Half of 2022 is behind us, and so we’ve gathered our staff to share their favorite records so far — don’t expect ordered lists, detailed blurbs, or academic rigor here, but the following lists reflect what we’ve all liked the most this year thus far.
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Jon Rosenthal
As far as six months go, this year’s first two quarters were pretty solid music-wise. I actually had a little trouble whittling my list down to the arbitrary ten slots. Cue the many who like to parrot “This year is just mediocre.” News flash: being discerning doesn’t mean you have to be a dick. Also, take more time to look for stuff. Music is generally pretty good, or at least there’s enough music out there that the CREAM RISES TO THE TOP. Here are a few of my favorites from the year so far.
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Doldrum – The Knocking, Or The Story of the Sound that Preceded Their Disappearance (Katafalque, USA)
Negative Plane – The Pact… (The Ajna Offensive/Invictus Productions, USA)
40 Watt Sun – Perfect Light (Svart Records/Independent, UK)
Blut aus Nord – Disharmonium – Undreamable Abysses (Debemur Morti Productions, France)
Porcupine Tree – Closure//Continuation (Music for Nations, UK)
The Reds, Pinks & Purples – Summer at Land’s End (Slumberland Records, USA)
Weathered Crest – Dust Vessel (Fallow Field/Födweg, Austria)
Pestilent Hex – The Ashen Abhorrence (Debemur Morti Productions, Finland)
Brånd – Wo draht da weg? (Fallow Field/Födweg, Austria)
Final Eclipse – Interminable Darkness (Independent, USA)
Bands to watch out for in Q3/4 2022: Locrian, Sigh, Penance Stare, Erzfeynd, The Mountain Goats, and more.
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Ted Nubel
When I started thinking about my mid-year list a few weeks ago, I’ll admit my mind was blank–I couldn’t think of much that stood out. But then, when I started going through past releases, notes, et cetera, I found the exact opposite was true: there’s a ton of great stuff out already this year. It all just got buried under the rest of the non-musical bullshit this year, I guess. From splits and EPs to full-lengths, from long-running bands to brand new acts–there were excellent surprises from all corners. If your memory has also been scrambled from a year full of one clusterfuck after another, I hope our lists can help get you back in a metal mood.
Cultic – Of Fire and Sorcery (Eleventh Key, USA)
Cardinals Folly + Purification – Possessed In The Ritual Grove (Rafchild Records, USA)
Eric Wagner – In the Lonely Light of Mourning (Cruz del Sur Music, USA)
Mamorlis – Sturdy as an Oak (Independent, USA)
Midas – Midas (No Remorse Records, USA)
Negative Plane – The Pact… (The Ajna Offensive/Invictus Productions, USA)
Nite – Voices of the Kronian Moon (Season of Mist, USA)
Sunrise Patriot Motion – Black Fellflower Stream (Independent, USA)
The Spirit – Of Clarity and Galactic Structures (AOP Records, Germany)
The Mountain King – WolloW (Cursed Monk Records, Germany)
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Andrew Sacher
We’re halfway through 2022, and there’s already too much good music this year to keep track of. On the heavy side of things, there’s been a slew of heavy hitters, and I’ve picked my ten favorites, which range from death metal to hardcore to sludge and beyond. Three of these are technically EPs, but all of them feel just as massive as the full-lengths (and in the streaming era, the lines between EPs/albums/mixtapes/etc are blurrier than ever anyway). My favorite part of these mid-year lists is they’re a great way to catch up on stuff you might’ve missed or not spent enough time with, so if you’re reading this, I hope you find something you like. Here’s my list, in alphabetical order:
APES – Lullabies For Eternal Sleep (Translation Loss Records, Canada)
Candy – Heaven Is Here (Relapse Records, USA)
Cult of Luna – The Long Road North (Metal Blade Records/Red Creek Records, Sweden)
Heriot – Profound Morality (Church Road Records, UK)
Primitive Man – Insurmountable (Closed Casket Activities, USA)
p.s.you’redead – Sugar Rot (Paper Wings/Chillwavve/Salsa Verde Fanzine, USA)
Rolo Tomassi – Where Myth Becomes Memory (MNRK Heavy, UK)
Soul Glo – Diaspora Problems (Epitaph, USA)
Undeath – It’s Time… To Rise from the Grave (Prosthetic Records,USA)
Vein.fm – This World Is Going To Ruin You (Closed Casket Activities, USA)
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Brandon Corsair
2022 has in a lot of ways been a release of the floodgates. Bands that spent months or years waiting for the pandemic to end to release something to be able to tour on it, bands that spent that time frantically songwriting, and the normal album release cycle have resulted in some of the heaviest release months that I can remember. Not all of it is great but goddamn if a lot of it isn’t. I still need time to process some of these but I feel confident that all of these are worth anyone’s time, and I’m ecstatic especially that some of these longer-delayed ones (LOOKING AT YOU, NEGATIVE PLANE) are here. My normal end of year list excludes short-lengths like EPs, demos, and splits, but for this special half-year article I’m not going to leave anything out.
Special shoutouts as well to Predatory Light, Mirror, and Cryptworm, who all blew me away but just haven’t had enough listening time yet to justify a vote.
In no particular order-
Negative Plane – The Pact… (Ajna Offensive / Invictus Productions, USA)
Immolation – Acts of God (Nuclear Blast, USA)
Voivod – Synchro Anarchy (Century Media Records, Canada)
Cauchemar – Rosa Mystica (Temple of Mystery, Canada)
Luzifer – Iron Shackles (High Roller Records, Germany)
Iron Griffin – Storm of Magic (Independent, Finland)
Bergfried – Romantik (Malferna Productions, Austria)
Sölicitör – All Debts on Death (Gates of Hell, USA)
Anatomia / Undergang – Anatomia / Undergang (Me Saco Un Ojo Records, Japan / Denmark)
The Chasm – The Scars of a Lost Reflective Shadow (Lux Inframundis Productions, USA)
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Cheryl Carter
Music is, for me, an escape. An escape from a hard day, an escape from my brain, and an escape from the reality of how monumentally fucked our planet is on a daily basis. Sometimes, the music that is listened to the most isn’t even new… it’s old favorites that are comforting in the way that you know exactly how it’s going to turn out. New music often takes time to truly sink in and become one of those classic “go-to” records and the ten that appear on the list below are the ones that grabbed me immediately. They felt exciting straightaway, or tapped into emotions that had long been pushed to the deepest depths and the music allowed them release.
Music is a personal matter for the most part, in that everyone will have their own singular experience of an album, whether the band captured a moment of nostalgia or heartache or catharsis. The records on this list did all of that and more and so fast became 2022’s most-listened to. Some were able to be experienced live as the world began to open up once again and some will never be performed on stage in even our wildest dreams, but the music will live on forever in physical form and in our hearts.
