Upcoming Metal: Week of October 12th
Kaupe
Destroyer of Worlds
Releases October 17th on Morbid Solutions
Genre: Instrumental Progressive Metal
The opening of “The Past Will Own You” almost brings a punk aesthetic in the rhythm section, before switching to heavy synth and proggy guitar. Brett Walker delivers some catchy, earworm riffs on the track. With some songs dabbling in classic heavy metal (“Destroyer of Worlds”), modern metal (“Living Among The Dead”) and some djenty atmosphere (“Unresolved Trauma”). “Next Time Wear a Black Shirt” features vocals by Matt Decker, and I thought was an ok track to be blunt. With their third record, I think there were moments the band hit it out of the park, but some songs didn’t make it out of the infield. I did like the previous album, 2021’s Cognitive Dissonance, but I feel this is a step backwards as a follow-up.
SCORE: 3.5 / 5
Azell
Astralis
Releases October 17th on Rottweiler Records
Genre: Doom Metal
”From The Womb of Oblivion” delivers a heavy, sludge/doom infused sway in its opening riff. The duel vocal attacks of David and Courtney Napier bring that gritty, visceral snarl in their screaming vocals amongst a thick, fuzzy, heavy pacing. The bluesy, Iommi-influenced riff of “Monolithic Terror” has that dirgy pacing that the band captures to a harrowing extent. I LOVED the instrumental “Wave of Remembrance”, giving off vibes of Saint Vitus, Earth and Pelican in its atmosphere and pacing. “The Crumbling Facade” brings a breakdown-esque swagger to the main riff and vocal attack and album closer “Time Slows To Nothing” brings saxophone to a very stoner/doom vibe to wrap the album up. Overall, a good release and I love the experimentation with the album closer and the production is well done. Good record that delivers the doom metal of the early years of the genre, while dabbling in experimentation, instrumentation and a pretty well-delivered dual vocal attack.
SCORE: 4.5 / 5
Internal Bleeding
Settle All Scores
Releases October 17th on Maggot Stomp
Genre: Slam/Brutal Death Metal
With their first new album in seven years, album opener “Intangible Pact” shows the band hasn’t lost a step in that gap of time. Delivering a sheer Dying Fetus energy of brutal death metal and a bounce of slam and groove in their sound. The album’s title track and “Prophet of Deceit” have a nasty sounding bass lead that truly brings that dark, thundering heaviness to the guitar as the vocal reverb and blast beats just add another level to the songs at some points. For me, I feel the second half doesn’t half the same impact and heft as the first half, it is a solid return for these death metal underdogs and shows that if the band continues following this release, I will be curious to see where the band takes their next album to.
SCORE: 3.5 / 5
Battle Beast
Steelbound
Releases October 17th on Nuclear Blast Records
Genre: Heavy/Power Metal
“The Burning Within” has such a fist-pumping, headbang inducing opening riff and drum combo. Noora Louhimo has such a commanding voice, with a synth backing, gives her voice so much more power and impact in her performance on this track and throughout the album. With her vocals bringing Ann Boleyn of Hellion energy, especially on songs like “Twilight Cabaret” (which I loved the synths and almost flamenco guitar section and salsa energy). The keys on “Last Goodbye” drip that 80’s excess in the guitars of Joona Björkroth & Juuso Soinio. If you want a good, classic 80’s heavy/power metal vibe that is elevated with epic synths and grand production, Battle Beast has got you covered with Steelbound.
SCORE: 5 / 5
Disfigurement
Endbryo
Releases October 17th on Nuclear Blast Records
Genre: Technical Grindcore
Bringing a technical proficiency to their take on grindcore, the band is just a true blitzkrieg of speed and technical precision. “Shogun of Sorrow”, “Impure Vessel” and “Wounded Landscape” bring an impressive take on the genre and bring a proggy element to grindcore. Tetering on the edge of mathcore with it’s musical complexity and performance. “Alteregomaniac” is a beast of a track and fits a lot in its under a minute runtime. At just under a half-hour, it steps up the game of short, blistering fast grindcore with a unique and dynamic performance from the rhythm section of the band. Adding a little more finesse to the grindcore genre and a sound that helps the band standout amongst its peers. Enjoyable and an album to keep an eye on for a potential sleeper hit at the end of the year.
