Ceremony : "Tell Me Your Dream"

 The two released after "Zoo" only received an 8.5 from here, as they veered off too far in a post-punk direction and lacked the punk side of that equation. Two songs into their new album, and it feels like they have returned to a more punk side of their past, which is a welcome return. They have never played it safe by being a by-the-books punk band, but punk is one genre that should throw whatever books are defining it out the window, making it more about the attitude. That said, they are done experimenting, as there is a funky groove and synths in "Madness" which still manges to retain its attitude and is a well-written song.I suppose it's done in a similar context as what Gang of Four used to do. 

There is more of a rough jangle to "Dark Summer". The vocals are more melodic, but feel true to who they are. "Deep Down Where I Belong" has a punk heart to it but the sound gathered to convey this has an earlier New York post-punk feel. It is the most experimental song thus far. They still manage to keep up their momentum. 'Antenna" benefits from a great bass tone. "Justify' feels like they are comfortably occupying the space that Fugazi used to occupy. It's a space that needs feeling, so I certainly don't mind

"Death Destruction Mayhem" works off renewed punk energy that complements the tension of the palm-muted guitar.'10 Planets" finds them back grooving in a clanging Fugazi-like place that carries the needed urgency. Oddly, they close the album with one of the most melodic moments as "Paradise" finds the vocals pulling most of the weight. For a riff to send a song hypnotically drifting is an oddity for punk bands who are not the Cure. Overall everythinig falls right into place this time around and they pick up where they left off with "Zoo" making this one of the years bet punk album's so far .Iwill give it a 10 This album drops August 7th on Relapse Records.

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Genghis Tron : "Signal Fire"

 

Every five years is the average release rate for this band, as this marks the fourth album of their 20-year career. Their first album, "Dead Mouth Mountain," blended early metalcore sounds with electronics, and they have been slowly evolving past the more abrasive elements of this formula. Their new album puts the band closer to what someone like HEALTH does, though less industrial in their intentions. The balance of atmospheric and edge is more enthralling here, as it is full of hooks. Where the last album stepped away from harsher vocals, they are back in the mix here, but used as more of a dynamic vocal color. 

There is a more 90s alternative feel to the title track that embraces more of a grungy Smashing Pumpkins-like groove. Nick from Sumac joins them on drums as Kenny from the Armed steps in to handle bass duties. On a song like "Future Worship," these more organic instruments are not felt as strongly in the mix, as they are emulating what synths and plug-ins for a synth-wave project might do. That is, until the guitar kicks in midway through the song. "Like Fotocrom" offers a lush melodic atmosphere that drifts you out into the dusk. There is a tension that builds but never gains release. It almost feels like the intro to "Tomorrow Mirage". 

At this point in the album, "Tomorrow Mirage provides the needed shift in vocal colors. The harsher vocals trade off with the sung vocals, but not in the predictable Myspace metal manner. The album's most impressive drumming flows under this to maintain the momentum. You could call the wandering exploration of sounds they embark on prog rock if you wanted. "Nothing Blooms in the Hollow" launches into an almost Dillinger Escape Plan-like chaos before finding its groove. The intricate cascading riff further solidifies their place in the sound of prog in 2026.

"Without Form" is just a synth interlude that leads into "Born Prey". where they balance the snarl of hardcore with dreaming throbbing. This spastic tantrum is slightly a regression from where the album had been leading us. "A Love So Pure" is the album's most effective balance of their screamo past with progressive present. "New Gods" closes the album with a more electronic ambiance, guiding the hypnotic pulse of what they have been doing on this album. It's the most Nine Inch Nails-leaning moment so far. This works for me. Overall, I will give this album a 9.5. Sure, the parts comprising what they do are not as unique as how they are assembled. Fans for metal core than goes prog more often than not will appreciate this alongside their fan base, who are expecting change. 

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Heavy Maytal- Warning : "Rituals of Shame"

 

The doom band from 40 Watt Sun's main man, Patrick Walker. The most striking thing is the haunting plea of his vocals, which glide over the depressing, lingering instrumentation. Everything feels very organic; it is mixed in a manner that gives the vocals more than enough room to do their thing. The guitars are not loaded down with an overabundance of gain like most doom bands, but they ring out with despair, while the minimal patter of drums keeps things moving. With their first album coming out in 1999, it is clear that this band was a strong influence on what Pallbearer does. 

