Territory's Edge - July 2022

Metallica made plenty of headlines this summer.  The surging popularity of their 1986 hit "Master of Puppets" - due to its inclusion in the show Stranger Things - marked a rare crossover moment, potentially introducing a vast array of listeners to heavy metal.  Another familiar name returning to the spotlight is Rage Against the Machine.  The rap rock legends, whose last album Renegades released in December 2000, embarked on their first tour in eleven years, which has proven to be a massive success. However, we had no shortage of metal and metal-adjacent bands releasing and announcing brand new music either.  Slipknot returned with a new single "The Dying Song (Time to Sing)" and a September album announcement. Lorna Shore continue to be huge in the deathcore scene, and also have a new song out and an album on the way. Holy Fawn, Erra, and Silent Planet similarly remain consistently top-tier bands with their new singles. Oceans Ate Alaska dropped a new song at the beginning of the month and confirmed a new album at the end. Highlights among the smaller bands we had to talk about this month include Hated delving into the evils of abuse on "Dr4gged",  Philippine technical death metal Emperium hailing the horned ones on "Majestic Goat", and modern deathcore band The Archaic Epidemic from Fairfax, Virginia making a strong showing with "Lords of Misery".  South Florida band Leveled live up to their name on their EP One World Comes Back Around, and Atlanta's In Somni are a promising new band with two explosive songs.

 

 

Silent Planet - ":Signal:"

 

Ten years after their first EP Come Wind, Come Weather, Silent Planet now maintains a dedicated, supportive fan community and substantive respect within progressive metalcore circles. From the beginning, frontman Garrett Russell has shown why he is a top-tier lyricist and songwriter. His lyrics have discussed many topics including the generational and historical trauma experienced by Native Americans ("Native Blood"),  the horrors of war and impact of PTSD on combat veterans ("Panic Room") and his own battle with mental illness ("Terminal"). However, the band's new single, ":Signal:", continues to keep listeners guessing. This song ventures into mathcore territory, with an eerie, mysterious visual to match. Above all, ":Signal:" is crushingly heavy, displaying an unpredictable chaos akin to Loathe at their heaviest. Buster Odeholm of Humanity's Last Breath mixed this track, contributing to its dark and heavy atmosphere. Distant clean vocals in the waning seconds finish the song on an enticing note. Silent Planet's music has a profound depth, spirituality and sincerity, and this new song provides the first taste of something massive.  

Wake - Thought Form Descent

 

While this band from Calgary, Alberta started out playing grindcore, their sound has gradually shifted with each album. Now on their sixth full-length, Wake's current blackened death metal style is characterized by densely layered, highly technical compositions. Thought Form Descent is full of intriguing, melodic guitar riffs that will hook just about any fan of extreme metal. The profiency of the band's two guitarists, Arjun Gill and Rob LaChance, keep each track engaging throughout. The melodic death metal riffage on single "Swallow the Light" is a prime example of the guitar work carrying the song. Additionally, the two instrumental tracks "Pareidolia" and "The Translation of Deaths" add a valuable diversity. Both of these short breaks balance out the intensity of the other six songs. "Observer to Master" makes good use of blast beats and a guitar solo from Kevin Hufnagel of Gorguts. "Bleeding Eyes of the Watcher" incorporates a Mastodon-sounding guitar line and a seamless atmospheric transition into the closer "The Translation of Deaths". Thought Form Descent is themed around a science fiction story contained to the album. According to vocalist Kyle Ball, the narrative follows a character who enters a paranormal realm during a near death experience, then tries to recreate that plane of existence again through means of altered states, meditation, and lucid dreams. Musically, Wake cite inspiration from classic metal bands like Slayer, Iron Maiden, and Celtic Frost, as well as genres like post punk, doom, and black metal. However, the band makes it a point to not let any particular influence overtake the others. The eight-minute sonic cacophony of "Venerate (The Undoing of All)" encapsulates this mindset perfectly, a track as nuanced as it is chaotic. Wake have created a masterful extreme metal record here.  

Scarcity - Aveilut

 

At first glance, classical sensibilities within an experimental black/drone metal record may seem unusual. Scarcity, a two-person project from Brooklyn, New York, proves that this influence can translate well even without the use of traditional classical instrumentation. Instrumentalist Brendon Randall-Myers is both a guitarist and composer who has written for classical music performers and symphonies. He is joined by vocalist Doug Moore from the New York technical death metal band Pyrrhon, who in addition to his unearthly low growls is a skilled writer and former monthly metal columnist. Aveilut, titled after a Hebrew term for mourning, centers around processing loss and the inevitability of death. It is a challenging yet cathartic listen. Randall-Myers specifically wrote the album about the deaths of two people close to him, and the bleak tone of the music conjures up images of staring into the void. Reflecting both a personal and universal meaning, Aveilut is a harrowing, yet spacious, drone/dark ambient 45 minute album.  Split into 5 tracks numbered I-V, it is meant to be listened to as one composition.  

Krisiun - Mortem Solis

 

The success of Sepultura in the '90s helped open up the door for more Brazilian metal bands to break through to a worldwide audience. One of those bands was Krisiun.  Their brutal third album, Conquerors of Armageddon, was unleashed in March 2000, marking their first major release on Century Media. Krisiun is composed of three brothers, and they're still going strong eleven albums into their career. Therefore, it's fitting that on August 7, they're playing alongside the Cavalera brothers Max and Igor, on the tour celebrating 25 years of Sepultura's Roots. Krisiun has maintained an old-school death metal ethos throughout their career, occasionally embracing a progressive edge as on 2012's The Great Execution. Krisiun's latest album provides a good introduction to any newcomers to the long-running trio. Bridging the gap between early and modern death metal, the band stays true to their sound without coming across as stale or out of ideas. Mortem Solis is characterized by thrashy tempos and death metal vocals, but they switch it up enough to keep the whole album engaging. Track 4, "Necronomics" slows to a measured groove metal pace. The instrumental "Dawn Sun Carnage" which leads into the cavernous "Temple of Abattoir" is another highlight.  

Conjurer - Páthos

 

While this young British death/doom metal act gained some previous attention from the underground scene with the EP I, their sludgy debut full-length, Mire, earned them a strong following among some well-known metal musicians, particularly Trivium's Matt Heafy. On Mire, Conjurer mixed in some post-metal dynamics with tracks like "Hollow" and "Thankless", and their second album develops in this direction further. The highlight of Páthos is "All You Can Remember", a somber, dynamic post-metal track written in memoriam of guitarist Dan Nightingale's grandmother. Similar to "Constance" by Spiritbox, the lyrics explore the the grief of having a loved one battle dementia. A guest female vocalist, Alice Zawadski, provides a spoken word section before the cathartic climax. The sludgy "Basilisk" is the most stylistically similar to Mire and provides a contrast between the band's past and present. Frontman Brady Deeprose's low roar is comparable to Aaron Turner of the bands Isis and Sumac. Similarly, the music is reminiscent of a heavier Oceanic with undercurrents of death and sludge metal swirling through the tides. Let Páthos pull you in to its murky depths.

