This edition includes angry teens, death metal madness, the clergy, and more! To the metals…
Alien Weaponry – Tū
Genre: Heavy metal/thrash
Origin: Waipu, New Zealand
Label: Napalm Records
The de Jong brothers are angry kids. This band's debut finds a nice medium ground between thrash and groove meta and thrives there. Lyrically it can be a little cringe worthy, but they're lyrics literally written by teenagers. So there's room to grow.
[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vDTdyGItPQ8][/youtube]
Ghost – Prequelle
Genre: Heavy metal
Origin: Linköping, Sweden
Label: Loma Vista
One of modern metal's most divisive bands continues to divide, especially in the Metal Injection offices (aka a group chat). Like all Ghost records, the melodies and riffs will grab onto your brain and never let go. This might be the band's most derivative work as it pulls from 70's rock more than ever, and for some that might not be the best thing. This might be my favorite Ghost thing so far, but I'll need to let it sit for a bit.
[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C_ijc7A5oAc][/youtube]
Gruesome – Twisted Prayers
Genre: Death metal
Origin: Arroyo Grande, California/Miami, Florida
Label: Relapse
Twisted Prayers is death metal by numbers in the best way. Cover art with dead people on it? Check. Lyrics mocking religion? Check. No bullshit death metal? Check.
[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6_aIwaLT9KI][/youtube]
Kataklysm – Meditations
Genre: Melodic death metal
Origin: Montreal, Quebec
Label: Nuclear Blast
This has been a pretty good year for melodic death metal. Earlier this year At The Gates dropped a new record, and now Kataklysm reared it's ugly head once again. All you need now is some new Amon Amarth (and probably another band I'm failing to remember), and melo-death fans will be happier than pigs in shit.
[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQheV94Vl5I][/youtube]
Nervosa – Downfall Of Mankind
Genre: Thrash/death metal
Origin: São Paulo, Brazil
Label: Napalm
Earlier I called Gruesome no bullshit death metal, well Nervosa are somehow even less bullshit, but faster. This is chaotic, swift, thrashy death metal, and it's wonderful.
[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kweVT4X6PDM][/youtube]
Witchskull – Coven's Will
Genre: Stoner/heavy metal
Origin: Canberra, Australia
Label: Rise Above
I'm ending this rather eclectic week with riffs. Witchskull are fuzz pedals on everything, driving rhythms, and spooky imagery. Frankly, they're an ideal band of their ilk.
[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FOiBuii8kwg][/youtube]
Also dropping today…
Casket Feeder – Scalps (Hibernacula Records) – Hardcore/death metal
Convictions – Hope For The Broken (InVogue) – Metalcore
Human Cull – Revenant (WOOAAARGH) – Grindcore
The Konsortium – Rogaland (Agonia Records) – Thrash/black metal
Modern Maps – Hope You're Happy (Rise) – Rock
Powerflo – Bring That Shit Back! (N/A) – Rap metal
Slomatics/Conan – Split (Black Bow Records) – Stoner/doom
Worshipper – Mirage Daze EP (Tee Pee) – Heavy metal
