Upcoming Metal Releases 5/28/2017-6/3/2017

…

Here are the new metal releases for the week of May 28, 2017 – June 3, 2017. 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 Friday 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.

…

ANTICIPATED RELEASES

Wode – Servants of the Countercosmos | Avantgarde Music | Melodic Black/Death Metal | England
From my premiere of “Temple Interment”:

“Bursting forth with a charred, red fury, Wode’s furious “Temple Interment”‘s spitting, snarling rage hurls their sound into new, albeit still “old” territory. Utilizing a stronger death metal presence, Wode definitely takes more cues from Sacramentum this time around, there is an expected sense of muscular pummeling, but, rather than the wanton destruction of death metal’s strength, M.C. and T.H.’s dual vocal attack exudes specific intent. This attack is centered, and Wode is closing in with taunting hubris. Though their lyrics speak of cosmic apocalypse, Wode’s newfound attitude doesn’t speak to black metal’s world-ending obsession. Instead, they look down their noses at you and sneer, finding the perfect way to make you feel like utter trash. Wode is back, and they are mean.

Vin de Mia Trix – Palimpsests | Hypnotic Dirge Records/Cimmerian Shade Recordings | Progressive Death/Doom Metal | Ukraine
From my premiere of “Pharmakos”:

“Too long? Maybe to some, but the steady stream of creativity logically builds to this conclusion. As opposed to “going for the gold” when it comes to hitting a specific length, Vin de Mia Trix treats these songs, and “Pharmakos” in particular, with a musical eloquence, backing up each conceit with appeals to the listener’s emotion. It’s like writing a good paper, if any of you can think back to your college days: everything requires evidence.”

Völur – Ancestors | Prophecy Productions | Ambient Folk/Doom Metal | Canada
From my premiere of “Breaker of Oaths”:

“Following last year’s sleeper hit Disir, Völur’s sophomore effort branches in many directions while retaining their pulsing, fuzzy doom metal core. Sounding more “metal,” or at least with a more energetic presence, Ancestors‘s warm bass and violin duets weave dreamy, ancient atmospheres and heavy, percussive bliss. Toying with elements of the avant-garde (see: the tense, stuttering violin introduction), this trio’s psychedelic, ancestral folk atmospheres take on a looser, more carefree personality. As each track progresses, Völur slowly morphs and unfurls, masking a surmounting aggression with layers of whimsy and beauty. As their petals fully open, their unique sound organically radiates with a kaleidoscope of colors.”

Charnel Winds – Verschränkung | Feuer Publications | Progressive Black Metal | Finland
From my premiere of “Atmâsphere”:

“Charnel Winds’s own atmosphere is arcane and emanates hubris, and yet the guitar trio of Shoo, Termuthis, and Olli’s own presence offers different hubris. “Being good at your instrument” isn’t necessarily a benchmark to be met in black metal, save a few examples, but Charnel Winds manages to echo the rollicking rage and mysticism of black metal with their own technical confidence. Dazzling with bouncing, Eastern musical elements and masterful guitar solos, “Atmâsphere”‘s unique presence offers an adroit expansion on black metal with an idiosyncratic character. Essentially, Charnel Winds…only sounds like Charnel Winds, but without reveling in its strangeness or overstaying its welcome.”

Endon – Through the Mirror | Hydra Head Records/Daymare Records | Black Metal/Hardcore/Screamo/Noise/I DON’T KNOW | Japan
Take a long drink of water, and mind the ground glass Endon mixed in. Check back tomorrow to let this album wear you from the inside out.

…

Vallenfyre – Fear Those Who Fear Him | Century Media Records | Death Metal | England
From Joseph’s premiere of “Kill All Your Masters”:

“Propulsive old school death metal in the vein of Bolt Thrower or now Memoriam (the two artists would make fitting tourmates). Fear Those Who Fear Him as a whole sounds more militaristic than its two predecessors. Singer and guitarist Gregor Mackintosh, also of Paradise Lost, is obsessed with dealers of false hope on this record. It’s a fitting soundtrack for our current days as well as a more than solid tribute to death metal’s young stallion days.

r”>…

OF NOTE

Unaussprechlichen Kulten – Keziah Lilith Medea (Chapter X) | Iron Bonehead Productions | Death Metal | Chile
Hellish, sharp blackened death metal. You will find no murky depths nor obscured chasms here, just evil rage and muscular madness.

