July 2022 Release Tracker

 

I'm currently compiling metal and metal-adjacent music for Territory's Edge, my monthly recap column on New Fury Media.  After the last Friday of the month (July 29), I will select 5-8 albums or songs to discuss in detail.  My favorites of the month are marked by 🐅.

July Release Tracker

Singles

Oceans Ate Alaska - "New Dawn" (Jul 1, metalcore)

The Wise Man's Fear - "Sunchaser" (Jul 1, post-hardcore)

Bring Me the Horizon - "Strangers"* (Jul 6, pop punk/post-hardcore)

Armor for Sleep - "How Far Apart" (Jul 6, post-hardcore)

Parkway Drive - "The Greatest Fear" (Jul 6, alternative metal)

Revocation - "Diabolical Majesty" (Jul 6, technical death metal)

Boston Manor - "Passenger" (Jul 7, alternative metal)

Erra - "Pull from the Ghost" (Jul 7, progressive metalcore) 🐅

Fallujah - "Embrace Oblivion" (Jul 7, technical death metal) 🐅

Norma Jean - "Spearmint Revolt" (Jul 7, metalcore)

In Lessons - "Slow Small Hits" (Jul 8, post-hardcore)

The Mars Volta - "Graveyard Love" (Jul 8, progressive rock)

Soulfly - "Filth Upon Filth" (Jul 8, thrash)

Termina - "Translucent" (Jul 8, progressive metal) 🐅

Architects - "Tear Gas" (Jul 12, industrial/alternative metal)

Beartooth - "Riptide" (Jul 12, metalcore)

Holy Fawn - "Dimensional Bleed" (Jul 12, black metal/shoegaze) 🐅

I Prevail - "Bad Things" (Jul 12, metalcore)

Carnifex/Oceano - "Lie to My Face" (Jul 13, deathcore)

Ether Coven - "Of Might and Failure" (Jul 13, sludge)

Orthodox - "Cave In" (Jul 13, hardcore)

Russian Circles - "Betrayal" (Jul 13, instrumental post-black metal)

Within Temptation - "Don't Pray for Me" (Jul 13, symphonic metal)

Arch Enemy - "In the Eye of the Storm" (Jul 14, melodic death metal)

Becoming the Archetype - "The Remnant" (Jul 15, progressive death metal)

Fire From the Gods - "Soul Revolution" (Jul 15, nu metal)

In Search of Solace - "Death Follows Me" (Jul 15, metalcore)

Psycroptic - "A Fool's Errand" (Jul 15, technical death metal)

Soilwork - "Dreams of Nowhere" (Jul 15, melodic death metal)

Vended - "Ded to Me" (Jul 15, nu metal)

Graphic Nature - "Into the Dark" (Jul 18, nu metal/metalcore)

Polyphia - "Neurotica" (Jul 18, instrumental progressive metal)

Alter Bridge - "Pawns and Kings" (Jul 19, progressive metal/alternative metal)

Dead Cross - "Reign of Error" (Jul 19, thrash)

Future Static - "Venenosa" (Jul 19, alternative metal/hardcore)

Lacuna Coil - "Tightrope XX" (Jul 19, gothic metal)

Slipknot - "The Dying Song (Time to Sing)" (Jul 19, nu metal)

Spite - "Dedication to Flesh" (Jul 19, brutal deathcore)

thoughtcrimes - "Keyhole Romance" (Jul 20, mathcore)

Acres - "Burning Throne" (Jul 21, alternative metal)

Norma Jean - "Sleep Explosion" (Jul 21, mathcore)

156/Silence - "To Take Your Place" (Jul 22, progressive metalcore)

Silent Planet - ":Signal:" (Jul 22, progressive metalcore/thall) 🐅🐅

Turnover/Brendan Yates - "Myself in the Way" (Jul 25, hardcore punk/funk)

Counterparts - "Whispers of Your Death" (Jul 26, metalcore)

The Devil Wears Prada - "Time" (Jul 26, metalcore) 🐅

Goatwhore - "Born of Satan's Flesh" (Jul 26, black metal)