Oceans of Slumber - Starlight and Ash

 

Oceans of Slumber are unafraid of change. The band's initial gothic metal/progressive doom metal sound drew comparisons to Opeth with a female lead vocalist, while maintaining a sound of their own. Heavy yet soulful tracks like "The Adorned Fathomless Creation" displayed a similar sense of duality. Given how Opeth has dramatically reinvented their sound while still finding success, the description is even more apt today. Yes, Oceans of Slumber took a left turn, softening their sound - to their advantage. The group fully captures the southern gothic sound by honing in on a sultry, humid atmosphere. In fact, the only minor flaw here is some imbalance in the production, as the guitars are buried in the mix compared to the drums during the heavier moments. Frontwoman Cammie Gilbert's vocals are the undisputed focus of the album, and her commanding presence is the reason the stylistic shift succeeds. "Salvation" displays her gospel influences both sonically and lyrically. While Starlight and Ash is more of a rock album than a metal one, there's still some elements of metal present. "Red Forest Roads" is a good example, building from a somber ballad to a fast climax with furious drumming. "Just a Day" starts off similar to an Evanescence piano ballad but finishes out on heavy, with the final minute of fuzzed out distorted guitar.

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.

Territory's Edge - May 2022

I wrote this monthly recap for New Fury Media on June 1 and you can view the original post here.

New metal music from this month offered plenty of surprises and crossing of genres.  Spiritbox, one of heavy music's most hyped new names, dropped a collaborative single with electronic artist Illenium.  Knocked Loose frontman Bryan Garris lent his signature barks on Motionless in White's aggressive song "Slaughterhouse".  Young metal bands like Wake, Inexorum, Conjurer, and Greylotus are names to watch, as they each meld various styles of extreme metal for a sound as intense as it is innovative.

A familiar name under a new alias, Trivium's frontman Matt Heafy released the debut album of his side project Ibaraki.  A collaboration with long-time producer Ihsahn, Rashamon incorporates elements of styles like progressive and black metal while still remaining accessible to Trivium fans.  Notably, the nine-minute epic "Rōnin" features snarling screamed vocals from Gerard Way. (If you've been out of the loop, My Chemical Romance recently dropped their first new song in years - and it's a heavy one).  Cave In also made an unexpected comeback with Heavy Pendulum, a driving, grungy heavy rock record that takes influence from Soundgarden both in sound and length.  Below, I'll delve into some of the songs and albums that caught my attention in May 2022.  Picks include a rising metalcore act you should add to your radar, a pair of albums exploring Indigenous American heritage with extreme metal, and more.

 

Hollow Front - The Price of Dreaming

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=78ULzD2Mbh0

On their first UNFD release, Michigan metalcore band Hollow Front prove they are a name to watch.  The Price of Dreaming has enough hooks, riffs, breakdowns, and variety to appeal to any fan of the genre.  Stylistically, this band pulls influence from 2000s NWOAHM mainstays like Killswitch Engage, as well as current progressive metalcore groups like Erra or Invent Animate.   They don't break new ground or reinvent the genre, they play pure metalcore and they do it very well.  Guitarist Dakota Alvarez splits vocal duties with Tyler Tate, and has more of a presence here in comparison to the band's 2020 full-length Loose Threads.  "Two Worlds Away" and "In the Spotlight" are softer and driven by Alvarez's clean singing, and contrast with the aggressive, relentless tracks like "Heritage" and "Treading Water".   Hollow Front have a knack for massive, soaring choruses, and "Thick as Blood" and the title track are prime examples of the band's effective use of hooks.

 

Nechochwen - Kanawha Black

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UOZnYPoL45Y

Initially started by Aaron Carey as a project that combined Appalachian folk music with traditional Native American instrumentation, Nechochwen (a Lenape word meaning "walks alone") has gradually morphed into a black metal band while still retaining those original lyrical themes.  One example is "The Murky Deep", which describes a legend relating to the Horned Serpent, a supernatural monster of Native American lore that dragged prey down underwater.   The album's name Kanawha Black explores the history of the band's home state of West Virginia, with the title referencing the Kanawha River and the black flint found in the region.  In a recent interview with the Rez Metal Podcast, Aaron Carey said that the title is also an allusion to West Virginia's "black cloud" of poverty and economic depression.

Overall, this is a diverse, very accessible black metal album with elements of progressive rock, doom and folk.  Songs like the opening title track and "Visions, Dreams and Signs" fit comfortably under the black metal label, while "A Cure For The Winter Plagues" ventures into doom metal, and "The Murky Deep" is comparable to early Opeth.  However, the main standout is "Generations of War".  A flute melody laid over driving riffs and blastbeats gives this blackened battle song an epic atmosphere.  Overall, Kanawha Black is a solid album with excellent storytelling from a unique group.  You can read an overview of the band's discography here.

 

Tzompantli - Tlazcaltiliztli

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5itJGvb84kQ

Tzompantli (which translates to 'skull rack') is a death doom metal project led by Brian Ortiz from Xibalba.  While Ortiz's primary band is named after the Mayan word for 'underworld', it is Tzompantli that fully centralizes themes of indigenous rituals and history.   In honor of the band's Mesoamerican roots, each track title is written in the indigenous Nahuatl language.  The band also incorporates traditional tribal percussion instruments of huehuetl drums, shells, and shakers into their sound.  As stated in the album notes, "Tlazcaltiliztli is dedicated, and an offering, to the indigenous peoples, nations & tribes of the North, South, East & West of the American continents."

In other aspects, Tzompantli's sepulchral riff-driven sound is similar to that of Xibalba, but with greater dynamics.  Excellent production allows each crushing downtuned riff and bassline to be clearly heard.  The opening two tracks "Yaohuehuetl" ('war drums') and "Tlatzintilli" ('something begun; a creation') progress from tribal drumming, to an ominous guitar line, to ferocious death metal riffage.  The calculated, slow tempo and minor key melodic guitar sections throughout give the album an slight post metal sensibility as well, especially on the closing track "Yaotiacahuanetzli" ( 'warrior blood').  At thirty-three minutes in length, Tlazcaltiliztli is succinct and brutal, never overstaying its welcome.

 

Cane Hill - "A Form of Protest"

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JByoypu2YB4

Cane Hill never made it a goal to fit neatly into one category.  This New Orleans-based group has pushed the boundaries and ventured outside their nu metal/metalcore sound before, with their acoustic EP Kill the Sun pulling influences from Alice in Chains' classic Jar of Flies and americana music.  Cane Hill's latest song exemplifies the opposite end of the spectrum as frontman Elijah Witt growls over driving, downtuned riffs, with clean vocals nowhere in sight.   "A Form of Protest" goes for the throat and is easily Cane Hill's heaviest song to date.  It is also their first song out under the Out of Line label, following a series of EPs released independently throughout the last two years.   Elijah Witt has stated that this single is the first of a new "relentless and uncomprising era" for the band.

 

Satyr - "Vector"

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jY3UztmbPN0

Satyr plays technical post-hardcore that should appeal to fans of artists like Good Tiger, Fall of Troy or Dance Gavin Dance.  Formed in 2016, they are a relatively new band on the scene, and have one full-length and one EP in their catalog.   Locus was a promising 2020 debut from this Atlanta band, and was released independently.  "Vector" is the introductory single from Satyr's follow-up album, and is their first song released under Kill Iconic Records.  Satyr has a lot going on instrumentally and incorporates uncommon time signatures into an accessible form.  Their sound has the feel of a jam session with the guitarists Janald Long and Michael Campbell laying down a driving groove.  The band's second album Totem will be released on July 1, and a second single, "Attrition", drops on June 3.

