New & Noteworthy is a weekly column in which we highlight some of the newest rock and metal releases coming out each week. This week feature a new releases by Incubus, Night Demon, and a reformed Labyrinth, as well as a few vinyl re-issues, and a whole bunch of Record Store Day exclusives. If you would like to check out last week’s releases you can do so here. You can check out last week’s sales numbers in Metal by Numbers, Falling in Reverse and Deep Purple both had pretty good debuts.
Incubus, 8 (Island)
It has been six years since we last got a full-length release from the California rock group Incubus, with the only releases between 2011’s If Not Now, When? and now being a live album and a four song EP. 8, obviously named for being their eighth LP, and the first one to be released on Island Records. Earlier in the month they released a music video for the first single “Nimble Bastard,” a video which is equal parts cute animals and camp, and just this week a lyric video for “State of the Art.” Incubus will be hitting the road this summer alongside Jimmy Eat World for a US tour. Sonny Moore, aka Skrillex, makes an appearance on the track “Familiar Faces,” and is also listed as a co-producer of the album. After being impressed by his work on the one song, he was kept on to do a little more than just that one and eventually ended up mixing the entire album. Vocalist Brandon Boyd talked about it, saying: “We kind of, just in a very organic way, thought, ‘Hey maybe we should address a couple of other songs that we thought could use some changing in some way,” and “We just had no idea and we just ended up going through the entire album.”
Night Demon, Darkness Remains (Century Media)
Surfing the new wave of traditional heavy metal is Ventura, California’s Night Demon with their second full length album Darkness Remains. The band is looking to follow up their critically acclaimed Curse of the Damned, and if the early reviews are any indication then it looks like they might have done just that, with Chuck from Metalwani calling Darkness Remains “unadulterated fist-pumping heavy metal at its best.”. Last month they released a music video for the song “Welcome to the Night,” and two weeks ago a lyric video for the song “Hallowed Ground.” Darkness Remains is also available in vinyl.
Labyrinth, Architecture Of A God (Frontiers)
Following a seven year hiatus, Italy’s power metal Labyrinth have returned with Architecture of a God. After the break, the band reformed with three new members Oleg Smirnoff (keyboard, ex-Vision Divine), John Macaluso (drums, ex-Yngqie Malmsteen, ex-James Labrie, ex-Riot), and Nik Mazzacconi (bass). Last month they released music videos for the songs “Bullets,” and “Someone Says.” Founding member and lead guitarist Olaf Thorsen referred to the album as “by far, the most mature and complete album we ever wrote.”
Thunder, Rip It Up (earMUSIC)
English rock group Thunder is releasing their eleventh studio worldwide today, Rip It Up. It was released in the UK back in February, immediately jumping up to #3 in their music charts, and #2 in Scotland. Leading up to the release, they put out a Live Studio Session of the track “No One Gets out Alive.” Rip it Up is the band’s highest charting release since their 1992 album, Laughing on Judgement Day. The album is also available on vinyl.
Ghost Bath, Starmourner (Nuclear Blast)
Hailing from the grim and frostbitten north of the Americas, North Dakota’s Ghost Bath have released their third full-length album Starmourner. The release is the band’s first since signing to Nuclear Blast Records, although their previous album got a re-release on the label. It is also available as a blue vinyl, and audio cassette.
Vinyl Releases
Beyond Creation, Earthborn Evolution (Season Of Mist)
Beyond Creation’s 2014 technical death metal album Earthborn Evolution gets a double LP vinyl release, pressed on “beer yellow” vinyl. Not safe for human consumption.
Death Angel, Fall From Grace (Metal Blade)
Death Angel’s infamous 1990 live album Fall From Grace gets a vinyl reissue on a new label.
Weedeater, God Luck And Good Speed (Season Of Mist)
North Carolina’s stoner metal trio Weedeater are re-issuing their 2007 album God Luck and Good Speed as an ultra-clear vinyl, and on the week of the widely celebrated stoner holiday 4/20. What better way to celebrate the holidaze weekend than with some weed and metal?
Record Store Day
Even with all these releases coming out today, we simply cannot forget that tomorrow is Record Store Day! With the holiday comes a huge list of great tunes released exclusively for the holiday. Be sure to go out and support your local music shop, there will be some cool releases from a bunch of metal bands like Avenged Sevenfold, Katatonia, Motorhead, The Sword, and many more. For our complete list of rock and metal releases, click these words. They’ll take you where you want to go.
If you want to learn more about Record Store Day in general, and see participating stores around you, check out their website.
