The weekly rundowns

I meticulously sift through the weekly releases to separate the bangers from the clangers.

Weekly rundown January 02 – 2026

We made it into the new year, and the first wave of new metal music lands harder than you might expect.

by Thomas S. J. January 4, 2026

Weekly rundown December 26 – 2025

A late one just to wrap up 2025 and enter the new year wrapped up in a small bundle of gloom. Happy new year everyone!

by Thomas S. J. January 2, 2026

The Metal Dispatch’s Top Albums of 2025

A list of my favorite 100 metal albums released in 2025

by Thomas S. J. December 29, 2025December 29, 2025

Weekly rundown December 19 – 2025

For the last weekly rundown I expect you’ll be paying half attention to this year, we’ve got a meagre handful of true gems that deserves to be played on repeat into the new year.

by Thomas S. J. December 21, 2025

Weekly rundown December 12 – 2025

The darkest month of the year receives a suitable injection of black and gothic metal, with an aftertaste of harsh, modern chugging to go with it.

by Thomas S. J. December 14, 2025

Weekly rundown December 05 – 2025

As most of the metal world shies away into its various caves as we head into December, there are always a few, brave stragglers that dare contend with the Christmas hits.

by Thomas S. J. December 7, 2025December 9, 2025

Weekly rundown November 21 – 2025

In a week of serious, nefarious, heavy-blow kind of stuff, it’s the cheerful and riff-happy stuff that wins out.

by Thomas S. J. November 24, 2025

Weekly rundown November 14 – 2025

A week that might make you feel better about embracing the coming darkness of winter, with black and blackened metal delivering truly outstanding releases.

by Thomas S. J. November 17, 2025December 29, 2025

Weekly rundown November 07 – 2025

A week that’s out to test your sanity, pulling you up, down, inwards and into several pieces.

by Thomas S. J. November 9, 2025

Weekly rundown October 31 – 2025

This is a wild week, pulling from all kind of influences and taking you to weird, wonderful and terrifying places.

by Thomas S. J. November 2, 2025

Weekly rundown October 24 – 2025

This week we look at an album I shamefully forgot about, and a lot of playful and moody heaviness going up against each other.

by Thomas S. J. October 26, 2025

Weekly rundown October 17 – 2025

This is a week of big comebacks and massive crowd pleasers looking to slay monstrous beasts of the underground.

by Thomas S. J. October 19, 2025

Weekly rundown October 10 – 2025

A week of strong mood swings – from doomy seductiveness to riotous outrage to homicidal frenzy – it’s all worth paying attention to.

by Thomas S. J. October 12, 2025

Weekly rundown October 03 – 2025

We’ve got a divide this week, between those veering off the staked-out course to travel unknown waters, and those sticking to, and improving on, well-established turf.

by Thomas S. J. October 6, 2025

Weekly rundown September 26 – 2025

A week for those who think that extreme metal needs as many notes and riffs as possible, and to preferably be saturated in melody.

by Thomas S. J. September 29, 2025October 2, 2025

Weekly rundown September 19 – 2025

We’re doomed! This week is all about the gloom, be it fuzzy and fantastical or hooded and malignant. With a couple of jokers here and there to shake things up.

by Thomas S. J. September 21, 2025

Weekly rundown September 12 – 2025

Prog metal has a big surge this week, and isn’t so weird or smug that it’s cant co-exist with a good bunch of more straightforward and predictable stuff.

by Thomas S. J. September 14, 2025September 15, 2025

Weekly rundown September 05 – 2025

A truly unpredictable, full-spectrum week where you can find something to match whatever mood you might be in at any given moment.

by Thomas S. J. September 7, 2025

Weekly rundown August 22 – 2025

We seem to be out of the summer siesta and bands from all manner of spires and catacombs are poking their heads out to show off what they’ve been working while you were at the beach.

by Thomas S. J. August 24, 2025

Weekly rundown August 15 – 2025

This is a week of both reliability and fringe ideas are able to triumph, even as both the safe and inventive fail in other hands.

