Upcoming Metal: Week of October 26th
Precious Blood
False Prophets
Releases October 29th independently
Genre: Doom Metal
On this New York doom act’s debut, Precious Blood bring a gritty take on the doom metal sound. The album’s title track has a rough, more aggressive production sound to it. The gravelly, deep voice of AJ adds a stoner vocal dynamic to the track. Songs like “Bludgeoned Charred” pick up the tempo into an old school death metal surge, that jumps into nasty sounding backing vocals from Grace Perez and Dave Kramer. “Shadow of The Cross” and “Cemetery Burn” give off Misfits-esque horror punk vibes on some moments. Musically, the genre mix-ups were a nice change in the doom metal genre. But it also felt conflicting at some points. Giving off the feeling of “why’d you go back to that part? keep going with what you’re doing”. I like what I’m hearing from the band on their debut, but I think a better sense of direction and growth on the next record and the band will truly be on their way to something uniquely their own.
SCORE: 3.5 / 5
One of Nine
Dawn of The Iron Shadow
Releases October 31st on Profound Lore Records
Genre: Melodic Black Metal
Following the truly awesome sounding dungeon synth opening of “Parley at The Gates”, the album kicks off with “Age of Chains”. Capturing a frostbitten mountainside with the sheer coldness and harshness in the production, the vocals and guitars just cascade over a blitzkrieg of blast beats and choir vocals. I just loved the guitar on the chorus of “Dreadful Leap”, right as it segues into dungeon synth keys. “Behold The Shadow of My Thoughts” is so progressive and creative with the instrumentation and arrangement of the music. And “Death Wing Black Flame” is such an epic closure to the same scale as acts like Bathory would deliver. Very impressed with the grandiosity of the band’s sound on this record and truly capturing the inspiration of Tolkien in it’s lyrics and musical creativity. An album that definitely will wash over the vastness of the land like the Eye of Sauron.
SCORE: 5 / 5
Barren Path
Grieving
Releases October 31st on Willowtip Records
Genre: Deathgrind
”Wimpering Echo” just hits the ground running and swinging. Aggressive, abrasive and just straight unhinged. Mitchell Luna’s shrieking/screaming is just hitting the listening right in the face, while Bryan Fajardo’s drumming just beats you over the head insistently. That momentum continues with “Subversion Record” and “Primordial Black”. At just under fifteen minutes, the band just never lets up and uses that full runtime to give you all killer and definitely no filler. With the longest song being “Horizonless” at just under a minute thirty. I do wish there was more tracks, just cause with the deathgrind/grindcore genre, songs just fly by and/or blur toghether and I was digging the album and then it was over and had that proverbial “awww” cause I wanted more. Hopefully the next release will have more, but this will scratch that grindcore itch.
SCORE: 4.5 / 5
Burned in Effigy
Tyrannus Aeternum
Releases October 31st independently
Genre: Neoclassical/Melodic Death Metal
”Befouled Benefaction” just goes for blistering speed and technical proficiency in the sheer speed and precision of the riff and drumming. Mark "Smedy" Smedbron’s vocals border between gritty growls & visceral snarls. Banger of an opening track. “Retribution” and “Masquerade” continue keeping their foot on the gas in the precision drumming by Eddie Dec & the riff machines of Steve Bacakos & Mike Hisson. Definitely was getting early Between The Buried and Me vibes on “Masquerade” and on “Monstrosity Reborn”. Plus, the technical wizardry on the fretboard near the end of “The Racking” was just impressive. I loved the band’s debut, 2022’s Rex Mortem, but I think Tyrannus Aeternum showed the band top that record by stepping up their game and delivering one hell of a follow-up.
SCORE: 5 / 5
Creeper
Crushing
Releases October 31st on No Life ‘til Metal Records
Genre: Groove/Thrash Metal
With their second album, Texas’ Creeper brings the pissed off energy akin to their fellow Texas brethren of Pantera with this album. The title track delivers that brash, late 80’s/early 90’s guitar tone and stank-face inducing riff. That breakdown near the halfway mark was a nice touch, before the pacing amps up and the guitar solo is pretty damn nice over that faster palm-muted riff. “White Devil” has some Testament vibes to it, with Texx Duncan adding so much piss and vinegar in his vocal performance. “Big Bad Wolf” is a straight banger and brings the thrash energy in the rapid-fire vocal delivery and circle-pit inducing riff on the chorus. A good album to just blare at full blast with a cold six-pack while wearing your best battle vest.