Blut Aus Nord – Disharmonium – Undreamable Abysses (Debemur Morti Productions, France)
Carpenter Brut – Leather Terror (No Quarter Prod, France)
Final Light – Final Light (Red Creek Recordings, Sweden/UK)
40 Watt Sun – Perfect Light (Svart Records/Independent, UK)
Hangman’s Chair – A Loner (Nuclear Blast, France)
Nechochwen – Kanawha Black (Bindrune Recordings, USA)
Negative Plane – The Pact… (The Ajna Offensive/Invictus Productions, USA)
Shape Of Despair – Return To The Void (Season of Mist, Finland)
Thou and Mizmor – Myopia (Gilead Media, USA)
trhӓ – tálcunnana dëhajma tun dejl bënatsë abcul’han dlhenisë ëlh inagat, jahadlhë adrhasha dauzglën nu dlhevusao ibajngra nava líeshtamhan ëf novejhan conetsë danëctsë kin, ëf tu dlhicadëtrhënna bë ablhundrhaba judjenan alhëtangrasë shidandlhamësë inkom (Independent, USA)
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Neill Jameson
This year feels like it’s flowing by at the speed of a piss after four or five beers and it seems to be heading in the same direction (that’s right into the shitter for those of you playing at home). For a year that’s been marked by sadness (the passing of Trevor Strnad, the suicide at MDF, I’m sure I’m missing many more) and filth (that girl pissing into dude’s mouth during Autopsy at MDF, I’m gladly missing more) I’ve really tried to pay as little attention to the cultural goings-on as possible, to save whatever sliver of sanity I have left. There have been some fucking bangers released this year, though. Here’s ten of them:
Rigorous Institution – Cainsmarsh (Blackwater Records, USA)
Blut Aus Nord – Disharmonium – Undreamable Abysses (Debemur Morti Productions, France)
Revenant Marquis – Milk Teeth (Deathprayer Records, UK)
Killing Joke – Lord of Chaos (Spinefarm Records, UK)
Hersker – Befængt (Caligari Records, Denmark)
Primitive Force – Beholding the Wrath (Damien Records, USA)
Gates of Dawn – Gates of Dawn (Death Hymns, USA)
Hive – Spiritual Poverty (Translation Loss Records, USA)
Gam – Hvisken fra Skyggernes Vr (Den Ottende Kunst, Denmark)
Brånd – Wo Draht Da Weg? (Fallow Field/Födweg, Austria)
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Brandon Nurick
As someone whose profession (er, profession-ish) revolves around consuming music, it’s often been very easy for me to become overwhelmed by the sheer volume of new tunes I need to listen to in order to “keep up” with what’s current. Even then, no amount of listening is ever enough and it makes the act feel cold and transactional; the only “good” it does is allow me to say I didn’t miss out on hearing whatever the flavor of the week was. That’s not why I got into music writing and that’s certainly not why I love music. So, earlier this year, I decided to make the concerted effort to listen to what I like more. Normally I wouldn’t bother to bring this up, but I feel like that’s important to say so you know that the following list of my favorites so far this year, are truly my favorites. From prog-infused post-hardcore of Gospel to Pharmacist’s entrail-covered goregrind, I genuinely love every record on this list and though there are only ten of them, these albums are enough to convince that 2022 has already been a fantastic year in music.
Gospel – The Loser (Dog Knights Productions, Canada)
Falls of Rauros – Key to A Vanishing Future (Gilead Media, USA)
Blut Aus Nord – Disharmonium – Undreamable Abysses (Debemur Morti Productions, France)
Pharmacist – Flourishing Extremities On Unspoiled Mental Ground (
Bizarre Leprous Production, Japan)
Crooked Life – 22 (Independent, USA)
Venom Prison – Erebos (Century Media Records, UK)
trhä – tálcunnana dëhajma tun dejl bënatsë abcul’han dlhenisë ëlh inagat, jahadlhë adrhasha dauzglën nu dlhevusao ibajngra nava líeshtamhan ëf novejhan conetsë danëctsë kin, ëf tu dlhicadëtrhënna bë ablhundrhaba judjenan alhëtangrasë shidandlhamësë inkom
Mycorrhizae – Mycorrhizae (Big Bovine, USA)
Homeskin – Cries Methodically (Independent, USA)
Immolation – Acts of God (Nuclear Blast, USA)
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Colin Dempsey
After Cloud9’s Joseph “Mang0” Marquez won the Big House 9 in 2019, the last in-person Super Smash Bros. Melee tournament before the pandemic, he said, of a game that was nearly (and now, over) 20 years old, “There is so much more Melee to be played.” Replace the word “melee” with ‘metal” and his statement rings even more true. Musicians are still finding ways to delve deeper and pull more out of themselves through metal. They mine the seeds planted by those before them and push music forward while keeping the integral components intact. Or, they’re throwing everything out of the window, pushing their recordings to the outer limits of good taste.
If 2022 has proven anything, it’s that there will always be a new release to satisfy even the most depraved desires. Metal is a never ending well with rewards aplenty. This year alone has brought albums that defy conventional designations; some have been slutty while others have been fatty. All are welcome. The more metal there is to challenge us, the better.
Blut Aus Nord – Disharmonium – Undreamable Abysses (Debemur Morti Productions, France)
CLEAVER – No More Must Crawl (Klonosphere Records, France)
Falls of Rauros – Keys to a Vanishing Future (Gilead Media/Eisenwald, USA)
Gonemage – Master of Disgust… (Independent, USA)
Immolation – Acts of God (Nuclear Blast, USA)
Horns & Hooves – I Am the Skel Messiah (Invictus Productions/Stygian Black Hand, USA)
Oblivion Castle – Sorcière (V.C.H. Music, Mexico)
The Spirit – Of Clarity and Galactic Structures (AOP Records, Germany)
Ultha – All that has Never been True (Vendetta Records, Germany)
Wiegedood – There’s Always Blood at the End of the Road (Century Media Records, Belgium)
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Tom Campagna
2022, from a live music perspective, has been a return to form — from attending MDF to Decibel Metal and Beer Fest to being able to be with my wonderful community of ragtag metal heads, which has become more of a family since COVID hit, I love you all. 2022, from a new release standpoint, has been a steady stream of good to great albums; however, this mixed bag of heavy, eclectic and rocking albums are what have gotten me going throughout the first 6 months of the ear, with some of the most anticipated albums coming in July (Wormrot, Municipal Waste and more) for me. A good mix of things as per my usual taste, there is power in riffs and these records are a prime example of exactly that.
Artificial Brain – Artificial Brain (Profound Lore, USA)
Cosmic Putrefaction – Crepuscular Dirge For The Blessed Ones (Profound Lore, Italy)
Ghost – Impera (Loma Vista, Sweden)
Holocausto Canibal – Crueza Ferina (Selfmadegod Records, Portugal)
Meshuggah – Immutable (Atomic Fire Records, Sweden)
Midnight – Let There Be Witchery (Metal Blade, USA)
Temple of Void – Summoning the Slayer (Relapse, USA)
Undeath – It’s Time… To Rise from the Grave (Prosthetic Records,USA)
Venator – Echoes From The Gutter (Dying Victims, Austria)
Voivod – Synchro Anarchy (Century Media Records, Canada)
Welsh death metal-by-way-of-hardcore warriors Venom Prison are back with their fourth proper album Erebos, released February 4th via Nuclear Blast (get it on limited green vinyl). The distinct vocals of front woman Larissa Stupar are a continuing, unique highlight, whose piercing delivery has unexpected gruff undertones that contrast against the band’s metallic mechanisms. Erebos also includes some of Venom Prison’s most ambitious songs to date, namely “Nemesis” and “Comfort of Complicity.” The former could become a standout song for years to come, with an excellent balance of each band member’s contributions, plus some electronics thrown in for good measure. The latter track starts off much like the rest of the album: eventually giving way to genuine beauty. Slowly, the band sheds their hard exterior while still flying high. The wonderful combination of delicately played harmonics against the backdrop of Stupar’s stellar delivery is an exercise in tremendous songwriting.
Devotees will find themselves looking at a slightly different Venom Prison, however the evolution is worth the price of admission as Erebos might be the band’s best album to date, especially with a middle section that includes standout “Pain of Oizys,” another exercise in balance featuring the seldom-used clean sung vocals. Opening track “Judges of the Underworld” is a slow pounder before the drums and guitars shift gears to feeling like the band is about to crush a basement venue on repeat; circle pits are a requirement for Venom Prison.
We spoke with guitarist and founding member Ash Gray about the band’s lineup consistency influences, what the band likes to do outside of metal, their favorite bands, and Venom Prison’s future plans.
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Not a lot has changed personnel-wise in quite a while and the well-roundedness of Erebos shows off a versatile machine, what do you contribute to the strength of the band’s foundation?
