This edition seems to include more atmospheric rock than normal, pissed off Floridians, some desert jams, and more! To the metals…
Bosse-de-Nage – Further Still
Genre: Post-black metal/avant-garde
Origin: San Francisco, California
Label: The Flenser
If you're in the mood for something weird and evil, Further Still should scratch that itch. There is a core of grim black metal with some occasional atmospheric moments, but then you have moments of jazz, post-rock, post-hardcore, and more. Another diverse offering in their already diverse catalog.
[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N6OzOGWnTRI][/youtube]
Brant Bjork – Mankind Woman
Genre: Desert rock
Origin: Palm Desert California
Label: Heavy Psych Sounds
Brant Bjork (ex-Kyuss, ex-Fu Manchu, etc) has been a constant in the Desert scene since the late eighties, and seems to only be picking up steam over thirty years into his career. Tao of the Devil was released in 2016, but it really feels like it just came out. Anyway, Bjork still knows how to bring hypnotizing, fun, fuzzy rock, and this album is proof,
Conan – Existential Void Guardian
Genre: Stoner/doom
Origin: Liverpool, North West England
Label: Napalm
Speaking of fuzzy rock, I'm pretty certain everything on this record was run though a Muff pedal. This is wall-to-wall distortion and heaviness. If you're seeking slow to mid-tempo devastation, this is your guy for the week.
[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HdkJJFrQ9B8][/youtube]
Crippled Black Phoenix – Great Escape
Genre: Experimental
Origin: United Kingdon
Label: Season Of Mist
Let's get arty, shall we? Crippled Black Phoenix will bring some epic post-metal heaviness sometimes, but they're pretty rooted in atmospheric rock. The little I've heard of this so far is very much the pretty side of the band, but the emotion behind it all is crushing.
[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qgTy68Kx4vE][/youtube]
Deicide – Overtures Of Blasphemy
Genre: Death Metal
Origin: Tampa, Florida
Label: Century Media
Glen Benton and the gang have just dropped their first album in five years. It's fast, angry, and surprisingly not super stoked on religion. So you know, a Deicide record.
[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=csWfZCX_i2s][/youtube]
Future Usses – The Existential Haunting
Genre: Instrumental post-metal
Origin: Los Angeles, California
Label: Pelagic Records
Sacha Dunable (Intronaut), Derek Donley (ex-Bereft), and Dan Wilburn (ex-Mouth of the Architect) have finally released their debut album under the Future Usses banner. The Existential Haunting is a journey with ambiance, looped guitars, and massive musical swells. It's a pretty perfect instrumental ride.
[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lAUMDN7m_rw][/youtube]
Emma Ruth Rundle – On Dark Horses
Genre: Post-rock/indie
Origin: Los Angeles, California
Label: Sargent House
Emma Ruth Rundle has cemented herself as an ethereal rock artist with some of the saddest music I've ever heard. On Dark Horses is another incredibly emotional journey of an album. Her best yet.
[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=obvHacBj6Sc][/youtube]
Thrice – Palms
Genre: Alternative/art rock
Origin: Irvine, California
Label: Epitaph
Thrice, now on their second album post-break up, show no signs of slowing. It's been mere two years since their last record, and Palms showcases the band back in their stride. This reminds me of their Vheissu-Beggers era, and I'm not about it at all.
[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0y-W3kpwmOM][/youtube]
Also dropping today…
156/Silence – Undercover Scumbag (Innerstrength Records) – Metalcore
Abhorrence – Megalohydrothalassophobic EP (Svart) – Death metal
Anisoptera – Spawn of Odonata – Technical death metal
Cultural Warfare – Warmageddon (M-Theory) – Thrash
Dream Child – Until Death Do We Meet Again (Frontiers) – Heavy metal
Druglord – New Day Dying (Sludgelord Records) – Stoner/doom
Dunbarrow – Dunbarrow II (RidingEasy Records) – Heavy metal/doom
Ethernity – The Human Race Extinction (AFM) – Power metal
Failure – In The Future Your Body Will Be The Furthest Thing (Failure Music) – Alternative rock
Fit For A King – Dark Skies (Solid State) – Metalcore
Grave Digger – The Living Dead (Napalm) – Heavy metal
Good Charlotte – Generation Rx (MDDN/BMG) – Pop punk
Hessian – Mercenary Retrograde (Urtod Void/Blasphlegmy Records) – Heavy metal
Hitman – The Offering: Side 1 EP (Self-Release) – Stoner/thrash
Infernal Coil – Within A World Forgotten (Profound Lore) – Grindcore/death metal
Monster Truck – True Rockers (Mascot) – Stoner rock
Ominous Eclipse – Sinister (Self-Release) – Melodic death metal/thrash
Putridity – Mental Prolapse Induced Necrophilism (Willowtip) – Death metal
Pyrexia – Unholy Requiem (Unique Leader) – Death/groove metal
Shim – Shim (BFD) – Rock
The Unity – Rise (SPV/Steamhammer) – Power metal
Vöödöö – Ashes (Indie Recordings) – Alternative rock
Witch King – Voice Of The Ossuary (Blood Harvest/Helter Skelter Productions) – Death/black metal