This week’s new heavy metal releases are light on quantity, but heavy on quality with space metal, your uncles favorite cover band, ice, and more! To the metals…
Celestial Swarm – Gateways to the Necroverse
Genre: Black/death metal Origin: Australia/France/United States Label: Self-released
I decided to start this entry, and the year, with some grim, heavy shit. This has all the blasting of a black metal record with the riffs and bludgeoning of death metal. If you like space stuff with and the occasional guttural croak of from a vocalist, then this is the one for you this week.
Frozen Soul – Crypt Of Ice
Genre: Death metal Origin: Fort Worth, Texas Label: Century Media
I don't know what you're living in, but where I'm at it's pretty chilly out. Rather than warm up, I'm doubling down on the cold with the help of Frozen Soul's icy death metal. This is a debut record that fans of Tomb Mold and that wave of no bullshit death metal bands will dig. I'm a little disappointed to find that their songs are not all ice-related like Mr. Freeze in Batman & Robin might do. Looks like they least three on this record, so that's fine, I guess.
Sammy Hagar & the Circle – Lockdown Sessions
Genre: Rock covers Origin: Miami, Florida Label: Mailboat Records
With everyone under the sun putting together virtual collaborations over the last ten months, Sammy Hagar and his pals in The Circle got in on that too. This sees Hagar, Michal Anthony, Jason Bonham, and Vic Johnson covering AC/DC, The Who, David Bowie, and even some Van Halen. All these songs appear to be on Hagar's YouTube channel, but if you're someone that wants them on a compact disc or something, now you can get one.
Nicarus – Coal People Coal Puppets
Genre: Post-metal Origin: Tel Aviv Yafo, Israel Label: Self-released
Nicarus was a pleasant surprise to come across. This is the one-person project of artist Tali Green. It'll appeal to fans of slow heavy stuff like Neurosis but also to fans of atmospheric darkness like recent Myrkur or Emma Ruth Rundle. There is a bit of a pop sensibility to the songs which, while subtle, allows this to not become just another post-metal record.
Also dropping today…
Alta Reign – Mother's Day (Rat Pak) – Progressive metal
Hearts & Hand Grenades – Turning To Ashes (Eclipse) – Hard rock
Infernal Apparition – The Endless Crypt (Self-released) – Death metal/grindcore
Magnum – Dance Of The Black Tattoo (SPV/Steamhammer) – Hard rock/power metal
Midnight Spell – Sky Destroyer (Self-released) – Heavy metal
Mother of Graves – In Somber Dreams (Wise Blood Records) – Doom