I think everyone in this band stepped forward for this record in their skills and creativity, myself and Ben primarily write everything then introduce it to the members and start dissecting it and improving. I think we had a clear idea of how we wanted to approach this record so it was a matter of trying until it was achieved. I think I contribute creativity and organisation to be honest with you, but I always feel everyone contributes in one way or another, it’s the only way to make a band work properly.
What bands and/or albums were the driving force behind Venom Prison’s sound?
There really isn’t. I take inspiration from a lot of bands and records but to pinpoint one record is just too linear. I always go with the feeling and how in my mind Venom Prison would sound at that point, I don’t want to replicate anyone’s sound or ideas, maybe we have a similar idea to someone else but it wouldn’t be intentional. My favourite bands/artists could range from Placebo to Carcass or Ozzy, Human League, synth pop generally, I feel to be as creative as possible you just need to allow yourself to put whatever it is you like in that moment down and it’s not forced or copied.
Larissa’s powerful voice has become instantly recognizable, what are her major influences sonically? Are there any outliers to the metallic sound she possesses?
Same again, I’ve known Larissa for a long time now and I’ve never once heard her say I want to be like this or that, it’s just improving what and who you are, everyones got some form of uniqueness you just have to find it then perfect it. Most of this band came from hardcore bands and back then all we wanted to do was plug guitars in, pick up a mic and make a room go wild, it was never about who we wanted to be.
What was the recording process for Erebos like?
Amazing, such a learning curve for the band and each of us personally. It was about reflecting on what Venom Prison has done to date and how we are going to improve every aspect of this band and sound. Scott Atkins was amazing to us and helped a lot with the whole process, even before recording, I’d send him pre production of the record and he’d say “this bit’s killer, needs to come back” so that would be sorted from home then even entering the studio we had zero problems in things changing as we went along, we had time on our side, creativity was allowed even in the studio rather than you’ve got six days to record this record, I hope everything is done type thing.
“Nemesis” is the whole package of drums and guitars playing together, Larissa breaking down the wall, even a little room for some experimental electronics. What went into the songwriting for that?
I remember coming up with the main riff and it felt different but something I knew that would belong to Venom Prison, I knew we wanted to structure a lot more on Erebos but finding a way to not just make it A B A B C structure but still catchy enough was difficult but it had to keep those Venom Prison roots, I think by time we finished the record every song had some form of electronic or synth of each song so it was just about making the songs sound consistent with each other as a full length.
“Comfort of Complicity” has an air of beauty about it, while still being brutally heavy, is it difficult to balance those two disparate things?
Extremely difficult I believe, generally anything like that on Erebos was tough as you need to sit back and say what it is too much and what isn’t enough, we wanted to add layers and depth to this record so we knew we had to push boundaries but not stripping our core sound or roots.
What have you all been doing to keep busy aside from the music itself?
Everyone’s got loads going on in the band and outside of the band, so much creative content we’ve been creating lately for the band which is new to us and quite exciting to support Erebos, we’ve never really been that band in the past but with lockdown etc, it seemed like the right thing to do and we ended up enjoying it.
I like bikes, motorbikes, mountain bikes, cars, video games, I work in the arts and creative sector at home so it’s always a busy day including Venom Prison happening as well. The others are very similar to me in that sense.
What are some albums that either got you through the last 2 years or you’re looking forward to in 2022?
Difficult question, I’ve been so wrapped up in Erebos for so long I kind of shut off from the world for a short while and my brain turns into Venom Prison mode, hah! Placebo have a new record in March which I’m down for. I really enjoyed that Sleep Token record as well from last year I believe but other than that I was probably blasting Ozzy out my car with the roof down (in Summer, obviously).
Any prospective touring plans for the near future?
We have festivals planned but touring for now we are figuring out, it’s being talked about and planned but ultimately we’ve got so much in the pipeline for Erebos it’s hard to plan too far ahead when so much needs sorting now.
Anything else you would like to add?
Be sure to check out Erebos – www.venomprison.com, spread the word.
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Here are the new (and recent) metal releases for the week of January 30th 2022 to February 5th, 2022. 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.
Upcoming Releases
Venom Prison — Erebos | Century Media | Death Metal + Hardcore | United Kingdom
Venom Prison is one of those bands where genre labels seem like a futile, inadequate attempt at categorization, but they’re an acceptable starting point: while they’ve held on to their devastating death metal and hardcore underpinnings here, Erebos is emotionally charged and sometimes even fragile, full of wild exploration that goes a bit beyond what we’ve heard before from the band.
–Ted Nubel
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Saxon — Carpe Diem | Silver Lining Music | Heavy Metal | United Kingdom
This is now Saxon’s twenty-third album, and frankly, the fact that they’re still able to write new songs without accidentally just covering old ones deserves significant respect on its own. With a staunchly consistent lineup as well, Saxon’s commitment to heavy metal is evident, and—fortunately, or else I’d be unsure what else to say here—album number 23 is pretty good. Biff Byford’s vocals still rip it up, and the band knows how to write a riff that hits hard and then gift-wrap it in gleaming steel for our eager consumption.
–Ted Nubel
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Abysmal Dawn — Nightmare Frontier | Season of Mist | Death Metal | United States (Los Angeles, CA)
After five straight full-lengths since their first demo, an EP release is a nice change of pace for the band, offering a slightly shorter-form demonstration of their riff-packed, malicious death metal.
–Ted Nubel
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Krvvla — X | Brucia Records | Post-Black Metal | Belarus
Krvvla’s twisted offerings are disconnected from reality. They are voids to tumble down as opposed to creations forged by human hands. They are blunt, repetitive, and all-encompassing.
–Colin Dempsey
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Persefone — Metanoia | Napalm Records | Progressive Metal + Melodic Death Metal | Andorra
Persefone overload the senses to the point that one wonders whether it’s possible to overdose on dopamine. The group keeps their ambitions large even in tight contexts like “Katabasis,” a five-minute track that plays like an entire album’s highlight reel.
–Colin Dempsey
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Seremonia — Neonlusifer | Svart Records | Psychedelic Rock + Doom Metal | Finland
Neonlusifer is, quite possibly, one of the druggiest-sounding psychedelic doom records I’ve ever heard. Sometimes you only get a vague indication that there was probably at least weed involved—but here, I’m not ruling anything out. If you’re a psych-rock purist lamenting the lack of true psych rock influences in doom metal, get on this.
–Ted Nubel
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Thorn — Yawning Depths | Chaos Records | Death + Doom Metal | United States (Phoenix, AZ)
A new, mutilating chapter in Thorn’s abominable tale—we’ve got an interview about the new record coming tomorrow.
–Ted Nubel
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Skinliv / Vermisst — Split | Nebular Carcoma | Black Metal | Denmark + Poland
From Jon Rosenthal’s full album premiere:
Denmark’s Skinliv (which I believe is tangentially related to the prolific Korpsånd circle) and Poland’s Vermisst both operate in a similar sphere; both bands compose ethereal takes on black metal, often relying on keyboards to “fill in the cracks” where guitars, vocals, drums, and bass might not quite reach. This doesn’t make them symphonic, though, just to be clear, as both acts operate on a subtler level than their VST-laden cousins–both Vermisst and Skinliv look towards atmosphere as a primary, often doubled with some sort of aggression, be it a riff-after-riff onslaught or a sinister melody which sneaks its way through to the surface.
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Trauma Field — From Wounded Soil | Independent | Melodic Doom + Death Metal | Finland
Trauma Field’s melodic death-doom ventures beyond the sad and gothic realms the genre usually explores, instead opting for a majestic triumphant atmosphere that occasionally gives way to sorrow.
–Ted Nubel
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Bevar Sea — The Timeless Zone | Metal Assault Records | Heavy + Stoner + Doom Metal | India
Bevar Sea’s newest album is a curious mix of groove-focused stoner doom and burly heavy metal: one one hand, it packs majestic riffs and leads, but it’s also teeming with swampy chugs and raspy vocals. This is one of those two-great-tastes scenarios, but also a look at how there’s still ways to toy with the boundaries between subgenres.
