Hail to the filth! This is a death and sludge week, bringing you dirty, crushing mounds of pure heaviness. There are exceptions though – dark ponds of cleansing cold – if you can make it all the way through.
Antigama – Whiteout
Genre: Death metal/grindcore
Subjective rating: 3/5
Objective rating: 3/5
This is death-tinged grindcore that seems content to exist within fairly strict bounds of stark, rhythmic industrial metal. It gives it a kind of clinical and dystopian feel, with a few standout bangers.
Anova Skyway – Reset
Genre: Progressive hard rock
Subjective rating: 2.5/5
Objective rating: 2.5/5
A clean and slick sounding melodic “hard” prog rock. They seem more interested in exploring the softer, longing part of their sound, but the production and quality of the performances makes it feel a bit insincere.
Ashenspire – Hostile Architecture
Genre: Avant-garde black/gothic metal
Subjective rating: 2.5/5
Objective rating: 3.5/5
With a spoken-word, agonized quality to most of the vocals, and them being a bit detached to the instrumentals, this feels in many ways like a confession and a life falling asunder at the same time. It’s very avant-garde, so don’t expect a typical black metal experience.
Battering Ram – Second To None
Genre: Heavy metal/hard rock
Subjective rating: 3/5
Objective rating: 3/5
A band with an ear for catchiness. The vibe is very rock ‘n roll, with heavy metal heft. The rhythms are very rudimentary and zaps the overall experience of energy, but I imagine it will sound a lot better live.
Behold! The Monolith – The Fathomless Deep
Genre: Sludge/doom metal
Subjective rating: 4/5
Objective rating: 3.5/5
A dark and mountainous record that, despite having threatening, beast-like vocals and a kind of lovecraftian horror-theme going on, manages to give off a mellow vibe. The riffs feel like smooth boulders rather than jagged rock, and the pace is mostly sedate. Still, mixing a doomy tone and a bit of stoner groove, it all seems to suit the intended purpose, and it doesn’t get bogged down in to o much atmosphere. Give it a go with “The Wailing Blade” and “Crown/The Immeasurable Void”.
Black Capricorn – Cult Of Blood
Genre: Psychedelic/doom metal
Subjective rating: 2.5/5
Objective rating: 3/5
Major fuzz-muzzle on this one – like hearing it trough a pillow. Thematically it feels ritualistic, with a primitive approach to rhythm and instrumental extravagance, making you want to stand up and sway side to side to it.
Celestial Wizard – Winds Of The Cosmos
Genre: Power/melodic death metal
Subjective rating: 4/5
Objective rating: 3.5/5
On paper this might sound like an odd combo, but think of it as an extreme power metal record first and foremost and that will allow you to savor all the juicy fun stored in those folk-y melodeath chugs. Honestly, it’s not too far off the likes of Ensiferum, just with the fantasy factor dialed up. The performances on here feel playful and adventurous, even though the material they’ve come up with is not particularly original. And while they’re definitely striving for the epic feel, they’ve largely managed to shed most of the cheesiness that comes with it. Try “Eternal Scourge” and “Revenant”.
Deathbringer – It
Genre: Progressive/technical death metal
Subjective rating: 3.5/5
Objective rating: 3.5/5
A rather hostile sounding prog death project that’s got that typical tech-y, calculated approach to the rhythm and guitar work. Some of the songs are true experiences, going on twisted little journeys of their own, but mostly the whole thing feels a bit disjointed as they try to figure out exactly what they want to sound like. And then the gaps are filled in with largely unnecessary interludes. There’s undeniable talent here, though.
The Ever Living – Artificial Devices
Genre: Alternative/electronic metal
Subjective rating: 2.5/5
Objective rating: 3/5
An album flooded with moody electronic ambience. It’s consistently melodic and low tempo all the way through, with some harsh vocals and black metal-ish guitars forming the heavy backbone. It’s well executed but a bit monotonous.
