This week's new heavy metal releases include alien monsters, technical death metal, dream thrash, and more! To the metals…
Artificial Brain – Artificial Brain
Genre: Technical/Progressive Death Metal
Origin: Long Island, New York
Label: Profound Lore Records
Getting this week's party started with some technical madness. Artificial Brain's third record features a live guitarist Oleg Zalman as an official member who fits right into the band's triple guitar flurry. Vocals are low, like borderline inaudible rumble low, which adds an creepy accompaniment to the dissonant musicianship.
Astronoid – Radiant Bloom
Genre: "Dream thrash"/progressive metal
Origin: Groveland, Massachusetts
Label: 3DOT
Somewhere between a spooky forest and outer space you'll find this record. Fans of Air will be pleased to hear some elements that were not included in the band's sophomore album return this time. It's their most varied album yet, and quite the achievement. Jordan has a full review here.
Battlelore – The Return of The Shadow
Genre: Symphonic metal
Origin: Lappeenranta, Finland
Label: Napalm
And now, we come to something epic. The music here is grand, but usual rather midtempo. This makes the vocals of Kaisa Jouhki seem to float effortlessly. This also allows the roar of Tomi Mykkänen to hit even harder. The Return of The Shadow is a pretty cool take on this subgenre. It's like if you mixed Leaves' Eyes with Katatonia.
Crobot – Feel This
Genre: hard rock
Origin: Pottsville, Pennsylvania
Label: Mascot
I don't really have a lot to say on this one. This is just a stellar straight ahead rock record. Founding vocalist Brandon Yeagley and guitarist Chris Bishop further cement themselves as some of the most unique artists in their respective fields in modern rock.
Gwar – The New Dark Ages
Genre: Heavy metal/thrash
Origin: Richmond, Virginia
Label: Pit
It's been half a decade since Gwar unleashed a record of mayhem on the world. Their second with Blothar the Berserker fronting the band is a concept record about the band entering multiverses and stuff, so it also has a fun story to it. There's even a graphic novel accompanying it if you want some fun pictures to look at while you listen to songs about destruction. Jeff has a review here.
My Diligence – The Matter, Form And Power
Genre: Desert/progressive
Origin: Brussel, Belgium
Label: Mottow Soundz
Buy from Mottow Soundz
A few years back I was caught off guard by My Diligence's record Sun Rose. It introduced my to a band unlike anything I had heard before. They're massive, heavy, weird, progressive, stoner metal. The Matter, Form and Power somehow one-ups their last record and still catches me off guard at times. Don't sleep on this one if you enjoy Intronaut, Cave-In, Torche, etc.
Origin – Chaosmos
Genre: Technical death metal
Origin: Kansas/California/New York
Label: Nuclear Blast/Agonia
Pairing very well with Artificial Brain, we have the latest from Origin. And they're another band that took five years to release a new record! Coincidence? Yes. Anyway, this is frantic death metal with that comforting pingy snare sound. You know the one.
Red Handed Denial – I'd Rather Be Asleep
Genre: Progressive metalcore
Origin: Toronto, Ontario
Label: Overlord
Buy from Overlord
If you're looking for some groovy, shreddy metalcore with some djent and melodic death metal mixed in, then Red Handed Denial is the band for you. Heads will bang between soaring choruses. This record is like August Burns Red blended with Spiritbox.
Temple Of Void – Summoning The Slayer
Genre: Death metal/doom
Origin: Detroit, Michigan
Label: Relapse
Bringing things low and slow to wrap this week up. This haunting six-pack of heaviness is wall to wall riffs. Lots of tension built by the slow stuff, so when they break into death metal, fuck me does it hit hard.
Also dropping today…
- The Algorithm – Data Renaissance (FiXT) – Electronic/progressive metal
- All Things Fallen – Shadow Way (Blackoak Records) – Progressive metal
- Antimozdebeast – Mother Earth (Self-released) – Electronic metal
- Bleed From Within – Shrine (Nuclear Blast) – Metalcore/melodic death metal – Full review
- DAMPF – The Arrival (Gramaphone Records) – Blackened heavy metal
- Druids – Shadow Work (Pelagic Records) – Doom/stoner
- Encephalon – Echoes (Artoffact Records) – Electronic/industrial
- Fortis Ventus – Vertalia (Rockshots Records) – Cinematic/symphonic metal
- Grave Infestation – Persecution Of The Living (Invictus Productions) – Death metal
- Hypermass – Empyrean (Hypermass) – Melodic death metal
- Killswitch Engage – Live At The Palladium (Metal Blade) – Metalcore
- Las Cruces – Cosmic Tears (Ripple Music) – Doom
- Matsunaga Was Right – Born In Wire (Horror Pain Gore Death Productions) – Grindcore
- Memphis May Fire – Remade In Misery (Rise) – Metalcore/post-hardcore
- The Oklahoma Kid – Tangerine Tragic (Arising Empire) – Modern/avant-garde metal
- Orphantwin – Future Classic (Solid State) – Cinematic metal/industrial
- Seeking Sirens – Departing Ways (Do Work) – Metalcore
- Sijjeel – Salvation Within Insanity (Comatose Music) – Brutal death metal
- Somnus Throne – Nemesis Later (Heavy Psych) – Doom/stoner
- Storm – Beautiful Pain (Indie Recordings)
- Thornhill – Heroine (UNFD) – Progressive metalcore
- Torn Between Two Worlds – As If We Never Existed (Self-released) – Symphonic/Gothic metal
- Valleyheart – Heal My Head (Tooth & Nail) – Alternative
- Witchfinder – Endless Garden (Mrs Red Sound) – Stoner/sludge
- Wrang – De Vaendrig (Dominance Of Darkness Records) – Black metal
