Upcoming Metal Releases: 9/7/2014 – 9/13/2014

September 8, 2014

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As we enter the promised land of fall releases, the tweener weeks are starting to dissipate. Last week? Big. And this week, which would normally be a breather, is actually just as big. Hell, it’s even bigger in some respects. Well, maybe it’s simply ‘more.’

For one, this list is more contentious. A lot of time was spent debating whether In Flames should make the cut. They didn’t. Same goes for Crimson Shadows. If you like either, here’s your announcement: they have new albums. Done and done. On the flip side, so you know favoritism isn’t at play, there’s also a somber rock album out from Alternative 4, a band including ex-Anathema member Duncan Patterson. I will stir my Pumpkin Spiced Latte quietly while it plays. Whatever.

Secondly, we’re cheating more with the release dates. A number of these album will be out digitally on Friday (9/12). So, if you’re having trouble finding a distributor stocking – deep breath – Ævangelist, Albez Duz, Earthship, Martyrvore, Sons of Crom, Stallion, Subterranean Masquerade, and (holy crap where’s the Tylenol) the rest of the list, that’s the reason. It didn’t seem right to bury them under next week’s pile, so here they are. Anyway, none of this will matter in seven days unless you have OCD. No, I didn’t retype OCD five times. Shut up. (Up up up up up.)

So, couple those points with an Of Note section that’s bursting with bangers (a good thing since Anticipated should look familiar to regular readers), and this list is, uh, big. And more. More big. How am I not in marketing?

NOTE: The Order of Israfel that hit last week’s Things We Missed is out in North America this week. Consider it a preemptive oversight as it would’ve starred in Of Note. Click the link for details.

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

— Ian Chainey

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New metal releases for the week of 9/7/2014 – 9/13/2014. 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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Ævangelist – Writhes In The Murk | Debemur Morti Productions | Blackened death metal
An unsettling and out-there duo bringing together cosmic death metal and horror-soaked, industrial-tinged black metal. Check out their previous release in full below.

<a href="http://dmp666.bandcamp.com/album/omen-ex-simulacra">Omen Ex Simulacra by ÆVANGELIST</a>

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Godhunter / Secrets of the Sky – GH/0ST:S | The Compound | Sludge, death/doom
Godhunter play towering sludge. Secrets of the Sky have a nasty death/doom sort of groove. Stream a track from Godhunter here.

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Megaton Leviathan – Past 21: Beyond the Arctic Cell | Seventh Rule Recordings | Doom, psych
Equally gaze-y and psychedelic, Megaton Leviathan turn a Neurosis-esque rhythm into an opportunity for mind expansion. Stream a track here.

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Phobia – Grind Core | Deep Six Records | Grind
The long-running grinders do exactly as the title instructs. Finally, truth in blast-vertising. Stream the record in full here.

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Striker – City Of Gold | Napalm Records | Heavy metal, power metal, speed metal
These Canadian rippers make sure their hooks land before embarking on mile-long shredathons. Stream the record in full here.

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Of Note:

Albert Bell’s Sacro Sanctus – Deus Volt | Metal on Metal Records | Doom, heavy metal
Bassist for Forsaken and Nomad Son delivers a solo album of pure old school doom.

Albez Duz – The Coming of Mictlan | Iron Bonehead | Doom, goth
This Dies Ater sideproject comes as close as anyone to capturing the stretched out melancholy of early Type O Negative.

Ascended Dead – Arcane Malevolence | Blood Harvest | Death metal
Filthy and endearingly sloppy OSDM taking its cues from the ’80s.

Earthship – Withered | Pelagic Records | Sludge, hard rock
Rockin’ buzzy sludge that will delight fans of bands like Baroness.

Funereus – ……Return of the Old Goat | Forever Plagued Records | Black metal
This ultra-raw blackened duo originally hailing from Mexico has stepped their ellipses game up.

Hod – Book of the Worm | Arctic Music Group | Blackened death metal
Speedy death made for fans of mid-’90s Floridian growlers. Related to War Master. Worth checking out for the guitar production.

Martyrvore – Malevolent Desolation | Iron Bonehead | Blackened death metal
Quirky and raw, these New Hampshirites operate almost with a punk sense of detachment.

Pord – Wild | Solar Flare Records | Noise rock, punk
Riff-filled noise rock that doesn’t let the seasick feedback get in the way of the band finding their own sound. Intriguing rhythmic sense, too.

Sons of Crom – Riddle of Steel | Debemur Morti Productions | Epic doom, folk metal
These two Swedes take sweeping, epic doom aboard a Viking ship. Check out older material here.

Stallion – Rise and Ride | High Roller Records | Heavy metal, speed metal
On their LP debut, this German quartet nail the anthemic sound of old Noise Records.

Steak – Slab City | Napalm Records | Stoner rock
An English group humming with the skunky spirit of Kyuss.

Subterranean Masquerade – The Great Bazaar | Taklit Music | Progressive metal, avant-garde
Tomer Pink returns, joined by members of Novembers Doom, Orphaned Land, and Green Carnation for another lush fusion of metal and classical timbres.

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