Graveshadow – The Uncertain Hour
Genre: Power/symphonic/folk metal
Subjective rating: 3/5
Objective rating: 3.5/5
An epic and soaring thing balanced out with some grit in the form of extreme folk and heavy metal. The vibrato vocals and eager guitars dominate the experience, over quite simple base riffs and synth laden melodies. It largely works vey well, but could harmonize better, and is a bit lacking in standout moments.
Hissing – Hypervirulence Architecture
Genre: Experimental death/black metal
Subjective rating: 3/5
Objective rating: 4/5
I might be a bit influenced by the album name, but this sounds like a sped-up, horrific virus infection translated into audio waves. It’s an unsettling listening experience from start to finish – pummeling drums competing with deranged guitar work that sounds like a mix of a furious insect swarm and rock slide. It’s a maelstrom of chaos that effectively pulls you along and into it, trapping you inside a relentless nightmare world. If you’re looking for something outside the norm of blackened death metal then you’ve found it here.
Ian Blurton’s Future Now – Second Skin
Genre: Hard/stoner rock/psychedelic metal
Subjective rating: 4/5
Objective rating: 4/5
This is a cool one. It’s a slightly trippy, slightly punky, classic hard rock experience leaning into stoner groove and just a laid back, creative approach to melodic exploration. It’s not hampered by any overly retro production gimmicks (there’s ample fuzz, relax), and just sounds fresh and inviting. The energy that shines through from the performances is infectious and will most likely put you in a good mood. What? It can’t all be doom and gloom, right? Treat yourself with “Like a Ghost” and “When the Storm Comes Home”.
Inhuman Condition – Fearsick
Genre: Death/thrash metal
Subjective rating: 4.5/5
Objective rating: 4/5
The classic death metal revival lives on in style. You could accuse these guys of being formulaic, but why would that be a problem if they’re following the formula for success? They have certainly struck again with this record, delivering restrained rage, extreme precision and a tone that is so fine tuned to fit their style, it’s almost too perfect. The rowdy thrash influence makes sure the tempo stays high and we’re treated some great, dexterous riffs and solos. It might not be inventive, but it’s extremely to the point and stylistically confident. Check out “Recycled Hate” and “Fencewalker”.
Lucid Grave – Cosmic Mountain
Genre: Doom/psychedelic metal
Subjective rating: 2.5/5
Objective rating: 3/5
A dissonant, lamenting affair that also feel like ritual chanting. There’s a disconnect between the vocals and the rest of the sound that I don’t think works too well, and even though they explore some different melodic territories, it takes a little too long to get there.
Mantar – Pain Is Forever And This Is The End
Genre: Sludge/black metal
Subjective rating: 4/5
Objective rating: 4.5/5
Ready for some nihilistic groove? This honestly feels like something Lemmy could have though up if he started out a little later and got influenced by the misanthropy of black metal. It’s got the noisy rock ‘n roll attitude, a bit of punk spite and a shade of gothic gloom. The songs on here have real character and stand on their own as individual highlights depending on your taste. They’ve got the production spot on, sounding dirty in a really clean and well defined way, if that makes sense. It’ll bring out your inner hooligan, this one. Try “Grim Reaping” and “New Age Pagan”.
Manticore – Endless Scourge Of Torment
Genre: Death/black metal
Subjective rating: 2.5/5
Objective rating: 2.5/5
Some gravel-y and bleak blackened death metal that’s a little short on production and musical performance, but does fairly well on unholy atmosphere.
Maul – Seraphic Punishment
Genre: Death metal
Subjective rating: 4.5/5
Objective rating: 4.5/5
This is death metal that wants to get up and move. There’s a lively groove metal element to it, backing up the classic death metal body. Unlike many of their peers, these guys manage to go further than just deliver quality retro death – they infuse it with a style of their own. While it’s mostly quite lively all the way through, there’s an otherworldly, ritualistic flavor to it. There’s certainly uses of tribal instruments, but they don’t drag us into the claustrophobic chaos of the jungle, instead aiming for something more open and grand. It fits very well with the spirited musical performances, and makes for something macabre-epic, yet still down to earth. Definitely check out “Repulsive Intruder” and “Infatuation”.