–Ted Nubel
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Cryptivore — Celestial Extinction | Bitter Loss Records | Death Metal +Grindcore | Australia
Celestial Extinction got its filthy, rotting hooks into me within seconds—it is not a record at all concerned with easing the listener in or wasting time, instead tossing you into a HM-2-fueled maelstrom of twisting riffs and perception-shifting grooves.
–Ted Nubel
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Seid — Svartr sól | Independent | Black Metal | Sweden
Viking-themed black metal that’s suited for long trips down a fjord. Seid turn gallivanting rhythms into the backdrop for existential questions about warfare.
–Colin Dempsey
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Dorchadas — Uisge | Independent | Black Metal | United Kingdom (Scotland)
Rainy and dolorously-paced black metal from Scotland that sets out a convincing, sad ‘n’ cozy atmosphere, and then knocks out some catchy riffs within it.
–Ted Nubel
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Obsidian Sea — Pathos | Ripple Music | Doom Metal | Bulgaria
Obsidian Sea takes a sort of proto-prog approach to stoner/doom, never shy about inserting vocal harmonies and dazzling guitar antics in-between cowbell-driven grooves. If you theoretically dig stoner/doom metal, but dread stereotypical conformity, there’s nothing to fear here.
–Ted Nubel
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Golgothan — Leech | Lacerated Enemy Records | Death Metal | United States (Louisiana)
Golgothan takes tidbits from brutal death metal without going knee-deep into unintelligible swamps. It’s still a bloody mess, thankfully, with earworm grooves and touches of 90s death metal.
–Colin Dempsey
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Sphinx — Deathstroke | Diabolic Might Records | Thrash Metal | Germany
This is a throwback to when thrash metal was synonymous with violence. Sphinx has the same vivacity as their Teutonic thrash ancestors and the stonefaced dedication to keep it dangerous.
–Colin Dempsey
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Genophobic Perversion — Conversationalist | Independent | Noise + Goregrind + Sludge Metal | United States (Massachusetts)
Buried beneath all the ways Genophobic Perversion challenge conventional good tastes (of which there are many, like the unforgiving drum production) are the revelatory moments when the cacophony lines up with itself. The incessant noise, subhuman vocals, and lacerating guitars align almost as a reward for surviving Conversationalist.
–Colin Dempsey
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Grimentity — DSM-5. The New Chapter | Independent | Death Metal + Grindcore | Belarus
Grimenity would be worthwhile for their muscular approach to deathgrind alone, but they’re also hilarious lyricists. Here’s an excerpt from “Psilocybin Recombination”:
Oh, how I love this sweet blend of smells,
Created by the harmony of dampness and rotting flesh!
The perfect flavor can only be accompanied by
2nd concert of Rachmaninov
–Colin Dempsey
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The Final Sleep — Vessels of Grief | Independent | Progressive Metal | United States (New York)
If three layers of guitars weren’t enough to satisfy you, you greedy pig, then how about three vocal layers? The Final Sleep use their trident philosophy to hit multiple registers simultaneously. It’s incredibly cohesive. Plus, there’s a punkish toughness hidden amongst their ranks that contrasts against the operatic choruses.
–Colin Dempsey
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Abhoria — Abhoria | Prosthetic Records | Black Metal | United States (Los Angeles, CA)
Abhoria flex their chops on this release, blending aggressive black metal with high-speed technical flourishes, but the primary goal isn’t showing off as much as it is ensuring absolute ruin. A mix of screams and brusque, almost-spoken-word growls accompany the instrumental maelstrom like harbingers of a coming end.
–Ted Nubel
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Here are the new (and recent) metal releases for the week of October 4th to October 10th, 2020. 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.
Surprise Releases + Things We Missed
Giant — Born Again Dead Again | Independent | Stoner Metal + Doom Metal | Australia
Bandcamp offers a lot of real estate to describe what your album is about, right underneath the tracklist. Some bands will put in snippets of reviews, maybe a bio, press blurb, or history of how the album came to be. Here’s how Giant uses that space:
“BIG RIFFS GET EM IN YA”
Well, what are you waiting for? Inject these doomed-up, smoked-out riffs right into your veins.
–Ted Nubel
Upcoming Releases
Inferi — Of Sunless Realms | The Artisan Era | Technical Death Metal | United States (Tennessee)
From Ivan Belcic’s EP premiere:
For a band who seem incapable of tying themselves down to the same groove for more than eight measures at a time, Inferi have written a remarkably fluid collection of songs that capitalizes on their recent full-lengths to reaffirm their status as one of the brightest names in progressive tech-death.
Check out the premiere for a full stream.
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Venom Prison — Primeval | Prosthetic Records | Death Metal + Hardcore | United Kingdom
Venom Prison, a totally kickass band, just got more kickass: this Primeval release comprises the Defy The Tyrant demo and The Primal Chaos EP, but also two new songs that the band has said hints toward where they might be going musically. The band’s extremely pissed-off blend of death and hardcore continues to shine like a beacon for really compelling art making its way up from the underground.
— Andrew Rothmund
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Yatra — All is Lost | Grimoire Records | Doom + Sludge Metal | United States (Maryland)
The second Yatra album of 2020, and it comes with a shift in sound — moving further towards noisy aggression rather than riding stoner metal grooves. That certainly fits the harsh vocals and energy of the band, especially in this rawer-sounding package, and the ripping solos and twisted riffs are still in full force.
— Ted Nubel
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Blue Öyster Cult — The Symbol Remains | Frontiers Records | Hard Rock | United States
It’s been just about twenty years since the last Blue Öyster Cult album, and, let’s be honest, more than that since there was one worth listening to (my love for 1988’s Imaginos, including the demo version, can never go understated however). And yet, The Symbol Remains is pretty damn good — lead single “That Was Me,” for instance, captures the inimitable magic of the band with its whimsical lyrics and cowbell use. Not going to lie — there’s some rough patches — but there’s also tracks that match up to their classics. The symbol does indeed remain, 50-ish years later.
P.S.: Note a) Albert Bouchard’s appearance, and b) the Spinal Tap nod in this video!
— Ted Nubel
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Ixion — L’Adieu aux Etoiles | Finisterian Dead End | Atmospheric Doom Metal | France
From Ted Nubel’s album premiere:
Like the soundtrack to an offworld funeral, the French death/doom duo Ixion‘s upcoming album L’Adieu aux Etoiles blends the mournful cadence and timbre of funeral doom with a sci-fi thrill, building suspense and atmosphere through starry synthesizers and looming pads. Heavy, oppressing, airy, and wondrous: it’s a paradox that can only exist beyond the speed of light.
See the album premiere for a full stream.
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Hellripper — The Affair of the Poisons | Peaceville Records | Black Metal + Speed Metal | Scotland
Hellripper will remind many of metalpunk heroes Midnight not only for the very prevalent Motörhead and Venom worship, but likewise being a band composed and run by a single individual, in this case James McBain of Scotland. Last year’s ep Black Arts & Alchemy, which contains one of the best chorus chants ever with “All Hail the Goat,” helped elevate the project to the attention of metal heavyweight label Peaceville who are now prepared to release Hellripper’s second full length The Affair of the Poisons.
What follows is certainly what one might expect for a rock and rolling black-thrash attack, but here further refined with touches of German thrash metal and currents of melodic ferocity via Sweden’s Nifelheim. The opening title track is a great primer for what’s to come as it shifts from a Candlemass mid-paced doom stomp into a whirlwind of speed metal riffs pummeling you in the face while melodic hooks demand you sing along, all conjured in tribute to the true-to-life madness of a 17th Century witchcraft trial that enveloped the court of France’s King Louis XIV. So what more is there to say, but prepare to bang your head to this young speed riffing goatlord of demonic lore.