While they are paced at a depressive tempo, I would not call this funeral doom, as it's not dark in the same way, but it does drift close to that sound. Lyrics also play a much more important role in the songs than the heavier strain of doom. He is a great lyricist, so this only plays in the song's favor. "Stations" finds more melancholy being poured into your ears. It slowly begins to build momentum while staying at a very speculative wandering tone. Lyrically, he is expressing wanting to escape from the outside world, which is certainly relatable. 

It's fitting that a song titled "Night Comes Down" would move in a darker, doomier direction."Landing Lights" finds them sinking further into the despair alluded to in the previous song. The pleading purity of his reedy tenor continues to impress. If he were singing Irish folk music, you might not blink, but here the results are more dynamically beautiful in the manner it provides contrast. The last song "Teacher" finds a similar languid, depressive feel drift over the song. The vocals continue to flow similarly to how they have been. The droning lathargy of this one does create a dynamic uncertainty by the time you get to the album of the album, but it still works. In some ways, it makes me think of Ian Anderson singing for Black Sabbath. The melody this winds around to reminds me of "Fade into You" by Mazzy Star. Which is a pleasant twist of fate. I will give this album a 10 as it's one of the best doom albums I've heard this year so far, as it is unique in its melodic sensibilities. This album drops June 19th on Relapse.

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Bad Stuff : "s/t"

Former members of True Widow are some of the founding members of this project, so it obviously has to be worth a listen. It opens with a creepy 1960's western tinged pysch-pop sunater that could have come from a David Lynch movie. The guitar rings each note out with a lonely, haunting reverb that is pristine. I'm sure someone will try to throw some kind of doom tag on this because it is slow and melancholy, something like "doom noir,"  but I am not hearing the sense of loss, and the darkness is there, but in light mysterious ocean-side haze.

Things pick up into a shuffle for "Grusome."  Some electronic elements weave themselves into what they are doing for "Summer Girls," which is more synth-heavy. If Lana Del Rey made a soundtrack for a horror movie, the results might be similar. This song does not get heavy but shifts in a more sonically dense manner. If you see this album on anyone's top 10 end-of-the-year metal lists, no longer believe anything they say, as this album is not metal, nor is it trying to be. "Invisible Man" finds low male vocals stepping up to the mic. In some ways, it's similar to Morphine. Not as jazzy, and almost more of a rock dynamic comes out here. 

"Creator" lurks with more of a groove than the vocals steer, as the drums create a hypnotic drone. "Hush" carries more of a "Desert Surf" feel as it's a more atmospheric ballad. Then "Nepenthe" is more like a heavier take on surf rock. They edge towards a dusty Americana-tinged version of post-punk on "Hush2." They continue on this path for "Human Crush" that finds a maringally more bluesy mood crossing over. The buzz saw guitars do not let up with "Commitment to Death.". None of the lyrics can be made out as they are being violently spewed with little articulation.  The last song is heavier on the ambiance with the lonely guitar emoting into the night as the vocals create more of a Nick Cave feel. I will give this album a 9.5, as it creates a unique mood with familiar sounds, and they captured what they intended here in a very endearing manner. You would expect this sort of thing from a label like the Flenser, but it is coming from Relapse Records 

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Monolord : "Neverending"

Sweden's doom merchants rumble out of the gates with a bigger sound this time around. Though each album has found them progressing into a more melodic direction, "You Bastard" finds the rumble picking up into a more sinewy groove. The tenor vocals similarly drift over things as Ozzy once did without being a flagrant influence. They jam out a bit on the guitar solo, which works well. Things do not get darker until "Inside a Collider," which does have a more mournful doom feel. These guys have, in the past, skated the lines between sludge, doom, and stoner metal, and at times, you could point your finger in all three of those directions on the first three songs. It jsut feels likea more intentional step in a doomier direction here. 

"Crystal Bridge" is more melodic; it's moody with a melancholic edge, but it works for me. 'Oozing Wound' is more of a sludgy, fuzzed-out jam. The smooth, haunting flow of the vocals is what keeps it from falling solidly in the sludge direction. In fact, when they come in, things get moodier. This is excellent songwriting, some of the band's best. It's the wandering guitar solo that takes things in the jam-ward way." The Masque is the first song that has a more classic metal feel. This is also coupled with a more rock n roll chorus. More Blue Oyster Cult than Black Sabbath. 

This is also the first album where I have really heard the Sabbath influence that dominates so many stoner/ doom bands come out in these guys. More traditional doom unfolds with "Invisible". The last song finds things taking a dramatic change as Entombed bassist Jorgen Sandstrom takes over on vocals to create more of a death doom sound, which is not what you expect stepping into one of this band's albums. Though they do not go the traditional way with this, at eight and a half minutes, there are plenty of twists and turns. Overall, I like the direction they were heading on this album; the last song is a little out of character, but it retains enough of their sound. I will give it a 9.5. Dropping May 29th on Relapse Records. 

