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Photo by [charlie cravero] |
The list of upcoming October metal releases is now up. As always, it’s a work in progress. (Please submit corrections and additions in the comments box.) According to metal-archives.com, new releases average about 10 a day. There’s no way I can capture all that, so hopefully I’ve gotten most of the the major and major minor ones. Buzz is heavy for the new Baroness record, which I haven’t heard. The new Immortal has fantastic guitar work and horrifically modern production. You can hear the title track here. Same with the new Gorgoroth album — audio excerpts here. Modern production isn’t per se bad, but it just does not work for most black metal.
On the positive side, I’m excited to hear the new Paradise Lost. The King Diamond reissues should be fun to hear. Russian Circles sound solid. I’m on the fence about Marduk. The new Red Chord, Belphegor, and Portal rule hard. Many will be jazzed to hear the new Ruins of Beverast, although I myself have yet to “get” that act. I’m mildly morbidly curious about the new Rammstein, and super morbidly curious about the Halford Christmas album.
The biggie for me, however, is the new Converge record, Axe to Fall, which is tell-all-your-friends, then-ditch-them-for-this amazing. The title track has been making the rounds. It’s interesting to compare it against the demo version from half a year ago. Drummer Ben Koller replaced some European blastbeats with snare rolls, and switched out some d-beats for straight-up double bass pummeling. The result is faster and even more intense than the demo. That hammer-on riff is like Black Sabbath’s “Paranoid” run through Kill ‘Em All and the history of metal since. Converge wouldn’t call themselves metal, but they’re better at it than many metal bands.
Pre-order:
Amazon (CD)
Deathwish, Inc. (CD, LP)
Converge (CD, shirt, print)
The Baroness album is terrific. It's another step in the direction of melodic, psychedelic hard rock, a great companion to Red Album. I also really like the Marduk record; Mortuus has basically taken over that band from Morgan, it seems, and I'm happy about that. I got that Portal album and I just don't get why people love them. The album sounds like hammered shit to me. Though I hate the first single from the Rammstein record, I remain a fan and am excited for the album.
As far as Immortal goes, the weakness of the new album (which is actually pretty great) isn't the production, it's that Abbath still sounds like Popeye the Sailor.
converge album is straight up one of the best of the year. the last two tracks sound nothing like the band but are still incredible.
I find it mildly exciting whenever Immortal release an album sans their nerdy visages on the cover. So the promo artwork is encouraging. I won't know for sure until the physical album is released, but I have a sneaking suspicion that the divide down the center may open up to reveal Immortal acting as fucked up goofy as ever. "Look… up in the sky… wraiths on wings!" Abbath may as well dress like Popeye.
The Popeye voice is goofy, but then again, goofiness helped get Immortal to where they are today.
I listened to those Gorgoroth tracks…and it seems like it isn't the same band without Gaahl. The last album was also just so punishing…
And when DIDN'T Abbath sound like Popeye?
How could you leave out the new BTBAM record, The Great Misdirect….they are insanely awesome.
Some good stuff on the horizon. Man, with this and the Kraftwerk boxset coming out I am going to be a poor man.
Cosmo, you are one helpful dude. Thank you for this.
Oct. 27:
Wrnlrd "Myrmidon" LP/ digital album
[FSS]
Bruce – The page is updated. Thanks for the info!
I second Travis' comment. I know some didn't like Colors, but many consider it one of the best releases in years.
I just discovered that I'm gonna be seeing Converge on the 6th, with Dethklok, Mastodon, and High On Fire. I'm now like 5 times more excited than I already was for the show.