New & Noteworthy is a weekly column in which we highlight some of the newest rock and metal releases coming out each week. This week is we have live releases from two heavy metal giants, Iron Maiden and Black Sabbath and studio albums from Cavalera Conspiracy and Tarja Turunen. If you would like to check out last week’s New & Noteworthy, you can do so here. If you want to see last week’s sales numbers, check out Metal by Numbers. Converge and Cannibal Corpse both debuted higher than 25. Follow us on Spotify for weekly new music playlists.
Live Releases
Yeah, we’re doing Live stuff first this week.
Black Sabbath, The End (Eagle Rock Entertainment)
The End is, and as sad as it is to say, the end for Black Sabbath, as the arguable founders of heavy metal retired with their final performance earlier this year. Fortunately they recorded the Feb 4th show, and we have a high quality recording of the band bringing their near 50 year career to an end in their home city of Birmingham. They’ve released videos for “War Pigs,” “N.I.B.,” and the rounding out the end of their last show, “Paranoid.” The End is also available on Blu-Ray, and as a triple vinyl set.
Iron Maiden, The Book Of Souls: Live Chapter (BMG)
Speaking about heavy metal legends releasing live albums today, Iron Maiden also has The Book of Souls: Live Chapter coming out today. Unlike the Sabbath one, which was recorded at an individual show, this album consists of recordings from all over their Book of Souls World Tour. They’re going to be touring Europe next year, with Killswitch Engage to open some dates. Oh hey, they released all 15 videos for all 15 of the songs on the live recording for free on YouTube. Why are you even still reading this. Click here, you obviously missed it the first time. TBOS: Live Chapter also available on vinyl.
Studio Releases
Cavalera Conspiracy, Psychosis (Napalm Records)
Psychosis is the fourth studio album from the American metal band Cavalera Conspiracy. It was recoreded at Platinum Underground Studios in Phoenix, Arizona alongside producer Arthur Rizk (Code Orange, Power Trip, Inquisition). While recording Psychosis the documentary makers Horns Up Rocks were on site making The Conspiracy Diaries, film meant to show an in-depth view behind the scenes of Cavalera Conspiracy in the studio. They have released a lyric video for the first single “Insane.” They currently have no publicly announced shows, although I doubt they’re going to taking 2018 off from it. Psychosis is also available on vinyl.
Tarja, From Spirits And Ghosts (Score For A Dark Christmas) (earMUSIC)
Although she just released a solo album in 2016, Tarja got a little festive and decided to create a ghostly sounding holiday epic with From Spirits and Ghosts (Score for a Dark Christmas. The album features 11 dark renditions of popular Christmas tunes, and a new original song, “Together.” She released a music video for the track “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” on October 8th, which I guess makes her the Wal-Mart of Chrismas music this year. The album is more classical and less not metal, but even then the songs bringing a haunting feel to this holiday season that even the most grim and frostbitten metalhead could enjoy, or at least enjoy more than those boring, traditional Christmas songs. She currently does only upcoming North American tour date is a headline set for next year’s ProgPower USA.
Fieldy, Bassically (N/A)
Fieldy, best known for being the bassist of nu-metal giants Korn, is releasing his first (kinda) solo album Bassically. I say kinda because in 2002 he released a rap-metal under the name Fieldy’s Dreams, but since this is the first one just under the name Fieldy I’m calling it the first. The album is nine years in the making, with Fieldy having written and recording the songs at various stages of travel and work during that time. In the trailer for the release, he mentions that he made it a point to play all sorts of different kinds of basses, everything from his signature models to massive 15 string ones. The album is a combination of his influences and experimentations with different sounds and play styles. The album was set up on PledgeMusic for pre-order, along with a couple cool bonuses like signed basses, set lists, and other merch.
Apartment 213, Collected Violence (Magic Bullet)
Backtrack, Bad To My World (Bridge 9)
Chaos Moon, Eschaton Memoire (Blood Music)
Conan, Man Is Myth – Early Demos (Napalm Records)
Cryptodira, The Devil’s Despair (Good Fight Music)
Death Toll 80K, Step Down (Svart)
Despite Exile, Relics (Lifeforce Records)
Ghost Atlas, All Is In Sync, And There’s Nothing Left To Sing About (N/A)
Godflesh, Post Self (Shellshock)
Kissing Candice, Safe Word (Stay Sick Recordings)
Nullingroots, Into The Grey (Prosthetic Records)
Polkadot Cadaver, Get Possessed (Razor To Wrist)
Skarlett Riot, Regenerate (Despotz Records)
Stälker, Shadow Of The Sword (Napalm Records)
Testament, Demonic (Nuclear Blast)
Testament, First Strike Still Deadly (Nuclear Blast)
Testament, Live At Eindhoven ’87 (Nuclear Blast)
Testament, Live At The Fillmore (Nuclear Blast)
Testament, The Gathering (Nuclear Blast)
The Body & Full Of Hell, Ascending A Mountain Of Heavy Light (Thrill Jockey)
The Obsessed, The Obsessed (Reissue) (Relapse)
Studio Releases
Actor / Observer, One Another (7″) (Party Smasher Inc.)
Ensiferum, Ensiferum (Blood Music)
Ensiferum, Iron (Blood Music)
Moonsorrow, Voimasta Ja Kunniasta (Blood Music)
Moonsorrow, V: Havitetty (Blood Music)
Moonsorrow, Verisakeet (Blood Music)
Morta Skuld, For All Eternity (Peaceville)
Nine Inch Nails, Add Violence (The Null Corporation)
Poison, Open Up And Say Ahh (Friday Music)