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Poison Ruin : "Hymns From the Hills"

 

Philly punks Poison Run continue to improve with each album. This one finds them settling into some of their catchiest and most melodic songwriting yet. This does not make them any less punk; in fact, it connects them more closely to the classic punk of the late 70s. The vocals show the most improvement. Despite theming the songs around the Middle Ages, there is an almsot more Western feel to the rambling title track. It is more straightforward and less nuanced than the opening track, but it works for what they are doing, though I hope there are more moments like the opening song.

Things embrace a more punk attack for "Eidolon" though the guitar parts are more intricate and ring out in more of a Brian May fashion, bringing a song like "Tie Your Mother Down" to mind. "Howls From the Citadel" is almsot a folkish ballad that feels more like an interlude. They carry a more Motorhead like charge with the commanding metal-tinged riffs of " Pilgrimage." Even a song like the more punk "Guts" is allowed a middle section where it gets to breathe a bit, showing the maturity of their songwriting this time around. 

They hit you with their older style of gritty punk with "Turn to Dust". He howls with a throatier tone. A punk tone rumbles into the more thoughtful chords of "Puzzle Box" which are given more dissonant accents, showcasing the level of songwriting on this album, you don't always hear from punk. Even with the vocals of "Serpent's Curse" more spoken for the verses, the song works well. 

"Sleeping Giant" is pretty majestic sounding, but it's more of an intro into the rowdy gallop of "Crescent Sun" which is likea rust punk version of Motorhead. Much of this is due to the big sound of the bass driving it. Despite the more blackened feel of the bombast leading into the last song, it's just your typical punk song leading into it, though a second listen shows the vocals are more subtle than you might expect, and once again they are writing songs rather than jsut bashing it out. Almost more like Social Distortion.  I will give this album a 10 as it' one of the best punk albums I've heard in some time, this is the album to beat this year for sure.Drops April 3rd on Relapse Records.  

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Temple of the Void : " the Crawl"

 

Temple of the Void's album "Summong the Slayer" made the 4 spot of our Top 10 Death Metal albums of 2022. Four years later, we are seeing if the band can still bring it like that against the death metal competition of 2026, which is still awaiting releases from Frozen Soul and 200 Stab Wounds. The kick things off with guitar solos blazing. It moves fast when called for to get your attention, but they are not about to sacrifice the song for the sake of speed. They no longer feel the need to prove who they are. The vocals are growled in a purposeful manner that is articulated enough to get the point across. 

The title track features melodic guitar colors mixed into the grind of a more traditional death metal sound, moving with purpose rather than a feral blast. 'A Dead Issue " shows the most impressive display of songwriting so far. It features hooky riffs and a groove that keeps your head moving while offering space in the arrangement to let the ambiance settle in with a darker creep. This is the best song on the album as "Thy Mountain Eternal" has some melodic nuance but does not hook you in tightly.

They return to the hookier songwriting on "Soulburn.",  The verse riff is really solid on the last song "The Twin Stranger," as it has an Entombed-like punch to it. There are some strong riffs on this album, but I feel like " A Dead Issue" set the bar really high, and while they have matured by streamlining somethings, this album does not grab me like the previous one, though it is still a great album so I will give it a 9, setting them firmly in the top tier death metal releases this year so far. But perhaps not bringing it like Monstrosity. Out on Relapse Records.

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Final Gasp : "New Day Symptoms"

 

I liked their last album a great deal, but was unsure why it was being called death rock when it was old school metallic hardcore that owed more to Die Kruzen. Sure, there is more of a hint of old AFI on this album. It's the more aggressive elements that have been refined with some more outright metal playing captured here. I had to go back and listen to "The Apparition" as it got swept away in the album's momentum. The verse riff is more melodic and finds the vocal croon working well. The riff in the chorus reminds me of Judas Priest,but still works.  "Gifted Shame" packs a heavier punch, and highlights the fact that the overall feel of the guitars this time around is more metal. 

Even though things have changed a bit on this album, they are still more of a hardcore band than Turnstile. "No Hand to Lead" is more melodic, but that does not make it "goth", it's just a moody stab at 90s radio rock from a hard-core band, which works for me. It is one of the album's best songs so far. "Prediction" has a similar feel to the previous song, but there is like an undercurrent of Dokken in the guitar playing. The emotive singing comes closer to what Unto Others tries to do; these guys are just less cheesy and more convincing. The songs are written in a very concise fashion, only occasionaly breaking the four-minute mark. 

