WSOU Picks of the Week: Red Fang, The Acacia Strain, and Dust Bolt
Seton Hall University’s WSOU radio is the only all-metal, all-the-time station currently broadcasting in the US, and as been a force in metal for DECADES. It’s also streamable online from anywhere in the world! Each week, the staff of WSOU shares their picks for the heaviest of the heavy, as well as the station’s charts for that week, right here on MetalSucks. Enjoy:
Red Fang – “Flies” (Mike C.)
Hailing from the only other state that doesn’t have to pump their own gas, Portland, Oregon’s Red Fang are back with their new single, “Flies.” The song is just as riffy and catchy as anything else they’ve put out, and I can’t wait to hear the rest of their new album, Only Ghosts. I’ve been a fan of this band since I saw them open one of the side stages at 2011’s Mayhem Fest (RIP) when they were supporting Murder the Mountains. That experience cemented my appreciation for live heavy music. Seriously, if you haven’t seen them live, go do it. They also have some of the funniest music videos ever (see: “Prehistoric Dog” ). Only Ghosts comes out October 14 on Relapse Records.
The Acacia Strain – “Sensory Deprivation” (Billy G.)
The Acacia Strain have offered up their first taste of new music since 2014’s Coma Witch, coming The Depression Sessions, their upcoming split EP with fellow heavy hitters Thy Art is Murder and Fit for an Autopsy. “Sensory Deprivation” shows that The Acacia Strain are just as angry as ever, and will never lighten up. The lyrics shift between self-loathing and outward anger, truly reflecting the title of the EP. The band seems to get heavier and heavier over time, and this song continues that streak.
Dust Bolt – “Turned To Grey” (Garren L.)
“Turned to Grey” by Dust Bolt is pure, unadulterated thrash metal, plain and simple. Overall, this song reminds me a little bit of Municipal Waste and Hatchet, while the guitar solos seem very reminiscent of Testament. I believe that these Teutonic thrashers are worthy heirs to the legacy forged by earlier German thrash metal bands like Kreator, Sodom, Destruction, and Tankard.