Behemoth - "The Deathless Sun" (Jul 27, blackened death metal)

Lorna Shore - "Cursed to Die" (Jul 27, deathcore)

The Gloom in the Corner/Ryo Kinoshita - "Ronin" (Jul 27, metalcore)

Lamb of God - "Omens" (Jul 28, groove metal)

Bullet for My Valentine - "No More Tears to Cry" (Jul 29, metalcore)

 

Albums

Conjurer - Pathos (Jul 1, doom metal) 🐅

Blood Command - Praise Armageddonism (Jul 1, skate punk)

Greg Puciato - Mirrorcell (Jul 1, alternative metal)

Municipal Waste - Electrified Brain (Jul 1, thrash)

Saint Asonia - Introvert (Jul 1, alternative metal)

Satyr - Totem (Jul 1, post-hardcore)

Shinedown - Planet Zero (Jul 1, post-grunge)

Speaking With Ghosts - At Its End (Jul 1)

Coldrain - Nonnegative (Jul 6)

Blind Channel - Lifestyles of the Sick and Dangerous (Jul 8)

Wormrot - Hiss (Jul 8, grindcore)

Kruhl - Sanguine Nihilism (Jul 9, technical death metal)

Haunt - Windows of Your Heart (Jul 14, traditional heavy metal)

ATLVS - The Wound, the Blade (Jul 15, metalcore)

Graveshadow - The Uncertain Hour (Jul 15, symphonic metal/power metal) 🐅

Imperial Triumphant - Spirit of Ecstasy (Jul 15, avant-garde black metal/death metal)

Mantar - Pain is Forever and This is the End (Jul 15, sludge metal)

Prismatic - Subversion (Jul 15, progressive metal)

Scarcity - Aveilut (Jul 15, progressive/experimental black metal) 🐅

Senses Fail - Hell is In Your Head (Jul 15, post-hardcore)

The Wakedead Gathering - Parallaxiom (Jul 15, death metal)

Ashenspire - Hostile Architecture (Jul 18, progressive black metal)

Tracheotomy - Dissimulation (Jul 19, deathcore)

Fame on Fire - Welcome to the Chaos (Jul 22, metalcore/emo rap)

Nicolas Cage Fighter - The Bones that Grew From Pain (Jul 22, hardcore)

Oceans of Slumber - Starlight and Ash (Jul 22, doom/gothic rock) 🐅

Palisades - Reaching Hypercritical (Jul 22, alternative metal)

Patient Sixty-Seven - Wishful Thinking (Jul 22, metalcore)

Wake - Thought Form Descent (Jul 22, progressive death metal) 🐅

Saltwound - Vol 2: Despair (Jul 26, hardcore/deathcore)

Chaosbay - 2222 (Jul 29, progressive rock/hard rock)

Ithaca - They Fear Us (Jul 29, melodic hardcore)

Krisiun - Mortem Solis (Jul 29, death/thrash metal) 🐅

Oceans - Hell is Where the Heart is (Jul 29, metalcore)

Stick to Your Guns - Spectre (Jul 29, hardcore)

Territory's Edge - June 2022

Written for New Fury Media on July 4, 2022. 

We're at the halfway point of 2022.  Significant new releases across the world of heavy music this month included Spiritbox releasing a surprise EP, Vatican making their mark on the scene with a diverse, fast-paced 14-track album, and Motionless in White gaining phenomenal chart success with their latest album Scoring the End of the World.  Individual tracks spanned a variety of styles.  Lorna Shore continue to be popular with the brutal "Into the Earth", and experimental black metal band Imperial Triumphant collaborated with jazz musician Kenny G.  Canadian metalcore band Counterparts' fast, unpredictable "Unwavering Vow" transitions several styles within its three minute runtime.  In Flames returned to melodic death metal with "Slate of Slow Decay", while I Prevail channeled Beartooth in both title and sound on "Body Bag".

