Upcoming Metal Releases: 5/9/2021 - 5/15/2021
Here are the new (and recent) metal releases for the week of May 9th, 2021 to May 15th, 2021. Releases reflect proposed North American scheduling, if available. Expect to see most of these albums on shelves or distros on Fridays.
See something we missed or have any thoughts? Let us know in the comments. Plus, as always, feel free to post your own shopping lists. Happy digging.
Send us your promos (streaming links preferred) to: [email protected]. Do not send us promo material via social media.
Things We Missed
Bled to Submission — Bury Them in the Graves They Dug For You | Nerve Altar | Sludge + Grind | United States (Nashville, TN)
Noisy and suffocating sludge-grind that’s angry at everything and intently focused on choking the life out of you. It’s hard to tell where guitars end and the swirling layers of feedback and noise surrounding this begin, creating a chaotic mass that just sort of envelops the consciousness. I found it tough to stop listening: the dense clustering of drums, screaming, and nasty riffs is a lot better and engaging than what reality is generally able to offer.
–Ted Nubel
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Upcoming Releases
Grave Miasma — Abyss of Wrathful Deities | Dark Descent Records | Black + Death Metal | United Kingdom
Multi-faceted, devastating death metal with a little mythology behind its chainsaw epics. This release is a little more in-your-face than previous records, but there’s still a poignant, deathly haze that settles on top of everything.
–Ted Nubel
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Panopticon — ..and Again into the Light | Bindrune Recordings | Atmospheric Black Metal + Etc. | United States
Now entering its 15th year (!!!), Austin Lunn’s long-running Panopticon project continually delves deeper into its creator’s psyche and personal experiences, and new full-length album ..and Again into the Light is no different. Lunn’s unique mixture of traditional Appalachian folk songs and atmospheric, multifaceted black metal reaches new heights on his project’s tenth album to date.
–Jon Rosenthal
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Dordeduh — Har | Prophecy Productions | Progressive Folk + Black Metal | Romania
It’s been a very long time since we heard from Dordeduh, but that doesn’t mean they weren’t busy, and the time they dedicated to honing their craft has been kind to them. With a newly discovered and more traditionally progressive sound, Dordeduh sheds the more animistic elements which defined their debut and instead forges something new and uniquely theirs. There is no need to follow in anyone’s footsteps but their own, and Har‘s approach is something which can define Dordeduh, rather than the other way around.
–Jon Rosenthal
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Throat — Smile Less | Svart Records | Sludge + Noise Rock | Finland
Gloomy sludge-rock wrapped in a bitter layer of cynicism: from the deadpan vocals to the murky atmosphere, Smile Less seems to follows its own advice, although the driving bass and hypnotically consistent drums make it a comfortable mire to sink into.
–Ted Nubel
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Åskog — Varþnaþer | Grind to Death Records | Black Metal | Sweden
Cold, bleak, and heavy on the bass, Åskog taps into the raw nature of black metal on their debut. Twilight melodies illuminate the darkness somewhat, but don’t expect any softening sunlight here.
–Ted Nubel
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Blood Spore / Coagulate / Soul Devourment / Gutvoid — Split | Rotted Life Records | Death Metal | United States
Four-way death metal splits are here to fuck you up, and this one is no exception — embrace the disgusting chaos of this sampler of the nastiest the genre has to offer.
–Ted Nubel
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Antioch — Antioch V | Iron Shield Records | Heavy Metal | Canada
Classic heavy metal with hard rock hooks and so, so much reverb.
–Ted Nubel
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Hirsi — III | Independent | Folk + Black Metal | Finland
It’s folk-infused black metal, but in a satisfying balance where it has a certain magical charm but also plenty of power and heft. Amidst the guttural growls and icy riffs here is a melodic, wistful strain that will lure you in almost immediately.
–Ted Nubel
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Zorya — Primeval | Independent | Atmospheric Black Metal | Slovenia
The band calls this “post-black atmospheric metal”, in the “post-metal-meets-black-metal” variety, but were I to slap a label on it, I might go with… blackened indie rock, maybe? There’s a very interesting undercurrent of introspective rock that isn’t eroded by the double-bass, harsh tones, or screaming (though there are some nice clean vocals in a few spots, too).
–Ted Nubel
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Against Evil — End of the Line | Doc Gator Records | Heavy + Thrash Metal | India
A little bit of power metal, a dash of thrash: though the production here is super-modern, the songwriting is firmly rooted in about 1985. I can take or leave the Manowar-ish song topics that talk about, y’know, heavy metal and violence, but I do appreciate me some mid-paced riffing.
–Ted Nubel
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Sâver / Psychonaut — Emerald | Pelagic Records | Doom Metal + Stoner Rock + Psych Rock | Belgium + Sweden
Each of these heavy, psychedelic bands delivers a single-side epic for a fascinating split LP release.
No public stream for this one yet, though, so you’ll have to take my word on it for a few days.
–Ted Nubel
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