SCORE: 4 / 5
Tales of Mike
Human
Releases October 31st on Fetzner Death Records
Genre: Epic Heavy/Doom Metal
This one-man project out of Germany, Tales of Mike brings the sheer energy of epic doom metal of Candlemass with a little more bravado of the early origins of heavy metal. “Nevermore” has that classic heavy/power metal vocal delivery with a driving drum beat behind it. “Money Tree” has a pretty high falsetto that almost hit’s Halford level highs. The riff and drums throughout the track are top-notch and almost has a Megadeth tinge to the riff and vocals. “Human Masquerade” and “Hourglass” continue with that same vibe. As “Ancient Mirror” so far is the only track that gives off an epic doom vibe on the record. A unique record that although pitching itself as Epic Heavy/Doom Metal, it definitely leaned more towards the classic heavy metal sound than doom. The songs I liked were good, a bit predictable or formulaic, but a good debut and a record that has moments of Metal Church with moments of early Candlemass.
SCORE: 4 / 5
Outlaw
Opus Mortis
Releases October 31st on AOP Records
Genre: Black Metal
Outlaw captures the sound of great black metal acts like Watain and Blaze of Perdition with their new album Opus Mortis. “Blaze of Dissolution” is just a sonic blast of atmosphere, intensity and aggressiveness for the full five-minute runtime. A strong opening track. I loved “The Crimson Rose” in the opening and jangly-like guitar tone and playing, helping build the anticipation. Along with the song’s sheer weight of grandeur in the song’s musical arrangement and production scale. Standout tracks for me are “A Million Midnights” and “A Subtle Intimation”. Though only their fourth record, Outlaw have truly begun to just improve over time. Amplifying their skill, talent, musical ear and sheer soundscape that they want to deliver into the macabre and the evil in and out of this world.
SCORE: 4.5 / 5
Orm
Guld
Releases October 31st on Indisciplinarian
Genre: Epic/Melodic Black Metal
At just five tracks, Orm’s new album Guld brings a lot to the table in a short amount of songs. “Af Magt” brings a bombastic and furious guitar riff and drum combo, before adding progressive elements of slow-down and pace changes. Akin to early Enslaved and the band pulls it off well. Before shifting back to that abrasive, loud and aggressive opening fury. “Undfangen” is just a straight-forward, piercing track of just straight tremolo guitars and bellowing screams. I adored the melodic black metal elements of “Rigdom”, continuing the pacing changes from the album opener as well. I will admit, I think “Udskammet” does hurt the album in my opinion. At almost thirteen minutes, the song does drag a bit longer than it needs to and if some of the padding was removed, would be a better song. If you like the atmospheric black metal scale acts like Afsky, Wolves in The Throne Room or Altar of Plagues deliver, this album is right up your alley.
SCORE: 4 / 5
Bastard Cross
Crossripper
Releases October 31st on Morbid and Miserable
Genre: Blackened Thrash Metal
With their debut release, Bastard Cross capture that first wave/blackened thrash metal sound acts like Venom and Bathory would pave the way for the next wave of black metal. “Parasitic” sounds right off Venom’s debut album with the same punk/metal guitar playing and vocal delivery by Heathen Chevalier. “Crossripper” and “Lycan Knights” are just sheer pedal to the metal bangers. Delivering a solid one-two punch of track follow-ups. Blasphemous Axe delivers a pretty gnarly sounding vocal performance that reminds me of Abbath in some of the vocal cadence and delivery. “Sarcophagus” turns into just straight classic black metal near the three quarters mark of the song and just had me air drumming with Infernal Bastard. LOVED this debut a lot and highly recommend it if you want the nostalgia and early roots of classic first wave black metal with the sheer ferocity of thrash. Highly recommend the album and a band to truly keep a close eye on in the future with the musical proficiency and homage to the sound that they truly capture and loved on Crossripper.
SCORE: 5 / 5
On a personal note, as the weekly Upcoming Metal series concludes after this one and shifting into a best of the month series going forward, I wanted to thank all the bands, PR companies, labels and our followers who have commented, reposted and supported the series throughout this series’ lifespan. It meant a lot and made it worthwhile to do with all the support you have given Frozen Moon Promotions. We will make sure in our monthly best of series starting in November will deliver the same impact that the Upcoming Metal series delivered and helped support bands in both tour promotion, album sales and stream increases. Thank you again for supporting Frozen Moon Promotions,