by Thomas S. J. August 17, 2025

Weekly rundown August 08 – 2025

Dark and spiritual underground dwellers are being offset by vibrant, fun-loving mass pleasers this week, and it will no doubt divide the fanbase.

by Thomas S. J. August 10, 2025

Weekly rundown August 01 – 2025

Metalcore makes a big push this week, delivering some solid stuff, but having to share the spotlight with its more brutal and progressive cousins.

by Thomas S. J. August 3, 2025

Weekly rundown July 25 – 2025

Each part of the more extreme reaches of the metal spectrum has something to say this week, and it’s all worth paying attention to.

by Thomas S. J. July 27, 2025

Weekly rundown July 11 – 2025

This week goes light and dark, fast and slow, aggressive and light-hearted, and offers a good deal of surprises.

by Thomas S. J. July 13, 2025

Weekly rundown July 04 – 2025

No way around it, this is a damn short week, but that just means you have more time to pay attention to the small handful of gems in store.

by Thomas S. J. July 6, 2025

Weekly rundown June 27 – 2025

Reaching the height of summer doesn’t always mean that the metal wellspring dries up, as demonstrated by the meaty lineup we’re in for this week.

by Thomas S. J. June 29, 2025

Weekly rundown June 20 – 2025

This week is out to banish the light and warmth of summer, pouring on darkness and anger in clear defiance of sunny optimism.

by Thomas S. J. June 22, 2025

Weekly rundown June 06 – 2025

Stretch your taste and take in the variety of this mixed week, offering fun, danger, sadness and a few cerebral challenges.

by Thomas S. J. June 8, 2025June 8, 2025

Weekly rundown May 30 – 2025

A week that will please the brain as much as the heart, and make sure you get a proper neck exercise in.

by Thomas S. J. June 1, 2025

Weekly rundown May 23 – 2025

Caught in a rut? This is a rugged, rowdy week that will shake the dust off and not leave you indifferent.

by Thomas S. J. May 25, 2025

Weekly rundown May 16 – 2025

A week where the heavy and complex goes toe to toe with the more easily accessible.

by Thomas S. J. May 20, 2025

Weekly rundown May 09 – 2025

Blackened death metal outnumbers all this week, but that doesn’t mean it’s the only flavor on offer.

by Thomas S. J. May 11, 2025

Weekly rundown May 02 – 2025

This slightly more relaxed summer-ramp-up-week is dominated by blackened bands, but basically no straight black metal, instead going for the genre-bending approach.

by Thomas S. J. May 4, 2025

Weekly rundown April 25 – 2025

God damn, did everyone just decide to ignore everyone else’s release schedule and rush to get their new stuff out before festival season? This is a week packed way beyond the brim, erupting metal of all flavors like an un-constipated volcano.

by Thomas S. J. April 29, 2025April 29, 2025

Weekly rundown April 18 – 2025

A death and doom forward week, which makes it sound quite grim, but for its limited scope it’s actually pretty flavorful.

by Thomas S. J. April 20, 2025

Weekly rundown April 11 – 2025

A week where the melodic sneaks into every crack and recess it can find, coloring even the most extreme in shades of epic and emotion both light and dark.

by Thomas S. J. April 13, 2025

Weekly rundown April 04 – 2025

This is a week for instrumental achievements, where astounding technicality and modern production come together to stunning effect.

by Thomas S. J. April 6, 2025April 6, 2025

Weekly rundown March 28 – 2025

The underground rises up and overshadows the big frontrunners of this week, offering both simple pleasures and acquired tastes.

by Thomas S. J. March 30, 2025March 31, 2025

Weekly rundown March 21 – 2025

Nearly everything seems to have been touched by darkness this week, with some embracing it, some toning it down, and some twisting it in unexpected ways.

by Thomas S. J. March 23, 2025

Weekly rundown March 14 – 2025

No telling what you’ll pick as your favorite this week. There’s ratings, and then there’s personal preference, and there’s a bit for everyone this time around.

by Thomas S. J. March 16, 2025

Weekly rundown March 07 – 2025

Extreme prog metal is having a strong week, maneuvering deftly in between a handful of heavyweights and outshining most of them.

