Who else is excited for Record Store Day? The celebration of vinyl may be over a month away, but I’m already stoked, and you should be too, given the number of metal releases that are on tap. Get your turntables ready! In the meantime, here are this week’s new albums for your perusal.

Moonspell, Extinct (Napalm)

The Portuguese group’s eleventh album is said to be a clinic in how gothic metal is performed. Where Alpha Noir/Omega White was a split affair showing the extreme ends of the band’s sound, Extinct goes right to the center, displaying the perfect blend that Moonspell has made a career of. Younger bands take note – this is how gothic metal is correctly performed.

Ranger, Where Evil Dwells (Spinefarm)

I’m pretty sure there’s not a metalhead alive that doesn’t love some old-school thrash, even if it’s just occasionally. As such, Ranger’s full-length debut for Spinefarm should immediately be on your radar. These Finnish thrashers have the speed and talent of the Big 4 from their glory days, and they know how to re-create the atmosphere that the Big 4 created, even going so far as to record Where Evil Dwells in analog. This album is one that everyone needs to get acquainted with to some degree.