 

Oceans of Slumber - "Hearts of Stone"

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WHw3NkP8zUE

Oceans of Slumber, a progressive/gothic metal band from Texas, released two songs from their upcoming album Starlight and Ash, which is set for a July 22 release date.  Both singles, "The Waters Rising", and "Hearts of Stone", emphasize the gothic rock side of the band's sound.  These two are comparable to previous softer songs like "The Colors of Grace" and a gorgeous cover of The Moody Blues' 1967 hit "Nights in White Satin".  Conversely, this unique and versatile band is also known for the chaotic black metal/doom influenced sound of tracks like "The Adorned Fathomless Creation" and progressive metal epics like "Winter" and "Pray for Fire".  It remains to be seen whether each track on Starlight and Ash will follow the same trajectory as the first two singles, or if the heavier side of Oceans of Slumber will be present as well.   In either case, it's hard to go wrong with vocals as commanding as frontwoman Cammie Gilbert's soulful delivery, which remains the band's most central component.

May 2022 Metal 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 (May 27), I will select 5-8 albums or songs to discuss in detail.  

May Release Tracker

Singles

Suicide Silence - "Thinking in Tongues" (May 3, deathcore)

Wake - "Swallow the Light" (May 4, deathgrind/post-metal)

Thousand Below - "Venenosa" (May 4, post-hardcore)

Stray From the Path - "III" (May 4, hardcore)

Cabal/Joe Badoloto - "Magno Interitus" (May 4, deathcore)

Soulfly - "Superstition" (May 5, thrash)

Inexorum - "Equinox Vigil" (May 5, melodic death/black metal)

Satyr - "Vector" (May 6, post-hardcore)

Zillakami/Jeris Johnson - "Raining Blood" (May 6, trap metal)

Polyphia - "Playing God" (May 10, instrumental prog metal)

Spite - "Hangman" (May 12, deathcore)

Greg Puciato - "Never Wanted That" (May 12, alternative metal)

Bleed From Within - "Flesh and Stone" (May 12, symphonic metal/metalcore)

My Chemical Romance - "The Foundations of Decay" (May 12, emo/punk/doom)

Oceans of Slumber - "Hearts of Stone" (May 13, gothic rock/progressive metal)

Motionless in White/Bryan Garris - "Slaughterhouse" (May 13, metalcore)

Illenium/Spiritbox - "Shivering" (May 13, electronic/metalcore)

Soilwork - "Övergivenheten" (May 13, melodic death metal)

The Hu - "This is Mongol" (May 13, Mongolian folk metal)

Lorna Shore - "Sun//Eater" (May 13, symphonic deathcore)

The Wise Man's Fear - "What Went Wrong" (May 15, metalcore)

Thrice - "Dead Wake/Scavengers (acoustic)" (May 17, alternative rock)

Psycroptic - "Rend Asunder" (May 17, technical death metal)

Scarcity - "II" (May 17, experimental black metal)

Astronoid - "Human" (May 18, post metal/shoegaze)

Cane Hill - "A Form of Protest" (May 18, hardcore/djent)

Kardashev - "Glass Phantoms" (May 18, deathgaze)

Bleeding Through - "Rage" (May 19, gothic metal/metalcore)

Wormrot - "Grieve/Weeping Willow/Voiceless Choir" (May 19, grindcore)

Municipal Waste - "High Speed Steel" (May 19, thrash)

Alexisonfire - "Sans Soleil" (May 19, post-hardcore)

Arch Enemy - "Sunset Over the Empire" (May 20, melodic death metal)

Negatives - "Pinbacker" (May 20, progressive metalcore)

Imperial Triumphant - "Maximalist Scream" (May 20, avante-garde/jazz/black metal)

Eighteen April - "Polaris" (May 22, metalcore)

Greylotus - "Chiaroscuro" (May 23, progressive/technical death metal)

LIMBS - "Slow Burn" (May 24, hardcore/metalcore)

Miss May I - "Bleed Together" (May 25, metalcore)

Inanimate Existence - "Into the Underworld" (May 25, technical death metal)

Aviana - "Anomaly" (May 25, electronic rock/metalcore)

Brand of Sacrifice/Ryo Kinoshita - "Demon King" (May 25, deathcore)

Emberthrone - "A Bitter Path" (May 26, death metal)

Conjurer - "Cracks in the Pyre" (May 26, post metal/sludge)

Yatra - "Reign of Terror" (May 26, death metal)

In Disarray/Kyle Anderson - "Illuminator" (May 27, deathcore)

Bullet For My Valentine - "Stitches" (May 27, metalcore)

Krisiun - "Serpent Messiah" (May 27, death metal)

Oceans - "I Want To Be Whole Again" (May 27, alternative metal)

Will Haven - "Wings of Mariposa" (May 27, hardcore)

In Hearts Wake - "W2HA" (May 30, metalcore)

thoughtcrimes - "Panopticon" (May 31, mathcore)

 

 

Albums/EPs

Terror - Pain Into Power (May 6, hardcore)

Ibaraki - Rashomon (May 6, progressive metal/black metal from Matt Heafy of Trivium)

Tzompantli - Tlazcaltiliztli (May 6, death/doom metal)

Tómarúm - Ash In Realms Of Stone Icons (May 6, technical death metal/black metal)

Upon A Burning Body - Fury (May 6, deathcore)

Vital Spirit - Still as the Night, Cold as the Wind (May 6, western folk/black metal)

Halestorm - Back From the Dead (May 6, hard rock)

Three Days Grace - Explosions (May 6, hard rock)

Silverstein - Misery Made Me (May 6, post-hardcore)

Windwaker - Love Language (May 6, electronic rock/metalcore)

Massic - Cognisant (May 13, hardcore/groove metal)

Primitive Man - Insurmountable (May 13, death doom)

Nechochwen - Kanawha Black (May 13, black metal)

Moon Tooth - Phototroph (May 13, progressive/stoner rock)

Jungle Rot - A Call to Arms (May 13, death metal)

Misery Index - Complete Control (May 13, death metal)

Amiensus - All Paths Lead to Death (May 16, progressive black metal) [digital release, EP from 2017]

Cave In - Heavy Pendulum (May 20, hardcore/post-rock)

Baest - Justita (May 27, brutal death metal)

Scary Kids Scaring Kids - Out of Light (May 27, post-hardcore)

Hollow Front - The Price of Dreaming (May 27, progressive metalcore)

IATT - Magnum Opus (May 27, progressive metal/symphonic black metal)

Black Void - Antithesis (May 27, black metal/crust punk)

Notions - Notions (May 27, nu metal/rapcore)

Black Lung - Dark Waves (May 27, doom metal)

 

Territory's Edge - March 2022

I'm currently writing these monthly articles at New Fury Media, so you can also keep up with my posts there.  Two bonus reviews are included on this blog post as a bit of a ChasmsMetal exclusive.

 March was stacked with new music.  Below, I give a rundown of the month in metal and delve into the five new releases that caught my attention the most.  In addition to the new Vein.fm album, March was a particularly solid month for metalcore.  Charismatic  Seattle newcomers AVOID unleashed a fun double single, Wolves at the Gate dropped their fifth album Eulogies and Erra released a special edition of their self-titled 2021 album with seven extra tracks, including an excellent cover of Muse’s “Stockholm Syndrome”.  The Singaporean grindcore band Wormrot – who gained worldwide attention in 2011 from a famous goat who attended their shows – are back with a new single “Behind Closed Doors”.  And while outside the realm of rock and metal, you really should check out lyrical rapper (and metal fan) Denzel Curry’s latest project Melt My Eyez, See My Future if you haven’t already.

