I know that this particular day often features jokes from this site and our sister sites. But the lead album for today’s release list is not a joke, I promise you. Nor is it an album to be taken lightly, as the band releasing it has turned into a worldwide force that cannot be stopped. Some may write them off as not serious or worthy of consideration, but to do so would be to deny the fact that they’ve already made an enormous impact. So read on, and don’t expect any misdirection.
Babymetal, Metal Resistance (RAL)
One has to wonder if the decision to release Metal Resistance today was a marketing ploy, intended as a jab at metal fans that label Babymetal as a “false metal” group. Regardless of whether it was or not, though, this is sure to be a huge hit. Given the massive critical response that the trio received with their self-titled debut, I won’t be surprised if this album debuts in the Top 20. This is one case where the spectacle of a band is all that is needed to make people pay attention.
Moonsorrow, Jumalten Aika (Century Media)
In Finnish, “Jumalten aika” means “Age of gods”, and one might say that’s an appropriate description for this stage of Moonsorrow’s career. With 21 years of experience under their belts, Moonsorrow is one of the premier pagan metal bands on the planet, and every one of their releases is a huge deal. Jumalten Aika is the first new material released by Moonsorrow in five years, and fans of the band are rabid to get their hands on it.
Tombs, All Empires Fall (Relapse)
Brooklyn used to be the nucleus of the hardcore scene in New York, but in recent years, it has become a breeding ground for progressive and experimental metal bands. Tombs is one such band, combining black metal, hardcore, sludge, and doom into one incredible sonic engine of destruction. Tombs already has three albums under their belt, and this new five-song EP will give fans an intense preview of what their next full-length will sound like.
Almanac, Tsar (Nuclear Blast)
After 15-plus years with German power metal veterans Rage, Victor Smolski left the band to pursue new ventures. His first was a symphonic metal project entitled Almanac. Smolski collaborated with the Lingua Mortis Orchestra and vocalists Jeanette Marchewka, David Readman and Andy B. Franck to bring Almanac to life. Tsar is the debut album for the group, which is rounded out by bassist Armin Alic, drummer Michael Kolar and keyboardist Enric Garcia.
Graves at Sea, The Curse That Is (Relapse)
Graves at Sea is a sludge band that first originated in Phoenix in 2002. The band worked the underground scene in the Southwest for six years before disbanding, but came back again in 2012 and got noticed quickly for the intensity of their new music. After releasing an EP and a split with Sourvein in 2014, Graves at Sea entered the studio and recorded their full-length debut, which is being released today.
Entheos, The Infinite Nothing (Artery)
Entheos is the collaborative effort of three musicians already well-versed in the arts of technical, forward-thinking metal: ex-Animals as Leaders drummer Navene Koperweis, ex-The Faceless bassist Evan Brewer, and former Animosity guitarist Frank Costa. These three, along with vocalist Chaney Crabb, put together an EP last year called Primal, and now they are back with their debut full-length, and it is every bit the technical masterwork that you’d expect from a group of this caliber.
Bossk, Audio Noir (Deathwish)
Bossk gets their name from the bounty hunter in the Star Wars universe of the same name, already making them a pretty cool band. Getting their start in 2005, the UK-based group put out a series of demos and EPs before disbanding in 2008. Coming back together in 2012, Bossk released a single immediately after reforming, but focused mostly on live shows until they entered the studio recently. Audio Noir is the debut album for the sludge/post-metal group.
