New Metal Releases: 1/28/2024-2/3/2024
Here are all the new releases for January 28th through February 3rd. 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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Dwarrowdelf — The Fallen Leaves | Northern Silence Productions | Black Metal | United Kingdom (Southampton, England)
The riveting and full-bodied symphonic black metal Dwarrowdelf plays is perfect for their Tolkien fascinations, but not because it pantomimes epic battles. Instead, The Fallen Leaves captures the self-doubt, and the eventual conquering of said self-doubt, its protagonists deal with. It’s grandiose, but the pedestrian pacing keeps its stories human.
–Colin Dempsey
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meth. — SHAME | Prosthetic Records | Noise Rock | United States (Chicago, Illinois)
SHAME walks away from Mother of Red Light‘s mathcore and into the loving embrace of atmospheric noise rock. meth. are not the first of their kind to transition this way, but the good news is that this means there’s a rough map for them to follow. Out go the neck-snapping tempos and screams to make space for feedback and densely-layered vocals.
–Colin Dempsey
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Obsidian Tongue — The Stone Heart |Independent | Atmospheric Black Metal | United States (Portland, Maine)
Ray Capizzo’s second release in just as many weeks (following Rhûn’s excellent Conveyance in Death) proves how vital propulsive drumming is in atmospheric black metal. He’s the motor that powers Obsidian Tongue’s new EP The Stone Heart. It’s only 20 minutes long, but Capizzo and Brendan Hayter power through some of their most immersive material. They use the limited format as an excuse to let their ambitions fly. Resultingly, tracks such as “The Stone Heart” feel as grand and varied as mountains.
–Colin Dempsey
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Utopia — Shame | Independent| Technical Death Metal + Mathcore | United Kingdom
First listens of Utopia’s sophomore LP Shame ignite thoughts of Thought Industry’s early records combined with latter-day Dillinger Escape Plan’s orchestral and ambient elements. Follow-up listens reveal that Utopia’s driving force isn’t their aggression but their experimentalism. Yes, Shame is aggressive, but it is so as a byproduct of their curiosity with every aspect of music, from time signatures to track structures to pacing. It may be too techy for those who need a firm foundation in their music, but it’s prime if you crave metal that challenges you.
–Colin Dempsey
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Deadyellow — What Was Left of Them | Independent | Post-Black Metal | United States (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)
Deadyellow have shared concert bills with acts like Body Void and Planning for Burial over the past six months, which says more about their music than their Instagram bio of “esoteric black metal.” This isn’t a swipe at them; it’s just hard to encapsulate the intersection between screamo, post-rock, and black metal on social media. In any case, their second LP, What Was Left of Them, is modern genre-blending black metal that overflows with emotions and vulnerability. Most importantly, “metal” is their foundation, and they keep it at the forefront at all times.
–Colin Dempsey
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Corpsevore — Feed the Plague | Horror Pain Gore Death Productions | Death Metal + Grindcore | France
Frenzied and fractious one-man death grind from France, proselytizing a radical animal liberation message with enough fury and conviction to persuade even the most ardent creature-violator to renounce their pelts and sausages. Think New Jersey’s Mass Extinction, or even Terrorizer’s World Downfall jazzed on fermented tofu, scattershot with damning socio-philosophical soundbites and snarled petitions for zoic justice.
–Spencer Grady
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Ghoul — Noxious Concoctions | Tankcrimes | Death Metal | United States (Richmond, California)
This is Ghoul’s first offering since 2016, and even though we just got an EP, each one of the five songs here is worth multiple lessons. Coming back into our life just in time for another terrifying U.S. election cycle, it’s nice to have music to listen to that is heavy and aggressive as ever, but ultimately goofy and fun. Ghoul are always a great distraction.
–Addison Herron-Wheeler
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Necrowretch — Swords of Dajjal | Season of Mist | Black Metal + Death Metal | France
Necrowitch are unleashing their latest blackened death opus via Season Of Mist, and it’s the best of both worlds when it comes to their combined influence. Both musically and regarding the art and overall vibe of the record, this feels like a major step forward for the band. Fans of blackened death should not miss this one.
–Addison Herron-Wheeler
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