New & Noteworthy is a weekly column in which we highlight some of the newest rock and metal releases coming out each week. This week features new studio releases from Seether, Kobra and the Lotus, and Warrant, as well as another Porcupine Tree vinyl re-issue. If you would like to check out last week’s releases you can do so here. You can also check out last week’s sales numbers in Metal by Numbers. While All that Remains’ Madness is off to a slow start, and a pair of progressive metal live albums are selling about as well you would expect progressive metal live albums to sell. If you’re not following us on Spotify yet, you’re missing out on some awesome playlists.
Studio Releases
Seether, Poison The Parish (Canine Riot)
Posion the Parish is the seventh studio album from the South African rock band Seether. It was recorded at Blackbird Studio in Nashville, Tennessee, and produced by the band’s vocalist/guitarist Shaun Morgan. In February they has released a music video for the first single, “Let You Down.” Seether is currently touring the U.S. and will be continuing to do so pretty consistently up through September, and right after that they will be heading over to tour throughout Europe in October. They, along with Korn, Stone Sour, and many other bands will be playing Shaun Morgan’s 5th Annual Rise Above Fest in July, benefiting Suicide Awareness Voices of Education (SAVE). You can read more about SAVE here. Poison the Parish is also available on vinyl.
Kobra and The Lotus, Prevail I (Napalm)
Canada’s heavy metal Kobra and the Lotus have released their fourth full length studio album, Prevail I. Prevail I is, as the name alludes, the first of two albums the band has planned for release in 2017. This is also the first release from the band since signing to Napalm Records. The other is, very obviously, named Prevail II, but no official release date has been made available to the public. So far they have released one music video for the album, “You Don’t Know.” KATL is currently on tour in support of the release, playing a few dates in Canada and the west coast of the U.S. with Xandria and Once Human, before heading to Europe in the summer and fall for a few festival dates.
Gideon, Cold (Equal Vision)
Cold is the fourth album from Alabama’s Gideon, and the first released under their label Equal Vision Records. The band has release two music videos so far, the first being for the track “Champions,” and the second for “Cursed.” which features a vocal performance from Bryan Garris, of Knocked Loose. Next Friday Gideon will be starting on an 8 date tour along the east coast with Ghost Key and Advent, Animate.
Warrant, Louder Harder Faster (Frontiers Music Srl)
Louder Harder Faster is the 10th album from Los Angeles’ heavy metal group Warrant. Just last week the band released a music video for the album’s title track, “Louder Harder Faster,” and tonight they will be playing their album release show in Las Vegas. They also have another two dozen or so shows planned so far in the U.S. for this summer. Louder Harder Faster is the follow-up to their 2011 release Rockaholic, and the second album to feature ex-Lynch Mob vocalist Robert Mason, who was brought on board after the passing of Jani Lane.
John Frum, A Stirring in the Noos (Relapse)
A Stirring in the Noos is the debut album from the “psychedelic progressive death metal” group John Frum. The band features members from The Dillinger Escape Plan (Liam Wilson), Intensus (Eli Litwin), and the formed vocalist of The Faceless (Derek Rydquist). They have released music videos for the tracks “Presage of Emptiness” and “Wasting Subtle Body,” the latter was directed by Mitch Massie, who is best known for his work on Cattle Decapitation videos. A Stirring in the Noos is also available on vinyl.
Vinyl Releases
Killswitch Engage, Alive Or Just Breathing (Roadrunner Records)
Celebrating 15 years since its initial release, May 21, 2002, Killswitch Engage’s sophomore album Alive or Just Breathing gets a vinyl reissue.
Porcupine Tree, Coma Divine (Kscope)
Britian’s prog rock Porcupine Tree has seen a good portion of their catalog re-issued on vinyl this year, including Signify, The Sky Moves Sideways, and Voyage 34. The next to be added to that list is their 1997 live album, Coma Divine. The album is being re-issued as a 3LP vinyl box set
