WSOU Picks of the Week: Skinless, Lords of Black, Obscura

Seton Hall University’s WSOU radio is the only all-metal, all-the-time station currently broadcasting in the US, and has 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:

Skinless – “Savagery” (Nick P.)

Holy death metal, Batman! The title track (and opening track) off Skinless’s new album, Savagery, starts off almost as if the band is playing it live with an introduction and chanting, but it only takes so long before an abrupt count-off launches things into brutality. After nearly two whole minutes of intensity a solo tears through, and finishes with sustain and what seems to be a fade off to the next song. But then the guitar comes back in and you realize that there is still another minute and a half of pure… well, savagery… before the end, leaving me wanting more. Nine more songs worth, to be exact. Have fun crowd killing to this; I’ll be off to the side keeping all of my blood inside and my skin attached.

Lords of Black – “World Gone Mad” (Nick E.)

I am LOVING the new album from Lords of Black, Icons of the New Day. The album rocks from top to bottom, but it’s the first track, “World Gone Mad,” that I couldn’t stop playing. It slowly builds momentum with an intimidating opening, and the track is a perfect mixture of smooth sequences throughout six nothing-but-metal minutes. Singer Ronnie Romero delivers off-the-charts vocals, especially in the tone of the chorus. Throw in a winding, up-and-down guitar solo and you’ve got a track that simply does it all.

Obscura – “Diluvium” (Garren L.)

While I still lament that the metal community will probably never see another Necrophagist album, I can rest a little easier knowing that their fellow countrymen in Obscura are still making music. Obscura’s new track “Diluvium” is exactly what I want out of the band: powerful vocals, solid riffage and that amazing fretless bass sound that’s quintessential progressive death metal. While an amazing song, I suspect that the rest of Obscura’s new album will be even more mind-blowing. Obscura’s new album, Diluvium, will be out July 13th via Relapse Records.