Shit That Comes Out Today: February 15th, 2019
Against all better judgement, I’m en-route to Portlandia for the weekend. The way things are looking, it’s entirely possible that our troupe will get stranded in a snowstorm and we’ll become permanent residents via osmosis (isn’t that how most Portlanders gain citizenship, anyway?). Maybe we can form a commune with Born of Osiris in the Wal-Mart parking lot!
On the bright side, there’s lots of sick new metal releases to keep us occupied while we fight for survival. Check ‘em out:
Vanum
Ageless Fire (Profound Lore)
Listen “Jaws Of Rapture”
Profound Lore has been pretty quiet in 2019, but Vanum’s highly anticipated sophomore album marks the beginning of an exciting release year for the label. Ageless Fire illustrates the horrors of war through furious blast beats and tremolos, which Cvlt Nation did a fantastic job of detailing over here. While many modern black metal bands rely on some sort of shtick like paganism or ultracosmic weirdness, Vanum do an excellent job of keeping things raw and human, letting the music speak for those who have fallen on the battlefield.
Saor
Forgotten Paths (Avantgarde)
Full Album Stream
Andy Marshall, the brains behind the atmo-black project Saor, is returning from the Scottish highlands with his fourth full-length, Forgotten Paths. Beautiful folk melodies are brought to life with traditional instruments like violin and bagpipes, unfolding into a a splendorous reflection of Marshall’s Celtic heritage. If you dig the down-to-earth aesthetic and want to be part of Saor’s first U.S. performance, get yourself a ticket to Fire In The Mountains, happening this summer in the middle of Bumfuck Nowhere, Wyoming.
Coltsblood / Un
Split (Translation Loss)
Full Album Stream
UK ‘s Coltsblood and Seattle’s Un are teaming up to bring us a monumental doom collaboration, with each band bringing forth a carefully crafted epic over 20 minutes long. Less gloom and sorrow, more excruciating oppression, this split is a mind bending immersion into a visceral abyss. In plain English: it’s a banger, albeit a really slow one.
Rotting Christ
The Heretics (Season Of Mist)
Full Album Stream
Is the use of sacred chant in metal trite and overdone? Over my dead body! As a choral singer by trade, I’m a sucker for this shit, and Rotting Christ are one of the few bands who have always done it well. And while the whole “God is Dead, Hail Satan” thing may be a wee bit banal in this day and age, it’s understandable that Rotting Christ, coming from a country that’s still 98% devoutly Christian, continue to wage war with religion on The Heretics. However, the new album doesn’t come with many surprises, which is neither good nor bad. It just sounds like Rotting Christ.
Kaleikr
Heart Of Lead (Debemur Morti)
Full Album Stream
How the hell does Iceland produce such sheer volume of awesome music? I swear, I could spend the rest of my life listening exclusively to Icelandic artists and I wouldn’t be bored. Kaleikr are a daringly experimental duo from Reykjavik whose debut release Heart of Lead is built around “the absurdity of human experience”. The record explores psychedelia without grabbing the low hanging fruits of effects and space sounds, instead taking a more abstract route into the realm of the unfamiliar. Far-out musicality is layered into incredibly dense compositions that disintegrate every notion of musical structure, yet Kaleikr know exactly when to give something more grounded to let listeners catch their breath. You’ll be hard-pressed to find another record as masterfully progressive as Heart of Lead.
OTHER SHIT THAT COMES OUT TODAY
Meka Ending My Life To Destroy Yours (Redefining Darkness) listen
Il Vuoto Vastness (Hypnotic Dirge) listen
Myrholt Med Samme Naal, Under Samme Maane (GSP) listen
Funereal Presence Achatius (AJNA Offensive / Sepulchral Voice) listen
Herod Sombre Dessien (Pelagic) listen
Aftermath There Is Something Wrong (Zoid) listen
Avantasia Moonglow (Nuclear Blast) listen
Crystal Lake Helix (SharpTone) listen
Diabolical Eclipse (Indie) listen
Emerald Sabbath Ninth Star (Plastic Head) listen
Endon Boy Meets Girl (Thrill Jockey) listen
Trauma As the World Dies (Pure Steel) listen
SHIT THAT COMES OUT AGAIN TODAY
Megadeth The System Has Failed Re-Release (BMG) listen
Megadeth The World Needs a Hero Re-Release (BMG) listen
Pyramaze Legend Of The Bone Carver Re-Release (Inner Wound) listen