Vein.FM - This World is Going to Ruin You

“There was a lot of feeling of being taken advantage of, so it’s like a wounded animal or a scared child getting revenge," Anthony DiDio said when describing the band's 32-minute new album.  Make no mistake, this album is vicious, occasionally incorporating softer, haunting elements, but mostly creating chaos and leaving a trail of destruction in its wake.  However, This World is Going To Ruin You displays plenty of versatility within its short 32-minute runtime. “Wherever You Are” is an ambient, dark interlude that leads into the fast and furious “Magazine Beach”.  And while primarily a ferocious mathcore track, “Fear in Non Fiction” includes clean vocals from Thursday’s Geoff Rickley around the 1:40 mark.  An ominous atmospheric synth at the end of the chaotic tenth track forms the prelude to the Loathe style “Wavery”.  This is the strongest and the most dynamic track on the album.  Floating, tenuous clean vocals across an atmospheric industrial backdrop.  Later the cleans intertwine with the harsh vocals and crushing riffs that follow later.  Finally, “Funeral Sound” closes out the album on a seven minute abstract, amorphous piece that includes whispery vocals over piano, an answering machine message, lyrics that reference the album title, and heavy riffs.

 

Holy Fawn - "Death is a Relief"

Ryan Osterman simply describes his band as “loud heavy pretty noises”, playing shoegaze with elements of doom and black metal.  While Holy Fawn tends to emphasize post-rock more than black metal, a similar wild, nocturnal ambience lurks beneath.  The band’s 2018 full-length Death Spells exemplifies the grace and restless nature of a deer – one that also carries a formidable, sharpened rack of antlers.  Holy Fawn’s latest single covers both sides of that dichotomy, and is reminiscent of some Deafheaven material.  “Death is a Relief” is a dark, atmospheric song that may lull the listener into a false sense of security at the start.  While beginning as an ethereal alternative rock song, it slowly builds up, and unleashes furious, raspy screams at the climax.  Need another reason to pay attention? Metal icon Randy Blythe of Lamb of God is a major Holy Fawn fan, deeming Death Spells his favorite album of the year.

 

Murals/Garrett Russell - "Out of Sight, Out of Spine"

On this track, Silent Planet frontman Garrett Russell joins Murals, an instrumental post-hardcore collective led by former Hail the Sun guitarist Shane Gann. “Out of Spite, Out of Spine” is written about the current civil war and human rights violations occurring within Ethiopia’s Tigray region.  Garrett Russell, whose band Silent Planet recently raised $13,918 to directly benefit Ukrainian refugees, stressed the importance of not turning away from suffering when humanitarian crises occur.  A third of the proceeds from this track go to benefit Refugees International.  Beyond the meaningful lyrical content, this is a fantastic self-produced post-hardcore song in its own right.  While Garrett is primarily a screamer in Silent Planet (though he sung on sections of the band’s most recent album), he shows a softer side to his delivery as well.  Here, his subdued clean vocals and signature screams complement Shane Gann’s dynamic guitar riffs.  Additionally, Shane’s other project Sufferer, which utilizes three different vocalists to represent an individual’s struggle with anxiety and depression, is worth checking out.

Arkaik - Labyrinth of Hungry Ghosts

Technical death metal that rips with the hunger of a wolverine that eats ghosts.  This album has its share of memorable moments, such as melodic harmonics in the waning seconds of "Abode of the Deceiver", a nice guitar solo in "Eminence Emergence", and catchy guitar licks in "Wayward Opulence".  While primarily a showcase of technicality, these songs show how the band's guitar proficiency creates memorable moments too.  "To Summon Amoria" has a quieter intro and a Gojira-like riff forming the backbone. 

Wolves at the Gate - Eulogies

This is bit of a "safe" album for Wolves at the Gate that goes for a Octane sound, but by no means a bad one.   Wolves at the Gate got their start as an aggressive post-hardcore/metalcore band with some subtle Thrice influences.  Much like Thrice started out as a heavy punk band and transitioned to accessible but deep rock, Wolves at the Gate has gradually become more radio-friendly over their last three albums.  "Lights & Fire" is an entirely melodic rock track that exhibits Wolves at the Gate at their most accessible, and in fact has been receiving some attention from rock radio, particularly satellite rock radio station SiriusXM Octane.  Most notable is that "Lights & Fire" has no screamed vocals, which is rare for a non-acoustic Wolves at the Gate track.  "Silent Anthem" closes the album on a strong note, with a sound that hearkens back to "Oh the Depths" from their 2011 debut EP We Are the Ones.  Eulogies doesn't top their first three, but has its share of moments that prove "radio-friendly" doesn't always mean stale. 

Animals as Leaders - Parrhesia

Simultaneously melodic and technical, Parrhesia continues the band’s status as forerunners of instrumental metal/djent.  The dazzling fretwork from guitarists Tosin Abasi and Javier Reyes is front and center as always.  Of particular note is the first track “Conflict Cartography”, which capitalizes on dynamics, with a satisfying groove and chord progression.  The production is clean without sounding overly polished, and comes courtesy of Misha Mansoor, Periphery’s guitarist and founder.  Additionally, Misha Mansoor has mixed two earlier Animals As Leaders albums, the self-titled debut and The Joy of Motion. 

Other Notable Releases

Singles

Kublai Khan - "Loyal to None" (Mar 2, hardcore)

Hollow Front - “The Price of Dreaming” (Mar 2, metalcore) - The Price of Dreaming (album) releases May 27

Gravemind - "Deathtouch" (Mar 3, deathcore)

Rammstein - "Zeit" (Mar 9, industrial metal)

Miss May I - "Unconquered" (Mar 9, metalcore)

Motionless in White - "Cyberhex" (Mar 10, metalcore)

Aviana - "Transcendent" (Mar 10, deathcore)

Cave In - “New Reality” (Mar 15, hardcore/alternative rock) - Heavy Pendulum releases May 20

Murals/Garrett Russell - “Out of Sight, Out of Spine” (Mar 16, post-hardcore) *

Wormrot - “Behind Closed Doors” (Mar 17, grindcore)

Holy Fawn - “Death is a Relief” (Mar 18, post-rock) *

AVOID - "Cowabunga", "Split/Kill It" (Mar 18, post-hardcore/punk)

Crosses - “Initiation/Protection” (Mar 18, darkwave/electronic rock project from Deftones and Far members)

The Arson Choir - “Be Gone the Form of Man” (Mar 18, mathcore) 

Northlane - "Carbonized" (Mar 23, progressive metalcore) - Obsidian releases Apr 22

A Night in Texas - "God's Throne" (Mar 23, deathcore)

Dayseeker - "Neon Grave" (Mar 25, post-hardcore)

Rose Funeral - "Father Death" (Mar 27, deathcore)

Albums/EPs

Silvercord - Umbral EP (Mar 4, metalcore) 

Hath - All That Was Promised (Mar 4, black metal/death metal)

Crowbar - Zero and Below (Mar 4, sludge/doom)

Vio-Lence - Let the World Burn EP (Mar 4, thrash)

Vein.fm - This World is Going to Ruin You (Mar 4, metalcore) *

Wolves at the Gate - Eulogies (Mar 11, metalcore/post-hardcore) *

Arkaik - Labyrinth of Hungry Ghosts (Mar 11, technical death metal) *

Claustrofobia - Unleeched (Mar 11, thrash/death metal)

Ghost - Impera (Mar 11, doom metal/pop metal)

Messa - Close (Mar 11, doom metal)

Haunted Shores - Void (Mar 11, instrumental metal/djent from Periphery members)

Shaman's Harvest - Rebelator (Mar 11, blues rock/alternative metal)

