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Upcoming Metal Releases 10/21/2018-10/27/2018

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Here are the new metal releases for the weeks of October 21 – October 27, 2018. Release dates are formatted according to proposed North American scheduling, if available. Expect to see the bulk of these records on shelves or distros on the coming Fridays unless otherwise noted or if labels and artists get impatient. Blurbs and designations are based on whether or not I have a lot to say about it.

See something we missed? Goofs? Let us know in the comments. Plus, as always, feel free to post your own shopping lists. Happy digging.

As a little bit of a challenge, include your own opinion about anything you want to add. Make me want to listen to it!

Please note: this is a review column and is not speculative. Any announced albums without preview material will not be covered. Additionally, any surprise releases which are uploaded or released after this column is published will be excluded.

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ANTICIPATED RELEASES

Devouring Star – The Arteries of Heresy | Dark Descent Black Metal | Finland

Check back later this week for more on Devouring Star’s latest.

Hate Eternal – Upon Desolate Sands | Season of Mist | Death Metal | United States
I mean, it’s Hate Eternal. This is some of the most over the top death metal to ever exist. Thank you Erik Rutan.

Pandiscordian Necrogenesis – Outer Supernal | Gilead Media | Black Metal | United States

The idea of Pandiscordian Necrogenesis is so outrageous it almost overshadows the actual musical content. Friends, Pandiscordian Necrogenesis is a one-man black metal band, but not in the way you’re thinking. No, this is a one-man band in the classic carnival sense — sole musician Domignostika plays all the instruments at the same time. To boot, it’s improvised. Sounds outrageous, right? It is, but in a good way. This is some solid, thoughtful black metal — chaotic almost to a fault, but staying right within the realm of reason. Don’t expect Mastery levels of utter madness, rather something more concentrated on its “blackened” edge. Expect great things — this is the culmination of years and years of practicing all his instruments at the same time.

Bloodbath – The Arrow of Satan is Drawn | Peaceville Records | Death Metal | Sweden

I can waste my time explaining how Bloodbath is a supergroup and list off all the bands in which all its members are (or have been). Sure, these guys are amazing musicians in their own right, but that isn’t what Bloodbath is about. Bloodbath is about being as gnarly and death metal as possible. The band is truly a testament to the genre and its roots. The Arrow of Satan is Drawn is certainly no different, as it has been for each Bloodbath album. This is old school as all get out, but still fresh. With over a century’s worth of magnificent metal experience among its ranks, one cannot expect any less.

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OF NOTE

Avast – Mother Culture | Dark Essence Records | Post-Black Metal | Norway

From Jenna’s premiere of “An Earnest Desire”:

The relentlessness of nature and the corruption of humankind by nurture are constants, but the way they’re expressed change with the passing of the tides. While there are many pigeonholes we can use to describe Avast’s expression — blackgaze, post-black metal, and so on — Mother Culture is best enjoyed with an open mind. Whether you prefer your black metal gritty and dark or smooth and sleek, leave pretenses on the shelf and reap the offerings Avast has made for everybody.

Ophidian Forest – votIVe | code666 | Black Metal | United States/Netherlands

Magnificent atmospheric black metal which straddles the majestic and the bizarre with poise and grace.

Eneferens – The Bleakness of Our Constant | Bindrune/Nordvis

Be sure to stay tuned later this week for more Eneferens. Spoiler alert: it’s atmospheric.

Serocs – The Phobos/Deimos Suite | Everlasting Spew | Technical Brutal Death Metal | Mexico/France/Canada
These “international combo” tech-death bands tend to be good, but not great; they tend to be perfect in every way, but not so artful. For some reason (and maybe it’s just me), they lack raw grit of more spontaneous arrangements. Not so for this new Serocs album, though, despite its excellent pedigree, featuring members from First Fragment, Chthe’ilist, Funebrarum, Benighted, and Sutrah (the latter being my personal favorite). As for the music itself, think a pretty even blend of old-school and new-school, with brutal death metal represented mostly by the vocal performance; the standard and stereotypical tech-death mold does not fit this band though some of the guitarwork and drumming definitely pars up.

