SH*T THAT COMES OUT TODAY: APRIL 3, 2012
If your wallet is battered and bleeding from last Tuesday’s blitz of awesome new shit, today’s the day to pet it calmly and promise it a much-deserved respite — just as soon as it limps to the checkout for great new shit from Atoma, High On Fire, Eye, Necroblaspheme, and Beyond Terror Beyond Grace. Actually, start listening to that last one right now and jump on over for all the Shit That Comes Out Today.
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Atoma
Skylight (Napalm)
On a playlist with: Theatre of Tragedy, Auf Der Maur, Nightwish
Listen “Highway” (here)
Fans of recent Katatonia or the most melodic moments of Nightwish will love Swedish trio Atoma, whose debut Skylight deals in atmospheric metal and dreamy post-rock. Via its drifting moods and politico-humanist tone, Atoma is a left turn from the death-doom of Slumber, these three guys’ former band.
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Chopstick Suicide
Lost Fathers And Sons (Peyote Musik)
On a playlist with: Every Time I Die, Silverstein, Iwrestledabearonce
Listen Lost Fathers And Sons full stream (here)
Chopstick Suicide combine grind, tech, and really fast metal. One huge snag, though, is the vocals on Lost Fathers And Sons; it’s like an emo guy found himself at the helm of a metal band, and to cope, he simply drew on his days of Silverstein covers. Elsewhere the band is solid, tight, and pretty spastic, so their hairpin turns into different metal modes are exhilarating. Too bad about those vocals.
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Eye
Center Of The Sun (Kemado)
On a playlist with: Orchid, Hawkwind, Pentagram
Listen “Center Of The Sun” (here)
Psychedelic rock’s infancy is the major influence of Eye and their Center of the Sun. Self-released in 2011 and now set for wide distro and new artwork, Center mixes ambient, drony melodies with firm, hypnotic drumming and bursts of heavy, old-school riffage. Even Center‘s mix and style would have you believe the recording was made 40 years ago, which makes for a fleshy, authentic experience.
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High On Fire
De Vermis Mysteriis (eOne)
On a playlist with: Graves At Sea, Sourvein, Weedeater
Listen De Vermis Mysteriis full stream (here)
High On Fire’s history of excellent heavy stoner sludge should make anyone remotely interested in good shit take heed. And new album De Vermis Mysteriis‘ first single “Fertile Green” continues their tradition. Like 2010’s Snakes For The Divine, Mysteriis is still dirty but much cleaner than early HoF. Witness a band that does what they do, makes minor tweaks between records, and keeps on punishing.
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Lonewolf
Army Of The Damned (Napalm)
On a playlist with: Edguy, Hammerforce, Grave Digger
Listen “Army Of The Damned” (here)
Traditional heavy metal continues to flourish in Europe (and stateside to a lesser extent), but Finland’s Lonewolf is one the less impressive bands rocking in 2012. Around since 1991, the French quartet on Army of the Damned just doesn’t really stand out among a million other bands doing the same thing.
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Outcast
Awaken The Reason (Listenable)
On a playlist with: Gojira, Soilwork, Darkest Hour
Listen “Elements” (here)
Outcast is a typical metalcore band. They wear the style well, but that doesn’t change the fact that theirs is a genre past its prime: chunky downtuned guitars, hardcore, and all the usual stuff we see in a more aggressive metalcore band. It just seems so uninspired.
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MORE SHIT THAT COMES OUT TODAY
Akphaezya Anthology IV (Code 666)
Beak Eyrie (Someoddpilot)
Beyond Terror Beyond Grace Nadir (above, Willowtip)
Black Sheep Wall No Matter Where It Ends (Season Of Mist)
Havenside Nemesis (Westcoast Worldwide)
Mortuary Drape Secret Sudaria reissue (Dark Descent)
Necroblaspheme The Deeper The Better (Big Cartel)
Timeghoul 1992-1994 Discography (Dark Descent)
Vertigo Steps Surface/Light (Ethereal Sound Works)
-VV
