Upcoming Metal Releases: 2/4/2024-2/10/2024
Here are all the new releases for February 4th through February 10th. 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.
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New Releases 2/4-2/10
Spectral Voice — Sparagmos | Dark Descent Records | Death Metal + Doom Metal | United States (Denver, Colorado)
Vocalist and drummer Eli Wendler buddies up again with the lion’s share of Blood Incantation to spawn four plasma-curdling coagulators, channeling an inner-Euripides post-watershed tragedy. Meditating on epidermal rifts and biblical levels of basalt displacement theory, the Coloradan quartet lurch and linger across sepulchral sub-time, instigating a Béla Tarr-like autopsy of utter desolation, purging any vestiges of lustre or melody in their grimly shuddering path.
–Spencer Grady
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Hulder — Verses In Oath | 20 Buck Spin | Black Metal | United States (Washington)
Hulder’s latest work is her darkest yet, treading further down the second-wave black metal revival path she’s been on since her debut. It’s not necessarily surprising, but that’s not a complaint. We’ve got a full interview with Hulder coming out soon where she reveals more about Verses in Oath. Stay tuned for that!
–Colin Dempsey
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Aureole — Alunarian Bellmaster | Lupus Lounge | Atmospheric Black Metal | United States (Portland, Oregon)
There are a scant few atmospheric black metal albums that sound like Aureole’s latest offering, Alunarian Bellmaster, largely because none of them are masters of bells like Markov Soroka is. Also known for his work as Tchonobog and Drown, Soroka pushes himself into abstraction through the use of 30 bells. More than a gimmick, these bells are simply a piece in Aeurole’s cosmic and gothic puzzle that foregoes the haze of tremolo picks and blast beats nascent to atmospheric black metal. As it stands, this is the most frightening and interesting album in the subgenre this year.
–Colin Dempsey
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Chapel of Disease — Echoes of Light | Ván Records | Heavy Metal | Germany (Cologne)
Chapel of Disease have not been a death metal band since 2015. Their previous album, 2018’s …and As We Have Seen the Storm, We Have Embraced the Eye, asserted that, but Echoes of Light, their first record in six years, cements that they do not miss death metal in the slightest. Putting this out there removes any preconceptions about what this album is; gnarly heavy metal in the most classic sense. The guitar tone and licks (you’re more likely to hear them than riffs) are ripped straight from the 70s. The songwriting is exploratory and free from structure. In essence, Chapel of Disease have reconvened with metal’s original spirit as a harsh offspring of progressive rock.
–Colin Dempsey
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Petrification — Sever Sacred Light | Svart Records | Death Metal | United States (Portland, Oregon)
Petrification’s second record doesn’t establish a new metagame for death metal, primarily because it’s more interested in summoning the spirits of the dead through old-school incantations. Given the high quality of the results, it’s better that way.
–Colin Dempsey
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Chelsea Wolfe — She Reaches Out To She Reaches Out To She | Loma Vista Recordings | Darkwave | United States (California)
In my humble opinion, there has never been a bad Chelsea Wolfe album. She Reaches Out To She Reaches Out To She, like all her albums, showcases both her vast array of influences and talents and her vulnerability. Without missing a beat, this album sounds contemporary after her break from releases, but just as timely as ever.
–Addison Herron-Wheeler
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Infected Rain — Time | Napalm Records | Nu metal | Moldova (Chisinau)
While some of the music on Napalm Records is a bit polished for my more brutish tastes, there’s no ignoring the proggy talent that is Infected Rain. Folks of all subgenres will appreciate the attention to detail as well as catchy riffing that this record has.
–Addison Herron-Wheeler
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Morbid Saint — Swallowed by Hell | High Roller Records | Thrash Metal | United States (Sheboygan, WI)
The years haven’t dulled Morbid Saint’s thirst for absurdly muscular, over-the-top thrash metal – Swallowed by Hell might not be quite as insane as Spectrum as Death but it hits pretty goddamn hard — enough that you’ll find people mistakenly thinking it’s death metal across the internet.
–Ted Nubel
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