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Photo by Jim Thompson |
In 2009, there’s nowhere to go but up. The next American President can’t be worse than this one. The markets have bottomed out, perhaps. Mastering engineers can’t brickwall-compress records more than they do now. Hopefully, the backlash from Death Magnetic has informed record labels that WE’RE NOT GOING TO TAKE IT ANYMORE. No more awful-sounding records. No more Pro Tools. No more click tracks. Right, and Bernie Madoff will pay back his victims. One can always dream. Aside from perennial blue chips Cannibal Corpse and Suffocation, here are some of this year’s brightest hopes.
Buried Inside – ?
It’s been four long years since the massive Chronoclast. I’ve checked in every few months since then for signs of life. Always, disappointment. Then, mid-2008: “BURIED INSIDE are not broken up. Not even close.” At that moment, an angel got its wings – wings of epic, technical sludgecore. Out February/March on Relapse.
Kylesa – Static Tensions
These guys and gal are at the top of their game. They live on the road, they’re reaching new markets (recent WTF tour with Pinback, upcoming WTF tour with The Haunted), they’re good and they know it. Incidentally, the last kick-ass two-drummer band from Georgia was The Allman Brothers, who turn 40 this year. Artwork by John Dyer Baizley, out March 17 on Prosthetic (CD) and 20 Buck Spin (LP).
Ludicra – ?
Guitarist John Cobbett is in Hammers of Misfortune. Drummer Aesop Dekker is in Agalloch. Bassist Ross Sewage is in Impaled and Wolves in the Throne Room. It’s high time their own band gets the recognition it deserves. San Francisco’s filth has no finer soundtrack. Label TBA: the band is entertaining deals.
Merrimack – ?
Since the stormy glory of Of Entropy and Life Denial, these French black metallers have been quiet. They’ve had three years to practice invisible oranges poses and spiky wristband construction. Beauty takes work, you know. (I can see it already: Black Metal Macy’s, makeup department: beautiful ladies applying corpsepaint, Watain as window dressers, the stench of rotting flesh everywhere. Top-selling brand: Estee Lucifer.) Recorded at Necromorbus, out on Moribund.
Pestilence – Resurrection Macabre
This perhaps belongs under “morbidly curious” below. Over 15 years have passed since Pestilence’s last studio record, Patrick Mameli revives the name but not the lineup, and everything just smells bad (including the stink from that awful C-187 project). The title is perhaps too apt. BUT – “Horror Detox,” the clip from the new album on Pestilence’s MySpace, is actually solid. There’s some of that old death metal bite, and Darkane wildman Peter Wildoer is on drums. Out March 13 in Europe, April 14 in US, on Mascot.
Saros – Acrid Plains
A new light in the west: San Francisco’s Saros. They evoke Ludicra a bit – swaying rhythms, feminine presence, grit and grace intertwined. This will make year-end lists, mark my words. Check out Saros here. Out February 17 on Profound Lore.
Shrinebuilder – ?
Scott Kelly of Neurosis, Wino of a million bands, Al Cisneros of Om, Dale Crover of the Melvins. The lineup to end all lineups? They begin recording this weekend in Los Angeles. Stay updated via Kelly’s blog. Out on Neurot.
Tombs – Winter Hours
These Brooklynites melted my face off at Decibel’s 50th issue anniversary show. Blackened, doomy textures, with gorgeous artwork this time around. Band leader Mike Hill keeps a blog here. You can hear “Gossamer” from the new record here. Out February 17 in US, February 24 worldwide, on Relapse.
YOB – ?
Mike Scheidt is back with YOB after Middian’s nasty legal fiasco. I’m sad to see Middian go, but glad for the return of YOB’s spiritual doom monster. I bet they do yoga. Plus, they named a song after me. (Well, probably not.) Sanford Parker behind the boards, out in summer on Profound Lore.
Zombi – Spirit Animal
I love analog synths, and so should you. Zombi keep cranking out soundtracks to Italian horror movies that may or may not exist. Plus, they named an album after me. (Well, probably not.) Their Surface to Air was my favorite non-metal record of 2006. You can hear clips from the new one here. Out February 3 on Relapse.
Altar of Plagues – ?
Irish post-rock/black metal that’ll likely fly under the hipster radar. Details are sketchy. I wrote about them here. Out on Profound Lore.
Antigama – Warning
Antigama aren’t the kind of band I expect to love. These Poles play wacked-out grindcore that’s clean and creepy. They remind me of how psychedelic Sesame Street is if you watch it as an adult. Their drummer is crazy and really cuts loose on the toms. You can hear a clip from the new record here. Out March 3 on Relapse.
