New & Noteworthy is a weekly column in which we highlight some of the newest rock and metal releases coming out each week. Today we’re getting new albums from Anvil and Of Mice & Men. If you would like to check out the last New & Noteworthy, you can do so here, if you want to see last week’s sales numbers, check those out in Metal by Numbers. Also be sure to follow us on Spotify for weekly new music playlists.
Studio Releases:
Of Mice & Men, Defy (Rise Records)
Fifth studio album from the American metalcore group Of Mice & Men. The album has a lot to live up to, given that it will be the first release from the band to not feature founding vocalist Austin Carlile. Their bassist Aaron Pauley took over vocal duties, while also continuing to play bass for the band, and from what I can tell the fan reaction seems to be pretty positive to the first few singles. Over the last eight months, the band has released music videos for three songs: “Warzone,” “Back to Me” and “Unbreakable,” as well as a a lyric video for the title track. Defy also contains a pretty cool cover of Pink Floyd’s “Money.”
“Our song ‘Defy’ is all about digging your heels in and being defiant towards feelings of hopelessness and defining yourself in the process.” – Aaron Pauley
Anvil, Pounding The Pavement (SPV/Steamhammer)
Almost forty years in and still going strong, Canadian heavy metal group Anvil have just released their seventeenth full length studio album Pounding the Pavement. Far from home, the band teamed up with Jörg Uken to record the album in Rhauderfehn, Germany at Soundlodge Studios. The first single “Ego” was given a lyric video, but no other videos have been released as of writing this. Considering they just finished up a North American tour in 2017, and the only upcoming show dates that they have announced for 2018 are in Europe, it may be unlikely to see too many more North American dates this year. Pounding the Pavement is also available on Vinyl.
Arkona, Khram (Napalm Records)
Khram is the eighth studio album from the Russian pagan metal group Arkona. Earlier this month they released a music video for the track “V pogonie za beloj ten’yu,” and just yesterday vocalist Masha appears in a video giving a track by track breakdown of the entire album. It’s in Russian, but there are subtitles. The band plans on touring extensively in 2018 in support of the album, and already have a few dozen dates announced throughout Europe with Korpiklaani.
Black Label Society, Grimmist Hits
Cane Hill, Too Far Gone (Rise Records)
Earth Caller, Crystal Death (eOne Music/Lifeblood, Inc.)
Morta Skuld, For All Eternity (Reissue) (Peaceville)
Obscene, Sermon To The Snake (Horror Pain Gore Productions)
Various Artists, Inside Metal: The Rise Of L.A. Thrash Metal (DVD) (N/A)
Vaultwraith, Death Is Proof Of Satan’s Power (Hell’s Headbangers)
Walking Papers, WP2 (Loud & Proud)
Vinyl Releases:
Axegrinder, Rise Of The Serpent Men (Peaceville)
Baphomet, The Dead Shall Inherit (Peaceville)
Cult Of Luna, The Beyond (Earache)
Therion, Of Darkness (Peaceville)