— Joe Aprill
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Gargoyl — Gargoyl | Season of Mist | Prog/Grunge Metal | United States (Massachusetts)
Grungy prog metal? Yes, yes indeed. This is a combination you didn’t know you needed — the slippery time signatures here are hard to pin down, but it drives forward with a relentless zeal anchored in both progressive flashiness and gritty impact. Features Revocation guitarist and vocalist Dave Davidson.
— Ted Nubel
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Hexer — Realm of the Feathered Serpent | The Crawling Chaos Records | Black Metal + Doom Metal | Germany
Blackened doom that sits in a lesser-used niche between the genres: a space less focused on aggression that’s full of oddities, cool riffs, and unorthodox musical modes. There’s an amazing amount of headroom on this album, giving the screams copious amounts of space to echo out into while still keeping those esoteric guitar licks front and center. Even their desktop Bandcamp page layout is weird — always a good sign.
–Ted Nubel
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R.I.P. — Dead End | RidingEasy Records | Doom Metal | United States (Oregon)
R.I.P. bills themselves as “Street Doom,” and that’s probably the best descriptor I can give you. Roughshod, riff-packed, up-tempo heavy rock that still unquestionably dooms like a motherfucker. Every second of listening to this band is one of sheer joy, but also an invitation to start pounding forties in the nearest parking lot.
–Ted Nubel
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Warlung — Optical Delusions | Heavy Psych Sounds | Stoner Rock + Doom | United States (Texas)
From Ted Nubel’s premiere of the “The Scorpion in the Sand”:
Just like the ominous figures assembled on the album art hide swirling vortexes within their cloaks, Warlung’s upcoming full-length Optical Delusions is more fantastical than it initially seems. Gratuitously saturated guitar kicks off the track “The Scorpion in the Sand,” invigorating riff-rock in its most classic form, but prolonged exposure reveals a psychedelic core that jams even as it warps your mind.
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In this series, Ivan Belcic invites sneaker-lovers from the metal world at large to share some favorites from their collections, pairing them with metal albums that fit just right.
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“Fashion defines cultures we are fascinated in or surrounded by.”
I wasn’t surprised to learn that Venom Prison had a sneakerhead in their midst. After all, they’re the band that recently dropped a tee and hoodie collab with streetwear icons The Hundreds — and so the only question was, who?
As it happens, it’s guitarist Ash Gray. As a young skater, Gray got his sneaker start with the tools of the trade. “I wore skate shoes, I was a skater,” he recalls. And though he’s always been drawn to metal, Gray wasn’t feeling the associated footwear: the “goth boots,” as he puts it, that his classmates wore at school.
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But when he began exploring the local hardcore scene, he found a whole new mode of self-expression and self-realization waiting for him. “I got into hardcore when I was young and noticed the streetwear culture of it instantly. It’s the same as hip-hop,” Gray says. “I started going to local shows after school, and that’s where sneakers and fashion all started to make sense to me.”
Between “all the Air Maxes and Reeboks” he saw around him at these events, it wasn’t long before Gray’s own passion for sneakers began working its way to the surface.
In both the metal and sneaker subcultures, and in streetwear as well, people can face immense pressure to conform — to pick up the hyped releases, to be hyped about the trendiest labels, to look and act the part at all times, both online and off. Fall into that pattern, and you can easily lose sight of what initially drew you in. “Music has a massive impact on fashion and what people like,” Gray says, but by no means does he feel that anyone should let one determine the other.
“If you like it, and that’s what you like, then you should just wear it,” he affirms. “Don’t worry about what others say.”
— Ivan Belcic
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Nike Air Max 98 (Gunsmoke / Team Orange / Laser Orange)
I’m sure I picked these up when Venom Prison was on tour with Fit For an Autopsy, I’m sure I got them from the Snipes store in Belgium, and the day I got them was my birthday. Every tour, I always end up coming home with a new pair, even if it’s boots. This Air Max 98 colorway is wild, and I fell in love with them instantly, adding to the retro vibe for those returning 98s.
Bands like Carcass, Death, and Napalm Death opened up a lot of different subgenres in metal. Death got me into a lot of more progressive metal and generally more death metal. The Sound of Perseverance probably isn’t the best match, but the record was out in 1998 and this Air Max design was from 1998. The trainer is definitely loud, and this record shreds.
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Nike Presto Fly SE (Oliver / Cargo Khaki)
I got these on the Trivium tour Venom Prison supported, and I also believe I got these from Snipes in Belgium as well, definitely a coincidence. These are also definitely the most comfortable pair I own. I use these for running and as stage shoes — fear not, these are easy to wash.
The Trivium tour was Venom Prison’s biggest tour to date, with the biggest venues throughout the tour. I met a lot of great people on this tour and have a lot of good memories. We had a lot of time during the day before load-ins and soundchecking, so we were able to explore a lot. Same as every tour, I come across a pair of trainers or boots, and I’m like, “Yep, I probably need them.” You can never have enough footwear.
Cro-Mags’ Best Wishes is my go-to running record, and these are my running pair. It’s that or Exodus’ Bonded by Blood. I got into Cro-Mags when I was discovering hardcore and punk from local shows when I was younger. Seeing who those bands were influenced by and what people were listening to led me to bands like Cro-Mags, Leeway, Terror, and Buried Alive.
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Nike Air Max 95 (Neutral Olive / Total Orange)
It’s all about the orange on these trainers. I’ve had multiple pairs of 95s over the years, but these are definitely my favourite. I’m sure I picked these up just hanging around Cardiff with some mates one weekend. We used to all get together on the weekends to hang out, chat, walk around, check out some stores and chill. I didn’t get these from somewhere mental or when something wild happened, but it’s cool to acknowledge the good times you’ve had with friends, rather than everything having to have a purpose and a story.
Hatebreed and Satisfaction Is the Death of Desire: mosh record for mosh trainers. If I still had Air Max 91s, I would’ve picked them for mosh trainers. I spent many years rocking some 91s, going to shows and seeing my mates rock them — I thought they were the coolest trainers around at the time. I’m sure Hatebreed were touring near where I lived, maybe on that Dying Fetus package they did in 2016 or 2017, when I bought these. They’re another band that opened a lot of doors for me, more on the side of hardcore and punk and getting into the whole scene.
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Nike Air Max Tailwind IV (Black / White)
These are the only black trainers I own. I have black boots and shoes, but not trainers. Long story short, I picked these up just before we were meant to go on tour this year — Download Australia, Sydney and Melbourne, Southeast Asia and Hammersonic Festival, Parkway Drive, Hatebreed and Stick to Your Guns in Europe and UK. Due to COVID-19, the tours got cancelled, and I think this is probably the second time I’ve put these on… so they’re nice and clean. I think I put them on in the house once as well, so okay, I’ve worn them three times.
I thought I would treat myself to some new trainers for the tour, so yeah, I got excited and got ready for five weeks of tours coming my way. Then they all got cancelled, so these trainers will probably remind me of that.
Since I’ve only worn them three times, I’m going to have to pick something relevant to the story of when and why I picked them up: Ozzy Osbourne, Blizzard of Ozz. The first track, “I Don’t Know,” opens with lines pretty relevant to the current times, and I like this record a lot. My father used to listen to this album a lot. My father is a big Maiden, Motorhead and Sabbath fan, so that naturally rubbed off onto me.
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Reebok Classic Workout Plus (White)
I’ve always had a soft spot for Reebok Classics; you can’t really go wrong with them. For me, it was either New Balance or Reebok, and I always swayed towards Reebok, more even when I was a kid. I remember nagging my parents for a full Reebok tracksuit and Reebok Classics to go with it. I wish it all still fits. I’m sure that I looked ten out of ten on the fashion scale. I’ll check if I can still fit in them later, but I was 14, so let’s just assume not. I admire how minimal these are, but the soles of these Reeboks just win me over of these than some of the other designs.
For these, I need to pick something thrash metal, and it’s Arise by Sepultura. Picture all those old-school thrash bands rocking high-tops in their promo photos, Reebok or Nike, either are cool. These aren’t high-tops, but they’re definitely my pick for a relevant match.
