Sh*t That Comes Out Today – August 11, 2023
Slow week at the riff factory, so let’s get into it.
Hail the Sun
Divine Inner Tension (Equal Vision)
Post-hardcore outfit Hail the Sun continue to prove why they dwell at the top of progressive pile with their sixth full-length, Divine Inner Tension. The high-pitched vocals and acrobatic musicianship remind the listener of The Mars Volta and Circa Survive, plus a hint of Pierce the Veil. Not nearly as heavy as most of the releases in this catalog, Divine Inner Tension is a very good entry in the Hail the Sun discography.
Kataklysm
Goliath (Nuclear Blast)
Here’s a fact that will blow your mind: Kataklysm have been around for over three decades, releasing a staggering 15 albums. Goliath is pretty standard fare for the band, who have settled into a comfortable groove, releasing new albums every two or three years. As was started on last album Unconquered, Kataklysm incorporate a seven-string guitar into their sound; it doesn’t really change things—you know exactly the kind of melodic death metal you’re getting from them—but the horse could always use new shoes.
Move
Black Radical Love (Triple B)
I was fortunate enough to catch Move live something like two years ago and they tore the house down, even alongside heavy hitters like Soul Glo, Buggin and Zulu. The hardcore band tackle topics like collective action and living as a black person in 2023 America, but the catchy songwriting is also just fun. Like the album title suggests, Black Radical Love is both a celebration and a serious album at once.
REZN / Vinnum Sabbathi
Silent Future (Blues Funeral)
Silent Future, the collab album between two rising doom forces, is heavier than a mammoth dipped in bacon grease, to use a borrowed expression. The collaboration allows for both bands to shine in their respective ways, striking a delicate balance between louder-than-loud amp worship and a lusher, more vibrant approach to stoner metal. Not a radical reimagining of the subgenre but a strong take.
Urne
A Feast on Sorrow (Candlelight)
British trio Urne combine sludge and metalcore for a very pissed-off combo. Spurred to write their sophomore effort, A Feast on Sorrow, by loss and witnessing the painful effects of degenerative illness on a person. Gojira’s Joe Duplantier produced the record and it shows in the groovy songs, beefy production and emotive vocals.
Other Shit That Comes Out Today:
Caskets, Reflections (SharpTone) Listen
George Lynch & Jeff Pilson, Heavy Hitters II (Cleopatra) Listen
Megaherz, In Teufels Namen (Napalm) Listen
Temple of Dread, Beyond Acheron (Testimony) Listen
To Kill Achilles, Recovery (Arising Empire) Listen
