Upcoming Metal Releases

Upcoming Metal Releases: 6/16/19 -- 6/22/19

Upcoming Metal Releases

Here are the new (and recent) metal releases for the week of June 16th to June 22nd, 2019. Release 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 and Things We Missed

WorsenCursed to Witness Life | The Hell Command | Black Metal | United States (North Carolina)

Excellent “atmospheric” black metal, even though that particular tag seems to be redundant despite its common usage. Cursed to Witness Life doesn’t fall for the usual trappings, either: this isn’t the riffiest black metal out there, but Worsen know how to tear it up anyway with excellent layering and dynamics and, where needed, sheer speed. If this album had an aura (that is to say, if anything had an aura), it’d be twisted, dark, and visceral for sure.

Lunar ShadowThe Smokeless Fires | Cruz del Sur | Progressive Heavy Metal | Germany

Whatever classic heavy metal is nowadays, it’s probably not as gleefully wild and blisteringly hot as The Smokeless Fire — wrapped up in progressive dressings but thoroughly grounded in a heavy metal ethos, Lunar Shadow have penned an easily digestible but thoroughly enjoyable sophomore full-length here. The clean vocals help beautify the otherwise rock-your-heart-out mood of this album, and the softer interludes (including piano) help keep the package well-rounded.

SkelatorCyber Metal | Gates of Hell Records | Heavy Metal | United States (Washington)

I only have one thing to say about this album: fuck yeah, motherfuckers.

Upcoming Releases

Murk RiderExile of Shadows | Black Metal | United States (California)

This three-track debut full-length from California-based Murk Rider is a big one: big songs, big riffs, big moments. When bands aim for “epic” proportions, sometimes things can become overblown or overwrought, but not here: despite the length of these tracks and complexity of their depths, Exile of Shadows balances itself between blissful blasts and acutely sharp guitar riffing. Over an hour’s worth of esoteric, hard-hitting black metal from our West Coast is something never uninvited.

[We could not locate any early song streams from Exile of Shadows.]

AbyssalA Beacon in the Husk | Profound Lore | Blackened Death Metal | United Kingdom

One of the year’s most terrifying releases thus far, Abyssal’s A Beacon in the Husk is a gargantuan serving of depressive, nihilistic death noise (that being a combo of death metal and harsh noise). Clocking in at well over 60 minutes, the fourth full-length from this UK outfit stays extremely true to their name: a yawning, cavernous, and often blackened void of swarming noise and aural chaos, A Beacon in the Husk is also surprisingly meticulous, with a technical edge that gives it just enough definition to not drown the listener entirely.

— Thomas Hinds

OrganectomyExistential Disconnect | Unique Leader | Brutal Death Metal | New Zealand

I’ll put it this way: Existential Disconnect is the exception, not the rule, for brutal death metal. You get the demented pig-like vocals, slams, and deathcore adjacency, but without the over-distortion or formlessness this arena sometimes breeds. Unique Leader continues to have a great ear for bands like Organectomy who take artistry to the maximum under the sometimes Very Straightforwardness of certain death metal subgenres. Then again, if you don’t like brutal death metal, this still won’t be up your alley.

Bull of Apis Bull of BronzeOfferings of Flesh and Gold | A Moment of Clarity Recordings + Tridroid Records | Black Metal | United States (Colorado)

Sublime, anti-fascist black metal from the beautiful state of Colorado. As their Bandcamp states: “[Bull of Apis Bull of Broze] are for the downtrodden and disenfranchised.” Hell yes, and hell yes to this black metal not a) swimming in its own politics, and b) sacrificing the music for message. These three monstrous tracks rip and roar across devastatingly thick atmospherics and plenty of dramatic ascents/descents… and, well, I won’t spoil too much, because we’ll be back later this week with a full stream prior to the album’s official release date.

SupersitionThe Anatomy of Unholy Transformation | 20 Buck Spin | Death Metal | United States (New Mexico)

Are you feeling very superstitious? Have you been seeing writing on your wall? Then look no further than Santa Fe’s most promising new death metal outfit Superstition. With their venomous yet somehow fun and upbeat interpretation of old-school blackened death metal, the group’s lurking, arcane energy has now culminated on their debut full-length release, The Anatomy of Unholy Transformation. Comprised of nine tracks of churning instrumentals grime-soaked vocals and defined by a dungeon-crawling monochrome aesthetic, it will undoubtedly cement Superstition’s repute as a band to watch in the coming years.

— Thomas Hinds

Flesh of the StarsMercy | Doom Metal | United States (Illinois)

Big, beautiful doom metal from Chicago. Riff-forward, patient, and laden with clean vocals and mild(er) distortion, Flesh of the Stars juxtapositionally finds itself fitting for things like highway drives and group listens, despite being so somber and impassioned (like doom metal should be). There’s a level of mercy on Mercy, actually, which renders listens very emotional but also very comforting and soothing, especially as the vocal layering builds up to grand climaxes.

ItheistItheist | Black Metal | United Kingdom

A newer acolyte in the temple of experimental, atmospheric death metal a la Gorguts, Ulcerate, or Deathspell Omega, UK-based outfit Itheist is a relatively young group creating relatively ancient material. After a handful of releases under their old moniker Aetherium Mors, the duo of multi-instrumentalist Dan Couch and vocalist/lyricist Kane Nelson switched their name and began work on their self-titled full-length album Itheist. As stated by Couch, the philosophical themes of the record “focus on forging one’s own reality through the Satanic virtue of discipline and creating an environment that cultivates the causal advancement of personal greatness and power.” With a decidedly chaotic and claustrophobic ambience, Itheist enters into a harrowing yet meditative space reserved for only the most esoterically-minded groups. In keeping with the lyrical concepts, the album itself is dramatically powerful, with songs that are rampantly dynamic, often electrifying, frequently disorienting, and almost always fearsome.

— Thomas Hinds

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