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Venom Prison’s latest album Samsara was released March 15th, 2019. Check out our interview with Gray from last year.
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Check out the prior installments of Metal Shoebox:
Metal Shoebox #1: Chris Smith of of Narakah and Grey Aria Design Studio
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It’s nice to stop and smell the flowers every so often… or, alternatively, your favorite metal albums so far this year. And while I do not personally recommend sniffing your vinyl/CDs/whathaveyou, I do recommend reflecting on what makes your favorite albums so special. Remember, think not about what your music says about you, but what you have to say about yourself in context of your favorite music. Did you learn anything new about your tastes? Did you discover something that you’d have hated just a year ago? Are you changing? Is the world changing?
Big questions, but we have some big albums to answer them. Before we get into the lists, check out this roundup of Invisible Oranges articles from earlier this year — we had covered many of the albums that our contributors/writers selected. As always, stay metal, and let us know in the comments what your personal top picks are for halfway through 2019.
— Andrew Rothmund
Warforged (video interview)
Gomorrah (album premiere)
Dead to a Dying World (song premiere + interview)
Numenorean (song premiere)
Big|Brave (full review)
Cosmic Putrefaction (song premiere)
Primitive Man + Hell (full review)
Shabti (album premiere)
Inter Arma (interview) + Inter Arma (full review)
Dreadnought (interview)
Town Portal (song premiere)
Pound (song premiere)
Kaleikr (album premiere)
Hath (song premiere)
Violet Cold (full review)
Full of Hell (interview)
Oozing Wound (interview)
Herod (song premiere)
Aoratos (song premiere)
Pinkish Black (full review)
Spirit Adrift (interview)
Venom Prison (interview)
Candlemass (interview)
The Lord Weird Slough Feg (interview)
Waste of Space Orchestra (full review)
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Andrew Rothmund
What a year (so far). Personally, it’s been tough as a concrete turd already. Music-wise, we’ve been graced with some of the hottest, most wicked metal ever laid to tape. It’s my very honest opinion that metal keeps getting even better (especially as the world around us continues to decay). This doesn’t mean that more prosperous times (for everyone, not just the rich) in the world’s history didn’t result in great metal. It just means that when people struggle, fight, and sometimes perish due to unfair structures in the world around us, that extreme music gets a concomitant boost. Metal is life, metal is pain, metal is suffering, but metal is the ultimate catharsis. Let’s hope (and work) for a better world in the future; for now, let’s enjoy better music for all.
Warforged — I: Voice
Gomorrah — Gomorrah
Dawn of Nil — Culminating Ruins
Wolvennest — Vortex EP
Dead to a Dying World — Elegy
Numenorean — Adore
Nusquama — Horizon Ontheemt
Big|Brave — A Gaze Among Them
Defacement — Deviant
Cosmic Putrefaction — At the Threshold of the Greatest Chasm
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Thomas Hinds
The year 2019, at least thus far, has been the year of revitalized sludge. It seems that across the full gamut of metal’s countless subgenres, a grimy, unforgivingly course demeanor now casts a shadow of angst and catharsis upon all new material. The past sixth months has seen the proliferation of a primordial, destructive energy that has spurred a stylistic convergence between styles once considered dissimilar; from the otherworldly death metal dungeon slime of Nucleus and Fetid, to the crunch-heavy mathematics of Pound and Town Portal, to the psychedelic tribal doom of Zaum and Numidia, it’s safe to say that this new wave of dark introspection and unbridled rage has thoroughly engulfed heavy metal culture worldwide.
Primitive Man + Hell — Split
Shabti — Trembling and Shorn
Fetid — Steeping Corporeal Mess
Nucleus — Entity
Inter Arma — Sulphur English
Dreadnought — Awakening
Town Portal — Town Portal
Pound — ••
Numidia — Numidia
Zaum — Divination
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Ivan Belcic
I haven’t been the most active music writer this year, but that doesn’t mean I haven’t been paying attention. As early as the opening weeks of January, the underground once again proved itself replete with inspired brutality. The albums which stood out most intensely to me over the past six months are united in their plaintiveness, whether tinged with hope or smothered by withering despair, testaments to metal’s enduring ability to both channel and provoke the emotions.
Murmur — The Boundless Black
Ithaca — The Language of Injury
Wristmeetrazor — Misery Never Forgets
Waldgeflüster — Mondscheinsonaten
Numenorean — Adore
Friendship — Undercurrent
Kaleikr — Heart of Lead
Hath — Of Rot and Ruin
Krzysztof Drabikowski — Панихида
Violet Cold — kOsmik
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Aaron Maltz
Give me hooks or give me silence. Throw me all the genres you’ve got, but if you don’t provide that crystallizing moment where pleasure and intellect shake hands, I’ll probably forget your name. Looking over my mid-year favorites, I almost feel like I don’t qualify as a metalhead anymore but rather an art-rock dude with some heavier leanings. Considering that I gave up booze for kombucha, I’ll proudly wear the tag.
PUP — Morbid Stuff
Moon Tooth — Crux
Pixvae — Cali
Helium Horse Fly — Hollowed
Big Business — The Beast You Are
Skryptor — Luminous Volumes
Helms Alee — Noctiluca
Deathspell Omega — The Furnaces of Palingenesia
Ooozing Wound — High Anxiety
Mord’A’Stigmata — Dreams of Quiet Places
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Chris Rowella
This collection of albums surprises me, in ways I cannot quite articulate yet. The year 2019 has been a haphazard, lurching, and eye-opening year so far — is there a similar theme buried in the desert rock, filthy death metal, and Lynchian crooner country on display here? Perhaps. If not, at least the tunes are good.
Friendship — Undercurrent
Ringworm — Death Becomes My Voice
Esoctrilihum — The Telluric Ashes…
Pinkish Black — Concept Unification
Nebula — Holy Shit
Spirit Adrift — Divided by Darkness
Ossuarium — Living Tomb
My Diligence — Sun Rose
Inter Arma — Sulphur English
Orville Peck — Pony
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Tom Campagna
This year has been a very diverse year for heavy music listeners. Classic bands finally hitting the ground running after years by the sidelines or others just powering through their discographies with sonic aplomb. In six months, I may look back at this list and wonder what in the world I was thinking. Let me save myself the time, 2019 is a powerful precursor for a year that is still a primordial pool of yet undiscovered variety.
Sanhedrin — The Poisoner
Spirit Adrift — Divided By Darkness
Darkthrone — Old Star
Saint Vitus — Saint Vitus
Candlemass — The Door To Doom
Possessed — Revelations of Oblivion
Magic Circle — Departed Souls
Eye of the Destroyer — Baptized In Pain
Devil Master — Satan Spits On Children of Light
Bellrope — You Must Relax
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Brian O’Neill
There are a lot of hotly tipped albums by bigger bands coming out the second half of the year, but for quality and diversity, it’s not impossible that the best albums of 2019 have already been released. Which isn’t to say I’ll stop listening.
Big|Brave — A Gaze Among Them
Brutus — Nest
The Coathangers — The Devil You Know
Darkthrone — Old Star
Dead to a Dying World — Elegy
Die Klute — Planet Fear
The Lord Weird Slough Feg — New Organon
Magic Circle — Departed Souls
Petrol Girls — Cut & Stitch
Venom Prison — Samsara
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Joseph Aprill
Long time reader of Invisible Oranges here (and sometimes comment section scribe) who you’ll soon see some contributions from in the near future. The year 2019 has already been a headrush of a year with great albums from young bloods and old bastards alike. Such abundance of music became far too apparent in how much I had to cut to make this a lean ten. All of which will be thrown into further disarray soon enough by the return of looming giants and hidden surprises on the horizon.