"Burials of Birth" feels like the most AFI moment yet, a former hard-core band branching out into poppy post-punk. There are some intersting sounds on "Fractures", which is little more than an intro for that title track, which sound more like Killing Joke until the more scowling vocals take over. Jake Murphy's voice sounds best on the power-ballad of sorts that closes the album and finds him with the space to open up and really sing, which is impressive. I will give this album a 9.5 and see how it grows on me, the band has refined their  s ound and feels more confident in who they are.Being released on Relapse Records.  

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Exhumed : "Red Asphalt".

The 2022 Exhumed album did not wow me, as it was brutal but lacked elements like melody or the finger-point of strong writing, relying only on raw aggression. There is more effort with the guitar harmonies leading into the title track. There is more purpose in the song as the riff is allowed to breathe and groove rather than just being an full on assualt. The growl of the vocals is also more feral, but along with this comes more dimensions of tone. 

At times, I am getting more of a Carcass feel with this album, at others it seems thrash is more of the focus. There is an almost Pantera feel to 'Shovelhead" which was the lead single, making this the band's most accessible moment yet. This is contrasted by the more straightforward battery of guitars that is "Iron Graveyard"/ The bass leading into "Crawling From the Wreckage" forces them to slow things down. This added darker weight creates a Morbid Angel feel. 

"Signal Thirty" feels more like Kreator, as it slows down into a more melodic thrash groove. "Death on Four Wheels" goes back to the unhinged approach of focusing on speed. The rest of the album sort of races off in thi direction with the last song more intentional in its focused thrashing. I will give this album an 8.5, which is a big improvement over what they did before. If you are already a fan, then you should be happily surprised. If you want some death metal with an almost Lamb of God-like energy to it, then this is worth your time. Dropping February 20th on Relapse Records.

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November is Doom- Primitive Man : "Observance"

 

Here is a band that proves my theory regarding sludge being the result of what happens when punks try to make doom. This is not our first rodeo with this band, and the rumble created here, which is thrown against a wall of feedback back, is what you expect them to hit you with. The rasp of the vocals echoing out feels like a more tormented version of death metal, and the atmospheric choices that paint this song are a wise investment to keep it from being more than your eardrums being pulverised. 

The second song opens with a minute and a half of noise that sounds like they caught the studio on fire. Then the drums come in to take things in a more doom-focused direction. They drone on for a bit before bringing down a harsh, deliberate pounding that accompanies the low growl of the vocals, which are just another punishing texture. At the five-minute mark, I begin to wonder what they could do for the next six minutes. The answer to this is lingering in the aftermath of the pounding fury. The guitar ambiance is plenty harrowing, and they create sounds that provide a fitting enough soundtrack to the real-time stream of the end of the world we are watching these days. This does contract dynamically into doom-tinted moments of heavy-handed chord dropping like a comet. This evolves into a swathe of angry atmosphere where the roar of the vocals rumbles on more abstractly.

The lumbering stomp of "Transactional" carries on the sonic aftermath of what unfolded in the previous song. The downtrodden trudge of crunching chords continues to drone on. Four minutes in, it begins to gain a throbbing momentum. Eight minutes in it starts soaring off into more of a shoegazing thing. It crashes back down into the kind of dense sludge that is the album's blood. They come back angrier and more in your face with the feedback barbed "Natural Law". Midway into the song, it finds its groove to become one of the album's most effective moments. They also begin to adhere to a formula that finds them jamming things out into a more post-rock place that stays anchored in heaviness thanks to the growl of the vocals. 

"Social Contract" opens with some Throbbing Gristle-like clanging. This drones on for four minutes before payoff. This is not the first time they have dabbled in industrial, though I prefer their previous efforts in this regard. There is some dark dissoance to this song that works well. This album finds the heavier moments sometimes crossing over into death metal levels of aggression. The last song picks up right where the previous song leaves off, with crushing death metal-flavored sludge that is full of venomous loathing. The song slowly begins to deconstruction into a sonically heavier guitar passage, more than a metallic riff-style playing. I will give this album a 7.5, as it focuses on scathing sounds and drifting into post-rock moods with them, rather than memorable songs; some of this is due to the vocals being used as a frequency rather than more purposefully. Being released on Relapse Records. 

