A week where, for no lack of trying, the heavier side of metal gets upped by its rock and hardcore-influenced fringes.
156/Silence – People Watching
Genre: Alternative metal/metalcore
Subjective rating: 3/5
Objective rating: 3/5
There’s a will in here to break free of the formula of predictable melody and utterly rhythm-dominated instrumentation, and when it shines through the strongest, the result is quite characterful.
Crypt Crawler – The Immortal Realm
Genre: Death/groove metal
Subjective rating: 3.5/5
Objective rating: 3/5
The old school of death metal resurrection has brought a lot of really great stuff in the last few years, but it can very easily get stale if there’s no attempt whatsoever at reinvention. These guys take a slightly superficial approach to the style and injects in with an invigorating dose of groove and thrash metal. The result is lively, if not a bit diluted.
Flotsam And Jetsam – I Am The Weapon
Genre: Heavy metal
Subjective rating: 2/5
Objective rating: 3/5
Let’s get it out of the way immediately – this level of recycled-phrases lyrics writing will never get an above average subjective rating from me, no matter how good the rest of the music is. In this case, it’s both tight, spirited and quite fun, although also certainly not anything unique.
Helevorn – Espectres
Genre: Gothic/doom metal
Subjective rating: 3.5/5
Objective rating: 3.5/5
You think gothic + doom metal, and this is pretty much exactly how it has to sound. But Helevorn elevate themselves above the expected with a sublime vocal performance, and a highly convincing commitment to their slow-paced, grey-toned, fog-over-the-silent-hills-vibe melodies that they’ve clearly developed a mastery for. People who aren’t into gothic metal will not be convinced, but for the rest of us it’s a gloomy treat.
Highlight: “The Defiant God”
Horna – Nyx – Hymnejä Yölle
Genre: Black metal
Subjective rating: 3/5
Objective rating: 3.5/5
The experienced Finnish black metallers that are Horna give you a solidly produced and impressively consistent piece of bitter-melodic, harsh darkness. It’s of the type that locks into a certain type of progression from the start of the song and then sticks to it for the duration, only giving you variation in the nuances.
Insurrection – Obsolescence
Genre: Death/industrial metal
Subjective rating: 3/5
Objective rating: 3/5
Modern death metal in tone and superficial style, for sure, but rhythmically it’s much more… jumpy. There are traces of nu-metal beats, and the whole thing is performed with an industrial stoicism. The result is nice and heavy, if a bit soulless.
Isolert – Wounds Of Desolation
Genre: Melodic black metal
Subjective rating: 4/5
Objective rating: 4/5
A hostile, hissing black metal offering out of Greece that spits multicolored flames of tantalizing corruption. Every song sets out with core desire to sour and bleach, and then evolves along the way, finding fresh ways of delivering its venom. This takes the practical form of a relatively wide variety of rhythmic and melodic approaches, all with the clear intent of staying on (unholy) message.
Highlights: “Reflections of Nothingness” and “Spewing Venomous Gloom”
Killing Spree – Camouflage!
Genre: Avant-garde/experimental metal
Subjective rating: 3.5/5
Objective rating: 3/5
I suppose I can’t fault an experimental project for going off the rails and abandoning an approach that was working extremely well (at least to my ears) for the first three songs, in order to explore other avenues. This is probably as close as I will ever get to enjoy free-form jazz. There’s beauty in the chaos, but be prepared that everything is extremely fleeting, and basically aimless.
Legions Of Doom – The Skull 3
Genre: Doom metal
Subjective rating: 3/5
Objective rating: 3/5
Classic, morbid doom with a rumbling bass end and a mildly exploratory melodic and vocal approach that helps fortify the band’s personality. It’s not all quite as interesting, but it’s got potential.
Luck Wont Save You – Through the Mountains of Melancholia
Genre: Progressive/technical death metal
Subjective rating: 3/5
Objective rating: 3.5/5
A “let’s see if it fits” kind of prog project that throws together pretty much every technique and trope found within progressive- and technical death metal, as well as deathcore, and then harshly offsetting it with some spacey, psychedelic clean sections. It’s a wild ride.
NightWraith – Divergence
Genre: Melodic gothic/death metal
Subjective rating: 3/5
Objective rating: 3/5
This sounds a lot like a melodic death metal-ed up version of Tribulation. Which is a promising concept, and a lot of it works well, with husky vocals and slightly morose melodies that build up to some heavy riff sections. But the band seems a little unsure of where to really invest their creative energies, and so it falls a little in between two chairs.
