Upcoming Metal Releases: 8/27/2023-9/2/2023
Here are the new (and recent) metal releases for August 27th through September 2nd. 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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Upcoming Releases
Undergang — De syv stadier af fordærv | Me Saco un Ojo | Death Metal | Denmark
Undergang’s new EP comes with all the festering death metal joy that one might expect, although to my ears there’s a cunning intelligence behind some of this material that hasn’t always shown up on past releases. To be clear, the Danish band hasn’t lost their knack for caveman-tier knuckle-dragging goodness, and this sure isn’t going to be mistaken for technical death metal any time soon, but at times there is a malevolent, calculating feel in how these songs come together. So, you might come out of this one with more brain cells than you anticipated, but watch your back.
–Ted Nubel
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Heads for the Dead — In the Absence of Faith | Pulverised Records | Death Metal | United Kingdom
Grim, melodic, and bombastic, Heads for the Dead continues their blood-spattered reign of terror on a new EP.
–Ted Nubel
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Bergfried — Romantik II | Fiadh Prod | Heavy Metal + Hard Rock | Austria
Though they’re still drawing roots from heavy metal, Bergfried re-confirms their anomalous sonic profile on Romantik II, a much-awaited sequel to (you guessed it) Romantik I which emphasizes their hard rock side even more and cranks up the vocals in the mix. I like that shift a lot – it fits the bardic, storytelling atmosphere that Bergfried has absolutely mastered. Jon premiered this one over at Decibel, so you can go listen to the whole thing over there.
–Ted Nubel
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Polaris — Fatalism | Sharp Tone | Metalcore | Australia
While the name and concept of Fatalism embraces the doom and gloom, nothing about this album is slow or dragging. The metalcore vibes are alive and well, but updated with a decidedly 2023 sound. Don’t miss this one.
–Addison Herron-Wheeler
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SOEN — Memorial | Silver Lining Music | Progressive Metal | Sweden
Heavy, melodic, and ultimately ballad-heavy, the new SOEN does not disappoint. You will want to blast this one whenever you need something to scream along to while you clean the house, and they’ve also grown a lot musically, getting even heavier.
–Addison Herron-Wheeler
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Weald and Woe — For the Good of the Realm | Fiadh Prod | Black Metal | United States (Idaho)
Idaho-based group Weald and Woe tastefully explore the medieval themes that have long been black metal’s lifeblood.. As such, For the Good of the Realm is less about conquering new lands as it is protecting one’s castle, a subtle difference, but one that’s immediately apparent through the heroic tone. This isn’t Viking metal; it’s black metal for fables and bonfires.
–Colin Dempsey
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VAK — The Islands | Indie Recordings | Progressive Metal + Sludge Metal | Sweden
Far less grizzled than most sludge metal bands, VAK use volume and distortion as tools in the service of nerdy progressive rock. In this instance, “nerdy” is a compliment, because “Sewer Café” is a strange stylistic blend that only a dork could put together and turn into something not just coherent, but hypnotizing.
–Colin Dempsey
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Outergods — A Kingdom Built Upon The Wreckage of Heaven | Prosthetic Records | Black Metal + Grindcore | United Kingdom
Black metal should be quick, dusty, and take cues from Converge. Outergods check all those boxes, so they pass the test.
–Colin Dempsey
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Gendo Ikari — ROKUBUNGI | Independent | Grindcore | Scotland
We’ll have a full premiere of this later this week, but all you need to know now is that the Neon Genesis Evangelion references are only the cherry atop Gendo Ikari’s technical grindcore.
–Colin Dempsey
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Spider Kitten — A Pound for the Peacebringer | APF Records | Doom + Stoner Metal + Other | United Kingdom
Taking doom metal to inventive reaches, Spider Kitten uses heavy riffs as a single tool in a wide, wide arsenal here. A Pound for the Peacebringer is a vast-reaching exploration of heavy textures.
–Ted Nubel
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Road Pig — Still the Future is Bleak | Horror Pain Gore Death Productions | Thrash Metal + Punk | United States
Irradiated, thrashy punk apparently recorded in 2029 — in Road Pig’s future, the world is fucked, but at least the music is good.
–Ted Nubel
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Phantom Druid — The Inner Landscapes of Death | Independent | Doom Metal | Netherlands
Despite being from the Netherlands, Phantom Druid nails Maryland doom metal with surprising accuracy, though they enshroud it in their own peculiar gloom and style. They’re one of the few bands that really captures retro doom metal’s groove and riff cadence without going down the tone-worship, volume-first pathway–listen closely and try to pick apart all the layers that make this creepy record so voluminous.
–Ted Nubel
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Imperial Crystalline Entombment — Ancient Glacial Resurgence | Debemur Morti Productions | Black Metal | United States
There’s no better way to describe this album than the isolated vocals that kick it off:
WE ARE STILL…. FU-CKING ICE!
–Ted Nubel
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Grave Pilgrim — The Bigotry of Purpose | Death Prayer Records | Melodic Black Metal | United States
Raw melodic black metal framed by echoing vocals and distant guitars; it feels a bit like black metal being played in a vacant, crumbling throne room. The Bigotry of Purpose evokes feelings of rage, faded glory, and poignant memories as ripping guitars desperately seek to reclaim past honors.
–Ted Nubel
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