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This Week's Recommended New Releases (02/26/16)...

2/26/2016

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This week's recommended new releases (02/26/16):
[Click on band name for samples and more info]
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Abyssic - A Winter's Tale (Osmose)

Gorgeous Doom/Death Metal with symphonic/keyboard touches from this Norwegian quartet on their debut album. The album clocks in at nearly an hour and twenty minutes, although there are only four tracks. So yeah, it takes some patience, but it’s worth it. I wish the wierdo keyboard parts were toned down a bit because they are a tad distracting and repetitive. However, when the keys cut out, it’s pure Doom/Death delight with crushing riffs and massive drums and near vocal perfection. They do pick up the tempos here and there, but it’s mostly a solid Doom slog throughout. You can almost feel the icy Norwegian winter seeping through the speakers.

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Droids Attack - Sci-Fi or Die (Riff Reaper)

I’ve become pretty reticent to give more than a cursory listen to Stoner Metal albums recently, but this one forced its way through. The 4th album from the Madison, WI trio is pretty relentless and hard driving, kind of like Lo-Pan with harsher vocals. They keep the tempos up, almost to thrash levels on several tracks, and the standard Stoner tone is in full effect. They also manage to avoid the “trippy, psychedelic interlude” curse that derails most Stoner bands these days. It’s always nice to hear someone breath life back into a stale genre and these guys do that and more with the latest release.

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Frozen Ocean - The Prowess of Dormition EP (Apocalyptic Witchcraft)

This is the 17th release, counting full-lengths and EPs, from this Moscow solo artist, including a staggering 5 full-length albums in 2011. He obviously has a lot to say and I’m surprised I didn’t get the memo until now. He deals in Atmospheric Black Metal, relying heavily on synth parts to compliment the standard Black Metal tremolo progressions and the result is pure beauty. I can’t comment on the massive back catalog, but I’m assuming that he didn’t just suddenly figure things out this year, so if you dig melody in your Black Metal, it probably can’t hurt to check out the older stuff.

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Greenleaf - Rise Above the Meadow (Napalm)

Two Stoner albums in one week? Maybe the boycott has been lifted. The 6th album from these Swedish vets makes the cut based on the monster riff from the first track alone. The album peters out a bit after that, drifting into more rock than metal and coming dangerously close to pysch rock territory. That being said, it’s actually very enjoyable and the dudes obviously know how to write a riff and a hook. Kudos to the guys for separating themselves from their Dozer past and trying something besides ripping off Kyuss for 40 minutes, but they’re actually at their apex when they channel Kyuss and I wouldn’t advise drifting too far from that core competency. Regardless, listen to that riff a few times and enjoy.

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Spirit Adrift - Behind - Beyond EP (Prosthetic)

The debut release from the newest righteous Doom Metal band on the block comes to us from the Arizona desert and slays everything in its path. The mysterious trio comes out of the gate with two tracks clocking in at 12 and 16 minutes, wasting no ones’ time with trifling standard formats and filler. They rarely ride out a riff longer than a few bars before moving on to something just as gnarly and the majestic vocals are some of the best I’ve heard in the Doom world in quite some time. The guitars are incredibly emotive and there’s no shortage of headbanger riffage. I can’t say enough good things about this one. Hopefully it’s a harbinger of great things to come from this band.

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When Nothing Remains - In Memoriam (Solitude)

When I was listening to this one in the car, I thought to myself that it has to be a Solitude Productions release and lo and behold, I was correct. This is just a breathtaking, high quality Doom/Death album from the absolute best label for that sort of thing. The third album from the Swedish quartet is a lesson in morose beauty at its finest, weaving in mournful guitars with throbbing riffs and a nice mix of clean and growled vocals. After you get done picking your jaw up off the floor, don’t forget to add this masterpiece to the early list of contenders for Album of the Year. Yes, it's that good.

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This Week's Recommended New Releases (02/19/16)...

2/19/2016

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This week's recommended new release (02/19/16):
[Click on band name for samples and more info]
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Hemelbestormer - Aether (Debemur Morti)

There’s only one good new release this week, but it’s absolutely killer. The debut full-length from this Belgian quartet is a 4 song, 1 hour journey through devastating Post-Metal landscapes. In fact, I was so entranced by the atmospheric riffage that I didn’t realize this was all instrumental until about 20 minutes in. The songs are all over 12 minutes long, but they all drop out a few times per track, coming back with a weirdo drone interlude before resuming the crushing maelstrom. If you need to doom your nuts off this week, check this one out immediately.

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This Week's Recommended New Releases (02/12/16)...

2/14/2016

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This week's recommended new releases (02/12/16):
[Click on band name for samples and more info]
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​Apathy Noir - Across Dark Waters (Artnoir)

3rd album from Swedish duo; Progressive Death/ Doom Metal


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Black Wizard - New Waste (Listenable)

3rd album from B.C. quartet; Stoner/Doom Metal


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Camel of Doom - Terrestrial (Solitude)

4th album from UK trio; Stoner/Doom Metal


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Eight Bells - Landless (Battleground)

2nd album from Portland trio; Doom Metal


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Ravensire - The Cycle Never Ends (Cruz Del Sur)

2nd album from Portuguese quintet; Heavy Metal


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This Week's Recommended New Releases (02/05/16)...

2/6/2016

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This week's recommended new releases (02/05/16):
[Click on band name for samples and more info]
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Bosque - Beyond (Dunkelheit)

This is some pretty intense Funeral Doom Metal from the Portuguese solo artist on his 3rd album. The trebly, yet crushing riffs completely overpower the haunting vocals that just kind of hover ominously in the background. The album is 40 minutes long, but consists of only 3 tracks, so be prepared to go in for the long haul. It’s a pretty sparse album, with slow tempos, glacial riffs and rudimentary drumming, but that’s kind of the appeal for me. There’s no need for fancy flourishes here. The dude just crushes your skull for 40 minutes and leaves you wanting another 40 minutes.

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Striker - Stand in the Fire (Record Breaking)

On the lighter side of metal, we have the 4th album from this Edmonton Thrash/Power quintet. This sounds like an unreleased record from Spreading the Disease-era Anthrax, except with the legendary Don Dokken on vocals instead of Belladonna. Solid thrash riffs, gorgeous lead guitar work and a ridiculous amount of catchy vocal hooks. Fun record, but not a lot of depth. Sometimes it's fun to just enjoy a metal album without thinking too hard.

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This Week's Recommended New Releases (01/29/16)...

2/2/2016

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This week's recommended new releases (01/29/16):
[Click on band name for samples and more info]
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Absent/Minded - Alight (N/A)

German quartet; 3rd album; Doom/Sludge Metal


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Baphomet's Blood - In Satan We Trust (Iron Bonehead)

Italian quartet; 4th album; Speed/Thrash Metal

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Cauldron - In Ruin (High Roller)

Toronto trio; 4th album; Heavy Metal


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Conan - Revengeance (Napalm)

​London trio; 3rd album; Stoner/Doom Metal

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Iron Jawed Guru - Mata Hari (Grimoire)

​Morgantown, WV duo; 2nd album; Instru- mental Stoner Metal

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Lethal Steel - Legion of the Night (High Roller)

​Swedish quintet; Debut album; Heavy Metal

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Ovtrenoir - Eroded  EP (Consouling Sounds)

​Parisian quartet; Debut EP; Sludge/Post-Metal

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