This week's new heavy metal releases includes some ghouls, Slash's side-piece's main squeeze, and more!
To the metals…
1349 – The Infernal Pathway 
Genre: Black metal
Origin: Oslo, Norway
Label: Season Of Mist
It's been half a decade since these guys dropped a collection of evil bops, and they're back just in time for this spooky season. I get that 1349 are supposed to be a grim and scary black metal band, but it's October, so all I can see are a bunch of dudes very committed to Halloween. I'm just imagining these guys going door to door along The Infernal Pathway trick-or-treating. Jerome has a full review here.
Alter Bridge – Walk The Sky 
Genre: Hard rock
Origin: Orlando, Florida
Label: Napalm
Looks like Slash let Myles Kennedy play with his friends for a little bit. On their sixth album Alter Bridge are bringing oodles of melody and just as many chunky riffs. This will, no doubt please, long-time fans. One can't help wonder what the Conspirators are up to right now though.
Coffin Rot – A Monument to the Dead 
Genre: Death metal
Origin: Portland, Oregon
Label: Blood Harvest/Rotted Life
Buy now from Bandcamp
These guys are a young band, but they have a classic death metal sound. I'd imagine this one will please fans of Gatecreeper or Entombed. A pretty solid debut.
Rob Halford – Celestial 
Genre: Christmas metal
Origin: Birmingham, England
Label: Legacy
It's been almost a decade since Rob Halford released a solo album, so of course breaking that dry spell with his second Christmas album. He's dropping it early presumably so you can get it now and decide which songs you'll put on to scare grandma this December.
Lionize – Panic Attack!
Genre: Hard rock
Origin: Montgomery County, Maryland
Label: Electric Reckoning
Buy now from Lionize
Lionize have always been a fun rock band, but on Panic Attack! they are at their most fun. There is an extra fire in this this time, and I'm all about it. It could be their shiny new drummer Jean-Paul Gaster of Clutch fame. I could see Jean-Paul pitching the idea to dress like whales in a music video.
Refused – War Music 
Genre: Hardcore/Post-hardcore
Origin: Umeå, Sweden
Label: Spinefarm/Search & Destroy
On their second album of their reunion, Refused are still both pissed off and artsy. It's pretty impressive that for a band with such a powerful legacy that this is only their fifth album in almost thirty years. Yet, they sound like scrappy young punks.
Uneven Structure – Paragon
Genre: Progressive metal
Origin: Montpellier, France
Label: Long Branch Records
Going to end this week with some chunky prog. Does it djent? Most certainly. Does it do more than djent? Very music so yes. This is heavy, atmospheric, and soaring.
Also dropping today…
The Almost – Fear Caller (Fearless Records) – Rock
Atavistia – Through the Hollow Raven's Eyes (Self-release) – Symphonic death metal
Battles – Juice B Crypts (Warp Records) – Progressive/math rock
Black Mastiff – Loser Delusions (Grand Hand Records) – Stoner rock
Blood Eagle – To Ride In Blood & Bathe In Greed II EP (Nuclear Blast) – Death metal
Byyrth – Cold Autumn Shadows (Iron Bonehead Productions) – Black metal
Captain Cheesebeard – Deadwood EP (Mottow Soundz) – Progressive/experimental
Caustic Casanova – God How I Envy The Deaf (Magnetic Eye) – Experimental rock/metal
Confessions Of A Traitor – Guided (Sliptrick Records) – Metalcore/hardcore
Deepfall – Broken (Pavement Entertainment) – Hard rock
Dismemberment – Arc Of Ancients (Creator-Destructor) – Blackened death metal
The Grand Mal – The Grand Mal (APF Recordings) – Hard rock
I Declare War – Downcast (Self-release) – Deathcore
Infected Rain – Endorphin (Napalm) – Nu metal
Holy Serpent – Endless Riding (Easy Records) – Doom/stoner
Hot Breath – Hot Breath (The Sign Records) – Hard rock
Dan McCafferty – Last Testament (earMusic) – Rock
Merda Mundi – Hatred (Malpermesita Records) – Black metal
Michael Monroe – One Man Gang (Silver Lining Music) – Hard rock
Necronomicon – Unus (Season Of Mist) – Death metal
Santa Cruz – Katharsis (M-Theory) – Hard rock
Spades and Blades – Beat The Odds EP (Self-release) – Metalcore
Strawberry Girls – Tasmanian Glow (Tragic Hero Records) – Progressive/math rock
Take Offense – Keep An Eye Out (Pure Noise Records) – Thrash/hardcore
