive death metal
Electric Wizard – Wizard Bloody Wizard (Spinefarm) – Stoner/Doom (Discussed last week on the original release date. oops?)
Galactic Cowboys – Long Way Back To The Moon (Music Theories) – Progressive metal
Game Over – Claiming Supremacy (Scarlet) – Thrash
Kissing Candice – Safe Word EP (Stay Sick) – Metalcore
Lady Beast – Vicious Breed (Cruz Del Sur) – Heavy metal
Nullingroots – Into The Grey (Prosthetic) – Shoegaze/black metal
Oblivion – The Path Towards… (Unique Leader) – Technical death metal
Phinehas – Dark Flag (Solid State) – Metalcore
Skillet – Unleashed Beyond (Atlantic) – Rock
Stalker – Shadow Of The Sword (Napalm) – Speed metal
Tyfon's Doom – Emperor's Path (Gates Of Hell) – Heavy metal
