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.

June 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 (June 24), I will select 5-8 albums or songs to discuss in detail.  My favorites of the month are marked with 🐅.

June Release Tracker

 

Singles

Counterparts - "Unwavering Vow" (Jun 1, metalcore)

Ether Coven - "Psalm of Cancer" (Jun 1, sludge)

The Callous Daoboys - "What is Delicious? Who Swarms?" (Jun 2, mathcore)

Amon Amarth - "Get in the Ring" (Jun 3, viking/death metal)

Babirusa - "Mandatory Malevolence" (Jun 3, deathcore)

Demon Hunter - "Freedom is Dead" (Jun 3, metalcore)

Fire From the Gods - "SOS" (Jun 3, rap rock/metalcore)

Floorless - "Healing" (Jun 3, industrial)

I AM - "The Iron Gate" (Jun 3, progressive death metal/deathcore) 🐅

Motionless in White/Mick Gordon - "Scoring the End of the World" (Jun 3, electronic rock/alternative metal)

Satyr - "Attrition" (Jun 3, post-hardcore/progressive)

The Halo Effect - "The Needless End" (Jun 3, melodic death metal)

The Machinist - "Pig" (Jun 3, deathcore)

Parkway Drive - "Glitch" (Jun 7, nu metal)

The Devil Wears Prada - "Salt" (Jun 7, metalcore/alternative metal) 🐅

ATLVS - "Synthetic Heaven" (Jun 8, metalcore)

Common Rule - "Realworld" (Jun 9, metalcore)

Holding Absence/Alpha Wolf - "Aching Longing" (Jun 10, post-hardcore)

Imperial Triumphant/Kenny G - "Merkurius Gilded" (Jun 10, avant-garde)

Lamb of God - "Nevermore" (Jun 10, groove metal) 🐅

Soulfly - "Scouring the Vile" (Jun 10, thrash)

Grieve - "I Love Myself and My Beautiful Life" (Jun 10, nu-metalcore)

In Flames - "State of Slow Decay" (Jun 13, melodic death metal)

Norma Jean - "Call for the Blood" (Jun 16, metalcore)

Enterprise Earth - "Psalm of Agony" (Jun 17, deathcore) 🐅

I Prevail - "Body Bag" (Jun 17, metalcore)

Oceans of Slumber - "The Lighthouse" (Jun 17, gothic rock)

Psycroptic - "Exitus" (Jun 17, technical death metal)

Satyr - "Whelmed" (Jun 17, post-hardcore)

Wake - "Infinite Inward" (Jun 17, progressive death metal) 🐅

Koilos - "Lock, Load, Destroy" (Jun 17, rapcore/hardcore)

The Mars Volta - "Blacklight Shine" (Jun 21, progressive rock)

Machine Head - "Unhallowed" (Jun 21, groove/progressive metal) 🐅

Lorna Shore - "Into the Earth" (Jun 22, deathcore)

Sleeping With Sirens/Spencer Chamberlain - "Crosses" (Jun 22, post-hardcore)

We Came As Romans - "Plagued" (Jun 22, metalcore)

Alpha Wolf - "Hotel Underground" (Jun 23, metalcore)

Fit For a King - "Reaper" (Jun 23, metalcore)

Krisiun - "Sworn Enemies" (Jun 23, death/thrash)

AVOID - "My World" (Jun 24, metalcore/punk)

Becoming the Archetype - "The Lost Colony" (Jun 24, progressive death metal/metalcore)

Hostile Array - “Wounds” (Jun 24, post-hardcore)

Low Life/Ben Hoagland - "Burning Both Ends" (Jun 24, metalcore)

Ozzy/Jeff Beck - “Patient No. 9” (Jun 24, heavy metal)

Nothing More - "Spirits" (Jun 24, alternative metal)

Time, the Valuator - "Black Water" (Jun 24, djent/progressive metalcore) 🐅

House Divided/Dropout Kings - “Stay” (Jun 25, rapcore)

Ocean Sleeper - "Your Love I'll Never Need" (Jun 28, metalcore)

Miss May I - "Earth Shaker" (Jun 29, metalcore)

Cyborg Octopus - "Seizure of Character" (Jun 29, progressive metal)

Veio - “Like Cyanide” (Jun 29, progressive rock/alternative metal)

Invent Animate - "Shade Astray" (Jun 30, metalcore) 🐅

Oceans Ate Alaska - “New Dawn” (Jun 30, metalcore)

The Archaic Epidemic - "Lords of Mercy" (Jun 30, deathcore)

 

 Albums/EPs

Antagonist A.D.- Through Fire All Things Are Renewed (Jun 3, hardcore)

