This week's new heavy metal releases includes lots of different types of prog, a heavy metal assault, some boys that are back in town (sorta), and more!
To the metals…
Anamorph – Lucid
Genre: Progressive metal
Origin: North Carolina
Label: Self-Release
Here's one for the prog dogs. This is technical and melodic musicianship at its finest. Fans of Scale The Summit should get on this. Oodles of (guitar) noodles.
Black Star Riders – Another State Of Grace 
Genre: Rock
Origin: Los Angeles, California
Label: Nuclear Blast
Despite writing about these guys a couple years ago, I am surprised to discover this is Black Star Riders' fourth album. While the band does have some Thin Lizzy dudes, and Thin Lizzy vibes, after four albums they have their own thing going now.
Kayo Dot – Blasphemy 
Genre: Avant-garde/experimental
Origin: Boston, Massachusetts/New York City, New York
Label: Prophecy Productions
Here's your weirdness for the week. Blasphemy continues Kayo Dot's habit of shape shifting and being difficult to label. The little I've heard of this has some Tool-esque hypnotic atmosphere and some Katatonia moodiness, but I can't fully say it sounds like either. I look forward to a full listen, and the multiple listens it will take to digest this. Jordan has a full review here.
Foscor – Els Sepulcres Blancs 
Genre: Progressive
Origin: Barcelona, Spain
Label: Season Of Mist
I have a lot of prog this week (you're welcome/sorry), but this might take the cake. Els Sepulcres Blancs is a unique listening experience. Little post-metal, little black metal, little goth metal, lots of promise. Would pair nicely with Kayo Dot.
Sleeping With Sirens – How It Feels To Be Lost 
Genre: Post-hardcore/metalcore
Origin: Orlando, Florida
Label: Sumerian
This is going to come off like an insult in some circles, and I really don't mean it as one, but this sounds like what would be playing in Hot Topic while you look at Funko Pops. I like Funko Pops, and have some Prince shirts from Hot Topic shirts (because the official estate sells the same Purple Rain shirt for $40. Why?), so I really don't mean this as a slam. They do have a specific playlist though. Anyway, what I've heard is glitchy, melodic, and does the back and forth heavy/melodic thing.
Sonata Arctica – Talviyö 
Genre: Power metal
Origin: Kemi, Finland
Label: Nuclear Blast
Sonata Arctica have been bringing some of the biggest and most epic power metal for twenty years, and aren't showing signs of stopping. This, their tenth album, is the best kinds of melodic metal cheese all melted together. Delicious. Kevin has a full review here.
Vitriol – To Bathe From The Throat Of Cowardice 
Genre: Death metal
Origin: Portland, Oregon
Label: Century Media
Let's end this week with something really heavy, because if I don't include something like this people get mad at me. Also, this is a solid metal bludgeoning. Like, non-stop bludgeoning. This is a debut people will remember.
Also dropping today…
Alluvion – The Secret's Out (Self-Release) – Post-metal/progressive
The Burning Tree – Pariah (Self-Release) – "Lowbrow gutter pop"
Cropsy – Maniac Carnage (Horror Pain Gore Death Productions) – Death metal
Cognizance – Malignant Dominion (Prosthetic Records) – Technical Melodic Death Metal/Deathcore
Disillusion – The Liberation (Prophecy) – Melodic death metal
Drugs Of Faith – Decay (Selfmadegod Records) – "Grind 'n' roll"
Empty – Hope And The Loss Of It (Solid State Records) – Post-hardcore
Grayscale – Nella Vita (Fearless Records) – Alternative
Juliet Ruin – Old Stardust, Love, and Chaos (Self-Release) – Hard rock
Mizmor – Cairn (Gilead Media) – Doom/Black
Omophagia – 646965 (Unique Leader) – Death metal
Reflex Machine – Interzone (Over the Counter Culture Records) – Post-metal
Rottendawn – Occult (Saturnal Records) – Heavy metal
Saint Karloff + Devil's Witches – Coven of the Ultra-Riff (Majestic Mountain Records) – Stoner/psychedelic
Slaughtbbath – Alchemical Warfare (Hell's Headbangers) – Black
Sleeping Ancient – No Truth But Death (Viridian Flame) – Post-Black
Slutvomit – Copulation Of Cloven Hooves (Invictus Productions) – Death metal/thrash
Surface of The Sun – Panacea (Self-Release) – Alternative metal
Vokonis – Grasping Time (The Sign Records) – Stoner/doom
Year Of The Goat – Novis Orbis Terrarum Ordinis (Napalm Records) – Heavy metal
