WSOU Picks of the Week: Candiria, Red Fang, Skálmöld
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:
Candiria – “While They Were Sleeping” (Nick D.)
With their first new album since 2009, Candiria have returned with their combination of metal, hip hop, and jazz. This track features a very mellow, jazzy section that somehow fits very well in between the brutality that the Brooklyn locals deliver. I know from personal experience that this song is good to mosh to and I also witnessed a woman get knocked out in the pit, one of the most violent I’ve seen. The song makes me feel like I’m having a nightmare where I’m being chased by something and then I wake up and realize it was just a dream, and then I fall back asleep and the nightmare continues.
Red Fang – “Not For You” (Giancarlo C.)
These sludgy rockers are at it again with their recent release of “Not for You.” Great riffs combined with a catchy chorus makes this song one to be remembered. Great build up towards the end with some nice heavy vocals, and finishing with that sweet, stoner rock sound, “Not for You” is a song all metalheads and dads can enjoy! Red Fang are one of those bands who seem to just be getting better over time, and this release just keeps adding to that feel.
Skálmöld – “Niðavellir” (Garren L.)
Folk metal is an under-appreciated subgenre of metal, which is a shame when one considers the openness of the term “folk” and the creative freedom it allows. Folk metal gives bands an opportunity to be either very heavy or soft while telling a tale of epic proportions, and often with the aid of instruments not commonly associated with metal. Skálmöld’s new track, “Niðavellir,” which speaks about the dwelling place of a clan of dwarves, is a text book example of an excellent folk metal track. This track features a galloping pace and a growling vocal paired with a catchy chorus, which is fun to sing along to in spite of the fact that it’s in Icelandic. Although folk metal may be niche to some, I find the genre, and especially Skálmöld’s new track, to be fun and a nice change of pace.