Distinguisher - Under the Weight of Things I Couldn't Change EP (Mar 11, deathcore)

A Mourning Star - To See Your Beauty Fade EP (Mar 17, metalcore/melodic death metal)

Joshua Travis - No Rest EP (Mar 18)

A Sense of Purpose - All the Grief was Gone EP (Mar 18, progressive metalcore) NFM

Aeviterne - The Ailing Facade (Mar 18, technical death metal)

Stabbing Westward - Chasing Ghosts (Mar 18, alternative metal/industrial)

Absent in Body - Plague God (Mar 25, doom/post metal) *

Animals as Leaders - Parrhesia (Mar 25, instrumental metal/djent) *

Crown Magnetar - Alone in Death (Mar 25, death metal)

Abbath - Dread Reaver (Mar 25, black metal)

Dream Widow - Rise of the Insane (Mar 25, heavy metal project from Foo Fighters' Dave Grohl)

Falls of Rauros - Key to a Vanishing Future (Mar 25, black metal)

Soul Glo - Diaspora Problems (Mar 25, hardcore punk) 

Desolate Shrine - Fires of The Dying World (Mar 25, death metal)

Territory’s Edge - Best New Metal of February 2022

Welcome to the February edition of Territory’s Edge where I highlight the heavy music released this month that caught my attention.  I don’t care much for strict categories or genre purism; whether the music is 13-minute-long blackened funeral doom or R&B influenced post hardcore, it’s eligible here.  Bandcamp links are always listed by default if available, as buying from this platform does the most to directly support the artists.  Otherwise, streaming links and music videos for singles will be posted.  For an individual single to be discussed in full in this column, it must be released over one month in advance of an upcoming album, or be a standalone single.  

Cult of Luna - The Long Road North

Cult of Luna's music often evokes a lengthy, scenic journey - for their latest album, specifically in a rural, remote part of Sweden, according to frontman Johannes Persson.  With that in mind, it makes sense that The Long Road North would come accompanied by an immersive grayscale game where the player navigates through a harsh landscape.  If "Lights on The Hill" from 2019's A Dawn to Fear evoked reaching a scenic overlook, The Long Road North is akin to a trek in harsh weather through remote wilderness.  Throughout the band's nine albums, lengthy compositions use repetition to create an atmosphere or build up slowly to a climax.  Drummer Thomas Hedlund provides a backdrop of complex, progressive rhythms for the slow-burning, chugging riffs from Johannes Persson and Erik Olofsson.  "Into the Night" and the instrumental “Full Moon” provide a melancholic respite in the middle.  This atmospheric break is comparable to quieter Neurosis material with Johannes adopting a Scott Van Till style of singing. Similarly, the ambient “Beyond I” and “Beyond II” offer two variations on the same theme.  One features lead vocals by guest singer Mariam Wallentin, while the other is an instrumental. Brooding, colossal tracks like the title track and “An Offering to the Wild” provide a cinematic scope.  Cult of Luna has yet to release a bad album, and The Long Road North is a legitimate early AOTY contender. 

Hollow Front - "Comatose"

I was introduced to Hollow Front with their 2020 debut full-length, Loose Threads, and took note of the band's potential while finding room for improvement.  This track displays some growth in the songwriting department, and overall is a stronger display of their abilities.  According to Tyler Tate, one of the band's two vocalists, "Comatose" is about battling depression, specifically during the midst of the pandemic, as well as anxiety over an uncertain future at the time.  “Comatose” features a nice usage of backing clean vocals that mesh well with the low growls, rather than just following the expected clean chorus-unclean verse format.  This Grand Rapids based metalcore band goes on tour with Fit For a King and Silent Planet this spring. 

Venom Prison - Erebos

On Venom Prison's new album, frontwoman Larissa Stupar is as fierce and passionate as ever.  Melodic guitar solos and powerful riffs from Ash Gray and Ben Thomas further augment her powerful delivery. The band’s use of elements of Greek mythology as metaphors for modern issues, particularly current criminal justice systems, is a recurring theme throughout Erebos.  Songs like “Judges of the Underworld”, “Castigated in Steel and Concrete” and “Technologies of Death” all focus on incarceration or the death penalty, and the lyricism is a strong point.  A comparison between Primeval (the band’s first two EPs reissued last year) which was straight-up death metal, and Erebos reveals a new direction for them.  While still primarily death metal, Venom Prison ventures into new territory with this album.  The most obvious departure is the excellent “Pain of Oizys”,  alternately delicate and fiercely confident. This song about battling depression is the first Venom Prison track where Larissa’s clean singing takes center stage, and her singing reappears in a supporting role elsewhere on tracks like “Veil of Night”.  On the other side of the spectrum, the closer “Technologies of Death” has Larissa adopting a raspy black metal style delivery, before the fury settles down for a melodic bridge.  Towards the end of the song, Larissa leaves the listener on a hopeful note, “Somewhere deep inside/empathy is still alive.” Without a doubt, Venom Prison are poised to reach bigger audiences and garner attention here.  

Ends Embrace - "Warhorse"/"Forgotten Ways"/"Voices of the Dead"

Up next is an underground one-man Navajo black metal project from Scottsdale, Arizona.  Ends Embrace's three newest singles, two of which appear on a split EP called Thrall of the Winter Moon, show a marked progression in musicianship from We Will Never Die.  Ryan Silas plays raw black metal with a bit of crust punk influence as well.  The whinnies of a horse and a doomy, melodic guitar line set the backdrop for “Warhorse”, while "Forgotten Ways", which transitions into “Voices of the Dead”, reminds me of a lo-fi take on Downfall of Gaia.  While I'm not normally into raw recorded black metal, Silas' affinity for punk, usage of minor key instrumentals, and anti-oppression message from an indigenous perspective give Ends Embrace a sense of individuality in the crowded underground black metal scene.  The split EP is available as a pay-what-you-want download on Bandcamp if you like what you hear.

Rolo Tomassi - Where Myth Becomes Memory

While this band currently has six albums in their discography, Where Myth Becomes Memory was my introduction to Rolo Tomassi, and a very good first impression at that.  This is a well-paced progressive metal album with wide influences as disparate as mathcore and dream pop.  The band, whose name is a reference to the film L.A. Confidential, is led by sister and brother duo Eva (lead vocals) and James Spence (keyboards, electronics and backing vocals).  Where Myth Becomes Memory is very dynamic in sound, ranging from ethereal dream pop to a maelstrom of technical metal and throaty growls.  Reminiscent of Spiritbox, the single “Cloaked” is a good overview of both sides of the Rolo Tomassi sound.   Softer tracks like “Closer”, “Stumbling” and “The End of Eternity” tip the overall balance of Where Myth Becomes Memory in favor of atmosphere and elegance. 

Graphic Nature - new skin

While Graphic Nature take their name from a Deftones song off the progressive alternative metal masterpiece Koi No Yokan, this young band's sound is clearly in the realm of hardcore, with some industrial and old school nu metal influence thrown in.  Like their fellow British contemporaries Loathe, the band has listed instrumental video game soundtracks as an influence.  This ruthless ten-minute EP wastes no time kicking the door down, and finishes the sonic destruction just as quickly.  According to frontman Harvey Freeman, new skin represents Graphic Nature's core sound, and is thematically about the process of freeing yourself from self-hatred and toxicity.  Each of these songs lasts about two and half minutes, and offers a quick cathartic release from negative emotions.  

