Welcome to the slow season! This week still includes some good stuff full of atmosphere, doom, weirdness, and more! To the metals…
Ash Borer – The Irrepassable Gate 
Genre: Atmospheric Black Metal
Origin: Arcata, California
Label: Profound Lore
Buy now on Amazon.com
"Atmospheric black metal" is one of those sub genres where a band really needs to hone in on something special to stand out. Ash Borer does just that. Between unique ambient sections, nods to OG black metal, and more I can't seem to put into words, this band nails this.
Sample here.
Crystal Lake – True North 
Genre: Metalcore
Origin: Tokyo, Japan
Label: Artery
Buy now on Amazon.com
On the surface, yeah these guys are a modern metalcore band. A bulk of this album is in the realm of Parkway Drive and the likes. While skimming this record a bit further, I was able to find some blasting, some djent, and some melodic death metal. So if you want metalcore with more to offer than most bands doing it, give this record a spin.
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CvJQ1pFBi8A[/youtube]
Hollow Earth – Dead Planet 
Genre: Metalcore/sludge
Origin: Detroit, Michigan
Label: Good Fight
Buy now on Amazon.com
Yup, this band is metalcore + sludge. I can't say I'd ever seek that out upon reading it as a genre. It works pretty well though. Dead Planet certainly has more of a sludge lean, but there are more melodic almost As I Lay Dying-esque moments.
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uh3mDUzzyro[/youtube]
Syk – I-Optikon 
Genre: Extreme Metal
Origin: Italy
Label: Housecore
Buy now on Amazon.com
There is A LOT going on with this band. They're got groove metal riffs, soaring female vocals that are delivered in an atmospheric punk sort of way, more crazy genre dabbling. Not at all what I'd expect from Phil Anselmo's label.
Trivum – Ember To Inferno (Ab Initio Deluxe Edition)
Genre: Metalcore/thrash
Origin: Orlando, Florida
Label: Cooking Vinyl
Buy now on Amazon.com
I don't usually bother with re-releases, but A) it's a slow week and B) there is some interesting shit on this release. I can't believe it's already been as long as it has for this record. Matt and the gang were kids on this record and they sound like it. Especially on the bonus demos. Worth a listen for fans, or even for non-fans that are curious about the earliest days of a band.
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xbgdjbh-qPI[/youtube]
Worm Ouroboros – What Graceless Dawn 
Genre: Progressive doom
Origin: San Francisco/
Label: Profound Lore
Buy now on Amazon.com
This is soaring doom that enjoys letting riffs breathe. Start to finish lurching, beautiful, and intense music. Fans of True Widow, SubRosa, and Chelsea Wolfe need to get on this.
Sample here
Also dropping today…
Dario Mollo’s Crossbones – Rock The Cradle (Frontiers) – Heavy metal
Enuff Z’nuff – Clowns Lounge (Frontiers) – Rock
Eternal Idol – Unrevealed Secret (Frontiers) – "Heavy modern class rock"
Feral – From The Mortuary EP (Cyclone Empire) – Death metal
Hevidence – Nobody’s Fault (Frontiers) – Heavy metal
Krullur – …Failure To Comply EP (HPGD) – Thrash/grindcore
Naberus – The Lost Reveries (Eclipse) – Groove metal
Night Ranger – 35 Years And A Night In Chicago DVD/CD (Frontiers) – Hard rock
Ranger – Speed & Violence (Spinefarm) – Speed metal
Revel In Flesh – Emissary Of All Plagues (Cyclone Empire) – Death metal