Artificial Brain - Artificial Brain (Jun 3, technical death metal)

Astronoid - Radiant Bloom (Jun 3, progressive metal/shoegaze) 🐅

Bleed From Within - Shrine (Jun 3, metalcore)

Gwar - The New Dark Ages (Jun 3, crossover thrash)

Memphis May Fire - Remade in Misery (Jun 3, rock/metalcore)

Origin - Chaosmos (Jun 3, technical death metal)

Red Handed Denial - I'd Rather Be Asleep (Jun 3, metalcore)

Sable Hills - Duality (Jun 3, metalcore/deathcore)

Terminal Nation/Kruelty split - The Ruination of Imperialism (Jun 3, death metal/hardcore)

Thornhill - Heroine (Jun 3, alternative metal/shoegaze)

Unprocessed - Boy Without a Gun (Jun 3, progressive rock)

Deathwhite - Dark Everlasting (Jun 10, doom metal)

Emberthrone - Godless Wonder (Jun 10, death metal)

Ill Nino - IllMortals (Jun 10, nu metal/Latin metal)

InRetrospect - Current State (Jun 10, progressive metalcore)

Kardashev - Liminal Rite (Jun 10, deathgaze) 🐅

Motionless in White - Scoring the End of the World (Jun 10, electronic rock/nu metalcore)

Outsider - Reflection of You (Jun 10, metalcore)

Respire - Respire - Audiotree Worldwide (Jun 10, blackened hardcore)

Rise Against - Nowhere Generation II (Jun 10, punk)

Shut/Eye - Unnatural Disasters (Jun 10, post-hardcore)

Soreption - Jord (Jun 10, technical death metal)

Still Stayer - Everend (Jun 10, progressive metalcore)

Tomb Mold - Aperture of Body (Jun 10, death metal)

Yatra - Born Into Chaos (Jun 10, death metal/stoner doom)

Desiccation - Cold Dead Earth (Jun 13, black metal/doom/post metal) 🐅

Dir En Grey - Phalaris (Jun 15, nu metal/visual kei)

Exocrine - The Hybrid Suns (Jun 17, technical death metal)

Grey Daze - The Phoenix (Jun 17, grunge/alternative metal) [vocal tracks and original songs from 1994 and 1997]

Inexorum - Equinox Vigil (Jun 17, melodic death metal)

Myteri - Illusion (Jun 17, crust)

Loose Ends WMBD - Manifest Destiny (Jun 17, hardcore)

Vatican - Ultra (Jun 17, metalcore)

White Ward - False Light (Jun 17, black metal)

Spiritbox - Rotoscope (Jun 22, nu-metalcore/alternative metal/industrial) 🐅

Alexisonfire - Otherness (Jun 24, post-hardcore)

Axioma - Sepsis (Jun 24, progressive black metal)

Candy - Heaven is Here (Jun 24, experimental hardcore/noise)

Coheed and Cambria - Vaxis II: A Window of the Waking Mind (Jun 24, progressive rock) 🐅

Earthists - Have a Good Cult (Jun 24, post-hardcore)

Final Light - Final Light (Jun 24, industrial/post metal)

Knoll - Metempiric (Jun 24, deathgrind)

Light Dweller - Lucid Offering (Jun 24, death metal)

0n0 - Unwavering Resonance (Jun 24, industrial/doom) 🐅

Porcupine Tree - Closer/Continuation (Jun 24, progressive rock)

Profiler - Profiler (Jun 24, nu metal)

Projected - Hypoxia (Jun 24, alternative metal)

Sever the Memories - Hollow Shell (Jun 24, deathcore)

Vicious Blade - Siege of Cruelty (Jun 24, thrash/crust)

Volcandra - Border World (Jun 24, progressive death metal)

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 - April 2022

 

Territory's Edge entry for April.  Other major releases for the month are listed.  Will also be published on New Fury Media.

 

Northlane - Obsidian (Apr 22, progressive metalcore/djent) 

Now an independent band, Northlane delves further into the industrial metal influences introduced on 2019's Alien.  The Australian group's unique cyber-djent style is dark, aggressive and technical, while also accessible.  Jon Deiley creates a Matrix-style backdrop for Marcus' seething snarls and angelic singing.   Alien was a concept album primarily about frontman Marcus Bridge's traumatic backstory, and his refusal to succumb to the heroin addiction, abuse and violence that surrounded him.  Obsidian similarly touches on alienation, but here he is clearly moving forward in the aftermath of the situation.  Marcus' vocal performance is stunning, displaying an incredible vocal range.  While nearly an hour in length, Obsidian remains unpredictable and varies its pacing throughout.  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 influences from Celldweller, Nine Inch Nails and Linkin park within the context of a heavier, modern progressive metal sound.  Northlane is one of heavy music's most exciting, innovative bands that keeps pushing forward while blending the old with the new.