SCORE: 4.5 / 5
Violent Testimony
Aggravate
Releases October 17th on Horror Pain Gore Death Productions
Genre: Death/Thrash Metal
”God Complex Massacre” just goes for the throat right out of the gate. Capturing that high-octane, abrasive sound of early Napalm Death or Insect Warfare. With most songs under two minutes, the band just never lets up in the violence and aggression throughout the entire twenty-five minute runtime. “Piss Vomit Acid Corrosion”, “Cognitive Behavioral Restructuring” and “Coercive Doctrines” just hit all the Grindcore 101 checkmarks. Short run times, blasting drums, nasty sounding growl vocals and fast-paced guitars. An album that delivers and embodies the key trademarks of the genre and delivers one hell of a sonic blast of pissed-off and violent aggression throughout the short runtime. A band that I wouldn’t be surprised in opening for the likes of Napalm Death or Pig Destroyer in the near future.
SCORE: 4 / 5
Graveripper
From Welkin To Tundra
Releases October 17th on Wise Blood Records
Genre: Black/Thrash Metal
On their second album, Graveripper captures that first wave, Venom-energy on their new album From Welkin To Tundra. “Bring Upon Pain” brings that high-octane, Midnight intensity in the guitar and drum combination. “Death’s Cold Embrace” continues the audio barrage of double bass and black metal-heavy tremolo guitars. And “Hounds From Hell” and “New Gods, New Masters” is one hell of a one-two punch in track follow-ups. This was the step-up I was expecting with their follow-up to their debut Seasons Dreaming Death and delivered ten-fold. A true gem in the genre right now and will have your neck sore after headbanging to the entire album.
SCORE: 5 / 5
Evoken
Mendacium
Releases October 17th on Profound Lore Records
Genre: Funeral Doom/Death Metal
Funeral doom legends Evoken return with their first new album in seven years with Mendacium. From the opening of “Matins”, the production matches those proto-funeral doom sound of Thergothon and was hooked immediately. The ten-plus minute “Lauds” and “Sext” deliver that dramatic, melancholic, funeral procession pacing I love in the genre. While also delivering “shorter” songs like “None” and the experimental ambient pieces like “Vesper” and “Prime”, bringing an almost cinematic quality to the darkness and depressing sound that the band has been delivering for over thirty years. As a funeral doom fan myself, this was a pure gem and definitely put me in the mood to hit repeat, put on a good pair of headphones and sink into the unknown as the band swept me away into a bleak, hopeless and tragic presence with Mendacium.
SCORE: 5 / 5
Tribal Gaze
Inveighing Brilliance
Releases October 17th on Nuclear Blast Records
Genre: Death Metal
Capturing the sound of early old-school death metal in the production and mixing, album opener “Smiling From The Chariots” brings that slam-heavy, chugging guitars and almost bass-heavy double bass kicks. McKenna Holland‘s vocals, combined with the “following the bouncing ball” guitar feel, delivers that nasty slam sound I love in the genre. “Beyond Recognition” has a nice guitar solo in it, while “Emptying The Nest” continues that cavernous vocal performance by Holland, and “Guarding The Illusion” is a sheer banger. Though some moments did seem formulaic and a tiny bit repetitive, the band delivered a good follow-up from their debut The Nine Choirs.
SCORE: 4 / 5
Argesk
Moonlight Pyromancy
Releases October 17th on Matriarch Records
Genre: Melodic Black Metal
Following the almost synthwave-esque opening track “Invocation”, the black metal intensifies with “Servant of Fire”. With Matt IH’s vocals, it is a true sharp contrast from the album opener. I do feel the production is hurting the vocals unfortunately, with a wall of sound/”Loudness War” aesthetic. Tampering down the vocals on this track, as well as “Black Castle Waltz” and “Wreathing Serpent”. Though good songs musically, and bring the melodic black metal sound perfectly and loved, the vocals just get lost in the mix. Especially with the synths even being louder as well. An album where production hurts the record. If the vocals were a bit higher, it might have scored higher, but with Matt IH’s awesome vocal delivery, the fire gets put out and hurts the magic that Moonlight Pyromancy tries to cast.