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Author & Punisher : "Nocturnal Birding"

The first track of Author & Punisher's new album finds Tristan Shore's voice bare of the effects that normally color it. Midway into the song, things kick in with a more organic version of the heaviness we expect from this project. This is the first album that finds guitarist Doug Sabolick joining as a bandmate, which contributes to the more rock feel to things. Every song has a bird theme. There is a more overt industrial crunch to the amazing stomp of " Mute Swan." His vocals are more prominent throughout, rather than just a layer of his sonic torture machines. Megan from Couch Slut, lends her voice to the ruckus erupting, with more detailed layers of melody luring you in during this. .it might be the best industrial song I have heard this year. 

"Black Storm Petrel" carries the big Godflesh-style crunch this project has toyed with before. This song also features the vocalist from Fange.  I prefer the groove to " Titmouse," which is one of the first songs from Tristan that I recall being riff-oriented, so I think the addition of guitar offers a big step forward, even if it moves them marginally closer to the conventions of industrial rock. I thinnk the genre itself allows and fosters experimentation that creates almost an anything goes attitude. This song and the previous song have been the noisiest so far, with this texture being most effective here.  

"Titmice" finds the balance between the metallic chug and a collage of apocalyptic atmosphere. I had to go back and give another listen to find where this song ends and "Rook" begins, as the songs run together. This song has a more focused stomp, the point it bleeds together in a swathe of ambiance. that flows from a section that develops into actual singing. I had to listen to "Rook" a few times for it to click. It has a doomier pound, not unlike "Filth Pig" era Ministry. On the 3rd listen, it clicked. 

The last song, "Thrush," carries the biggest sound that finds the crunch of the guitars coupling well with Shore's machine to create the most effective cinematic punch possible when the song reaches its peak.I will give this song a 10 as he continues to evolve and perfect what he does in a very powerful way here.  This drops on October 3rd on Relapse Records. 

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Deadguy : "Near-Death Travel Services"

 

30 years after Victory Records hardcore band Deadguy cemented their legendary status with their album "Fixation on Coworker ". The band is not just back to reaffirm their relevance; this album has the benefit of 2025 production value, so it sounds far better than the more metallic guitar sound they debuted with. This makes for an album that is heavier with the guitars creating a more organic wall of sound. They hit you with a more fully realized onslaught. The vocals did retain their command, which has always been similar to Henry Rollins in their confrontational tone.

Some might want them to pick up where they left off, despite this being a superior sound. If they make it all the way to "New Best Friend" and are still under this delusion, there is nothing the band or anyone else can do for them, as they are likely stuck back in 1995. This album is also darker when they turn things in a more ominous direction. "Cheap Trick" does not find them slowing with age, though the drummer is smart enough to ebb and flow with grooves rather than hammer you into a numbed submission. 

"The Forever People" finds around to wisely find a different course of attack rather than just battering your ears with the same fury. More often than not, they have been keeping things at an angry thrashing speed for the first half of this album. The first song that feels more like the first album is "War With Strangers," but it still sounds way better thanks to the improved production value. "Knife Sharpener" is the first song where the high intensity overwhelms the mood, when a groove might have held more value. There is a more punk feel to "The Alarmist". They do however, find the groove to contrast the more in-your-face moments and create a dynamic balance. 

The more Slayer-like riffs for "The Long Search for Perfect Timing" keep things varied enough to be interesting. The drumming is really great on this album. There is a more traditional metal feel to "All Stick No Carrot" that feels a little more like the first album. "Wax Princesses" starts off with more of a noise rock vibe before getting heavier. They ahow the Chat Piles of the world what the fuck is up. I'll go ahead and round this up to a 10 after all how rare is it for a band to come back better? Out June 27th on Relapse Records.  

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Death is June- Gruesome : "Silent Echoes"

 While there is a lot of hype around this band paying homage to Death, I don't hear a ton of Chuck in what they are doing, though in some of the more progressive passages, you might be able to trace it back. Instead, there is a thrashing attack that brings "Arise" era Sepultura to mind. The rapid-fire double bass of ex-Malevolent Creation drummer Gus Rios is the driving heartbeat of these songs. "A Darkened Window" finds many twists and turns in the brisk riffs unwinding. 

It was around fragility that the formula these songs are forged began to allow this to fade into the background. The scowl of the vocals is very compressed in the mix, and uttered in a taunt, punchy fashion rather than being a ringing roar. This is one of the areas that gives me Sepultura vibes. The drumming does take more chances here as he lets up on some of the more relentless bombardment. This creates space for haunting guitar melodies to emerge. 'Shards" finds a slithering groove breaking up the more ranging attack. The drumming continues to impress. By the time we get to the title track, it is beginning to sound more uniform, as the vocals are barked out similarly to the previous song. The more deliberate moments are the most interesting. 

