WSOU Picks of the Week: Skeletonwitch, Inter Arma, Be’lakor
Seton Hall University’s WSOU radio is the only all-metal, all-the-time station currently broadcasting in the US, and as been a force in metal for DECADES. It’s also streamable online from anywhere in the world! Each week, the staff of WSOU shares their picks for the heaviest of the heavy, as well as the station’s charts for that week, right here on MetalSucks. Enjoy:
Skeletonwitch – “Red Death White Light” (Dylan G.)
As their second single released this year, Skeletonwitch’s “Red Death, White Light” keeps up the hype for their upcoming EP The Apothic Gloom. The song is by far their longest to date and really channels their melo-death influences to bring something that I’d more readily expect out of Dark Tranquility or Insomnium. Their new EP The Apothic Gloom comes out on August 19th on Prosthetic Records.
Inter Arma – “Transfiguration” (Steve V.)
Richmond’s Inter Arma return with a dense and engulfing release. It’s hard to label the group since you get a little bit of post-metal, doom, black metal, death metal, and basically anything under the scope of metal. The first single, “Transfiguration,” encompasses this blend of styles and carries you on an ever-increasing journey, climaxing, then slamming you hard back to earth. Do yourself a favor and listen to the advance full stream of Paradise Gallows via NPR.
Be’lakor – “An Ember’s Arc” (Garren L.)
Not that long ago Agalloch announced that they’re disbanding, thus leaving a massive void in the metal scene. Although we may never again have a band quite like them, we do have Be’lakor. Although Be’lakor are technically a melodic death metal band, on their new track “An Ember’s Arc,” one can hear traces of Agalloch, early Dark Tranquility, and Opeth all in one song. What you have after mixing these various sounds together is a truly epic track, where the song feels much shorter than it actually is. This track has been one of my most satisfying listening experiences for quite a while and I can only hope that the rest of their upcoming album Vessels is as satisfying as “An Ember’s Arc.”