Candlemass — The Door to Doom
Darkthrone — Old Star
Devil Master — Satan Spits on Children of Light
Funereal Presence — Achatius
Haunt — If Icarus Could Fly
Idle Hands — Mana
Misþyrming — Algleymi
Mork — Det Svarte Juv
The Lord Weird Slough Feg — New Organon
Vircolac — Masque
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Langdon Hickman
This list doesn’t mention the phenomenal new electronic/country album from Lambchop, the brilliant Americana of both Josh Ritter and Bruce Springsteen, the searing and necessary rage of the new Brutus record, and so many more. I picked 13 records instead of ten both because it’s fucking metal and it also felt like the only fair way to highlight how incredible this year has been for music. There is of course some metal in here (have to know your audience!) but I would be dishonest if I didn’t highlight some of the experimental electronic records that have not only comprised a large portion of my auditory diet this year but also greatly inform my writing in general. Conspicuous absence: Baroness, who released a record I love but admittedly came out too soon to muscle its way past some of these heavy hitters, at least for now. Check back with me at year’s end.
Inter Arma — Sulphur English
Holly Herndon — PROTO
Tyler, the Creator — IGOR
Tengger — Spirituality 2
Big|Brave — A Gaze Among Them
Karyyn — The Quanta Series
Wand — Laughing Matter
Mary Lattimore and Mac McCaughan — New Rain Duets
Tomb Mold — Planetary Clairvoyance
Black to Comm — Seven Horses for Seven Kings
Health — Vol 4.: Slaves to Fear
Dolphin Midwives — Liminal Garden
Waste of Space Orchestra — Syntheosis
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Chris Butler
Krzysztof Drabikowski — Панихида
Véhémence — Par le Sang Versé
Wormwitch — Heaven That Dwells Within
Herod — Sombre Dessein
Pulchra Morte — Divina Autem Et Aniles
Hath — Of Rot and Ruin
Black Crucifixion — Lightless Violent Chaos
Unurnment — Spiritual Penury EP
Aoratos — Gods Without Name
Pile — Green and Gray
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Emily Marty
Misþyrming — Algleymi
Full of Hell — Weeping Choir
Andavald — Undir skyggðarhaldi
Esoctrilihum — The Telluric Ashes of the Ö Vrth Immemorial Gods
Gaahl’s Wyrd — GastiR (Ghosts Invited)
Krzysztof Drabikowski — Панихида
Kvelgeyst — Alkahest
Sinmara — Hvísl stjarnanna
Ossuary — Supreme Degradation
Helheim — Rignir
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Andrew Sacher
Dead to a Dying World – Elegy
Brutus — Nest
Inter Arma — Sulphur English
Judiciary — Surface Noise
Noisem — Cease To Exist
Fuming Mouth — The Grand Descent
Martyrdod — Hexhammaren
Helms Alee — Noctiluca
Big|Brave — A Gaze Among Them
Ithaca — The Language of Injury
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Mention that Samsara might wind up the angriest album of the year, and Venom Prison founding guitarist Ash Gray tempers his obvious enthusiasm for the idea.
“That would be pretty cool, right?” he said through Skype from his native England. “The angriest album of 2019, I’d take that.”
It wasn’t even a given that the Wales five-piece would be able to outdo their own 2016 Animus debut. The Renaissance-style painting by artist Eliran Kantor the band used for the cover showed a rapist literally being force-fed his just-severed genitalia, an image that was syncopated with vocalist Larissa Stupar’s confrontational lyrics and all of their shared pasts in hardcore bands. But Gray and fellow guitarist Ben Thomas wrote obsessively, and every second of it was intense.
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“When we finished writing, we sat down and looked at the folder and I think there was something like 19 or 20 songs in there, something ridiculous. We were just like, oh shit, now we have to figure out what we’re going to do with an album. So we sat through all the songs just figuring which sounded like an album together and then I guess the other songs probably got deleted or something. Probably got deleted, knowing our luck, so they’ll never be heard again,” he laughed.
“I think because we were so busy constantly touring, coming home for a little bit, going back to our normal jobs, writing the records, going back to work, back and forth every day, I think we were getting so exhausted so everything was just getting angrier and angrier. I think when we were writing it was just like, how pissed off is this? And it’s like, yeah, I think with everything evolving around us constantly, that’s really what’s making us angry.”
As for what was making Venom prison angry, this time the band was not as enraged by sociopolitical theater raging on in post-Brexit England. This time, it was personal.
“It’s just a general dislike to a lot of things,” confirmed the guitarist. “And then you’ve got your real life going on, working full-time jobs all of us and we’re kind of coming home, paying our bills and going back to real life whilst writing a record. It just felt we were generally that pissed off writing it is just how it sounded so aggressive.”
Although the music was primarily written before Stupar added her vocals, she took the cues from her bandmates and delivered an explosive album that drew from her own life’s experiences much more directly.
“I think as people we bond together really well and we kind of have the same mindset and we really think alike,” Gray explained. “It’s like something to me, something that I was angry about writing music may have not been the same as Larissa’s, but she knows equally that whatever that was that bothered me I was quote personal about it, and that’s kind of what fueled me to write the music as such. And then her dislike of things is probably on the same level as what I disliked. It’s almost like a stew. It’s just chucking things in there that everyone’s pissed off about and that’s basically Venom Prison.”
As such it wasn’t exactly a shock when she bared all.
“Every single thing that is in that record, we know every single thing,” he affirmed. “We know exactly what everything’s about and it’s almost because it’s preexisting or past tense or even present I’d say. It’s always quite dark to see that everything’s all that anger fueled into it and then someone actually puts their voice to it with their words instead of music.
“And the chemistry between it, this is really as hateful as we wanted it.”
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For all of the irascible fury, Samsara sees Venom Prison branching out far beyond deathcore. “Uterine Industrialization,” the first single and video from the album, is ferocious grindcore. “Self-Inflicted Violence” has the same dive-bomb solos and stop-start mosh parts like a considerably more evil take on thrash metal; “Megillus & Leana” is classic take-no-prisoners death metal, whereas “Asura’s Realm” is some of the heaviest groove metal imaginable.
“I’m kind of glad you mentioned a lot of that,” Grey said. “Just because we played in hardcore bands previously and we have that hardcore root to us, it doesn’t mean Venom Prison sounds like it, you know what I mean?
“The whole purpose of Animus was just to be as fast and pissed off as possible and no real direction. We just wanted to write something grindy, fast, and heavy. I think [with] Samsara, we wanted to write something with more elements and make it [even] faster, heavier, and darker. We’re always gonna try and take that next step to make something progress from every record we do.”
One part of that progression was working with Arthur Riske. He has worked with a vast cross-section of extreme bands as a producer and engineer, including Cavalera Conspiracy, Code Orange, Inquisition, Pissed Jeans, Prurient, Outer Heaven, and Tomb Mold. He was recommended to Gray by Power Trip when they were touring together.
“I haven’t got a bad word to say about the guy,” he gushed. “He was so cool to work with and generally caring about his work as well, it’s always admirable to see someone who genuinely has a passion for their work. It was cool from the get-go because I knew it was going to go into the hands of someone who understands us. We’re not some clinical tech machine god band. It’s a very organic band. There’s nothing in there that makes it clinical. I think he understands that and I think the way he mixed it as well, he gave it that raw, hard organic feel, which [was] exactly what we were looking for.”
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The final fitting touch on Samsara is another potent and disturbing Eliran Kantor painting. The artist was given the lyrics to the first track on the album “Matriphagy.” The word literally means the consumption of the mother by her offspring. There’s no shortage of super creepy videos online showing spiders being eaten alive by their progeny, and the album cover makes that seem tame.
Recalled Gray, “Larissa kind of put a twist to the whole thing of what the spider represents in a human world, and basically it was just like we need eggs coming out of a woman giving birth with just these baby spiders coming out and a mother just eating them, pretty much. And then everyone read the lyrics and [Kantor] was like, that’s exactly what I was thinking. And we were like, just make it as extreme as possible, and that’s what we got.”
