This editions contains a eclectic mix of reunion records, folk metal, chaos, psychedelics and more! To the metals…
Eighteen Visions – XVIII
Genre: Post-hardcore/metalcore
Origin: Orange County, California
Label: Rise
Buy now on Amazon.com
On their first album in eleven years, Eighteen Visions are bringing their quasi-hardcore/quasi-metalcore back to the masses. I wasn't aware of the band in their initial run, but from what I've read, this is the band bringing the heavy like they haven't done in a very long time. This reunion consists of guitarist Keith Barney, drummer Trevor Friedrich, and vocalist James Hart, so any fans of certain folks in their lengthy list of former members may be disappointed.
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oFDy4tPbepE[/youtube]
Elder – Reflections of a Floating World
Genre: Psychedelic rock / heavy prog
Origin: New Bedford, Massachusetts
Label: Stickman Records
Buy now on Amazon.com
Elder are a tremendous band, and Reflections of a Floating World is further proof of this. They're part Pink Floyd, part The Sword, and part Sigur Ros. If Lore didn't break them into your heart, this record absolutely should.
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YZ-UhptGOa8[/youtube]
Mutoid Man – War Moans
Genre: Hardcore/Metal
Origin: New York, New York
Label: Sargent House
Buy now on Amazon.com
Up next this week we have one of the most underrated bands of recent memory. This trio of folks from Cave In, Converge, and Vermefug have yet to disappoint with one of their records. War Moans continues this trend of flawless technical, melodic, chaotic hardcore/metal. The album even features a ballad of sorts that features Chelsea Wolfe.
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U2OBw-LhNto[/youtube]
SikTh – The Future In Whose Eyes?
Genre: Progressive
Origin: Watford, England
Label: Millennium Night
Buy now on Amazon.com
Like Eighteen Visions, it's been over a decade since SikTh have released a record. While they dropped an EP back in 2015, this release feels like their true return. It still is all the madness and challenging avant garde/prog of a SikTh album, but it feels more mature than the band has been before. Everything sounds better, more refined, and cohesive.
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FsRU1RagE1A[/youtube]
Tengger Cavalry – Die On My Ride
Genre: Death metal/folk
Origin: Beijing, China/New York, New York
Label: M-Theory
Buy now on Amazon.com
Everyone's favorite "Nomadic Folk Metal" band has finally returned after seven long years. Side bar, album gaps are getting absurd. Mind you the band, blew the fuck up and even played Carnegie Hall in that time, but still. If you don't know the band, they blend Mongolian folk music with heavy metal with throat singing, Morin khuurs, and other tradition instrumentation. The blend is pretty great as is Die On My Ride.
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UsAMgdDBANE[/youtube]
Vallenfyre – Fear Those Who Fear Him
Genre: Death metal
Origin: Halifax, England
Label: Century Media
Buy now on Amazon.com
Let's end this week with a little something for the metal purists. Vallenfyre are a no frills, in your face, heavy as fuck death metal band that has a hint of crust punk to them. Feat Those Who Fear Him is all those things.
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XrfLIOnL1gw[/youtube]
Also dropping today…
Adrenaline Mob – We The People (Century Media) – Groove metal/hard rock
Endon – Through The Mirror (Hydra Head) – "catastrophic noise-metal"
EZoo – Feeding The Beast (earMusic) – Heavy metal
The Ferrymen – The Ferrymen (Frontiers) – Heavy metal
Gloom – Solaris (eOne) – Death metal
Gravetemple – Inpassable Fears (Svart) – Drone/doom
Great White – Full Circle (Frontiers) – Heavy metal
Ikillya – War For An Idea (Urban Yeti) – Groove metal
Jorn – Life On Death Road (Frontiers) – Heavy metal/progressive
Obey The Brave – Mad Season (Epitaph) – Metalcore
Primal Fear – Angels Of Mercy: Live In Germany DVD/CD (Frontiers) – Speed metal
Radiation Romeos – Radiation Romeos (Frontiers) – Heavy metal
Secret Sphere – The Nature Of Time (Frontiers) – Power prog
Unleash The Archers – Apex (Napalm) – Power metal/death metal
Volur – Ancestors (Prophecy) – Ambient folk/doom
Wednesday 13 – Condolences (Nuclear Blast) – Horror punk