Other Notable Releases 

Albums/EPs

Korn - Requiem (Feb 4, nu metal)

Windveill - There Inevitably Will Be Silence (Feb 4, atmospheric black metal/blackgaze)

Circa Survive - A Dream About Death EP (Feb 4, post-hardcore/alternative)

Vorga - Striving Towards Oblivion (Feb 4, black metal)

Thorn - Yawning Depths (Feb 4, death metal)

Hangman's Chair - A Loner (Feb 11, doom/heavy metal)

Zeal & Ardor - Zeal & Ardor (Feb 11, black metal/soul/blues)

Napalm Death - Resentment is Always Seismic EP (Feb 11, grindcore)

Cane Hill - Krewe d'Amour Vol. II EP (Feb 11, nu metal/metalcore)

Once Human - Scar Weaver (Feb 11, melodic death metal)

Darkmatter - Project Darkmatter EP (nu metal/metalcore)

An Isolated Mind - A Place We Cannot Go (Feb 15, noise rock/experimental)

Black Map - Melodoria (Feb 18, alternative metal/post-hardcore)

Bloodywood - Rakshak (Feb 18, folk metal/nu metal)

Pure Wrath - Hymn to the Woeful Hearts (Feb 18, black metal)

Immolation - Acts of God (Feb 18, death metal)

SIFYN - Marionette (Feb 18, progressive metal - side project from Veil of Maya's Lukas Magyar)

Bad Omens - The Death of Peace of Mind (Feb 25, metalcore)

Blood Incantation - Timewave Zero (Feb 25, dark ambient)

Eight Bells - Legacy of Ruin (Feb 25, doom) 

Allegaeon - Damnum (Feb 25, death metal)

Corpsegrinder - Corpsegrinder (Feb 25, death metal)

Territory’s Edge - Best New Metal of January 2022

One month in and 2022 already has an impressive selection of material to cover.  

Meshuggah - “The Abysmal Eye”

Widely credited as the forefathers of the djent movement, this influential Swedish technical death metal band just released their first new song in six years.  Meshuggah is the kind of name whose music speaks for itself, and "The Abysmal Eye" is reliably aggressive, with a blistering guitar solo to boot.  An April 1 release date has been set for their ninth album, Immutable.  It's new Meshuggah, they deliver their signature sound, complete with off-kilter time signatures, and not much else needs to be added.  The Swedes' technical sound occasionally experimented with avante-garde compositions, especially on the underrated Catch Thirtythree.  The band may venture into a similar headspace on Immutable, which they summarized as "their wildest sonic adventure yet."

Loathe is currently working on a full length album to follow up their breakthrough 2020 project I Let It In and It Took Everything.  This abstract, experimental track appears to be a stand-alone single.  "Dimorphous Display" remained unreleased in demo form for a while before Loathe finished it last year.  The song still maintains the spontaneous nature of a demo, as well as the spirit of a 1990s alternative track, much like I Let It In and It Took Everything deep cut "Screaming".  Frontman Kadeem France's feral snarls interject at the just the right moments, countering the brooding clean singing that comprises most of the vocals.  The sonic cacophony represents a raw expression and experimentation moreso than an indication of how their upcoming material will sound, so it’s still a question of where Loathe will go next.  The sky's the limit for the Liverpool band's creativity.  Don't forget that they had the boldness to put out an entirely ambient instrumental project the previous year.

Northlane - “Plenty”

Now an independent band, Northlane return to the signature cyber-djent style they perfected on 2019’s Alien.  The third single from their upcoming April album Obsidian is dark and technical, forgoing the poppy nature of the previous two.  A stunning vocal performance from Marcus Bridge alternates seething snarls with his impeccable clean singing on the chorus.  Over an unorthodox time signature, "Plenty" contemplates the question of whether you would start your life over again if given the chance.  It is by far my favorite of the three Obsidian singles.  While the first two took a few listens to get on board with, I found myself loving "Plenty" almost immediately.  While Northlane have received multiple ARIA awards in their home country of Australia, I still think they don't get enough credit for their ability to hybridize genres - and blend the old with the new - in a way that rivals crossover superstars Bring Me the Horizon.  Northlane's recent material masterfully incorporates early 2000s influences (the first Celldweller and Linkin Park albums come to mind) within the context of a heavier, modern progressive metalcore sound.   They are also one of the frontrunners in terms of promotion, writing a theme for a tactical video game esports league and launching the Worldeaters patreon this past year.  With tracks like "Plenty" in the band's arsenal, Obsidian is on track to be one of the best heavy albums of 2022.

Wolves at the Gate - “Lights and Fire”

Wolves at the Gate got their start as an aggressive, fervent post-hardcore band with a dichotomy of light and dark, tension and release, screamed and clean vocals.  That duality was in full force on the band's debut full-length Captors, one of the finest metalcore releases of the 2010s.  Every track on that album, including the heaviest ("Amnesty") and the softest ("Safeguards" and "Man of Sorrows") incorporated both aspects of their identity.  In contrast, "Lights & Fire" is an entirely melodic rock track that exhibits Wolves at the Gate at their most accessible, and in fact has been receiving some attention from satellite rock radio station SiriusXM Octane.  There are no screamed vocals here, which is rare for a non-acoustic Wolves at the Gate track.  What hasn't changed is the band's love of Thrice, and their creative interpretation of that influence continues to take on new forms.  The lyrics are also evocative, as vocalist Steve Cobucci sings about about a moment of clarity that came with the realization that he was holding on to something self-destructive.  While upcoming album Eulogies is unlikely to top their first three, this is a strong single that proves "radio-friendly" doesn't always mean stale. 

Absent in Body - "The Acres/The Ache"

Composed of Neurosis vocalist/guitarist (and frequent Mastodon collaborator) Scott Kelly, former Sepultura drummer Igor Cavalera, and two members of Belgian doom metal group Amenra (Colin Eeckhout and Mathieu Vandekerckhove), Absent in Body has proven to be a formidable metal supergroup.  The first released song from their upcoming five-track album Plague God is powerful and surprisingly dynamic.  Starting with a measured drum cadence over an ominous hum, "The Acres/The Ache" descends into Stygian depths with Igor Cavalera's echoing percussion evoking a dark underground dungeon.  This crushing sludge metal onslaught suddenly gives way to atmospheric post rock halfway through.  Around the four minute mark, a slow melodic guitar line breaks through the gloom, and ghostly clean vocals follow.  The dark, cavernous atmosphere returns in the end, capping off an otherworldly eight and a half minute journey.  This song proves to be an intriguing start to a promising collaborative project. 

Erra - “Nigh to Silence”

 

This new track was recorded last year for a special edition of Erra's self-titled album.  "Nigh to Silence" starts off sounding like a track from Jesse Cash's Ghost Atlas project, before incorporating previous eras of Erra into one song.  "Nigh to Silence" is a song about loneliness, which Jesse described as "set on an empty earth observed by the moon."  As proven before, the band's lyricism continues to stand out, with lines like "wolves of ash, howling in a present past" and "walking in the shadow of my own ghost" vividly describing a cold solitude.   Simultaneously emotive and pummeling, "Nigh to Silence" displays Erra's mastery at progressive metalcore. 