Greyhaven - This Bright and Beautiful World

Even if they weren't from Kentucky, Greyhaven's mix of alternative rock and chaotic metalcore would geographically be right at home within the Southern hardcore scene.  Indeed, the swaggering standouts "More and More Hands" and "Foreign Anchor" are reminiscent of Every Time I Die or Norma Jean, and combine chaotic metalcore with melodic, undeniably catchy hooks.  However, while Greyhaven prominently showcases their influences, they don't just copy bands that came before them.  With a sound ranging from furious opener "In a Room Where Everything Dies" to moody alternative rock tracks like "Ornaments from the Well" and "Fed to the Lights", Greyhaven precisely balances the light and heavy elements within ten tracks.  One of This Bright and Beautiful World's greatest strengths is the sense of unity and versatility throughout.  No individual track - including the deceptively radio-friendly single "All Candy" - sounds out of place. 

Lions at the Gate/Tatiana Schmayluk - "Find My Way"

Founded by former members of New Jersey-based Latin metal band Ill Nino, Lions at the Gate have released three singles as of now.  The band's sound will satisfy fans of that early 2000s Roadrunner Records sound, while bringing it into a modern era.  Their latest song, "Find My Way" brings along Tatiana Schmayluk, who has made her mark in the Ukrainian metal band Jinjer.   Cristian Machado and Tatiana trade off both harsh and clean vocals, which ranges from aggressive Slipknot-style verses and melodic choruses.     

Undeath - It's Time...To Rise From the Grave

The follow-up to their debut Lesions of a Different Kind,  It's Time...To Rise From the Grave has earned Undeath considerable attention for a band this extreme in sound.  This is old-school death metal that doesn't take itself too seriously.  Vocalist Alexander Jones describes his band as a group of "internet music nerds" that prefer having fun and smiling during live shows.  On this album, Undeath have several songs about amassing an army of zombies equipped with weapons and high-tech enhancements - a concept cited in the Apple Music description as "Army of the Dead meets The Terminator" - and a handful of others about reading spooky books or gathering bones at the cemetery.  The band's ethos and lyrical approach is very tongue in cheek, but the music is deadly serious.  Each track is straightforward and brutal, built around the riff, while still displaying technical guitar skill.   

Fallujah - "Radiant Ascension"

The song starts out with fast-paced guitar shredding right away, later incorporating the atmosphere that marked albums like Dreamless and The Flesh Prevails.  The lineup may have changed, but Fallujah made a triumphant return to their core sound here, melding technical death metal with atmospheric instrumental sections.  The band's upcoming album Empyrean will be released on September 9.  The duality of female and male vocals that marked Dreamless has returned as well, Tori Letzler's and Anthony Palermo's vocals duet over the chaos.

Reflections - The Fantasy Effect Redux

Minnesota progressive deathcore/djent band have released an entirely new reworking of their debut The Fantasy Effect ten years after its original release date.  Similar to how Silent Planet remade their debut The Night God Slept, this is not simply a remaster (you'll notice the track runtimes are different from the original).  While the original was self-produced, the redux is mixed and mastered by Buster Odeholm.  Clear dynamic between aggression and calm, and with improved sound quality it stands out more.  While Reflections' recent material (Willow, Silhouette) is nearly invariably a brutal beatdown from start to finish, The Fantasy Effect incorporates atmospheric passages on tracks like "Good Push", "An Artifact" and "Rotations" as well as standout guitar technicality. 

Meshuggah - Immutable

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OyWbQwK65Qc

Widely credited as the forefathers of the djent movement with their down-tuned brand of technical death metal, this highly influential Swedish band has released their first new music in six years.  The Swedes' technical sound includes off-kilter time signatures and occasionally experimented with avante-garde compositions, especially on the underrated Catch Thirtythree.  While Immutable stays true to Meshuggah's signature style, there's enough variety present to hold the listener's interest the whole way through.  The standout opener "Broken Cog" weaves menacing whispered vocals around a polyrhythmic, staccato riff, while the instrumental epic "They Move Below" progresses from a temporary calm to a storm of colossal riffs.  Other tracks like "Ligature Marks" and "The Abysmal Eye" are all-out heavy.  The end result is - in my opinion - easily Meshuggah's best work since 2008's obZen.   

