New & Noteworthy is a weekly column in which we highlight some of the newest rock and metal releases coming out each week. This week we have releases from Mastodon, Electric Wizard and more. If you would like to check out last week’s New & Noteworthy, you can do so here. You can check out last week’s sales numbers in Metal By Numbers. Arch Enemy and Lynch Mob both had excellent debuts! I’m sorry I promised cake last week. The cake was a lie, but the Spotify playlists are real.

Studio Releases

Mastodon, Cold Dark Place (Reprise)

Just six months after the release of Emperor of Sand, Mastodon returns with a surprise. While recording their 2014 album Once More ‘Round the Sun, the band recorded a few more songs that are now being released on the Cold Dark Place EP. While three of the songs are from that session, the fourth track “Toe to Toes” was recorded alongside EoS. The EP was produced by Nick Raskulinecz, who also produced OMRtS. They released an in-studio performance video for the track “Toe to Toes.” The EP is currently digital only, but will get a limited edition vinyl release in the future. Mastodon will be touring North America from now until the end of October, then they’ll be touring Europe into January.

Satyricon, Deep Calleth Upon Deep (Napalm Records)

Deep Calleth Upon Deep is the ninth studio album from the Norwegian extreme metal band Satyricon. It is the band’s first release since signing to Napalm Records, and also the first release since vocalist Sigurd “Satyr” Wongraven was diagnoses with having a brain tumor. It was a focus when approaching the album, with Satyr saying that “this is the beginning of something new or it’s gonna be my last record. If this is going to be the last one then it needs to be something special.” Segues following dark subjects are hard, so here’s a lyric video for the album’s title track, but that is the only video release. Available as double white vinyl. Will be spending the rest of the year touring Europe and South America, but will be coming to the U.S. next year to at least play Maryland Death Fest.

Archspire, Relentless Mutation (Season Of Mist)

Relentless Mutation is the fourth album from the Vancouver, Canada technical death metal group Archspire. It is the first album to feature bassist Jared Smith, who replaced founding member Jaron Evil. The band has released three videos for songs from the album, a lyric video for “Involuntary Doppelgangerm,” a guitar playthrough video for “Human Murmuration,” and a vocal playthrough karaoke version of “Calamus Will Animate.” Relentless Mutation is also available on vinyl.

Klaymore, It’s Alive (5th Anniversary Edition) (Self-released)

Five years, a college degree, and a few band members later, Klaymore returned to their sophomore album. The band took a few of the fan favorite tracks from the release and revisited them with a new ear, rerecording them with the band’s current lineup. I caught the Pittsburgh natives last Saturday for the release show for the album, with other locals Solarburn and Divine Tragedy rounding out the line-up. Today they will be releasing a music video for the EP, and just last month they released one for their cover of “Auron’s Theme” from the video game Final Fantasy X.

Vinyl Releases

Sonata Arctica, Ecliptica (Spinefarm)
Sonata Arctica, Silence (Spinefarm)
Sonata Arctica, Winterheart’s Guild (Spinefarm)

Zach Fehl

Listener of music. Attender of shows. Lister of new releases.

See Full Bio