As promised last week, today’s list has some solo albums, some highly anticipated new albums from artists we haven’t seen in awhile, and a ton of generally good new music. Check it out here!
Newsted, Heavy Metal Music (Collective Sounds/Chophouse)
The follow-up to January’s Metal EP, this is the first full-length release for Jason Newsted’s solo project. This is also the first release to feature Staind guitarist Mike Mushok, who joined the group in March. Two tracks from the Metal EP will be featured on Heavy Metal Music, among the eleven tracks that comprise the album. Those who saw this year’s Gigantour know what this album is all about – the classic ’80s metal sound that Newsted played throughout his career with Flotsam and Jetsam, Metallica, and Voivod.
Revocation, Revocation (Relapse)
Revocation is one of the most talked-about young bands in American metal, due to their unique tech-death-thrash combination. Very few bands have successfully pulled off genre combinations in such a way, but Revocation has done it well. 2011’s Chaos of Forms was one of the best albums to be released that year, and common expectation is that the self-titled album will be equally excellent. If you’re itching to see Revocation live, you can still catch them on the remainder of this year’s Summer Slaughter Tour, alongside another band on today’s list…
Norma Jean, Wrongdoers (Razor & Tie)
In the three years since Norma Jean released Meridional, their lineup has changed drastically. Only founding guitarist Chris Day and longtime vocalist Cory Brandan Putnam are left from that album’s lineup, and very little information is available as to what happened with the band’s other members. Still, though, the band promises that Wrongdoers is their “most aggressive and thought provoking material to date”. Hopefully this will be the album where the band finds their consistency once again. Like Revocation, Norma Jean is finishing the summer as part of the Summer Slaughter Tour, and you can bet that material from Wrongdoers will be part of their set.
Karnivool, Asymmetry (Workhorse)
The Australian group took less time to release this new album than it took to release 2009’s Sound Awake, and it promises to continue with the prog style that was started on that album. Writing for the album began over two years ago, and several Australian shows during 2011 and 2012 showcased new songs from the forthcoming album. Now that the album is released, the hope is that Karnivool will be able to tour worldwide in support of Asymmetry. Known for their wide range of touring locations, including Europe, India, and the US, Karnivool has plenty of ground to cover with this new material.
Also being released this week:
Asking Alexandria, From Death to Destiny (Sumerian)
Iwrestledabearonce, Late for Nothing (Century Media)
Deadlock, The Arsonist (Napalm)
James LaBrie, Impermanent Resonance (Inside Out)
Exhumed, Necrocracy (Relapse)
Witherscape, The Inheritance (Century Media)
Fueled by Fire, Trapped in Perdition (Napalm)
The Defiled, Daggers (Nuclear Blast)
Powerwolf, Preachers of the Night (Napalm)
Dead in the Dirt, Blind Hole (Southern Lord)
Shattered Eyes, Prey of Depravity (Amputated Vein)
Centuries, Taedium Vitae (Southern Lord)
Cerebrum, Cosmic Enigma (Amputated Vein)
Wintersun, Time I Re-Issue (Nuclear Blast)
Next Week: Many underground albums are the highlights, so prepare to learn some new names! Come back next week to read it all!
