Sh*t That Comes Out Today: June 19, 2020
Happy Juneteenth! Despite today being a major milestone for the Black community, it’s still a Friday, and that means new release day — no stopping capitalism! Here’s some information about the holiday for you to read while listening to kick-ass metal.
Greyhawk
Keepers of the Flame (Fighter)
Did I include this entirely because of the cover art? Yes, yes I did. Luckily, the stupidly awesome (or awesomely stupid) cover matches the music inside. No trace of irony here. The song titles alone promise wizards, flames, and hammers. And, according to the wizard song, the wizard is you! Whoa. Fans of Priest, Dio, Hammerfall, and doorstop-sized fantasy books apply within. This rules.
Lamb of God
Lamb of God (Epic)
Read the MetalSucks Review
“Yeah, this is a Lamb of God album. There’s something impressive about the consistency of a band at their level, however. Despite an undeniable familiarity to the music, their passion and professionalism makes them stand out. As Blythe said, there may never be another Metallica or Iron Maiden, but nor will there be another Lamb of God.”
Mushroomhead
A Wonderful Life (Napalm)
70 minutes of nu-metal from eight masked Midwesterners! Not my thing… but the real question is, what does Corey Taylor think?
Protest the Hero
Palimpsest (Self-released)
Post-hard-core/screamo-influenced prog stuff like this usually loses me at the vocals. That said, Palimpsest, the band’s first album in four years, really scratches that instrumental complexity itch. Singing is still a little bit too “pay attention to me, dad” for my taste, but that’s a personal thing – and it doesn’t get in the way of some seriously mind-bending tunes.
Vile Creature
Glory, Glory! Apathy Took Helm! (Prosthetic)
JK Rowling delivered a confusingly-worded missive defending her incoherent views on trans people this week, but Vile Creature give us a much more articulate treatise on the queer experience. The Canadian sludge duo set theirs to much better tunes, too! Very slow, miserable tunes, granted. There’s a lot to unpack here – between the scathing lyrics and evolving song structures, Vile Creature challenge the listener philosophically and musically.
OTHER SHIT THAT COMES OUT TODAY
Atavist – III: Absolution (Candlelight) Listen
Aversio Humanitatis – Behold The Silent Dwellers (Debemur Morti) Listen
Beyond The Black – Horizons (Napalm) Listen
Constellatia – The Language Of Limbs (Season Of Mist) Listen
Cro-Mags – In The Beginning (Mission Two) Listen
Iron Maiden – The Live Collection – Remastered (BMG)
Make Them Suffer – How To Survive A Funeral (Rise) Listen
The Moon And The Nightspirit – Aether (Prophecy) Listen
Sinister – Deformation Of The Holy Realm (Massacre) Listen