"Voice Within the Void" does experiment slightly, but does not venture far from what they have established here. "Fragment of Psyche" pours on the speed again. Perhaps the aggression is given more focus, though some memorable riffs come to the surface. Guitar solos seem to flourish a little more. The Death vibes are tempered by a Sepultura-like thrashing once again here, that is broken up by the more technical precision, as they lay on the speed. There is a pretty killer chug in the middle of the song, but the rule here is cool riffs alone do not a good song make, and it's a hard and fast rule, pretty much like the vibes of this one.  The patter of the drums also brings a thought to mind about how the production might be a little too pristine and diminish the impact of the heaviness, making it feel more like thrash. In particular, here reminds me of Coroner. 

The Coroner feel of the previous song has me going into the last song, pondering the line between death metal and thrash. The song gives me more questions than answers in this regard. Things shift under the guitar solo, and if you are super-into guitar solos, this will be a key selling point for you. I can hear where people are going to love this. I could use a marginally more organic feel to the guitar tone. I will give this one a 9, certainly putting in the top tier of death metal so far, but there are a handful of albums that have given me a little closer to what I prefer in this regard, but these guys are masters at what they are doing for sure.Relapse Records is releasing this.  

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Chepang : "Jhyappa"

Based in New York, this grindcore band is from Nepal, and use the ethnic tones of their culture as window dressing for the music. The first actual song is just over a minute, and finds these guys riding cool riffs rather than using their time as wisely as some of the grind core bands we have praised in the past. "Gatichad" is three and a half minutes long, which gives them more time, though the vocals are just screamed as a texture, sometimes doubled with lower death metal growls. They are more metal and less punk than a band like GISM. 

The main emphasis of "Ek Hajar Jhut" is the fast blasting section, though they do bring it down to a more deliberate pace. The production is raw enough to capture the feel of what they are doing. "Khel' has some heavy chugs that are brought to a chaotic boil. "Drivya Shatki" is a little more deliberate, but it doesn't get anything we haven't already heard on this album from them on it. The song after it is more tediou and punk, though just over a minute, so the ambush of stiff riffing does not last the song. 

"Niryana" is more like death metal with a hardcore accent of gang vocals chiming in. "Bidhai" is an instrumental outro, but it might be the album's best-written composition, almost making it feel like a waste of fine riffing. I will give this an 8. it works for what it is, though I think people will hype this up as the band plays up the immigrant angle, which got them recognition in the hipster circles of New York. It drops May 23rd on Relapse Records. 

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Amenra : "De Toorn / With Fang and Claw "

 

These are two EPs, that I am reviewing as one album since there are only four tracks with them altogether. The 13-minute "Heden' finds the bass lingering in a drone. for four of the thirteen minutes before they begin pointing in a song's direction. The vocals are spoken word and the guitar creeps in with minimal chords slowly growing. At seven and a half minutes, the sung vocals begin, though the song has not kicked in.  At ten minutes the song really begins with screamed vocals and their throbbing brand of sludge. The second song 'De Toorn" unfolds in a similar lingering fashion as the first song, though is more brooding in its introspection, as the drums over more of a pulse under the unfurling process. The post-rock guitar passages are also most clearly defined. I did not care for the spoken word sections of their last album and my thoughts on them continue to not change with this album. 

After they have a droning jam, things explode eight minutes into the song. which is a similar formula they used on the previous song. These guys are talented and I have seen them rule live, so it's difficult to hear them go off on what seems to be creative tangents and not playing to their strengths. Write it off as following their artist's vision, but I think what is clearly defined as being effective for them has been well documented. "Forlorn' is only 8 minutes so it should be more to the point since they do not have eight minutes to spare before getting to the point. They get to it in a minute, which is something they should have considered for the first two songs. When they lock in like they do here it provides a better contrast for his softer sung vocals. 

For the last song, they stick to what works and hit you with another crusher. They ebb back down to a more melodic breakdown, where he employs his soft singing that sometimes makes me think of Sigur Rios. Overall I think the two last songs are what works best for them and the more post-rock sprawl of the first two lacked focus. I will however give this album an 8.5, as I think they redeemed themselves here, but this is not their best work as a band, though better than most sludge we are likely to hear, yet on the level of a band like RWAKE, whose sludge crown is not threatened by this release.Drops March 28th on Relapse.   

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VACUOUS - In His Blood

The sophomore album from the UK death metal band, finds VACUOUS carving out their own sonic niche that sets them apart from the pack, while not leaning too heavily on their influences. For death metal bands this can be challenging as there are staples to the genre's sound like the guttural vocals and thundering double bass that are expected, it's up to the band as to how they want to use those building blocks, and many get stuck on the sound rather than writing the songs. These guys fucked with the sound, by making interesting production choices, then builds an almost Incantation-like ambiance, but it's spacious where most death metal hit's you with a denser crunch. In doing this they freed themselves up to decorate this sound with eerie melodies. 

