This week's new heavy metal releases include epic heaviness, epic prog, an all-star album of collaborations, and more! To the metals…
Destruction – Diabolical
Genre: Thrash/speed metal Origin: Weil am Rhein, Germany Label: Napalm
Getting this week started with some thrashy goodness. This is no frills, high-speed aggression from these long-running headbangers. Like their peers Kreator, Sodom, and Slayer, you wouldn't know these guys have almost forty years of doing this. Full review from Kevin right here.
Envy Of None – Envy Of None
Genre: Progressive Rock Origin: British Columbia/Oregon Label: Kscope
With Rush in the rearview, guitarist Alex Lifeson has launched this new band Envy Of None. This debut is prog but in a different way than than you're used to from him. Those expecting lengthy tracks about Tolkien stories need look elsewhere. Instead, this is closer to Pure Reason Revolution or some Steven Wilson solo stuff.
Hällas – Isle Of Wisdom
Genre: Progressive/hard rock Origin: Jönköping, Sweden Label: Napalm
When you search "Hällas band" online the first thing that comes up unsurprisingly is the band's website. The link then says, "Hällas – Adventure Rock," and this is the most apt description of what these guys are doing. Isle of Wisdom has some old school vibes and that whole spooky thing Ghost does, but it's also very cinematic and epic. It really sounds like you're on an adventure when it's on. Jordan has a review here.
Health – DISCO4 :: PART II
Genre: Industrial Origin: Los Angeles, California Label: Loma Vista
I have to admit that I don't fully know what the deal with Health is, but they have a hell of a contacts list. There are a lot of familiar names if you skim the bottom of the album art. I was prepared for a hard synthwave record with some guest vocals, and there is SOME of that here. However, some of these songs feel like Heath are in the background on their own album just adding some atmosphere. Especially the Lamb Of God collaboration below.
Heterogeneous Andead – Chaotic Fragments
Genre: Symphonic death metal/thrash Origin: Tokyo, Japan Label: Wormholedeath
This is rad. At its core, this is a death metal album, but when it strays from that is where the money is. There are symphonic bits, synths thrown in, operatic vocals battling death metal growls, and more. It's like a straight ahead Sigh or uneXpect record, despite not being that straight ahead.
Incite – Wake Up Dead
Genre: Thrash/groove metal Origin: Phoenix, Arizona Label: Atomic Fire
Richie Cavalera and his crew are once again bringing the thrash grooves on Wake Up Dead. I'm a little surprised that it took six albums before Max made a cameo, but he finally popped up and is helping out on a song that doubles as a recipe. I could be wrong there. I don't read lyrics.
Egor Lappo – Naturealism
Genre: Progressive metal Origin: Saint Petersburg, Russia Label: Self-released
I forget how I came across Egor, but his stuff is quite good. Lappo is a one-person prog machine with a vibe that's somewhere between Dream Theater and Devin Townsend. Start with Naturealism, then work your way through his hefty back catalog. You shan't be disappointed.,
Lux Incerta – Dark Odyssey
Genre: Doom/melodic death metal Origin: Paris, France Label: Klonosphere/Season Of Mist
Lux Incerta's first record in a decade hits like Insomnium, Woods of Ypres, and Agalloch all at once. This is heavy, epic, and haunting stuff. Highly recommended.
Joe Satriani – The Elephants of Mars
Genre: Shred Origin: Westbury, New York Label: earMusic
On album number 18 from Joe, he's taking you to space. Like every Satriani album, it's more than just a guitar wanking over a 4/4 beat. The Elephants of Mars features funky numbers, emotional ditties, and of course, oh so much guitar shredding. Top notch song writing as always.
Also dropping today…
A Deer A Horse – Grind (Bitter Records) – Alternative metal
Abhorrent Expanse – Gateways To Resplendence (Amalgam Music) – Death metal
Angel Nation – Antares (Inner Wound) – Symphonic metal
Bjorn Riis – Everything To Everyone (Karisma) – Progressive metal
Black Swan – Generation Mind (Frontiers) – Hard rock
Deathrite – Delirium (Self-released) Death metal
Decasia – An Endless Feast For Hyenas (Heavy Psych Sounds) – Psychedelic/Krautrock
Dynazty – Final Advent (AFM) – Power metal
End Boss – They Seek My Head (Rough Peel Records) – Sludge/doom
Face The Legacy –Ashes on the Grounds (Out Of Line Music) – Modern metal
First Signal – Closer To The Edge (Frontiers) – Hard rock
Fortune – Level Ground (Frontiers) – Rock
Fright – Fright (Horror Pain Gore Death Productions) – Crossover
Heidra – To Hell Or Kingdom Come (Mighty Music) – Folk metal
Inglorious – MMXXI Live At The Phoenix (Frontiers) – Hard rock
King Satan – Occult Spiritual Anarchy (Self-released) – Industrial
Linda Lindas – Growing Up (Epitaph) – Punk
Modern Terror – Going Viral (Cursed Blessings Records) – Hardcore
Mors Principium Est – Liberate The Unborn Humanity (AFM) – Melodic death metal (re-recordings)
My Hollow – Fighting The Monsters – (Self-Released) – Progressive/groove metal
No Tin Godz – No Tin Godz (Self-released) – Heavy metal
Oceansnow – Vivienne (Avantgarde Music) – Black metal/ambient
Papa Roach – Ego Trip (New Noize) – Alternative rock/nu metal
Serj Tankian & The F.C.C. – Live At Leeds (Serjical Strike) – Hard rock
Skumstrike – Deadly Intrusions (Selfmadegod) – Black metal/punk
Terzij de Horde – In One of These, I Am Your Enemy (Consouling Sounds) – Black metal/doom
Tome of the Unreplenished – Earthbound (Avantgarde Music) – Atmospheric black metal/noise