by Thomas S. J. March 9, 2025

Weekly rundown February 28 – 2025

February has finished, and light is returning to the northern hemisphere, but even an influx of power metal can’t dispel the shadow dwelling beasts that cling on to the remaining darkness of winter.

by Thomas S. J. March 2, 2025

Weekly rundown February 21 – 2025

Extreme- and traditional metal show off some of their very best attributes this week, making it hard to determine which side has the greenest grass.

by Thomas S. J. February 23, 2025

Weekly rundown February 14 – 2025

It is certainly possible to have fun with this week, but you must be willing to look for it beyond the reach of the light.

by Thomas S. J. February 16, 2025

Weekly rundown February 07 – 2025

Here come the heavy hitters! The underground takes a bit of a rest this week, although not completely, to allow space for a good handful of well-established names.

by Thomas S. J. February 9, 2025

Weekly rundown January 31 – 2025

This week you can choose if you want your aggression and bitterness straight-faced, weird, expanded upon or as an afterthought.

by Thomas S. J. February 2, 2025

Weekly rundown January 24 – 2025

We’re getting onto the thick of it now, with massive releases competing with outstanding efforts breaking out of the underground.

by Thomas S. J. January 26, 2025

Weekly rundown January 17 – 2025

For once it’s a big week for thrash. Strap in, cause speed limits are about to be completely ignored.

by Thomas S. J. January 20, 2025January 25, 2025

Weekly rundown January 03 – 2025

Welcome to 2025! We’ve got a basket of malicious-minded stuff waiting for you, ready to take you in wildly different places.

by Thomas S. J. January 20, 2025January 25, 2025

Weekly rundown December 27 – 2024

How about some spice to rouse you from the catatonic laziness of the holidays? This last week of the year has you covered.

by Thomas S. J. December 31, 2024

Weekly rundown December 20 – 2024

Second to last week of the year wants to have some rowdy fun, pouring on speed and tasty riffs, and going easy on the conceptual part.

by Thomas S. J. December 23, 2024December 23, 2024

Weekly rundown December 13 – 2024

First of the really short December weeks, with strong champions of both light and dark, depending on your pre-holiday mood.

by Thomas S. J. December 16, 2024

Weekly rundown December 06 – 2024

Ah yes, December, where the metal world gradually goes into hibernation. A good few stragglers remain though, wanting to spread cheer and dread alike.

by Thomas S. J. December 8, 2024

Weekly rundown November 29 – 2024

Sounds like the metal world has sensed the approach of Christmas season and decided to vomit forth all its remaining blackened, nihilistic stuff as a last stand against the merrymaking.

by Thomas S. J. December 2, 2024December 3, 2024

Weekly rundown November 22 – 2024

It’s a week of numerous contenders, where only the very few are able to hold a candle to the massive, sun-blotting release that’s headlining it.

by Thomas S. J. November 24, 2024December 7, 2024

Weekly rundown November 15 – 2024

Look not to the towering tentpoles this week, but to the sinister creative forces lurking behind the veil of the obvious, clawing their way out with fang and talon.

by Thomas S. J. November 17, 2024November 17, 2024

Weekly rundown November 08 – 2024

The slowdown of the approaching Christmas season is beginning, but we’re far from out of quality releases still. This is a week for the dark and slightly eccentric.

by Thomas S. J. November 10, 2024November 10, 2024

Weekly rundown November 01 – 2024

No telling what you’ll get this week. This stuff is angry, sad, silly, too cool for school, old and rigid, and young and flexible. Be open to it all.

by Thomas S. J. November 3, 2024November 4, 2024

Weekly rundown October 25 – 2024

This week is a triumph of darkness, casting all else in shadow, with only the most massive of the brighter, progressive forces able to stand their ground and break through.

by Thomas S. J. October 28, 2024October 29, 2024

Weekly rundown October 18 – 2024

This week is a clash between the patiently familiar and the restless noisemakers, with both big names and promising newcomers contributing.

by Thomas S. J. October 21, 2024

Weekly rundown October 11 – 2024

Some household names of weird and extreme metal delivering strongly this week, giving you a good mix of different flavors.

