WSOU Picks of the Week: Elvenking, Enslaved, Counterparts

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:

Elvenking – “Draugen’s Maelstrom” – Dylan G.

These next couple months are jam-packed with new power metal. New Elvenking, check. Powerwolf is in the studio, check. Tyr teasing a new album, check. It’s like my nerd-metal wishlist is all being fulfilled! “Draugen’s Maelstrom” is your quintessential Elvenking tack, with that healthy mix of over-the-top choruses and copious amounts of cheese.

Enslaved – “The River’s Mouth” – Garren L.

If there ever was a track to sum up modern Enslaved, it’s this one. Sometimes the word “progressive” when applied to music draws groans, as listeners envision over-indulgent albums with songs no less than ten minutes long, or songs that lack any sense of direction. With this song, Enslaved seem to have applied a sense of economy and moderation to progressive metal. The track’s progressive elements don’t seem long winded or self-indulgent but rather they seemed very restrained, and they entice you to listen further. My favorite part of this track though is the flawless mixture of cleans and growls, the former of which invoke just the right amount of emotion here and there. The bottom line is that fans of progressive metal should not miss this album.

Counterparts – “Bouquet” – Joe R.

There is nothing quite like Brendan Murphy’s raspy screams. “Bouquet” starts off as the typical hardcore song and breaks into an uplifting metalcore chorus. Just when you think melodic hardcore is dead, Counterparts drops a new album. I can’t wait to catch these guys on tour in February.