The second song finds them locking into more of a thrashing attack. Perhaps not as hooky as bands like 200 Stab Wounds or Gatecreeper, these guys layer guitars in a swirling web of eerie melodies that is as heavy sonically as it is metal, achieving the sweet spot I seek out from all music no matter the genre. Things get even darker on "Hunger", making their head first lunge into the powerful chug it switches to even more effective.  Another thing going for them is the fact the vocals have more purpose and are not just limited to the low growl, but intone other shades of anguish.  "Flesh Parade" is the first song that finds them conforming closer to the classic death metal sound, this is effective since up until this point they have hit you with other sounds. 

Another strength of their songwriting is they do not always feel the need to hit you with a bestial blast which makes the times they employ it in the otherwise dismal mood of "Public Humiliation" more effective. It also is the first song I recall having a guitar solo. "Contraband" wisely allows the bass to hold things down, which is a rarity as bass often finds itself being buried on death metal albums. "Immersion" has some hardcore influence to it, though is darker than most hardcore. "No Longer Human" finds a balance of deliberate darkness and animalistic menace. Overall this album deserves a 10, it's the standard by which other death metal albums are going to be measured, as they are true to the genre but with a fresh take on it. Relapse Records is releasing this beast February 28th  

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(16) : "Guides For the Misguided"

 

This band's past two albums were in the Top 5 of the Top 10 Metal albums for 2022 and 2020. They continue to deliver with their 10th full length. This album came about during the mixing of the previous album so it picks up where they left off with an aggressive sludge attack. "Hat on a Bed" finds the pace picking up to a taunt, tension-laden groove that is somewhat thrash-influenced. The vocals are barked out with a bit of hard-core grit, though no shocking changes to the overall sound. A creepy piano piece leads into "Blood Atonement Blues" with a ripping guitar solo, which has rock god bombast leading the way. It's darker and more melodic, with the vocals more sung than snarled. You can hear a subtle Lynyrd Skynyrd influence that reminds me a little of "On the Hunt". 

They go in a more Corrosion of Conformity direction on "Fortress of Hate".  It has a very deliberate groove to it. I saw the video for "Proudly Damned" a week before getting the album, so it's nice to hear how it fits in the context of the album. It has a heavier crunch than the first four songs. For these guys "Fire and Brimstone Inc" is a more mainstream rock song. Though it carries more heft than what you are going to hear on the radio. They continue down this sonic path on "Desperation Angel' though the vocals remind me of Henry Rollins ' mid-90s solo work. This album's strength is its knack for writing catchy songs that still manage to carry grit. Though in all honesty, it is the most accessible material this band has churned out. 

"Resurrection Day" works off a tightly coiled groove. The vocals have improved since the last album with the more throaty screams only used for accents most of the time. The vocals still carry menace despite this. They could have picked a band that fit what they do better than Bad Brains though to make the most of "Give Thanks and  Praises". "Kick Out the Chair' works off a powerful chug. The vocals work well on this one. It's more of a 90s melding of stoner metal and sludge. The cover of Superchunk's "The Tower" works better than the Bad Brains song. I'll round this up to a 10 as the more nuanced vocals give the songs more depth. It's dropping on Relapse Records.  

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Living Gate : "Suffer as One"

 

Here is another supergroup making old-school death metal, which I suppose is a bit of a trend now. This one features members of YOB, Amen Ra, and Wiegedood. Some elements are not unlike 'Formulas Fatal to the Flesh " era Morbid Angel, as the riffs twist and turn with a great deal of technical prowess. So they are not taking the easy way out by just dialing in a certain retro sound. The guitars have that Trey chaos to them for sure. There is a blast undercurrent to "Internal Decomposition". It is almost jazzy in how the drums go off on their own path. 

The riffs offer a dissonant and angular counterpoint to this.  The drums do a better job of holding together "Destroy and Consume" in a more grooving manner. The groove makes it one of the album's best songs The dray breathy rasp of the vocals is articulate enough to offer more of a narrative than just growling with no purpose. "Unified Soul" charges at you full blast until they provide some contrast with a more deliberate almost rock n roll riff, it's almost Deicide-like in its tight steamrolling drive. "Suffer as One" locks in more on the riff. This makes for a hookier affair. It stabs rather than stomps. They break into a creepier melodic guitar section showing they care about dynamics. 