by Thomas S. J. October 13, 2024October 13, 2024

Weekly rundown October 04 – 2024

Another great death metal week (I know, we’re getting spoiled). Did I mention that there’s a lot of death metal this week? It’s pretty great.

by Thomas S. J. October 6, 2024

Weekly rundown September 27 – 2024

As we finish off September, get ready for a dozen shades of aggression – raw, fuming, raging, deranged, whacky and measured.

by Thomas S. J. September 29, 2024

Weekly rundown September 20 – 2024

It’s a fairly death metal heavy week this one, but only as a large part of a very heavy week in general, offering a variety of stellar releases across subgenres.

by Thomas S. J. September 25, 2024

Weekly rundown September 13 – 2024

A week where, for no lack of trying, the heavier side of metal gets upped by its rock and hardcore-influenced fringes.

by Thomas S. J. September 15, 2024

Weekly rundown September 06 – 2024

A well-balanced mix of temperaments this week, lacking the heavy hitters but allowing for a sampling of different styles.

by Thomas S. J. September 8, 2024

Weekly rundown August 30 – 2024

A week that brought out some strong opinions from me, with a couple of the biggest names in progressive and melodic extreme metal headlining.

by Thomas S. J. September 1, 2024

Weekly rundown August 23 – 2024

We’re out of the slump! For real, this week means business, going big on drama and sheer malevolent force.

by Thomas S. J. August 26, 2024August 26, 2024

Weekly rundown August 16 – 2024

A compact week carrying few mighty headliners, and a lot of smaller aggressors, with hardcore getting ample representation.

by Thomas S. J. August 18, 2024August 18, 2024

Weekly rundown August 09 – 2024

Another short week as we ride off the slump of summer, but the sake of all that’s unholy, don’t sleep on this one. Some real face melters coming your way.

by Thomas S. J. August 11, 2024August 11, 2024

Weekly rundown August 02 – 2024

A week that’s over before you know it, but throwing some real nuggets of brutality at you as it passes.

by Thomas S. J. August 4, 2024

Weekly rundown July 26 – 2024

This week there’s a bunch of loudmouths about – big, bombastic, world-rumblers that might take your attention for granted, and some deservedly so.

by Thomas S. J. July 28, 2024

Weekly rundown July 19 – 2024

We return in the deep of summer with a mixed, high quality bag of dark and light,

by Thomas S. J. July 21, 2024

Weekly rundown June 21 – 2024

A conflict between the unconventional and the traditional is taking form this week, as old school and trusted recipes measure their worth against the free-form and restless ways of the progressive and experimental.

by Thomas S. J. June 24, 2024June 24, 2024

Weekly rundown June 14 – 2024

The forces of doom and damnation have a firm grip on this week, but this is in absolutely no way a dull reign.

by Thomas S. J. June 16, 2024June 17, 2024

Weekly rundown June 07 – 2024

Hardcore comes in swinging with barbed wire-wrapped fists this week, outmaneuvering a host of prog and death metal releases with its sheer brazenness, but also joining forces, to great effect.

by Thomas S. J. June 9, 2024June 9, 2024

Weekly rundown May 31 – 2024

The darkness has a strong hold over this week, but the forces of light, creativity and weirdness are constantly tugging at the Reaper’s cloak.

by Thomas S. J. June 3, 2024

Weekly rundown May 24 – 2024

A short ‘n sweet week as we head into summer, with both veterans, relative newcomers and underground-dwellers dishing out treats.

by Thomas S. J. May 26, 2024May 28, 2024

Weekly rundown May 10 – 2024

This week is all over the place, binging nostalgia as well as fresh surprises – predictability one side and untamed experimentation on the other. Test your palate, how much of it will be to your taste?

by Thomas S. J. May 12, 2024May 13, 2024

Weekly rundown May 03 – 2024

I’ll be upfront – this is far from the most content-rich week you’ll come across this year… but wait! There are a few titles that will make it more than worth your while.

by Thomas S. J. May 5, 2024May 6, 2024

Weekly rundown April 26 – 2024

A week for the slightly weird and unpredictable, inevitably dividing opinions, as the traditional gives way for the experimental and eccentric.