Mournful Congregation – The June Frost
The happiest record store experience of my life occurred at Freeson Rock in Montreal. There, just before closing time, I stumbled across not one, but two Mournful Congregation CD’s, which are impossible to find. And they were used! I spent the rest of my holiday food money on them. My non-metalhead friend probably wondered why I was banging on about an obscure Australian funeral doom band that puts out full-lengths once in a blue moon. You can hear excerpts from the new one here. Out January 20 on Weird Truth (Japan) and Enucleation (North America).
Killswitch Engage – ?
I actually like these guys. They appeal to the part of me that likes tiramisu. Out on Roadrunner.
Doro – Fear No Evil
Just look at this cover. Out January 30 on AFM.
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The new Buried Inside delivers. I liked Chronoclast a lot, but this one tops it. Much more simplified approach this time, the drummer’s reined in more thean before.
Watch out for the new Cobalt. Seriously, it’s a masterpiece.
I’m probably most pumped about the new Katatonia…I’m still amazed at how long The Great Cold Distance has stuck with me.
Funny, I was just thinking yesterday about how Ludicra needs to drop a new release this year.
Gorod – They were my most anticipated 2008 record, and since it never came out, will be my most anticipated 2009 record.
Doro Pesch was the subject of many a young teenage fantasy for me. Her and Lita Ford.
No Mastodon? What? Dude! Seriously. What the fuck? Huh? No! Come on! Who?
Holy shit, that new Pestilence song smokes. It’s great to see a band that actually understands their own art and is able to create in the same idiom many years later without clearly being out of ideas.
Also, I like Consuming Impulse more than is probably reasonable, so I’m impossibly stoked for this new record.
Rob, your mention of Doro and Lita Ford in the same sentence – I think it blew a fuse in me.
That Doro cover is really bad!
I don’t have a lot of anticipated releases, I think. The Litany album just came out and it’s been taking up much of my time. I really really love it. People who appreciate epic doom metal should give it a listen or ten. Very distinct Greek flavour on the vocal lines, which is good! In a way the only complaint I have is that a record by a band called ‘Litany’ (means lamenting chant), which is named ‘Aphesis’ (means absolvement, letting go) doesn’t have Greek lyrics in at least half the material.
I’m salivating to check out some of these bands – there are several I’ve never heard of.
i have been really jamming the new 16 record – “bridges to burn.” totally kickass stuff. i had somehow missed out on their earlier records.
cosmo, i know it’s not all that suave to like KSE, but i have always kinda dug them too. they may not be the most original or innovative band, but the bottom line for me is that they write great songs and have great chops.
but surprisingly, i hate tiramisu.
Is there still supposed to be a new Immortal? Color me morbidly curious about that…
Helm – The clips on Litany’s MySpace sound interesting. What makes something sound “Greek”? Do you spend much time at Eat Metal Records?
lou – How can you hate tiramisu??? That’s like hating life.
Jesse – Immortal’s MySpace says that indeed a new album is due out this year.
Nice to see the name Buried Inside bandied about, I loved Chronioclast to death. It was a big reentry vehicle for me when I got back into hardcore/metal a couple of years ago. Looking forward to Merrimack as well. And on a purely selfish level I wonder wtf Wrnlrd will do next. I know female vox and a horn section are involved and the early glimpses are enticing.
Something sounds Greek when it uses scales traditionally tied to Greek religious art and folk history. I can spot this just like you listen to Nile and say ‘this sounds Middle Eastern!’. Litany seem to use a lot of – mostly vocal – scales and permutations that remind me of Byzantine chant. I do not know if it is the result of training in these forms or if it comes naturally through the cultural exposure.
I do not spend any time at Eat Metal Records, the store. I haven’t been there for about 5 years I think. I am not acquainted with the people behind the label though I have met Nick Varsamis (singer for Litany and Wrathblade, who also rule severely and you should check out) whom I understand is the brother of Greg Varsamis, owner of Eat Metal Records, at a Memory Garden live gig and I expressed my respect for his work.
How about the new Vreid? I’ve already seen advance copies floating around the web.
Thanks for the information, Helm. Local color is always welcome here.
Jesse – Vreid! For sure. I liked Pitch Black Brigade, but missed I Krig entirely. I’m curious what the new one will bring.
Great to hear about the new Merrimack. Used copy of the record you mentioned was one of my great finds the last time I was in New York. I’m also looking forward to the new Giant Squid, Portal and Slayer records. And I’m curious where Psyopus is gonna go with their next one.
Nachtmystium are coming out with a new album late 2009. Black Meddle Part 2, yes!!!!
Also, Macabre are gonna be releasing the follow up to Murder Metal as well.
Other Chicago bands releasing new material in 2009 that I know of are Minsk and Winters in Osaka.
It’s looking good for Chicago Metal so far.
Tombs is my #1. Saros should be awesome. Myspace sample track is excellent. Also excited about Altar of Plagues and Yob.
i just want a new burnt by the sun record