Ofermod – Sol Nox | Shadow Records | Black/Death Metal | Sweden
The great evil returns. Their first album in five years, Ofermod continues to perfect of the terrifying, “orthodox black metal” style they helped ignite twenty years ago.

Progenie Terrestre Pura – oltreLuna | Avantgarde Music | Atmospheric Black Metal/Electronica | Italy
Fusing atmospheric black metal with the strange beats of “psybient” (see: Infected Mushroom, Shpongle, Carbon Based Lifeforms), Progenie Terrestre Pura’s astral black metal is colorful and rife with abstract shapes.

Birdflesh/Organ Dealer – Birdflesh / Organ Dealer | Horror Pain Gore Death | Grindcore | Sweden/United States
From Joseph’s premiere of “Insane Inventor” and “Exasperated”:

“As far as grind goes, Birdflesh write unusually coherent songs. Their relative clarity lets their humor come across. “Insane Inventor” is very easy to parse apart, and while it probably won’t become as iconic as a song like “More Garlic”, it’s still grade-A Birdflesh.
“Exasperated” in contrast hits a little harder. It’s stuttering intro and abrupt end are more stereotypically grind, but the band unloads mosh riffs effectively in-between.”

Triumvir Foul – Spiritual Bloodshed | Vrasubatlat/Invictus Productions | Death Metal | United States
We were actually all lined up to feature this one last week, but some horrible jerk had to go and leak it. There isn’t much which sets Triumvur Foul’s sophomore effort from the putrefied Morbid Angel worship of their debut. At the same time, is there anything more we could truly want from them?

…

OTHER RELEASES

Plague Throat – The Human Paradox | Transcending Obscurity India | Death Metal | India
Most “modern” death metal (stylistically, not epoch-based) doesn’t really move me, but Plague Throat managed to pull off quite the Immolation impression.

Tankard – One Foot In The Grave | Nuclear Blast | Thrash Metal | Germany
The world’s drunkest and most belligerent thrash metal band only gets drunker and even angrier as they age. Like a fine wine, but with the probable aroma of a good cheese.

Elder – Reflections of a Dying World | Stickman Records | Stoner/Doom Metal | United States
Elder’s Lore was a staff favorite in 2015, but stoner/doom metal still remains a mountain I no longer feel the need to climb. To their benefit, Elder’s continued Thin Lizzy (or maybe even math rock) flair makes a strong case for future ascension.

Zifir – Kingdom of Nothingness | Duplicate Records | Black Metal | Turkey
At first I was mildly taken aback by how, well, normal Zifir sounded, especially on a label curated by Virus’s drummer, but Kingdom of Nothingness‘s strangeness slowly unfurls. There are these strange moments of weird textures, like the ominous howling drone in the background of “769” or the stuttering beats in “As Weak As Your God”. Some experimental things don’t need to be so in your face about it.

Heathen Beast – $cam | Transcending Obscurity India | Black Metal/Grindcore | India
Angry, angry blackened grind from India, complete with a nice sense of humor, but there is absolutely no low-end to this. Paired with the clicky drums, parts sound like shaking a metal bucket full of nails.

Horrid – Beyond the Dark Border | Dunkelheit Produktionen | Death Metal | Italy
Extremely minimal death metal for those who miss old Deicide or would prefer extreme metal take all cues from the Hellhammer demos.

Unleash the Archers – Apex | Napalm Records | Power/Melodic Death Metal | Canada
From Kevin’s premiere of “Cleanse the Bloodline”:

“Unleash the Archers have crafted a sound which laces traditional power metal melodies and thematic elements with melodic death metal’s harsh vocals and heavier “breakdown” riffs.”

Sikth – The Future in Whose Eyes? | Millennium Night | Progressive Metalcore/Djent | England
I recall Sikth having a bit of pull with the metalcore fans with whom I attended high school, but, all these years later, their frontman still manages to sound like Fred Durst. I can’t do it.

Phobia – Lifeless God | Willowtip Records | Grindcore | United States
I mean, it’s Phobia. You know what to do, just don’t break too many of your precious possessions. This is the first of many non-comedy albums to feature our fearless leader in their grotesque album art. It’s going to be a long four years.

…