Just because it's the Fourth of July weekend, doesn't mean there isn't metal to be had. To the metals…
3Teeth – Metawar
Genre: Industrial
Origin: Los Angeles, California
Label: Red
If you're looking for some driving industrial to keep your energy up as you work off all of that fourth of July barbecue, get on 3Teeth. This industrial outfit sounds a bit like Ministry, but with the vibe of an S&M club that spilled into a recording studio. Also, they're about as political as they are aggressive, so the perfect American day comedown.
Abbath – Outstrider 
Genre: Black metal
Origin: Bergen, Norway
Label: Season Of Mist
Everyone's favorite corpse painted hero has returned. Much like Abbath's previous solo album, this unsurprisingly sounds like the now mid-era of Immortal (or whatever you'd call Sons of Northern Darkness or All Shall Fall era). So, it's grim, it's icy, and yet oddly catchy. The perfect summer record. J. Andrew has a full review here.
Brand Of Sacrifice – God Hand 
Genre: Brutal death metal
Origin: Toronto/Manhattan
Label: Unique Leader
Now for a quick pummeling. This album is low-tuned guitars, breakdowns, guttural vocals, epic synth passages, and noisy guitar theatrics. They very much sound like a Unique Leader band, and I might say this is the most Unique Leader album that has been released in quite some time.
Drown This City – Alpha // Survivor 
Genre: Post-hardcore/melodic death metal
Origin: Melbourne, Australia
Label: UNFD
Drown This City pair oddly well with Brand Of Sacrifice. This band also features some soaring atmospheric elements coupled with erratic musicianship. However, rather than guttural vocals throughout, you're getting the duality of vocalist Alex Reade. Reade can turn their voice from that of a demon to pop-esque melody on a dime.
Immortal Bird – Thrive On Neglect 
Genre: Sludge/blackened metal
Origin: Chicago, Illinois
Label: 20 Buck Spin
This album sounds nasty. Thrive On Neglect has the vibe of a grindcore infused sludge record, but it lots of blast beats so it's also kinda black metal. It's a wild ride that's hard to describe. Aaron has a more in depth dive on the record here.
Nightmare Scenario – Beyond What Is Real
Genre: Experimental
Origin: North Carolina
Label: Self-released
Buy now from Bandcamp
Dan Briggs will probably always be known most for his bass playing with Between The Buried And Me. Outside the band he's the most active member with his work in Orbs, Trioscapes, and Nova Collective. Now he can add this solo project to his growing resume. Nightmare Scenario might be the most experimental thing he's had a hand in. It's part free jazz, part Cynic, and part Peter Gabriel.
Sample it on the bandcamp link above.
Turilli / Lione Rhapsody – Zero Gravity Rebirth And Evolution
Genre: Power metal
Origin: Trieste/Pisa, Italy
Label: Nuclear Blast
So wait, how many bands have there been called something to the effect of Rhapsody (of Fire) now? Well this one is a new one that includes ex-guitarist of both Rhapsody of Fire and Luca Turilli's Rhapsody Luca Turilli and the ex-vocalist of Rhapsody of Fire Fabio Lione (who also fronts Angra). Fans of the original era of Rhapsody will probably be excited to hear these two working together again. Like their original band with a similar name, this one is epic power metal and guitar shredding. Really, this is ideal for fans, because they're getting more of this whole….thing.
Also dropping today…
Bullet – Live (SPV/Steamhammer) – Hard rock/heavy metal
Chemtrail – Collider (Good Fight) – Post-rock/instrumental
False – Portent (Gilead) – Black metal
An Isolated Mind – I'm Losing Myself (I, Voidhanger) – Experimental
The Take – The Take (Demons Run Amok) – Punk/Hardcore
Tovarish – If The War Comes Tomorrow(Argonauta Records) – Experimental/doom
