Maybe I spoke too soon last week when I talked about the slow decline of the release calendar as we headed into October. There is quite a lot coming to us this week, coming from all across the spectrum of heavy music. Read on and find out what new music is coming your way today!
Sevendust, Kill the Flaw (7Bros.)
Ten albums and two decades into a legendary career, Sevendust took the longest break they’ve ever taken – a whole two months – before re-entering Architekt Studios to record Kill the Flaw. The band also opted to adjust their internal infrastructure, giving management of the band over to the Architekt team as well. Kill the Flaw is a very aggressive record that sees a lot of growth in the band’s compositions, and ranks as one of the most well-written records of Sevendust’s career. Check out the full stream of the album here to witness its excellence for yourself.
Clutch, Psychic Warfare (Weathermaker)
Clutch arrives with album number eleven, and they’ve been doing their utmost to keep their music as fresh and interesting as possible. The video for lead single “X-Ray Visions” has certainly grabbed the attention of many, and it points to Psychic Warfare being yet another landmark release for Clutch. And if you’re looking for insight into the internal workings of the band, this behind-the-scenes video into the making of the album will definitely satiate your appetite.
Trivium, Silence in the Snow (Roadrunner)
If there is one thing that everyone should be able to appreciate about Trivium, it is their willingness to adapt and grow their skills as time passes and trends shift. Trivium is now a more complete musical entity than they have been at any point in their career, and it shows on Silence in the Snow. This album was taken very seriously, as the band enlisted guitar teachers and vocal coaches to bring their music to the next level, and it worked out very well for them.
Children of Bodom, I Worship Chaos (Nuclear Blast)
I Worship Chaos carries a number of first-time experiences for Children of Bodom. It is the band’s first experience recording as a four-piece group, following the departure of guitarist Roope Latvala in May. It is also the first time recording in a space that was not a professional studio – the band opted instead for a converted warehouse to increase the record’s ambiance. Additionally, this is the first time since the band’s debut, Something Wild, that they have used the standard C# tuning on any songs, rather than the drop B tuning that dominates the rest of their discography.
Queensrÿche, Condition Hüman (Century Media)
Two weeks after Geoff Tate’s Operation: Mindcrime released their debut album, Queensrÿche has returned without Tate to release a new album as well. This is the second album to be released with Todd La Torre on lead vocals, following 2013’s self-titled effort. Condition Hüman sees the band settling back into their old groove, following the conclusion of their legal battles, and should be just as well-received as its predecessor.
Deafheaven, New Bermuda (Anti/Epitaph)
Deafheaven blew the doors open on the metal world with 2013’s Sunbather, one of the most universally-acclaimed albums of that year. Prepare for a repeat performance with New Bermuda, if early reviews are any indication. Scaling back on the shoegaze and amping up the post-metal, New Bermuda is described by many as being even better than its predecessor, creating even more transcendent moments through mature and powerful songwriting.
Kylesa, Exhausting Fire (Season of Mist)
2013’s Ultraviolet was hailed as Kylesa’s best effort to date, drawing on the myriad of influences they’ve brought to the table to create an amalgam of stoner metal, psychedelic, and alt-metal. On Exhausting Fire, that stoner-psych amalgam is honed into the sharpest precision instrument that Kylesa has ever brought to the table. Each Kylesa album has been an experiment of some sort, via genre integration or compositional variation. Exhausting Fire is an experiment with sonic perfection, and it is easily the most well-refined Kylesa album to date.
Malevolent Creation, Dead Man’s Path (Century Media)
Returning with their first new album in five years, death metal veterans Malevolent Creation have come to destroy once more. Much like 2010’s Invidious Dominion, Dead Man’s Path delivers another crushing blow from the stalwart group. No frills or extraneous material will be found here – this is straightforward death metal for death metal fans. Drummer Justin DiPinto returns on this album, after performing on 2002’s The Will to Kill and then exiting the band in 2003.
Audiotopsy, Natural Causes (Napalm)
Audiotopsy is a new supergroup that features guitarist Greg Tribbett (Mudvayne, ex-Hellyeah), drummer Matt McDonough (Mudavyne), vocalist Billy Keeton (Skrape) and bassist Perry Stern. The group was announced earlier this year to much acclaim. Fans that want Tribbett and McDonough to perform music that sounds similar to Mudvayne will want to give Audiotopsy their full attention. Although Keeton’s vocals are not at all similar to Chad Gray’s, the music has the same hook-laden, guitar-driven style that made Mudvayne into the powerhouse it was. This could be the next big thing to shake the hard rock scene.
For Today, Wake (Nuclear Blast)
The Christian metalcore band has had some weird press this year, but they got back on the horse with the announcement of a new deal with Nuclear Blast. Wake is the sixth album from For Today, who have maintained an impressive pace of releasing new albums since 2008. Wake stays the course that the band has plotted for their entire career – heavy breakdowns, frenetic guitar work, and inspirational lyrics designed to empower and motivate listeners.
Dog Fashion Disco, Ad Nauseam (Rotten)
The avant-garde metal group from Maryland offers up their second album since returning from the grave in 2013. Ad Nauseam (not “Ad Nauseum”) has a lot to live up to here, as the band’s comeback album Sweet Nothings received universal acclaim from fans and reviewers as a triumphant return to form. However, if the title track is any indication, Ad Nauseam will be just as chaotic and wonderful as its predecessor. You can see the new album performed live during October, as Dog Fashion Disco hits the road with Psychostick and Megosh for a US tour. Dates for the tour can be found here.
Fit for an Autopsy, Absolute Hope, Absolute Hell (eOne)
The New Jersey deathcore band, best known for featuring producer/engineer Will Putney as a guitarist, is unleashing their third album on the masses. Our friends at Metal Sucks are raving about this album, giving it an unprecedented five horns out of five because of the diversity that it offers. Evolving past sheer brutality to integrate some melodic elements into their sound, Fit for an Autopsy has created a deathcore record that most people would never expect to hear. This breathes much-needed life into the dying genre, setting a new precedent that other deathcore bands should strive to follow.
Witchsorrow, No Light, Only Fire (Candlelight)
England seems to be the spawning grounds for classic doom metal bands. Witchsorrow is one of many such bands to rise from the UK in the past fifteen years, and they’re looking to make their mark on the scene with their third album. The three-piece group has a historical focus to their lyrics, much of which is devoted to the witch trials that have occurred throughout human history. Despite having shorter song lengths than one might expect from a doom metal record, No Light, Only Fire is a solid album that is worthy of attention from the doom metal community.
Denner/Shermann, Satan’s Tomb EP (Metal Blade)
Two legendary guitarists from Mercyful Fate forming a project of their own? Sign me up! Michael Denner and Hank Shermann are the guitar tandem that made Melissa and Don’t Break the Oath into the classics that they are today, and now they’re creating music together in this new group. The rest of the band is rounded out by bassist Marc Grabowski (ex-Demonica), drummer Snowy Shaw (ex-Dream Evil, ex-Mercyful Fate), and vocalist Sean Peck (Cage).
Dragonheart, The Battle Sanctuary (1201 Music)
No, this is not a new Dragonforce record. This is Dragonheart, the Brazilian power metal band whose name Dragonforce tried to use in their early career, before opting for the moniker by which we now know them. Dragonheart’s lyrical themes revolve around medieval fantasy, and they often craft epic stories in their albums. The Battle Sanctuary is the first new music from Dragonheart in a decade.