Metalucifer – Heavy Metal Ninja
Genre: Heavy metal
Subjective rating: 3/5
Objective rating: 3/5
This is one of those that has the words “heavy metal” in the title of every song – on which there are only four, but in both English and Japanese versions. It’s very classic, simply produced stuff, but clearly made with enthusiasm.
Molder – Engrossed In Decay
Genre: Death/sludge metal
Subjective rating: 4/5
Objective rating: 4/5
Bring on the grime! This is one of those filthy, ragged death metal albums that just want to entertain from start to finish. Drop the serious face and just commit to the headbanging. Your neck will be sore for days. It’s got an unsettling vibe over it, but in a 90s B-horror movie kind of way. The production is crisp though, which give the guitars a real rawness but also highlights the relative simplicity of it all. Although, that doesn’t really hurt the experience in any way. Jump into “Disinhumed Carcass Revived” and “Ghastly Mutation”.
Palace – One 4 The Road
Genre: Hard rock/AOR
Subjective rating: 2/5
Objective rating: 2.5/5
Tropes and ballads for miles and miles. I’d rather walk. Not bad for what it is though. It’s bright and spritely.
Rain City Drive – Rain City Drive
Genre: Alternative hard rock
Subjective rating: 1/5
Objective rating: 2/5
Silky smooth, teen-oriented, clichéd, pampered-emo kind of stuff. It sounds big and will probably reach a big audience, so they don’t need any endorsements from me.
Jason Richardson & Luke Holland – II
Genre: Shred/progressive metal
Subjective rating: 3/5
Objective rating: 3.5/5
This is pure instrumental flexing. I’d say it’s predominantly a shred record, but they do rest the guitar acrobatics on a chaotic bed of extremely tangent-prone modern prog metal. Meaning it’s very much on a road to nowhere, but that probably matters little to fans of this kind of thing.
Scarcity – Aveilut
Genre: Atmospheric black metal
Subjective rating: 2.5/5
Objective rating: 3/5
This is black metal very much matching its detailed black and white photo album art. Complex, yet stark and deliberately one-dimensional. It has an organic feel to it, but not in any sort of vivid or chaotic sort of way – more in the way that its intricate shape serves a simple, definite purpose.
Sick N’ Beautiful – Starstruck
Genre: Industrial/alternative hard rock/metal
Subjective rating: 2.5/5
Objective rating: 2.5/5
If you like a bit of theater in your metal, but without the epic flavor it usually comes with – something like In this Moment but much more hard rock – then you’re up the right street. I’d wish for a bit more energy and attitude, but the industrial, alt/goth mix works fairly well.
Sinner – Brotherhood
Genre: Heavy metal/hard rock
Subjective rating: 2/5
Objective rating: 2.5/5
This is classic swaggering heavy metal in the vein of Accept, just with more sleaze. Song titles like “We Came to Rock” and “Refuse to Surrender” pretty much say it all.
Witnesses – The Holy Water (EP)
Genre: Atmospheric doom metal
Subjective rating: 4/5
Objective rating: 3.5/5
It’s been a while since I’ve heard doom ride the line between beauty and austerity with such a gripping result. It’s soothing, spooky and at times quite powerful. The production is fairly clean, which fits the exquisite vocals and allows the subtle textures of the instrumental performances to scratch itches inside your mind that you didn’t know you had. There’s only three tracks on here, so just start at the beginning.
Xenoglyph – Spiritfraud
Genre: Progressive black metal
Subjective rating: 4/5
Objective rating: 4/5
This one comes sweeping in like a gale, but carrying with it the substance of a flood. There’s a feeling of cold indifference throughout, like these are natural forces at work – which can be both graceful and awe-inspiring. That being said, it doesn’t feel down to earth, traditional or folk-influenced- neither is it overly technical or artificial. It sort of exists on its own, mystical plane. There’s melancholy in the melody, a fallen majesty in the instrumental tone, and the mostly mid-tempo rhythm matches well with the atmosphere. Check out “Spiritfraud” and “Iconocide”.
As always, if you think I’m completely off on an observation, unfairly dissed your favorite band or need to give an album another shot, do feel free to express yourself in the comments section below.
The Metal Dispatch 