New & Noteworthy is a weekly column in which we highlight some of the newest rock and metal releases being released. This week features new music from Firewind, AFI, and Aversions Crown, as well as a bunch of King’s X vinyl re-releases and more. If you want to check out last week’s releases or see the latest sales numbers and music videos, you can do so here, here, and here (respectively).
Firewind, Immortals (AFM)
Greece’s Firewind, helmed by guitar virtuoso Gus G, returns with their eighth studio album, a very first concept album. Immortals serves as an homage to Greek history and heritage, deriving influence from the now legendary battles of Thermopylae and Salamis. It was also that the band used an outside producer, teaming up with Dennis Ward (Unisonic, Pink Cream 69) for production, mixing, mastering, and songwriting. Gus G had this to say about the album:
“Since we’re from Greece, we thought it would be a cool idea to make a concept of Greek history and heritage. So on this album we focused on the legendary battles of Thermopylae and Salamis during the second Persian invasion of Greece in 480 B.C.”
Aversions Crown, Xenocide (Nuclear Blast)
Brisbane, Australia’s Aversions Crown have released their third album, Xenocide. It was recorded by Adam Merker at Studio Anders Debeerz and mixed and mastered by Mark Lewis (Whitechapel, Devildriver, The Black Dahlia Murder) at Audio Hammer in Florida. They just released a music video for the song Prismatic Abyss this week, and are expecting to tour in support of this album later this year.
Katatonia, Great Cold Distance 10th Anniversary [Vinyl] (Peaceville)
In celebration of it’s 10th birthday, Sweden’s Katatonia gave us a vinyl release of their 2006 album, Great Cold Distance. It’s a few months early, but I don’t suppose that will lead to many complaints.
AFI, AFI (The Blood Album) (Concord)
The Blood Album is the band’s tenth studio album, and their first since signing to Concord Records. It was produced by their guitarist Jade Puget with co-producer Matt Hyde (Deftones, Parkway Drive, etc.)
Magnum, The Valley Of Tears: The Ballads (SPV)
England’s Magnum gets a little less heavy with the release of The Valley of Tears, a compilation of ballads: remixed, re-recorded, and remastered.
Vipassi, Sunyata (Season of Mist)
Not to be confused with my Overwatch main, Zenyata.
Emptiness, Not for Music (Season of Mist)
King’s X, Dogman [Vinyl] (Metal Blade)
King’s X, Out of the Silent Planet [Vinyl] (Metal Blade)
King’s X, s/t [Vinyl] (Metal Blade)
King’s X, Eye Candy [Vinyl] (Metal Blade)