Other Notable Releases 

Singles

Ithaca - "In the Way" (Apr 4, hardcore)

Artificial Brain - "Celestial Cyst" (Apr 4, technical death metal)

Misery Index - "Infiltrators" (Apr 6, death metal/hardcore)

Origin - "Ecophagy" (Apr 6, technical death metal)

Deathwhite - "No Thought or Memory" (Apr 7, doom)

Temple of Void - "Deathtouch" (Apr 7, death metal)

Upon a Burning Body - "A New Responsibility" (Apr 7, deathcore)

Kreator - "Strongest of the Strong" (Apr 8, death/thrash)

Primitive Man - "Cage Intimacy" (Apr 14, death doom/sludge)

Hollow Front - "Heritage" (Apr 14, metalcore)

Mutually Assured Destruction/Randy Blythe - "Spirit Liberation" (Apr 14, hardcore)

Wormrot - "When Talking Fails, It's Time For Violence" (Apr 14, grindcore)

Bleed From Within - "Stand Down" (Apr 14, metalcore)

IATT/Zack Strouse - "Prima Materia" (Apr 14, symphonic black metal)

While She Sleeps - "Eye to Eye" (Apr 14, metalcore)

Motionless in White - "Masterpiece" (Apr 14, metalcore)

Machine Head - "Choke on the Ashes of Your Hate" (Apr 14, groove metal) 

Palisades - "Reaching Hypercritical" (Apr 15, nu metal)

coldrain - "Calling" (Apr 16, alternative metal)

Soreption - "Dod Jord" (Apr 16, technical death metal)

The Safest Ledge/Aaron Gillespie - "Healing Pool" (Apr 18, post-hardcore)

Tallah - "The Impressionist" (Apr 19, nu metal)

Veil of Maya - "Synthwave Vegan" (Apr 20, djent)

Architects - "When We Were Young" (Apr 20, metalcore)

Spirit Adrift - "Sorcerer's Fate" (Apr 20, traditional heavy metal)

Alexisonfire - "Reverse the Curse" (Apr 20, post-hardcore)

Conjurer - "Rot" (Apr 21, doom/sludge)

Static Dress - "fleahouse" (Apr 22, post-hardcore)

Monasteries - "Lilac" (Apr 22, technical death metal) 

Witchpit - "Fire and Ice" (Apr 24, stoner metal)

Final Light (Perturbator/Johannes Persson) - "In the Void" (Apr 26, industrial)

Nothing More - "Tired of Winning" (Apr 29, alternative metal)

Of Virtue - "Sinner" (Apr 29, metalcore)

Yatra - "Death Cantation" (Apr 29, death metal)

Betraying the Martyrs - "Swan Song" (Apr 29, metalcore)

Albums/EPs

Kublai Khan TX - Lowest Form of Animal EP (Apr 1, deathcore)

Islander - It's Not Easy Being Human (Apr 1, alternative metal/nu metal) 

Kublai Khan - Lowest Form of Animal EP (Apr 1, hardcore)

Design Flaw - Beasts of a Future Decay EP (Apr 1, post-metal) 

Windrunner - Tan (Apr 1, progressive metal/metalcore)

Dreamwake - Virtual Reality (Apr 5, metalcore/synthwave)

Tesseract - Regrowth (Apr 7, progressive metal) - 2 track EP with proceeds donated to the Disasters Emergency Committee

Glasslands - The Deep (Apr 8, post-hardcore)

This White Mountain - The Final Sorrow (Apr 8, atmospheric black metal)

The Veer Union - Manifestations (Apr 8, alternative metal/post-grunge)

Papa Roach - Ego Trip (Apr 8, alternative metal/pop rock)

TVLPA - Walk With Me (Apr 8, blackened hardcore/noise rock)

A Wilhelm Scream - Lose Your Delusion (Apr 14, hardcore punk)

Monuments - In Stasis (Apr 15, metalcore)

Alunah - Strange Machine (Apr 15, psychedelic rock/doom metal)

Cancer Bats - Psychic Jailbreak (Apr 15, hardcore)

Grayscale Season - Do You Like Violence (Apr 15, deathcore/thall)

Caliban - Dystopia (Apr 22, metalcore) 

Bodysnatcher - Bleed/Abide (Apr 22, deathcore)

Ocean Grove - Up in the Air Forever (Apr 22, punk/nu metal)

Static Abyss - Labyrinth of Veins (Apr 22, death metal)

Vanum - Legend (Apr 22, black metal)

Heriot - Profound Morality (Apr 29, hardcore/grindcore) 

Void of Vision - Chronicles II: Heaven (Apr 29, metalcore)

Vagrants - Be Consumed (Apr 29, metalcore)

Devil Master - Ecstasies of Never Ending Night (Apr 29, black metal)

Rammstein - Zeit (Apr 29, industrial)

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)