Fit for an Autopsy - Oh What the Future Holds

While rooted in deathcore, Fit For an Autopsy have always worn their Gojira influence on their sleeve.  This is most notable in "Far From Heaven," with a memorable guitar rhythm and chorus hearkening back to Gojira's album L'Enfant Sauvage.   Produced and written by guitarist Will Putney, Oh What the Future Holds spans a spectrum of heavy music that incorporates more subtle influences.  Whereas some deathcore records follow the same formula for every song on the album, Fit For an Autopsy make a clear creative choice to branch out.  Of special note are the contemplative, melodic "Two Towers" and "The Man That I Was Not", spaced apart as tracks 5 and 10 respectively, which venture into progressive metal.  Elsewhere, straightforward deathcore cuts like "Collateral Damage" are absolutely relentless.  As one of several albums released by prominent deathcore bands on the same day (January 14), this held its own against some competition.

Underoath - Vouyerist 

 

Underoath have left a lasting legacy over the years.  The band's sound has always been distinct and recognizable, particularly since Spencer Chamblerlain came into the fold, but the Florida metalcore stalwarts never made the same record twice.  Nothing will top ø (disambiguation) for me (one of my favorite albums of all time), but Underoath's latest project is very solid.  The self-production has a heavy, sludgy tone that works well for the bleak mood of the album, especially on the experimental closer "Pneumonia".  The two-track sequence of ambient Sleepwave-esque interlude "(no oasis)" and fierce post-hardcore dichotomy on "Take a Breath" is the finest moment on Vouyerist.  The only aspect that might prevent me from listening to this album more throughout the year is its relentlessly bleak and futile lyrical tone.  I can certainly relate to the Ghostemane-featured "Cycle" as it echoes the frustrated inner dialogue when my mind is on a negative spiral, but it's not a headspace I want to succumb to or remain in for long.  However, that brutal honesty also works in the favor of an album this cathartic and furious in sound.  Vouyerist leaves no doubt that Underoath still has new avenues to explore. 

 

Other Noteworthy January Releases:

Singles:

Haunted Shores - “Hellfire” (Jan 12, instrumental djent)

Bad Omens - “Like a Villain” (Jan 18, post-hardcore)

Ghost - “Call Me Little Sunshine” (Jan 20, doom/rock)

Vein.fm - “Fear in Non Fiction” (Jan 24, hardcore)

Shinedown - “Planet Zero” (Jan 26, rock/post-grunge)

Albums/EPs: 

Animårum - The Gaian Mind EP (Jan 14, djent/technical death metal)

Shadow of Intent - Elegy (Jan 14, deathcore)

Enterprise Earth - The Chosen (Jan 14, deathcore)

Worm Shepherd - Ritual Hymns (Jan 14, blackened deathcore/symphonic black metal) 

Pridelands - Light Bends (Jan 14, metalcore)

Mizmor - Wit’s End (Jan 14, black metal/doom)

Aethereus - Leiden (Jan 14, technical death metal)

Great American Ghost - Torture World EP (Jan 20, hardcore)

SOM - The Shape of Everything (Jan 21, doom/shoegaze)

Krosis - E.V.I.L. (Jan 31, deathcore, technical death metal)

On the Psychology and Theology of Silent Planet: "Am I Terminal?"

Silent Planet's frontman Garrett Russell has never been one to shy away from the subject of mental health.  He lives with bipolar depression and anxiety, and has been very open about his diagnosis in several interviews.  The band's second album Everything Was Sound has an entire meta-narrative about mental illness, informed by Garrett's master's degree in clinical psychology and internship as a college counselor.  However, his own struggle with mental illness would soon inform the band's music in a rawer, more painful way.  In November 2019, Garrett attempted to take his life while suffering a scary mental breakdown in Belgium in between shows on a European tour.   Shortly after, he checked himself into a psychological rehabilitation facility for a month.  Hospitalized and at the lowest point of his life, with the band's future in doubt, he tried to make sense of the broken pieces.   That traumatic 24 hour span and the resulting psychogenic struggle shaped Iridescent, the band's fourth album.  In Garrett's capable hands, lyrics about living with a stigmatized mental health condition are written with a rare depth, care, and raw honesty.  

Iridescent is visceral in sound.  Like  “Native Blood”, which I wrote about previously, the intensity of the lyrics is matched by the music.  Throughout, Alexrene Camarena's relentless percussion and Mitchell Stark's fast technical fretwork keep pace with Garrett's rapid-fire vocal delivery.  Atmospheric passages both melodic (the ending of "Second Sun") and ominous ("liminal") weave in and out.  Bassist Thomas Freckleton has traditionally handled almost all of the clean singing, but on here the duties are much more spread out, which adds further to the unpredictability.  The opening tracks "112" and "Translate the Night" convey a dissonant, eerie atmosphere on the same level as Loathe, while the aggressive industrial-laced djent of "Anhedonia" and "Panopticon" echoes Northlane's recent forays on Alien.  The emotive "Second Sun" and "Terminal" counter the chaos.  On tracks like "The Sound of Sleep", this album is also reminiscent of Underoath's Ø (Disambiguation) (Garrett's favorite Underoath album as well as mine).  Like that landmark album, Iridescent reflects its dark sound with desperate, soul-searching lyrics. 

Whether intensely personal or discussing broader overarching issues, every track on Iridescent conceptually fits into place.   "Trilogy", initially a standalone single on February 2020, was penned in one session by Garrett during his hospitalization.  The band finished and recorded the song shortly after he was released.  In it, he expresses a longing to heal and feel human again amidst the cyclic, clockwork structure of life in a mental facility.  The sole break from the chaos is when Thomas enters on the chorus, singing "Be still and human."  This frantic, fast-paced song encapsulates the manic state, as he screams about static in his head before the sound dissolves into distortion in the final seconds.  Iridescent's second single "Panopticon", named for an observation tower centralized within a circle of prison cells, alludes to a concept introduced on Everything Was Sound.  In an in-depth 2016 interview, Garrett explained how the panopticon on that album represents "the stigmatization of mental health and the way that we understand disorders", with the prisoner of each cell representing a different mental illness.  At the end, the prison is destroyed.  The track "Panopticon" has no guitars at all - just bass, drums, and electronics - and takes this concept in a more dystopian direction ("They see all but we see one/Shut down the system/Burn away the veil/What waits? A face behind a face behind a face").  The buzz of the bass strings is audible as Thomas’ low-end crunch provides the ideal backdrop. Lyrics allude to addiction to technology and screens, something Garrett was experiencing in an unhealthy way prior to the November tour.

On a similar note, the furious "Alive, As a Housefire" rages against the dehumanizing, machine-like nature of unjust systems.  Written during the June 2020 protests, it lyrically parallels "No Place to Breathe" as both tracks reference police violence against African Americans and generational trauma ("Cold as the empire that stole away your breath... and long as the history they poured inside your chest").  "Alive, As a Housefire" notes how it often takes a drastic event to recognize corruption ("We hide in the guise of benevolence until the system burns").  While this track is obviously about brokenness on a large scale, its catharsis and anger make its inclusion on Iridescent ideal.  Fire is also referenced multiple times throughout the album, including "Terminal" ("Burn the forest for the splinters"), "The Sound of Sleep" ("Bastard sun/you'll burn alone"), and "Anhedonia" ("Lost inside a fevered dream/Set fire to the forgery").  The latter track specifically addresses the devastating fires that occurred in northern California, not far from Garrett's hometown of Redding.  "Anhedonia" takes its title from the depression and numbness he felt for a while afterwards, unable to take pleasure in things he normally enjoyed. 