Desiccation - Cold Dead Earth

Desiccation's debut is a unique, cohesive blend of post metal, atmospheric black metal, and doom metal, often including all three styles within the same song.  The band is composed of husband and wife team Soell Silent Hawk (vocals) and James Bratt (guitar) along with drummer/bassist Patrick Hills.  In their words, Desiccation represents the "existential dread and diaspora of attempting to thrive among end stage capitalism and a declining planet due to climate change, wildfires and windstorms."

The album opens with the atmospheric "Beneath Crumbling Skies of Flesh and Bone".   This song has shoegaze elements as Soell sings ethereally over an Alice In Chains-style doom riff.   The production is excellent and really brings out this heavy, rich guitar sound.  The opener transitions into the longest track “Unknown Monoliths”, which similarly opens with her clean vocals over low-tuned guitar.   In contrast, “The Fall” has a soft, ambient intro, slowly transitions to atmospheric black metal, and contains only harsh vocals.  The following title track and the closer “Depths Sown by Sorrows” are foreboding and majestic.

Along with their environmental stance, the band’s duality of majestic atmospheric passages with fast-paced black metal sections reminded me of Wolves in the Throne Room's Two Hunters and Celestial Lineage at times.  The haunting vocals and sludgy riffs will also appeal to fans of artists like Kylesa.  However, Desiccation provides their own unique take on these styles and it's hard to find a band that sounds exactly like them.  Cold Dead Earth is a fantastic five-song debut.  This album is available for free/name-your-price download on Bandcamp, so go give it a listen!

 

Astronoid - Radiant Bloom

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k6Kbk8x00uo

Astronoid is a truly a unique entity.  Signed to Periphery's label 3DOT Recordings, Astronoid’s ethereal sound combines shoegaze with spacey progressive rock (and early in their catalog, Deafheaven-styled black metal as well).  The Boston band has a very specific sound that characterizes every song - it's breezy like a zephyr, while still containing multiple aspects of metal.  They sometimes describe themselves as "dream thrash" and tracks like "Sedative” and "Orchid" live up to that moniker.  These two songs are characterized by speedy guitar riffs, blast-beat drumming, and the contrast of Brett Boland's airy vocals, which resemble dream pop more than anything else.

In contrast to the foreboding sense of danger some of the bands on this list convey, Radiant Bloom is decidedly light and euphoric.  At the same time, they include plenty of substance. "Decades" is the laid-back seven-minute closer, with the vocals entering at the 1:30 mark. "Eyes" and "Sleep Whisper" are energetic and upbeat, and are good choices for singles, with the most memorable hooks on the album.  For those looking for something optimistic - or just something different in metal - Radiant Bloom captures the energy and euphoria of flying above the world.

 

I AM - "The Iron Gate"

The first single from the Dallas deathcore band's new album Eternal Steel is a study in calculated aggression.  "The Iron Gate" opens with a doomy, melodic guitar line that commands attention.  One minute in, they unleash the heaviness that includes both thrashy chaos and slow, intense riffs.   I Am cites crossover thrash/hardcore band Power Trip (who originate from the same city) and old-school thrash and death metal as influences, which are evident on here.  Regarding this song, vocalist Andrew Hileman said, "When searching for solace and protection, I tend to find it’s often met with opposite hostility. The process of growth only occurs when forced into these uncomfortable situations. ‘The Iron Gate‘ is that place of cruelty that I find so beautiful for the soul. Beware and enter if you dare.”

The album art, designed by Caelan Stokkermans, reflects that sentiment.  Within a post-apocalyptic mountain setting, a Cerberus-like three headed panther accompanies a stoic woman who holds a chain in one hand and a skull in the other.  The cover is unmistakably metal, and it's clear one would quickly regret testing the patience of either the warrior or the panther alongside her.  Originally written back in 2019, Eternal Steel was shelved for a while, and will drop on September 9.  You're in their domain.  Approach with caution.

