Upcoming Metal Releases: 12/26/2021-1/1/2022
Here are the new (and recent) metal releases for the week of December 26th, 2021 to January 1st, 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.
Things We Missed
Dolven — The Tyranny of Time | Independent | Doom Metal + Folk | United States (Portland, OR)
Acoustic doom is an unfortunate rarity, especially the type that comes with drums. Here’s a very pleasant (though, also sad) dose of it with somber vocals delivering lamenting prose on top of the layered guitars, strings, and minimalist (but extremely effective) drumming.
–Ted Nubel
…
Upcoming Releases
Wombbath — Agma | Transcending Obscurity Records | Death Metal | Sweden
Blackened death metal that’s big on big riffs, as it should be — but honestly, fans of old-school Wombbath are still not gonna get what they’re looking for here.
–Ted Nubel
…
Hadal Maw — Oblique Order | Blighttown Records | Technical Death Metal | Australia
Oblique Order alternates between pondering the wreckage of civilization through complex landscapes of jarring chords and blasting headfirst into the fray themselves with pitched assaults of whirling fretwork and bursts of double-bass. Sometimes, like on the title track, the music itself is hard to parse in how fast it twists between these modes, but it’s held together through unusually complex vocal interplay: on “Oblique Order,” no less than three guest vocalists lend a sort of call-and-response structure to the verses to keep the song on track.
–Ted Nubel
…
Barús — Fanges | Aesthetic Death | Progressive Death Metal | France
From Ted Nubel’s full album premiere:
Both tracks include plenty of riffs, to be sure, but “Fanges” swathes them in shades of anxious noise, preferring to build tension through a shifting soundscape. “Châssis de Chair” has a more singular focus, showing a similar aptitude for creating pressure that draws from off-kilter grooves and powerful vocals as often as gnarled and intricate motifs.
Check out the album here.
…
Midnartiis — Sinew of Sol | Naturmacht Productions | Atmospheric Black/Folk Metal | United States
Sinew of Sol is a return to black metal territory after Embers‘ dark folk from earlier in the year, and on it Midnartiis demonstrates their deft command of the genre: wistful melodies and harsh, bleak vocals enrich a solid, riffy core.
–Ted Nubel
…
Warzaw — Black Magic Satellite | Independent | Heavy Metal | Norway
Heavy metal with a bit of a stoner/groove slant—some nice riffs and melodic flair make this pretty catchy stuff.
–Ted Nubel
…
Nekrotisk — Apraxia I: Mors Certa | Independent | Blackened Death Metal | United States
This Minnesotan solo act’s approach to blackened death metal is a noisy, white-hot affair positively bristling with energy—every riff seems intent on bursting out from its sonic confines, battling the drums and vocals for command.
–Ted Nubel
…
Demoted — Away from the Living | Independent | Death Metal | Romania
Fans of grisly riffs and demented vocals might dig this, though the vocals are really gnarly and dominate the mix. Alongside them, though, are some old-school Obituary-esque death metal riffs with a killer groove—plus, fun song titles. “Dead in Multiple Realities” gets an A+ from me.
–Ted Nubel
…
