Sh*t That Comes Out Today: January 10, 2020
Happy new year, fellow metalheads. It’s Friday, which means it’s new metal day! Look forward to my usual idiosyncratic recommendations as well as things people actually want to hear about.
Apocalyptica
Cell-0 (Silver Lining)
It’s been a while since I’ve paid attention to Apocalyptica, but surprise — it’s still Finnish dudes using cellos to play metal. They’re back to playing pure instrumentals after trying out vocalist Franky Perez on 2015’s Shadowmaker. It suits them — the album before that had Gavin Rossdale and the dude from Shinedown, so a hard reset makes sense. Sometimes you need a break from blastbeats and shrieking. These guys are the ultimate palate cleansers.
Haunt
Mind Freeze (Shadow Kingdom)
The year’s barely started and Trevor Church has already started the AOTY arms race. His trad metal project’s third full-length in as many years brings in some synthesizer flavoring but otherwise continues the Fresno-based musician’s streak of excellence. Church’s vocals improve with each new release, and he continues to hone his mastery of killer riffs. The title track is possibly about eating ice cream too fast?
Lotus Thief
Oresteia (Prophecy)
San Francisco’s Lotus Thief continue their trend of monochromatic cover art — only this time, instead of sepia-tone or black-and-white, Oresteia drips crimson against the void. Suitable for a record based on a classical Greek trilogy of tragedies. Fittingly, it’s a melancholy affair, atmospheric in all the right ways with bursts of post-metal to balance out their more avant-garde/experimental mode.
Snorlax
II (Self-released)
Did I include this album just because this Australian one-man death metal band shares its name with a Pokemon? Yes, yes I did.
War Dogs
Die By My Sword (Fighter)
War Dogs hail from Spain and they sail their armada right into the ports of Manilla Road and Omen. Guitar solos and medieval fantasy lyrics abound. “Master of Revenge” bites from “Bark at the Moon,” but still kicks ass on its own merits. Fun stuff that’s worth a headbang or two even if it doesn’t stick with you. Not sure why it’s so hard for trad metal bands to find good singers, though.
OTHER SHIT THAT COMES OUT TODAY
Body Stuff – Body Stuff 3 EP (The Chain) Listen
Mystic Prophecy – Metal Division (ROAR) Listen
Rage – Wings of Rage (SPV/Steamhammer) Listen
Unreqvited – Mosaic II (Prophecy) Listen
Waldgefluster – Stimmen Im Wind 2020 (Nordvis) Listen