SCORE: 3 / 5
Wretched
Decay
Releases October 17th on Metal Blade Records
Genre: Melodic Technical Deathcore/Death Metal
From the bombastic and midtempo intensity of the album’s title track, to the follow-up “Malus Incarnate”, Wretched delivers both deathcore and death metal intensity. “The Royal Body” has some classic heavy metal guitar leads on certain parts, which was a nice change-up in the mix. I do feel the songs were potentially a bit one-note or very “ok” in my opinion. Which is hard to type since I loved a lot of the band’s material, especially Son of Perdition. Maybe there is too much genre hopping between melodic death metal, deathcore, progressive and death metal that the band got lost along the way. Maybe with a better focus/direction, the album would have hit harder for me, but it just lacked something that I fell in love with the band that is somehow missing with Decay.
SCORE: 2.5 / 5
Afsky
Fællesskab
Releases October 17th on Eisenwald
Genre: Black Metal
With production matching the early second wave black metal legends of the genre, “Velkommen til livet” brings a unique folk open, into record distortion, into ethereal, atmospheric and spacious sounding guitars. Ole Pedersen Luk’s throat shredding and piercing scream matches the sheer uneasiness and hopelessness the music matching the vocals. “Natmaskinen” is a true standout track for me. Luk’s musical arrangement and sheer vocal performance on the track is just so damn good and with the accompanying guitar performance and spacious production, just hits so hard and gave me goosebumps. At six tracks and just over forty-six minutes, I think this could be the band’s best release and a true triumph in the legacy of Afsky.
SCORE: 5 / 5
An Abstract Illusion
The Sleeping City
Releases October 17th on Willowtip Records
Genre: Atmospheric/Progressive Death Metal
With the huge praise and critical acclaim the band’s previous album Woe got, Sweden’s An Abstract Illusion had some big shoes to fill with their new album The Sleeping City. The opening and complex drum opening to “Blackmurmur” kicks the album off in the right direction. Adding those ringing synths, creative drums and shoegaze-esque guitars that truly show the band shifting into that direction on the track. With songs like “No Dreams Beyond Empty Horizons”, “Frost Flower” and “Silverfields” truly embracing the synth-heavy experimentation. As the album’s title track truly bridges the gap between proggy death metal, blackgaze, and tinges of djent in it. I think this might shock some fans that were expecting a Woe Part 2 and weren’t expecting a deeper dive into the clean vocals and synth heavy push. Similar to bands like Whitechapel and Deafheaven who stray away from the sound that got them where they were today. I did like the record, but at the end of the day, it just doesn’t hit the same sweet spots that Woe delivered.
SCORE: 4 / 5
Tombs
Feral Darkness
Releases October 17th on Redefining Darkness
Genre: Black/Post Metal
With a very thundering opening drum strike, “Glass Eyes Ghoul” is an audio bombardment of powerful drums, sludgy and down-tuned guitars that truly hang in the ether of the production. Matching the thundering power and sheer intensity of Neurosis, the song just builds and builds to a maddening anticipation and makes you headbang throughout the entire four minutes. “Granite Sky” has such a commanding presence to it, and the cavernous vocals of Mike Hill match the dread and crestfallen feeling the music coincides with his performance. “Last Days” is pure post-black metal in its delivery in the drumming and guitar production. Though I felt some songs did drag on a bit longer then they should have, but not by much, the album is truly captivating in its sheer performance of doom-and-gloom that will please the die-hard of post metal. While also bringing in the death/black metal fans with some of the guitar and vocal performances.
SCORE: 4.5 / 5
