Upcoming Metal Releases: 10/16/2022-10/22/2022
Here are the new (and recent) metal releases for the week of October 16th, 2022 to October 22nd, 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.
New Releases
Exhumed — To the Dead | Relapse Records | Death Metal + Goregrind | United States (San Jose, CA)
After all this time, Exhumed are still churning out innovative-sounding and downright disgusting records. This new album calls forth brutality and modern metal tropes but stays true to their roots. A must for any die-hard fan.
–Addison Herron-Wheeler
…
Avantasia — A Paranormal Evening with the Moonflower Society | Nuclear Blast | Symphonic Power Metal | Germany
Hey! Don’t run, the doors are locked anyway. Let me tell you about Avantasia since you are not going anywhere for a while. Avantasia is the side project of Edguy vocalist Tobias Sammet which has sort of become on par (if not more known than Edguy). This prominence is due to the ridiculous cast of characters that join each album and also the project’s penchant for ridiculous concept albums. A Paranormal Evening with the Moonflower Society is the ninth Avantasia production with talents from known contributors such as Helloween‘s Michael Kiske, and Queensrÿche‘s Geoff Tate. We also have appearances by Pretty Maid‘s Ronnie Atkins as well as a what-in-the-fuck-really contribution by Mr. Big‘s Eric Martin. If that isn’t enough to make you interested, its okay since we are going to listen to this together with the lights down.
–Jonathan Carbon
…
Ruby the Hatchet — Fear is a Cruel Master | Magnetic Eye Records | Psychedelic Stoner Rock + Heavy + Doom Metal | United States (New Jersey)
It’s been a while since Ruby The Hatchet unleashed new music, so naturally, expectations were high, but luckily, they really live up to them with this new record. On the album, the band tap in even further into their bluesy rock roots, without compromising any of the heaviness and catchiness they’re known for.
–Addison Herron-Wheeler
…
Black Math Horseman — Black Math Horseman | Profound Lore Records | Psychedelic Post-Metal | United States (Los Angeles, CA)
After declaring themselves a ‘one-record project’ back in 2009, Black Math Horseman returns 13 years later with a self-titled, single-song (though it’s split into chapters) album. Given the nature of the band and this release, saying too much seems like ruining the fun, but suffice it to say that the band’s post-metal is as haunting and enigmatic as ever.
–Ted Nubel
…
Avatarium — Death, Where is Your Sting | AFM Records | Doom Metal + Rock | Sweden
Avatarium’s latest record highlights how blending doom with well-written rock and excellent vocals is a recipe for some really good shit. I think there’s an argument to be made that the doom side of their sound is diminished due to everything else going on, but when ‘everything else’ is as beautifully tragic and evocative as it is on Death, Where is Your Sting, I think I can forgive brief periods of non-riffing.
–Ted Nubel
…
Stryper — The Final Battle | Frontiers Records | Heavy Metal | United States
The thing with Stryper has always been that if you write lyrics this exuberant about religion, they end up sounding just as wacky as Mercyful Fate, if a little less spooky. Tack that onto their super-energetic heavy/power metal and the band is still pretty entertaining on this later material.
–Ted Nubel
…
Diamond Chazer — Starriders | Fighter Records | Heavy Metal | Colombia
Drawing from a wide spread of nostalgic influences, highly melodic riffs and high-pitched vocals put this record a little bit outside the normal 1980s-revival fare, while the creative drumming and fun songwriting elevate it beyond simple riff worship.
–Ted Nubel
…
Battalions — King of a Dead World | APF Records | Sludge + Stoner Metal | United Kingdom
Let’s take a moment to appreciate that Battalions has tagged King of a Dead World on Bandcamp under ‘big riffs.’ Not only is that the truth, that’s innovation. Thought you were clever tagging your band under ‘riffs’? Battalions didn’t even bother with that tag. Big riffs only, folks, and the tag doesn’t lie.
We’ve got a full stream of this one coming later this week!
–Ted Nubel
…
Nighted — Absence | Klang Machine Music | Melodic Black Metal | Switzerland
Put forward as an answer to the question ‘would black metal work with 70s-era synthesizers,’ Absence is indeed a hybrid of black metal and (even more) synthesizers, though it’s a more melodic and refined form of black metal than I was initially expecting – there’s experimentation, but mostly on the synth side. So, yes, this combination definitely works, but I feel like there’s stranger territory in this intersection still left unexplored.
–Ted Nubel
…
Abduction — Black Blood | Candlelight Records | Black Metal | United Kingdom
Abduction’s Black Blood promises to be an exciting entry into the UKs underground black metal scene with two preview singles available ahead of release that showcases the band’s (one man on record, a full band live) twisted use of melody and layered vocals. The album features appearances from the vocalists and sole members of The Sun’s Journey Through The Night and Revenant Marquis, enforcing the one-man band aesthetic while musically Abduction pushes their sound further than what has been heard before.
–Cheryl Carter
…
Ggu:ll — Ex Est | ConSouling Sounds | Drone + Doom Metal | Netherlands
I don’t know what they are putting in the water in The Netherlands, but it makes for a rich and fertile underground scene that consistently pushes the artistic boundaries of metal and allows for the exploration of genres within songs and albums. Tilburg’s Ggu:ll [Editor’s Note: those are two Ls, not an enumerated II.] meld blackened textures with doom, post-metal and ambient structures and the quartet have spent the years since their debut refining their sound and approach.
With Ex Est the band have created a monumental record that is heavy where it counts and quiet where it’s necessary. That push and pull is felt throughout and the album is a weighty response to the eternal cycle of life, death, rebirth and ruin.
–Cheryl Carter
…
Witch Blade — Månsken | Dying Victims Productions | Heavy Metal | Sweden
From Brandon Corsair’s track premiere of “Månsken”:
In the great pastime of Swedish heavy metal [the title track] reminds me quite a bit of old heroes like Heavy Load, but there’s a rolick and staid traditionalism that goes back even earlier to the first NWOBHM bands. The song structure is clearly organized around delivering only the band’s best riffs in a way that stays fresh throughout its short playtime without relying on a million riff changes.
…
Omegavortex + Pious Levus — Split | Invictus Productions | Black + Death Metal | Germany + United States
Holy shit, give me a minute to breathe before we begin. This split goes to show you that it is safer to split up the amount of chaos one has to go through before descending into more chaos. Omegavortex is a German black / death band whose song “Mutilation Paradise” opens a split much in the way someone is violently thrown into the middle of an argument. To round out this cadre of calamity is Texas based Pious Levus is the more rhythmic of the two but carries a larger and more bludgeoning style weapon. Both of these acts do exactly what they mean to do which is ear surgery by way of nonsterile instruments. It is glorious and I need to lay down.
–Jonathan Carbon
…
Wesenwille — III: The Great Light Above | Les Acteurs de l’Ombre Productions | Black Metal | Netherlands
Nothing against their previous records at all, but I feel that Wesenwille is simply getting better with each release. III: The Great Light Above is spellbinding, enveloping listeners in a moody cloud of black metal that comes with a storm of thunderous riffs. What I like the most is how this feels connected to earlier black metal–lots of cool bass parts, a distinct lack of over-production, solos, riffs— but it shapes all of this into something new and distinctly, uh, Wesenwille-ish. Thoughtful, captivating, and fun all the same.
–Ted Nubel
…