Oceans Of Slumber – Where Gods Fear To Speak
Genre: Progressive metal
Subjective rating: 4/5
Objective rating: 4/5
Oceans of Slumber swing back to the heavier side of the prog spectrum on this one, opening the taps on modern death metal and aggressive groove, for a far spicier experience than on 2022’s harsh-free “Starlight And Ash”. In fact, it’s such a stark difference that I had to apply conscious effort to reset my brain, as my expectations were thoroughly subverted. The melodic, symphonic-leaning inclination is still there, but has to coexist with the other side of the two-face mask. My opinion is that the two stylistic directions do not blend seamlessly. The melody doesn’t always connect well with the more abrasive elements, which take on the more technical role of upping the intensity. Cammie Beverly pushes her impressive vocals even further than before, which successfully adds to the dynamics of the sound, but sometimes also feel a little forced. The album’s biggest strength, however, is being organically progressive, in a way that doesn’t call unnecessary attention to its technicality, and instead just feels… advanced.
Highlights: “Run From the Light” and “Poem of Ecstasy”.
Satan – Songs In Crimson
Genre: Heavy metal
Subjective rating: 4/5
Objective rating: 4/5
Whoa! So this is what it sounds like when a veteran band really puts in the effort. For those not familiar with Satan, they make NWOBHM-style heavy metal, but in a way that doesn’t sound like like it’s recycled. Sure, the style and tone firmly reveal their origins, but the band’s not interested in coasting on past glory, and this newest effort borders on prog in its complexity. New tricks, indeed. The drive suffers slightly in the pursuit of unpredictability, but if you’re sold on the style you’ll stick with it and be delighted over and over again.
Highlight: “Frantic Zero” and “Turn the Tide”.
Slomosa – Tundra Rock
Genre: Stoner metal/rock
Subjective rating: 4/5
Objective rating: 4.5/5
A “clean” stoner record, in the best possible sense of the term. There’s just no clutter on here – no unnecessary instrumental tangents, no dragged-out atmospheric elements. It just hits the spot, song after song. The mood of the thing is patient yet direct, going heavy on the groove when called for, and backing off into mellow bliss once that particular muscle has been flexed enough. This is a band that knows exactly what they want to do within their particular niche of the musical spectrum, and how to make it their own. A bright future ahead, for sure.
Highlights: “Rice” and “Cabin Fever”
Thy Will be Done – Pillar Of Fire
Genre: Groove/thrash metal
Subjective rating: 3.5/5
Objective rating: 3/5
Hyper-aggressive and energetic groove metal built on hardcore simplicity and directness, boosted by thrash-level speed and precision. This is an entertainer and pulse-raiser, going straight for the throat and seeing no reason why it should relent. They do full-intensity better than mid-tempo, which becomes evident in some slightly less engaging sections along the middle of the album, but they’re quick to dial it back up.
Highlight: “Join, Or Die”
Trelldom – …By The Shadows…
Genre: Progressive black metal
Subjective rating: 3.5/5
Objective rating: 4/5
When the darkness calls to you, and you don’t instantly recognize it for what it it, that’s when it’s at its most dangerous and seductive. Trelldom rope you in with contemplative, corrupted bliss, that blunts the sharp edge of its black metal blade in favor of translucent tendrils of jazzy atmosphere that subtly grabs a hold of you without you really noticing. It’s a bit understated, and not immediately impactful, but it’s both distinct and purposeful.
Highlight: “Between the World”
Trip To The Morgue – Toe Tagged And Body Bagged
Genre: Thrash/death metal
Subjective rating: 2.5/5
Objective rating: 2.5/5
Highly unevenly produced death thrash that’s got the right attitude going for it, but fails to leave a memorable mark.
Winterfylleth – The Imperious Horizon
Genre: Black/folk metal
Subjective rating: 4/5
Objective rating: 4/5
A monumental melodic black metal album that has certain expectations of its audience. If you want the most of this experience, you better be prepared to undertake the full 1hr 14 min of it, because a full appreciation for the effort’s dynamic range requires full-on commitment. This is a cold and ominous sound for the band, like a biting wind along a lifeless, white canyon, carrying with it whispers of bygone toil and sacrifice. It’s really rather gripping when it peaks, and even though some of the rhythmic approaches can get a bit repetitive, the immersion that’s rewarded to those who can break through its icy shell is fantastic.
Highlights: “Upon This Shore” and “To The Edge Of Tyranny”
Wolfbrigade – Life Knife Death
Genre: Crust/black ‘n’ roll
Subjective rating: 4.5/5
Objective rating: 4/5
As heavy and crunchy as hardcore punk gets, this is Entombed meets Witchery meets Motörhead, meets some sort of demon that’s critically low on sleep, overly caffeinated and fed beyond the brim with bullshit. The entire album is one big “fuck you , you fucking fuck” tattooed on a middle finger that’s flipping you off while lit on fire. And even with all this antagonistic energy, it’s still got the inclination for some garage rock groove and melody, which just hits the spot in between savage, flesh ripping riffs.
Highlights: “Life Knife Death” and “Skinchanger”
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, why not pop a comment down below?
The Metal Dispatch 