We’re starting to formulate our Top 10 lists for 2014, but a few albums are making a push to appear on those lists at the eleventh hour. A couple of those albums show up on today’s release lineup, so read on to see what’s in store!
Bloodbath, Grand Morbid Funeral (Peaceville)
Following the official departure of Mikael Åkerfeldt in 2012, Bloodbath recruited Paradise Lost vocalist Nick Holmes to take over as the group’s frontman. Holmes obviously has an outstanding history in the metal world, but this is the first time he has utilized his harsh vocals since Paradise Lost’s beginning material in the early ’90s. Early reports say that Holmes fits right into the band, and that Grand Morbid Funeral picks up right where The Fathomless Mastery left off six years ago.
In This Moment, Black Widow (Atlantic)
Much like their former labelmates Shadows Fall, In This Moment moved from their former home at Century Media to major label Atlantic for Black Widow. The group’s fifth album comes two years after Blood debuted in the top 15 of the Billboard 200, an amazing feat for a band that started out as a MySpace phenomenon. Lead single “Sick Like Me” has already been making a strong impact, and it looks like In This Moment is poised for another high-charting debut.
Monster Magnet, Milking the Stars: A Re-Imagining of Last Patrol (Napalm)
As the title suggests, Milking the Stars is a new take on last year’s Last Patrol. It is not a strict remix of the older album, as the band describes it as giving the songs “a weird 1960s vibe”. There are also two live tracks and four entirely new songs added to the album, further altering the atmosphere. Last Patrol debuted at #188 on the charts, and it will be interesting to see if Milking the Stars can match or exceed the success of its predecessor.
The Ghost Inside, Dear Youth (Epitaph)
One of many melodic hardcore groups making an impact on the US scene, The Ghost Inside achieved a top 100 debut with Get What You Give two years ago. Considering that the band has only been around for a decade, that’s an impressive accomplishment. A world tour, several headlining gigs, and a string of festival shows followed, making 2013 and 2014 the busiest and most successful period of the band’s career to date. If they can replicate the success of Get What You Give, look to see The Ghost Inside having a breakout year in 2015.