— Andrew Rothmund

Glacial Tomb – Glacial Tomb | Gilead Media | Sludge/Black/Death Metal | United States

As far as sludgy blackened death metal goes, Glacial Tomb nail the necessary balance pretty well. Riffs are thrashy, but well-paced and decently technical. The vocals rip space and time. There are some crunchy, elephant-stomping moments. Check, check, check. The impact, overall, though can be one-note, as songs feel like they bleed together but never vary in their intensity. Glacial Tomb is something I’d much rather see live, to be honest, than listen to on record.

— Andrew Rothmund

FOR THE ADVENTUROUS

Daughters – You Won’t Get What You Want | Ipecac | Noise Rock/Hardcore | United States

I still remember when Daughters was an impenetrably weird hardcore band — so much so that I keep forgetting they eventually ended up a noise rock band. So much so that I forgot they broke up. Here is their reunion album. They are still noise rock, still impenetrably weird. Godspeed.

Street Sects – The Kicking Mule | Flenser | Industrial Hardcore | United States

The Kicking Mule: unnervingly tense, emotionally displacing, abysmally dark, groovy, trend-setting. Wonderful, too. Street Sects have been on to something special since their inception, for sure, layering metal- and hardcore-like dissonance, gnashing, and intensity with the tools and principles of industrial music. This latest album sees the project at its most cohesive (and digestible, for that matter) and therefore its most appealing: fans of everything from Marilyn Manson to Gost (even to Ghost) should be able to find something to latch onto.

— Andrew Rothmund

Nechochwen – The Ancient Pulse | Nordvis | Neofolk (and sometimes Metal) | United States

I can’t believe it’s already been ten years since the release of Nechochwen’s debut Algonkian Mythos. Time flies. Returning with a collection of rarities and covers, The Ancient Pulse concentrates on the neofolk style which defined Nechochwen’s first era. Expect stirring, nature and culture inspired songs, but also the unexpected Rotting Christ and Ozzy cover. What an interesting compilation.

FROM THE GRAVE

Skepticism – Stormcrowfleet | Svart | Funeral Doom Metal | Finland

Skepticism’s outrageously, impossibly good debut — a benchmark in funeral doom metal — gets a full remix and remaster, and my god is it glorious. Read about the process in my interview with organist Eero here.

OTHER RELEASES

Warrel Dane – Shadow Work | Century Media | Progressive Groove Metal | United States

I keep forgetting Warrel is gone. It is extremely sad, but then I remember the legacy of music he left behind. Though Shadow Work was never properly finished, it stands as one of his great, final works.

Hissing – Permanent Destitution | Profound Lore | Black/Death Metal | United States

I could go on about this album (I don’t think it would be very positive), or you can read a positive review we’ll be publishing soon. Either way.

Cognitive – Matricide | Unique Leader | Technical Death Metal | United States

Not the best thing out on Unique Leader right now, but not the worst. Worth a spin of this one track if you’re feeling in the tech-death mood. The crushing bit right after the two-minute mark is especially saucy.

— Andrew Rothmund

The Order of Apollyon – Moriah | Agonia | Black/Death Metal | France

I was a huge fan of this band’s 2015 album The Sword and The Dagger, and I’ll be honest, this new Moriah record doesn’t rip quite as rawly or hark back to metalcore as much as I’d like it to. The band is much darker now (to their benefit, actually), and much more death metal. Definitely worth a spin if you’re looking for the traditionalities of the subgenre with some nice flair added (especially the vocals this time around), but the blend as it exited just a few years ago has since changed.

— Andrew Rothmund

Unleashed – The Hunt for White Christ | Napalm Records | Death Metal | Sweden

Classic Swedish viking-themed death metal (no, not like Amon Amarth. This stuff is nasty.) If you aren’t familiar: educate yourselves.

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