by Thomas S. J. April 28, 2024

Weekly rundown April 19 – 2024

Set aside some time. Seriously. This week is absolutely packed.

by Thomas S. J. April 22, 2024

Weekly rundown April 12 – 2024

This week sees a mighty clash of death metal and classic doom, each bringing both expected and surprising qualities to bear.

by Thomas S. J. April 14, 2024

Weekly rundown April 05 – 2024

Fun versus rage, rough versus polished, dark versus dreamy. Pick you side or embrace it all.

by Thomas S. J. April 7, 2024April 8, 2024

Weekly rundown March 29 – 2024

A slightly toned-down week that offers a little bit of everything, with an emphasis on aggression in both pent-up and all-out forms.

by Thomas S. J. April 1, 2024April 1, 2024

Weekly rundown March 22 – 2024

Death metal moves in from all fronts to dominate the week, going both high and low, and filling in the vanguard as well as the core of the advance.

by Thomas S. J. March 24, 2024

Weekly rundown March 15 – 2024

A week of trying different approaches – the straightforward, the off-kilter, the innovative and the reinventive. You decide which suits you best.

by Thomas S. J. March 17, 2024

Weekly rundown March 08 – 2024

Prepare for some knockout punches this week, both from the ragged vanguard, the well-entrenched core and the devious shadows.

by Thomas S. J. March 11, 2024

Weekly rundown March 01 – 2024

This is a fun and colorful week, where thrash, industrial, power, psychedelic doom and melodic extreme metal are just a few of the flavors on offer.

by Thomas S. J. March 4, 2024March 4, 2024

Weekly rundown February 23 – 2024

After several weeks dominated by brutal and bleak releases, the sun starts to shine through in the form of some more playful and epic stuff.

by Thomas S. J. February 25, 2024February 26, 2024

Weekly rundown February 16 – 2024

A week dominated by black- and doom metal, but not necessarily the kind that makes you want to crawl into a dark hole and hide from the world.

by Thomas S. J. February 18, 2024February 19, 2024

Weekly rundown February 09 – 2024

This week some of the core elements of what makes metal great today – brutality, aggression, thematic confidence, stylistic refinement and innovation – gets into a fight over which one is more essential.

by Thomas S. J. February 11, 2024

Weekly rundown February 02 – 2024

The first week of February sees a battle being fought between life-hungry prog and bitter, shadow-dwelling black metal, bringing you some of the best of both worlds.

by Thomas S. J. February 4, 2024

Weekly rundown January 26 – 2024

A beefy week to mark the end of January, where progressive and technical extreme metal leads the way. We’re in the thick of it now.

by Thomas S. J. January 28, 2024January 29, 2024

Weekly rundown January 19 – 2024

This week gets right in your face to let you know that January means business. Just, wow. Some excellent stuff heading your way.

by Thomas S. J. January 21, 2024January 21, 2024

Weekly rundown January 12 – 2024

Second release batch of the year is the week of EPs, apparently, with a pair of devastatingly heavy contenders leading the way.

by Thomas S. J. January 14, 2024

Weekly rundown January 05 – 2024

Let’s start the year with whatever dares to creep out from under the crumpled heap of 2023.

by Thomas S. J. January 7, 2024

Weekly rundown August 25 – 2023

A standout week for extreme metal, as we’ve got a plethora of stellar death-, black- and hash thrash metal released upon the world.

by Thomas S. J. October 15, 2023

Weekly rundown August 18 – 2023

A bountiful week favoring more extreme or dark lean-ins to classic heavy metal.

by Thomas S. J. October 2, 2023October 2, 2023

Weekly rundown August 11 – 2023

Raw, inexhaustible aggression fuels the top outputs of this week, spearheading an assault that’s followed up with more heavy, yet slightly more complex, hitters.

by Thomas S. J. September 24, 2023

Weekly rundown August 04 – 2023

A shorth but sweet, death-metal leaning week that’s as faithful to the fashion of today as it is to the class of the past.

by Thomas S. J. September 17, 2023

Something went wrong. Please refresh the page and/or try again.