Upcoming Metal Releases: 3/2/14-3/8/14
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Spring training? Not for metal. No need. Our genre of choice shook off its rust during the previous two months. Now? It’s limber, ready to go. Even “off-weeks” such as these pack plenty of pleasures. Take the Anticipated Releases: only three, but a heck of a three. Morbus Chron spin the ol’ Spheres and fling it out to a darker part of space. Nothing‘s charged-up gaze doesn’t leave any untied laces unnoticed. And, Psalm Zero could make an alt-universe, Back to the Future-starring Michael Gira grin. (Not waving but no-waving?)
Of Note has similar success, with sludgy stunners (Cavern, Prizehog, Sioux), widdling wild ones (Subliritum), and old death vets (Decomposed, Torture Pulse) all making the team. Plus, don’t forget to reach a little further to find things we’re kicking ourselves for picking up late. Yeah, we got caught looking. Metal, though? Grooving, smacking a tough tweener-list slider into the gap. Wave it on home. Jobu approves.
See something we missed? Goofs? Let us know in the comments. Plus, as always, feel free to post your own shopping lists. Happy digging.
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New metal releases for the week of 3/2/2014 – 3/8/2014. 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 Tuesday unless otherwise noted. Blurbs and designations are based on available promotional material and perceived buzz.
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Anticipated Releases:
Morbus Chron – Sweven | Century Media Records | Death metal
Old-school prog death that pries open third eyes to communicate with a ’90s Evil Chuck. Second album from these eccentric Swedes, who compose with the album-length ambition of a Mgła.
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Nothing – Guilty Of Everything | Relapse Records | Alt. rock, shoegaze
A Siamese dream of smeared tones congealing into wobbly rock both desperate and anthemic.
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Psalm Zero – The Drain | Profound Lore Records | Industrial, experimental
Andrew Hock (Castevet) and Charlie Looker (Zs) unveil their industrial welding experiment, fusing together everything from death rock, doom, black metal, no-wave, goth, core, and more. Like lenticular printing, it changes depending on your angle.
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Of Note:
Adamus Exul – Arsenic Idols | Aeternitas Tenebrarum Musicae Fundamentum | Black metal
These Australians do the sweep of a symphonic squad without the keys and cheese.
Aeon Of Horus – Existence | Self-released | Death metal
Modern tech-death in the mold of a straight-shooting Anata. The Canberrans have links to The Levitation Hex and Infinitum.
Albion – Campanula | Walkure Records | J-power
Ex-members of Destrose get Helloween-ier. BONUS: Elsewhere in Japan, My Material Season‘s Awaking to the Piano Dramatic is ludicrous synth-driven melodeath, just not in the way you’d expect. And, Kamijo’s Symphony of The Vampire showcases the Versailles frontman’s flair for the dramatic.
Battleaxe – Heavy Metal Sanctuary | Steamhammer | NWOBHM
30 years after their sophomore effort, Battleaxe release LP number three. (Ignoring the shelved Mean Machine, of course.) It fits right in amongst most comebackers, favoring a streamlined thump and glossier production. Paul Atkinson, ex-Skyclad, is on the skins.
Cavern – Tales of Ruin | Grimoire Records | Sludge, post-hardcore
Angular and winding post-hardcore finding the middle ground between Baroness and something like These Arms Are Snakes. Contains a member from Highpriest.
Cholera – Plagiarised Hope | Church of Fuck | Hardcore
Core ground down to its loudest sounds. Comparable to Cursed with Nasum riffs.
Decomposed – Devouring | Memento Mori | Death metal
OSDM of the homegrown Swedish variety, rising above clones thanks to a keen understanding of how the form works.
Fossils – Flesh Hammer | Indisciplinarian | Noise rock
Caustic drums/bass combo lurching through the mind of a blacked out Unsane.
Hirax – Immortal Legacy | Steamhammer | Thrash
California’s cult thrashers cut their fifth LP to celebrate 30 years in existence.
Noctem – Exilium | Self-released | Blackened death metal
Spanish blarghers blast through stretches akin to a slimmed down Belphegor.
Prizehog – Re-Unvent the Whool | Eolian Empire | Sludge
Northwest riff muddiers, anchoring Melvins-y compositions with the weight of old Isis.
Sioux- The One and the Many | Self-released | Sludge, stoner
The other verdant travelers from Oregon. Sioux do the Man’s Ruin shtick with a proggier slant. Salvador are in the same family tree.
Subliritum – Downfall | Battlegod Productions | Black metal
A melodic icicle joust controlled by two talented six-stringers. The Norwegian quintet count members of Bloodthorn and Keep of Kalessin within their ranks.
Torture Pulse – Devilroot | Violent Journey Records | Death metal
Finnish OSDMers strum out an addiction to Swedish buzz. Related to Deliverance.
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Things We Missed:
First, some housekeeping: We featured this on the site proper, but DEPHOSPHORUS grinding howl at the stars dropped in the middle of last month without mention here. Intriguing amalgamation, with notes of crust, Witching Hour insanity, and Castevet timbre trickery.
DiE‘s UK82-influenced, droning punk receives a nod because you’d never be able to Google them.
Druglord shot all of the tranquilizers before blowing out their amps thanks to noise rock-derived boomers.
Host sprinted through their chaos, peppered by a touch of Discharge. Proceeds go to a good cause.
Jerkagram delivered a heaping helping of kraut-laden, hypnotic rockers.
Jig-Ai borked a set of slamming gore.
Miserable, the solo sideproject of Whirr‘s Kristina Esfandiari, pressed a misty 7”. It’s of particular interest to those wanting more Nothing.
Privilege collected a demo of acidic punk stingers.
Skorneg‘s dark ambient woosh was the wish-list item Lustmord admirers didn’t know they burned a birthday cake/shooting star/eyelash on.
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