While Garrett's mental health struggle has been referenced on previous Silent Planet material, Iridescent is more akin to a trip into his own psyche in metalcore form.  The beautiful, haunting "Terminal" reflects raw desperation with nothing lost in translation.  This song is dominated by disassociated sounding clean vocals (sung by Garrett and guitarist Mitchell) floating over dissonant guitar riffs.  The ghostly, detached atmosphere echoes Garrett's shift from reality as he took mind-altering medications in the hospital.  He wonders if the anesthetizing, mood stabilizing drugs are only masking the hopelessness and brokenness he feels.  The way he tentatively sings, "The hourglass is vacant/Sand turns to medication/You can fill me but I'll never be full/I'm slipping to sedation/The seconds are contagious/Can you tell me if I'm terminal?" is beautiful and heart-wrenching.  Every lyric reflects this existential and spiritual tumult as he underwent treatment.   During the months leading up to Garrett's mental breakdown, severe depression, anxiety and fear of failure (often centered around losing his voice) weighed heavily on him.  "The Sound of Sleep" is about his insomnia leading up to his mental collapse.  As a central symptom of bipolar disorder, disturbance in sleep cycles is very frequent during manic episodes. Garrett's thoughts of lying awake at night ("I learned to forget how to lose myself in a dream until I sink/I learned to forget the intervals of syllables that sound like sleep") tell just how routine his sleeplessness has become.  Alex’s drumming is standout here, as he lays down an ominous rhythm.

Garrett's lyrics contain many attachment themes of self-worth, despair, and questions of brokenness.  In his words, "This album, for me, was the first time that I allowed myself the space to look at my demons long enough to give them names and try and describe their faces."  Iridescent doesn't conclude with easy answers or a neat resolution, allowing room for a present ambiguity.  To do so on an album this unflinchingly honest would be disingenuous.  However, a few rays of light and faith remain present.  Most notable is the penultimate song "Till We Have Faces", which takes its title from a C.S. Lewis novel.  Metanoia, a term in Christian theology meaning spiritual transformation and repentance, is referenced in the lyrics.  In the midst of instability, he finds grace within the darkest depths ("Laying inside the lowland, I bowed within the reeds/I gave myself to consequence when grace devoured me").  "Second Sun" echoes faith in the divine presence in the closing line, "Every turn returns to You."  In the midst of self-doubt and guilt, the grace and support Garrett received from the band and community ensured that those 24 hours wouldn't mark the end of Silent Planet.  The Night God Slept's opening song "The Well", is also interpolated: "Hold us together when the fear tears us apart/Lovers, forever, you are the answer to the dark".  The closing title track, a tribute to Garrett's dog Birdie who passed away that year, contains glimpses of eternity in the midst of a farewell - where all that is broken will be made new again.

Silent Planet's Iridescent deals with mental health in a more personal and painful way than their previous material, and the entire band handles this concept to perfection.  I wish all the best for Garrett and his bandmates going forward and hope he can find a space of peace, recovery, and happiness.  Simultaneously volatile and introspective, Iridescent is well deserving of a 10/10 score.  I'll leave you with a link to a 2020 interview between Garrett and former Sleeping Giant vocalist Tommy Green.  While difficult to listen to (be aware that it contains detailed discussion of medication, mental illness and suicide attempts), ultimately grace, hope and resilience is present in the midst of darkness, much like Iridescent itself.  There is a beautiful prayer at the end that speaks of how every broken piece is gathered and not one lost.  If you are going through any of the struggles described here, please never be afraid to seek the help and support you need, wherever that help may be for you.  Lovers forever.  Birdie forever.

Territory's Edge - Best New Metal of December 2021

Happy New Year 2022! As December tends to be, this month was lean for new metal albums, and none of these entries cover new full-length material.  However, heavy music still provided plenty to cover.  One particular song marked an exciting return for a band that has been essentially MIA for over eight years.  Arch Enemy and Venom Prison both released excellent second singles this winter, while other bands familiar to me like Sylosis, Nonpoint, and Fit For an Autopsy put out songs this month as well. 

Be on the lookout for several big posts on the way in January.  I'm currently working on finishing an in-depth breakdown of my best-of list for 2021, as well as a full-length review/essay on Silent Planet's Iridescent. 

Karnivool - "All It Takes"

Let's start with the big one first.  Australian progressive alt rock group Karnivool, whose 2009 opus Sound Awake combined an energetic catchiness with sprawling prog-rock ambition, is back. "All It Takes" uses the same producer as that album and marks the first stage of a new project with more to come.  While their vocalist Ian Kenny has remained active in the alternative group Birds of Tokyo, December 10th ended an eight-year-and-a-half gap since 2013's Asymmetry.  (In the interim though, Karnivool still played shows, including supporting Deftones for their 2016 Australian tour and recently livestreaming a playthrough of Sound Awake.)  It's suffice to say there's no rust in sight on the new single.

Sevendust - "All I Really Know"/"What You Are"

 

Reliable Atlanta alternative metal mainstays Sevendust put out a special edition of last year's Blood and Stone with two newly released tracks and three remixes.  "All I Really Know" and "What You Are" are the two B-side tracks recorded during the album sessions.  On a side note, while I'm generally not a fan of remixes of rock and metal songs, the three that appear are all mixed by artists well-versed in the metal world and retain much of the identity of the originals.  Jake Bowen (electronics in Periphery) produces a chilled-out take on opener "Dying to Live", and his solo ambient electronic project The Daily Sun is worth checking out as well.

Cult of Luna - "Cold Burn"

The Swedish post metal band releases their new album titled The Long Road North on February 11, which the band described as "big-sounding" and "cinematic".  "Cold Burn" is a slow-burning, brooding sludge metal track that opens up the upcoming 9-track project.  The black-and-white visualizer video doubles as a preview from The Long Road North game designed in collaboration for the album, representing a lengthy, uncertain journey.  Building visuals to accompany the music and taking it a step further by allowing listeners to interact within that visual plane is a creative premise.  The band aims to move forward and believes that adding these storytelling elements will be prevalent in the future of music video design. 

Arch Enemy - "House of Mirrors"

 

December brought another single from Swedish death metal outfit Arch Enemy.  The melodic opening guitar riff from Michael Ammott immediately commands attention, in a track that vocalist Alissa White-Gluz described as being "about the dark twists and turns of the human psyche".  While its predecessor "Deceiver, Deceiver" was good in its own right, I consider "House of Mirrors" to the be the stronger single of the two.  While no additional full-length been confirmed at this point, a new album announcement within early 2022 seems likely. 

Venom Prison - "Pain of Oizys"

When covering "Judges of the Underworld" last month, I took note of the Greek mythology metaphors present on Venom Prison's upcoming album Erebos.  The UK band's most recent song holds true to that concept, taking its title from a lesser-known goddess of grief, anxiety and woe.  "Pain of Oizys", as interpreted through its music video, represents the struggle with inner torment - and ultimately finding liberation in the midst of it, as the protagonist finds her way to the dawn of a new day at the end.  The band's most dynamic track to date, "Pain of Oizys" is the first to completely pivot away from Venom Prison's established death metal style.  However, it does not sacrifice intensity as the subdued instrumentation hosts both cleanly sung and screamed vocals.  It's a song intended to lead the listener into a "false sense of security", as guitarist Ben Thomas described.  Vocalist Larissa Stupar has indeed made good on her word that Erebos would represent a new phase for her group while still remaining recognizable.  Larissa stated that "Pain of Oizys" ultimately represents a message of empowerment while acknowledging her own depression.  Saying, "It's about respecting that I want to live with it, instead of not wanting to live at all.  It's about catharsis; about feeling empowered in who you are instead of looking to find yourself as somebody different.  If you stay strong, you can survive anything." It's an excellent message of both honesty and hope, and one of the reasons why this band earned a spot here two months in a row.