Sh*t That Comes Out Today: March 11, 2022
This week’s pretty bare. No one wants to go up against Ghost. You read our Ghost review yet? It was good. Here’s everything else that came out this week…
Konvent
Call Down the Sun (Napalm Records)
We’ve heard of calling down the moon, but calling down the sun? Who are these whacky folks? The answer is Konvent, and they are expertly unhappy people. This record is a hypnotic and effective mixture of doom, black metal, and sludge, that results in something both ponderous and very exciting. No part of the beast is wasted — if the band introduce a chug, it means something. If they sprawl, it feels perfectly choreographed. It’s incredibly cool, to hear such utter misery and ugliness so well orchestrated. Would definitely recommend giving this a spin.
Ho99o9
SKIN (Elektra)
The idea is that Ho99o9 are one of the pioneers of a “new wave of rap and rock coming together.” Thing is, we’re not sure we buy that, because we’re seeing a lot more croc than bot on this record. It’s definitely a hip-hop album with rock influences and attitude, rather than a merging of the two worlds. That said, if that sort of vibe and a distortion-drenched, Death Grips-ish sound interests you, it’s actually quite cool, and proves that these guys are doing something all their own. We’re just not sure it’s the culture-changing music that we’re being told it is, because it’s too hostile and underground, and that’ll never be the next big thing because it’ll alienate too many people. Which we respect! Long story short, come for the hype, stay for the music if you can handle it.
Werewolves
Deathmetal (Self-released)
The best thing about Australia’s Werewolves is the contempt. Deathmetal isn’t just angry, it boils with a mixture of rage and disgust. The artillery drumming and hot-needle riffage on these cover tracks come from an organ that grows stones inside of it. The vocals sound like the person behind them wishes they’d gotten a chance to vote on your birth. It’s super fucking rad, but definitely more for fans of acts like Vitriol and Pig’s Blood, who bring that real merciless sound but are also obviously having feelings throughout it all.
Wolves at the Gate
Eulogies (Solid State Records)
We know why you came to MetalSucks: unbiased commentary on Christian metalcore. And let me tell you something, we think this new Wolves at the Gate album sure is some Christian metalcore. It definitely sounds like they’re trying to fill a tank with 100 Christian metalcore units to save a roller rink or something, and they’re trying real hard, because they’re running out of time. We’ll say this: five albums in, they are letting us know that there is still a big market for this kind of music, and that has anthropological value! So yeah, melodic hard rock riffs, big choruses, gang vocal parts, the Gospel of Christ. Christian metalcore.
Bastard
Rotten Blood (Distortion Music Group)
When you hear Rotten Blood without knowing Bastard, you think, Darkest Finland or South America? But no, St. Louis! Could they and North Carolina’s Demiser be spearheading a New Wave of Awesome American Bathory worship? Hell yeah, NWOAAB! That’s definitely what’s going on here, a real Motörhead-at-a-black-mass-on-a-shitload-of-uppers kind of thing. If you think that sounds awesome, then yes, this is a record that’ll quickly become a repeat offender in your coming year. If not, it’ll be obviously not for you from the very first note.
Haunted Shores
Void (3DOT Recordings) Listen
Get ready for Blackened Djent! No joke. One doesn’t usually think of what would happen if Misha Mansoor’s powers were used for evil instead of good, but here we are with Haunted Shores. While the result is at times a little self-involved, it’s also incredibly entertaining overall. More than anything, it’s solid soundtrack metal, so if you want to feel like some kind of apocalyptic sorcerer while doing something — walking to work, making dinner, whatever — this’ll do just fine. Oh, also, this might be my favorite album cover of all time. Look at that shit.
OTHER SHIT THAT COMES OUT TODAY
Pestilength, Basom Gryphos (Nuclear Winter) Listen
E-L-R, Vexier (Prophecy Productions) Listen
Kharon, Shores of Acheron (Hellstain Productions) Listen