The sinister slither of "Ones and Zeroes" almost reminds me of old Meshuggah in the manner the riffs shift in a winding fashion. The chugs that get locked into during the more obtuse math of the arrangements prove powerful and the overall result is an undulating throb. "Hunting Maggots" is more feral in its frantic chugging, though even then they play around with it to make it catchier than most death metal bands who do this sort of thing. "Atoms and Particles" takes a few moments here and there to allow a breather offering a passage that gives more ambiance, and feels less like the same is painted with the same color. The tense moments in the middle of the song use this in a very effective manner. 

Even the smarts they have invested into the equation that is their songwriting formula begins to settle in with "Overcome, Overthrow" leading to it sounding similar to other songs on the album. It is not until things take on more hard-core bluster on the last song that they capture my attention again. These guys are highly skilled musicians , who have made a captivating listen from a genre they do no dive into in their other bands but proved successful here, I will give this album a 9. It ddrops October 25th on Relapse Records.  

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Poison Ruin : "Confrere"

 I am always willing to give these guys a shot. Their last album "Harvest" got an 8, so better than most, but not something I will listen to again, though there is an audience getting what they want. Production-wise things are raw, and the raspy vocals deliver things with a Motorhead-like passion. Not angry just a sullen declaration.; I think the most impressive thing is to be from Philly they almost sound like they are from England. There is more of a gallop to "Attrition" which is a pretty well-written song that is a little darker than your average punk, the only drawback is the vocals, which two songs finds the delivery of both songs muttered uniformly. The guitar has more interesting layers on this one. There is a little more of a folkish melody buried in the clang of the chords.

 Medevil punk is how they are marketed but that sounds like another way of saying metal, and even on this album it's certainly very metal-adjacent. Songs breaking the four-minute mark are almost over-indulgent for punk. However, they are quick to remind you on "Execute" that they are an honest-to-good punk band, though this plays for them as much as it does against them in equal measure, as it follows the punk conventions to a fault. "Laid to Waste" has a little more personality, leaning even more into the expectations of punk, but the vocals which are more yelled sit back against the guitar and everything feels more natural 

The vocals make more of an effort on "Sanctuary" which closes the album. The production makes some interesting choices as well. The guitars are well-layered while still capturing the raw sound you expect from punk. All of these creative touches make this the album's best song. It has a more spacious brooding feel. I will give this a 9, making it a huge step forward from the last album, the songwriting is more finely tuned. I am not likely going to spend a great deal of more time with this album but have enjoyed what I heard of it. Fans of raw metal with moody metal leanings should check this album out. Being released by Relapse Records. 

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Candy : "It's Inside You"

 

This band's 2022 album "Heaven is Here"  took the number two spot on our Top 10 Extreme Metal Albums list of the year, and tenth on the best overall Metal list of the year. I have been looking forward to this one and expectations are high.  Aaron Melnick of Integrity lends his guitar to what I assume to be the solo on "Short Circut" and it only makes sense as the hard-core grind of the song, carries the same raw sludge-like tone Integrity uses, making their influence on this band more apparent. That is not to say this is almost trying to capture the hardcore sounds of the 90s, the band continues to be very forward-thinking, but those influences abound from different angles.

Justice Tripp of Trapped Under Ice lends his voice to "You Will Never Get Me", a song that is almost one crushing breakdown laced with industrial hints in an almost nu-metal fashion. The post-millennial hard-core continues with David Gagliardi of Trash Talk yelling along with them on the title track that hits a very Ministry-influenced syncopation. They marry these sounds in a manner that carries perhaps even more metallic fury than when Code Orange dabbled in similar sonics. 'Love Like Snow" goes in a more electronic direction without compromising the album's narrative. 

"Dehumanize Me" kicks you in the face with equal lyrical and metallic fury.  "Faith 91" is brutal but also has a catchy groove, other metal-core bands need to take notes with this album. They do abandon restraint at times and blast off into hyper-fast punk explosions where they sound more like every other hard-core band, but they do redeem themselves with mean riffs that turn the dynamics back around. "Silent  Collapse' is the only song where it feels they are overindulgent in their punk rock side. I prefer it when they temper the punk energy with electronic experimentation as displayed in "Dancing to the Infinite Beat".  They take this to a further extreme on "Hypercore".  I will give this album a 9.5, a see how it grows on me, it has raised the bar for hardcore this year. I think this is closer to what I expected from the new Knocked Loose, so I hope the hype for that release doesn't overshadow what these guys are doing better. Drops June 7th on Relapse Records.  

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