This continuation is not an accident. Venom Prison may be making extreme music that is decidedly 21st century, but they take cues from the likes of Iron Maiden whose imagery was as identifiable as the music.
“I think it’s something that we do even with merch and the way we post on social media,” he explained. “I know it’s about the music, but [also] that aesthetic and getting that imagery right. You were talking about thrash bands earlier. Think how iconic all their imagery was. You could look at Slayer-related anything and you know instantly that’s Slayer.
“I feel like that that was a little bit lost in later years and people give up on that whole aesthetic thing and just thought a cool record is a cool record. But I think it’s the collection that’s important. It’s seeing the history and progression that holds that same imagery.”
A huge part of this imagery is witnessing Larissa’s self-righteous fury in action. The self-described vegan straight-edge anarchist is a blur on the stage as she lyrically eviscerates her demons and more than a few real-life enemies. The timing of Animus couldn’t have been more perfect in some respects — having an album showing full-blooded revenge against a rapist hit right as the #metoo hashtag was reaching a crescendo in the mainstream media made the singer and band extreme metal spokespeople for the movement.
“Yeah, it’s kind of weird, isn’t it? When you say it out loud, it’s really fucking weird,” Gray said. “Larissa was singing about the same stuff in her last band [hardcore troupe Wolf Down] but maybe not as graphic. I think with Venom Prison, we say what we think and what we feel.
“It’s always cool when music has a message. It’s what pushes people a lot more and it’s kind of what people want it back a little bit more because there’s actually a purpose to this, not just some madness being shouted and blast beats everywhere. It’s cool just to have that lyrical content where it makes it a bit more meaningful.”
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Samsara releases Friday via Prosthetic Records.
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Here are the new (and recent) metal releases for the week of March 10th – March 16th, 2019. Release reflect proposed North American scheduling, if available. Expect to see the bulk of these records on shelves or distros on Fridays unless otherwise noted.
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 to: [email protected]. Do not send us promo material via social media.
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Oozing Wound — High Anxiety | Thrill Jockey | Thrash, Rock | United States (Illinois)
Chicago’s undeniably righteous thrashing crust punks Oozing Wound are back after three years with seven fresh new tracks (as fresh as something this utterly pungent can be, that is) of their irreverent, barbed-wire aggression entitled High Anxiety. Although it operates on many of the same mechanisms as their previous material, this third full-length from the group is more so a testament to their insatiable consistency than a mere repetition of past concepts. Rife with d-beats, sludgy breakdowns, and noxious, glorious 1980s style gang shouts, High Anxiety will infect every listener with its rowdy hardcore punk attitude and timelessly heavy sound, a sound that is sure to inspire gleefully violent circle pits worldwide.
— Thomas Hinds
Bonus: Check out our interview with Zack Weil.
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Drawn Into Descent — The Endless Endeavour | Avantgarde Music | Atmospheric Black Metal | Belgium
A strong sophomore release by this Belgian quartet — dynamic in its undulations, but never overbearing or excessively forthright. Atmosphere is the name of the game here, and lots of it, strewn upon a rigorous black metal framework with plenty of doomy and even shoegazing asides. Releases like The Endless Endeavour help showcase the true breadth/range of black metal without subscribing to each and every tenet.
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Fallujah — Undying Light | Nuclear Blast | Death Metal | United States (California)
After building a solid reputation as one of atmospheric tech-death’s leading pioneers with their first three albums, Fallujah has chosen to steer their sound in a markedly different direction on their new full-length Undying Light. Replacing the group’s longtime frontman Alex Hoffman, new vocalist Antonio Palermo takes on both harsh and melodic vocals on the record, introducing a more shrill, punk-oriented vocal sound which is matched by a melodic mid-tempo instrumental approach. Many of Fallujah’s most technical and progressive elements have been downsized, with some tracks even incorporating plodding, melancholic doom metal ambience; this loss of compositional density can be largely attributed to the loss of rhythm guitarist Brian James, who departed the band shortly before the album’s composition. Overall, Undying Light presents the same core brand of atmospheric, introspective progressive metal as Fallujah’s previous work, but old fans will likely find this new album either watered-down or regrettably uninvolved when drawing comparisons between the two.
— Thomas Hinds
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Asthma Castle — Mount Crushmore | Hellmistress Records | Metal, Sludge | United States (Maryland)
Galloping forth with absolutely pummeling goliath riffs, sludge-stoners Asthma Castle have re-joined their mighty forces to finally present their debut album Mount Crushmore. Featuring members of Pig Destroyer and Misery Index, this Baltimore-based group is a side project of bizarre and epic proportions, showcasing a deliciously heavy brand of sludge interpreted through the minds of deathgrind legends. With a notably tongue-in-cheek attitude, the group infuses beefy, old-school, mammoth instrumental tone and thunderous percussion with a healthy dose of sinister tonality and full-body screams from vocalist Zach Westphal (ex-J. Roddy Walston and the Business), marking Mount Crushmore as one of the heaviest, hard-hitting, and most effective stoner-oriented releases yet this year.
— Thomas Hinds
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Venom Prison — Samsara | Prosthetic Records | Death Metal, Hardcore | United Kingdom
Calling it now: this sophomore effort by Venom Prison will make 2019 year-end lists. The band’s brand of hardcore-infused death metal has taken gigawatts of electric shock on Samsara — not only is it heavy as fucking fuck, it jolts about unpredictably with chaotically technical riffs, sudden tempo changes, and the harsh onslaught of vocalist Larissa Stupar’s barks and howls. I haven’t seen Venom Prison live, but I imagine they’d stir one hell of a pit.
Bonus: Stay tuned later this week for an interview with founding guitarist Ash Gray.
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Triste Terre — Grand Oeuvre | Les Acteurs de l’Ombre | Black Metal | France
After three EPs between 2016 and 2017, this French black metal outfit has finally released a fully featured full-length. Steeped in both swampy, thick textures and sharply clear ascendant highs, Grand Oeuvre punches low into the earth with one arm and reaches high into the skies with another. This album is one which demands moderate patience, but full attention — getting lost in its thick sonic narrative (the best approach to make the most of Grand Oeuvre‘s dark ferocity) is a closed-eye journey indeed.
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Contrarian — Their Worm Never Dies | Willowtip | Progressive Death Metal | United States (New York)
Featuring members of Nile and Goemagot, death metal super-collab Contrarian has been whisking audiences away to fantastical and unhallowed lands since the release of their debut EP Predestined in 2014. Combining timeless elements of progressive, technical, and even classic death metal into a wickedly sharp and immaculately performed amalgamation, Contrarian’s mission statement is to “create death metal that is authentically new while having a natural memory and understanding of the old; rooted in early 1990s progressive death metal, but with an unrelenting forward-thinking approach.” On the group’s third full-length Their Worm Never Dies, Contrarian maintains their characteristically airtight sense of professionality and refined musicianship with seven tracks of brutal, otherworldly death metal mastery.
— Thomas Hinds
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Noisem — Ceaese to Exist | 20 Buck Spin | Grind, Death Metal | United States (Maryland)
Hailing from Baltimore, the mangy, feral animal that is Noisem has returned yet again with another grizzly offering of blackened, grinding death metal that is sure to inspire severe neck cramps and tenderized triceps (pit fiends will understand). Gaining some serious momentum after the release of their previous album Blossoming Decay, the group participated in 2015’s Decibel tour with Carcass, Gorguts, and The Black Dahlia Murder, only to disappear from the public eye for almost three years. The end of 2018, however, saw a triumphant return for Noisem with the announcement of their third full-length Cease to Exist. Leaner, meaner, yet as punishing as ever, the new album is defined by “grinding blastbeats, unceasing Death-thrash riffs and an acidic vocal snarl to rival prime Jeff Walker,” quelling any notion that Noisem would ease up with time.
— Thomas Hinds
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