 

Lamb of God - "Nevermore"

The title makes a literary allusion to Edgar Allan Poe's poem "The Raven",  and the cover depicts a skeletal bird reminiscent of the cover of their groundbreaking anti-war album Ashes of the Wake.  This is signature Lamb of God, and they're back with their latest single ahead of their major tour with Killswitch Engage.  As a writer from Virginia, whenever my state's biggest metal band releases something new, I’m more than happy to discuss it.  "Nevermore" is driven by a mid-tempo groove from guitarist Mark Morton.  Frontman Randy Blythe makes use of four different yet familiar vocal styles here - his regular growled delivery during the chorus, spoken word in the first verse, clean singing in the second, and pitched screams near the end.

"Nevermore" is the first single from the Richmond band's upcoming album Omens, out October 7.  While it's nothing too out of the ordinary for Lamb of God, Randy Blythe's sharp lyricism remains as top-tier as ever, and the band continues to hold their own nearly three decades into their career.

 

Kardashev - Liminal Rite

The word 'liminal' is defined as a transitional, in-between stage, neither here nor there.  It's also a pretty good description of Kardashev's sound.  The band describes themselves as "deathgaze", bridging the gap between two dissimilar styles by cohesively melding the aggressive chaos of death metal with the calm atmosphere of shoegaze.  Vocals are alternatively soft and emotive at one point, and raspy growls at another.  "Silvered Shadows", the album’s first full song following a spoken-word intro track, best represents this stark dynamic.  Numerous interludes and instrumental passages nicely connect these disparate points together.

Thematically, Liminal Rite explores the use of nostalgia as self-medication.   On their Bandcamp page, Kardashev contemplates how selective remembrance of only the best aspects of the past can sometimes become an unhealthy addiction.  The album title essentially represents being trapped in a liminal state between the present and past, and unable to move forward.  Illustrating this concept is the narrative of a character called the Lost Man, whose grip on reality is slowly unraveling.  Fans of similarly experimental groups like Rivers of Nihil will find a lot to like on Liminal Rite, especially the closer "Beyond the Passage of Embers", complete with saxophone.

 

Enterprise Earth - "Psalm of Agony"

While Enterprise Earth has gone through multiple lineup changes throughout their eight years of existence, replacing a founding member and frontman can be a daunting task.  "Psalm of Agony" marks the progressive deathcore band's first song with new vocalist Travis Worland.  He replaces original vocalist Dan Watson, who decided to step down from the role earlier this year.  January's album The Chosen marked Watson's final contribution to the band.  Not to fear though, for Travis Worland more than holds his own.  While the band's sound remains recognizable, he doesn't try to copy his predecessor's vocal style either.

Therefore, it's fitting that the single's cover artwork depicts a magnificent red phoenix rising from flames.  "Psalm of Agony" accurately represents a rebirth for the band.  While the track lasts just under seven minutes, it never feels too long, and has a lot going on.  There's a well-placed acoustic guitar break in the middle of the brutality, a crushing breakdown, and a very memorable vocal hook on the chorus. Some fans have also drawn positive comparisons to Avenged Sevenfold, particularly regarding Gabe Worland's guitar solo and technical skill.  Make no mistake, Enterprise Earth haven't lost any momentum.

 

Spiritbox - Rotoscope

A recap of June wouldn't be complete without addressing one of the most discussed releases.  Spiritbox dropped a surprise three-song alternative metal EP on June 22.  The title track has already proven to be quite polarizing - check reaction videos on YouTube and you will see several differing opinions.   "Rotoscope" begins with a danceable 90s alternative-inspired sound that initially threw listeners for a loop when the song premiered.  Nevertheless, Courtney LaPlante's signature screams are still present and impactful.  In addition, her band has the charisma and versatility to succeed no matter the creative direction.

While the band explores a few different avenues, a careful listen reveals that the signature Spiritbox sound hasn't gone anywhere.  The EP starts off catchy and poppy in the opening minutes of "Rotoscope", and closes out on an aggressive "Holy Roller" style breakdown at the end of "Hysteria".  "Sew Me Up" is most similar to the overall sound of last year's Eternal Blue.  Spiritbox are one of the biggest new bands in rock and metalcore, and they aren't going anywhere soon.