Well, my hopes from last week have not come to pass yet. The weather is still pretty dismal up in my neck of the woods, and the release calendar is still a bit slow. However, as we draw closer to March, my hopes remain high that we’ll get improvements in the weather and an increase in new metal releases sooner rather than later. Until then, enjoy this week’s new music, which includes the final works to two musicians we lost in the past year.
After the Burial, Dig Deep (Sumerian)
Justin Lowe’s departure from After the Burial came about while the band was beginning work on Dig Deep, but it was his tragic death less than a month later that defined the band for 2015. The band considered calling it quits, but instead they finished the album, went on tour, and are heading back on tour again today to support the album. It’s not known at this time if Lowe recorded any parts that appear on Dig Deep, but we can be sure that his final writing contributions to the band are part of this record.
Delain, Lunar Prelude (Napalm)
2015 was great for Delain, as the band toured heavily to further cement their status in North America and grow even bigger in Europe. Lead singer Charlotte Wessels also successfully launched her side project Phantasma with the release of its debut album The Deviant Hearts. Now, as the band begins a US tour with Nightwish and Sonata Arctica, Delain is unleashing this new EP that contains two new songs, several live cuts, and more. Look for Delain to continue their meteoric rise as 2016 progresses.
Last in Line, Heavy Crown (Frontiers)
Following the death of Ronnie James Dio in 2010, original members of his band – Vinny Appice, Jimmy Bain, and Vivian Campbell – came together with vocalist Andrew Freeman to form a tribute group in 2012. Originally only performing covers of Dio songs, Last in Line eventually decided to create original material that became Heavy Crown. Sadly, Jimmy Bain passed away recently, and it is not known at this time if the group will continue on without him.
Wolfmother, Victorious (UMe)
Wolfmother has remained consistent and excellent in their output over the course of their twelve-year career, despite a lineup that is constantly in flux and varying levels of label support. 2014’s New Crown was able to chart on the Billboard 200 without any label help, showing the strength that the Australian band has. Victorious has more of the group’s traditional brand of hard rock, with session contributions from drummers Josh Freese and Joey Waronker.
Inglorious, Inglorious (Frontiers)
Singer Nathan James made a name for himself performing with Trans-Siberian Orchestra and Uli Jon Roth on separate occasions, and sought to find musicians that wanted to make modern hard rock inspired by the classics. After finding such musicians, Inglorious became an official project, with a goal of writing and recording music as a single organic unit. This self-titled album is the debut effort for the group.
Adept, Sleepless (Napalm)
Hailing from Sweden, Adept has been around since 2004, releasing three EP’s and three albums over the course of the career. Sleepless, their fourth full-length, was originally due to be released last summer, but had to be re-recorded this past September. Adept’s brand of post-hardcore is ideal listening for fans of blessthefall, Asking Alexandria, and Architects.
