To those of you that had a long weekend, we hope you enjoyed it safely and in good company! This week is considered by those here in the US as being the unofficial beginning of summer, and if this release week is any indicator, summer is going to be heavy as hell this year! Enjoy the albums listed below – there are a lot of them, so I hope you are prepared!
Crowbar, Symmetry in Black (eOne)
Kodi has already begun raving about this album, and I can’t say that I blame him. Crowbar sounds renewed, refreshed, and indomitable on this album – in other words, exactly what Kirk Windstein hoped for when he left Down to focus all of his attention on Crowbar. If you haven’t heard this album yet, you need to experience it as soon as possible.
Eyehategod, Eyehategod (Housecore)
The first Eyehategod album in 14 years features some new faces. Of no surprise to anyone, the band has a new bassist, Gary Mader, who has stayed with the group since the departure of Daniel Nick in 2002. Drummer Aaron Hill, meanwhile, takes the place of Joey LaCaze, who unfortunately passed away last year due to respiratory failure.
Marty Friedman, Inferno (Prosthetic)
Even before his glory days in Megadeth, Marty Friedman was making a name for himself in the thrash realm as a member of Cacophony. Friedman also made a name for himself as a talented multi-genre artist through his solo career in Japan. Inferno expands on that, and also features a very talented cast of guest artists, both from within the metal world and outside of it.
Triptykon, Melana Chasmata (Century Media)
The return of Tom Warrior’s Triptykon has been long-awaited by fans since 2010’s Eparistera Daimones ravaged our ears with its progressive, black metal greatness. We debuted two new tracks for you back in March, so if you missed those, be sure to check them out, as they will give you a good taste of the excellence this album has to offer.
Sabaton, Heroes (Nuclear Blast)
After 2012’s Carolus Rex, Sabaton experienced a minor disaster in the form of four members leaving the band to form a new project by themselves. Vocalist Joakim Brodén and bassist Pär Sundström continued on, though, finding new musicians to fill the needed slots in the band. Heroes is the debut of this new lineup, and returns the band’s lyrical focus to mostly being about World War II, rather than exploring other previous conflicts from other eras.
The Black Dahlia Murder, Fool ‘Em All! DVD (Metal Blade)
After the success of 2009’s Majesty, TBDM is back with their second DVD release. Fool ‘Em All comes with 3D glasses, as some scenes are shot in stereoscopic 3D. This release once again captures the band with all of their shenanigans from the road, and as anyone that saw Majesty can attest, the band’s tour antics alone are worth the viewing. Watch the trailer for a small taste of what you’ll find on the DVD.
Cradle of Filth, Total Fucking Darkness (Shellshock)
Before being signed to Cacophonous Records in 1994, Cradle of Filth went through the standard process of releasing demos to send to labels. The third and final demo that the band released was called Total Fucking Darkness, and it is now being re-released after more than two decades of being unavailable. In addition to the actual songs from the demo, this new release of Total Fucking Darkness will feature other rare tracks from the band that have previously gone unreleased.
Misery Index, The Killing Gods (Season of Mist)
The Baltimore-based deathgrind act has returned with their fifth full-length album. It is their first to be released on Season of Mist, after leaving Relapse in 2011. The Killing Gods is also the first album to feature new guitarist Darin Morris, who replaces John “Sparky” Voyles.
Black Anvil, Hail Death (Relapse)
Hail Death is Black Anvil’s third album overall, second for Relapse, and first in a span of four years. Back in October, we got to talk with Black Anvil about this new album, prior to their appearance at our CMJ Showcase. Now, this highly-anticipated new album that has been so long-awaited is finally being unleashed on your ears.
Elvenking, The Pagan Manifesto (AFM)
Italy is not traditionally known for as a folk metal-producing country, but that hasn’t stopped Elvenking for the past 17 years. The Pagan Manifesto is the group’s eighth full-length album, and they’ve regained a lot of skeptical fans since their return to form on 2012’s Era. If you enjoy the power-folk stylings of a band like Skyclad, then Elvenking is perfect for you.
Bury Tomorrow, Runes (Nuclear Blast)
This British group plays melodic metalcore with a heavy dose of inspiration from Killswitch Engage and As I Lay Dying. Runes is the group’s third album to date and second as part of Nuclear Blast’s roster. Bury Tomorrow was also recently nominated in the category “Best British Newcomer” for the 2014 Kerrang! Awards, which means that the band is definitely reaching a wider audience than ever.
Fuckface Unstoppable, FFU (Artery)
Bam Margera’s project with his brother Jesse of CKY fame has had a rocky beginning, but FFU will finally see its release today. The album features a guest appearance by Dani Filth (Cradle of Filth) on the song “Sleepless”, and a cover of Clutch’s “Big News I & II” is also slated to appear on the album. Fuckface Unstoppable will be playing at this years Gwar-B-Q on August 15th in Richmond, VA.
Metsatöll, Karjajuht (Spinefarm)
Karjajuht is the sixth album from Estonian folk metallers Metsatöll. The band’s name comes from the ancient Estonian word for wolf, so the name Karjajuht (translated, means “pack leader”) is quite appropriate. Metsatöll’s brand of folk metal should appeal to you if you enjoy Skyforger, Heidevolk, or Finntroll.
Young and In the Way, When Life Comes to Death (Deathwish)
Young and In the Way (usually abbreviated to be YAITW) is a hybrid crust punk/black metal group from Charlotte. The band has released numerous EP’s, splits, and full-lengths through independent resources and a plethora of labels, all leading to their signing with Deathwish last year. The band’s unique style will appeal to fans of Oathbreaker, Early Graves, and Black Breath.
Serpentine Path, Emanations (Relapse)
Serpentine Path combines all four members of Unearthly Trance with Electric Wizard’s founding bassist/guitarist Tim Bagshaw, who also plays in drone outfit Ramesses. The music of Serpentine Path bears a lot of similarity to Unearthly Trance and Ramesses, but there is also plenty to like for fans of Hooded Menace, Lord Mantis, and Conan.
Diocletian, Gesundrian (Season of Mist)
Diocletian is a metal outfit from New Zealand, and according to many reports I’ve read, they were among the best performers at Maryland Deathfest this past weekend. Gesundrian is the group’s third full-length. Fans of the unique blackened death metal style known as “war metal” will appreciate the material that Diocletian has to offer.
Next Week: We kick off June with some high-quality prog. Come on back for more information next week!
