This week's new heavy metal releases include "terror black metal," haunting forest metal, and more! To the metals…
Also, today is Black Friday Record Store. Get your sweet self to a record store and find something cool. Peep the lists of special releases here.
Birdmask – Tristan
Genre: Experimental/chamber pop
Origin: New York, New York
Label: Self-released
When Manuel Gagneux isn't Zeal & Ardor-ing, he's consistently dabbling. His music output includes mash-ups and original music that's a hell of a lot different than the blackened blues world most of you readers may be familiar with. Parts of these songs do sound like Z&A softer moments, but it's closer to Father John Misty and St. Vincent. Manuel is just all around talented. Plain and simple.
The Breathing Process – Todeskrone
Genre: Symphonic blackened death metal/deathcore
Origin: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Label: Unique Leader
But now on Bandcamp
This four-song EP is pretty rad. The songs' lyrics tell "supernatural tales of fate." Musically they are sweeping, evil, and heavy as fuck. This will likely leave fans hungry for more.
Cruciamentum – Obsidian Refractions
Genre: Death metal
Origin: International
Label: Profound Lore
But now on Bandcamp
The band's first album in eight years is death metal plain, simple, and incredibly effective. This is one where the cover tells you what you're in for to a T. Obsidian Refractions is their first release with new vocalist/bassist CE (Chris Eakes of Exaugurate) and he fits right in.
Future Static – Liminality
Genre: Progressive metalcore
Origin: Melbourne, Australia
Label: Wild Thing Records
But now on Bandcamp
Up next we're getting into some techy metal with lots of breakdowns and melodies. The sound of this one is somewhere between old In This Moment and Spiritbox. A rather exciting debut from a band with a lot of potential.
Helga – Wrapped In Mist
Genre: Progressive/atmospheric metal
Origin: Dalarna County, Sweden
Label: Season Of Mist
I've been repeating this one for a few weeks and it's a really intriguing record. It's a little doomy, a little folky, pretty experimental, and rather haunting. The titular Helga Gabriel has a wonderful voice throughout that sounds like it was made to summon you into a forest.
Laang 冷 – Riluo
Genre: "Terror black metal"/Atmospheric black metal
Origin: Taiwan
Label: Talheim Records
Buy now on Bandcamp
Up next is a record that's is equally intense and beautiful. The entire project was born of the trauma of one of their members being shot, and this one continues to learn from and discuss pain in life. You're getting melodic heaviness with some erhu and guzheng mixed in.
One Master – The Names Of Power
Genre: Black metal
Origin: New England/New York
Label: Eternal Death
But now on Bandcamp
More like Black Metal Friday, am I right? The little I've heard of this is straight ahead black metal with some swerves for some punk rock moments. You're getting six tracks over fifty-four minutes, so prepare for some long frosty tracks.
Also dropping this week…
- Deathcode Society – Unlightenment (Osmose) – Symphonic black metal
- Degenerator – The Abyssal Throne (Self-released) – Hard rock/grunge
- Destructor – Blood, Bone And Fire (Shadow Kingdom) – Power metal/thrash
- Dool – Visions Of Summerland (Live At Arminius Church Rotterdam) (Prophecy) – Dark rock
- Fraught – Transfixed On Dying Light (Argonauta Records) – Black/death metal
- Gnaw Their Tongues – The Cessation Of Suffering (Consouling Sounds) – Black metal/noise
- High Spirits – Safe On The Other Side (High Roller) – Hard rock
- Infected Chaos – Conjuration Overture, Vanity is Dawning (Wormholedeath) – Death metal
- Maladie – For We Are The Plague (Apostasy Records) – Progressive/avant-garde black metal
- Master's Call – A Journey For The Damned (Fireflash) – Death/black metal
- Sadism – Obscurans (Hammerheart) – Death metal
- Serpents Oath – Revelation (Odium) – Black metal
- Silent Angel – Unyielding, Unrelenting (Rockshots) – Power metal
- The Sleeping Souls – Just Before The World Starts Burning (Xtra Mile) – Rock
- Slôdder – A Mind Designed To Destroy Beautiful Things (Majestic Mountain Records) – Dluge/doom
- Strange New Dawn – New Nights Of Euphoria (Svart) – Progressive metal/doom
- Tariot – Drag Me To Hell (Out Of Line) – Stoner/doom
- Weeping Silence – Isles of Lore (ViciSolum Productions/Sound Pollution) – Gothic metal/doom
- Wet Cactus – Magma Tres (Electric Valley Records) – Doom/stoner metal
