Shit That Comes Out Today: April 6, 2018

Pretty much the only thing I’m excited about this week is Kalmah. Most of the releases were pretty yawn-inducing, I mean, for fuck’s sake we have a new Kamelot album. Fantastic. Another album no one wanted by a band no one asked for. Yay. So yeah, I’ve got nothing. Honestly the best thing coming out this week that isn’t Kalmah is that Jungle Rot Reissue way down at the bottom that JUST SO HAPPENED TO COME OUT ON MY BIRTHDAY way back in 2009. Alright, I have nothing left to say. Have fun. Or don’t. You probably won’t.

Kalmah
Palo (Spinefarm)
On a playlist with Children of Bodom, In Flames and Amon Amarth
Listen: “Evil Kin”

Any week with new music from Kalmah is a good week. For the first time in 5 years, the Finnish outfit will grace our ears with some of the finest music that melodic death metal has to offer. “Evil Kin” is a mid-pace song with lots of chugging that will make you want to drink beer and headbutt your friends and then headbang until your neck breaks. I wouldn’t say it’s my favorite song that Kalmah have ever released but I’d be lying if I said I didn’t like it, and I’d also be lying if I said that I weren’t excited to listen to this. Definitely the week’s best release right here.

Underoath
Erase Me (Fearless Records)
On a playlist with The Devil Wears Prada, Silverstein and Norma Jean
Listen: “Rapture”

I won’t even pretend to know the first fucking thing about Underoath because they were a band that I just never got into. So instead, here’s me being a lazy writer and pulling a quote from our official review: ” there’s nothing here packing substance; the record is brimming with angst-ridden lyrics that feel like they’re targeted towards a teen audience. And maybe that’s the ultimate point to take away: everything about Erase Me feels… adolescent.” Wasn’t that fun? You can check out the rest of Chain Wallace’s review here.

Thirty Seconds To Mars
America (Interscope)
On a playlist with that thing Linkin Park did with their last album where it’s pop music
Listen: Please don’t (fine)

Something something something Jared Leto, something something something Suicide Squad sucked. Right? Okay, glad we got that out of the way. But seriously, what in the fuck is this? This band was never really heavy, but this is just straight up pop music with rap to the point where if I honestly am I debating whether or not it even belongs here. I guess since I’ve already written half the feature, it can stay. But if any of you were hoping to hear something like A Beautiful Life, go ahead and pretend that this doesn’t exist. Actually, everyone should pretend that this doesn’t exist. Also, the album artwork is stupid. Shut up, Jared.

Bleed From Within
Era (Century Media)
On a playlist with Parkway Drive, Architects and All Shall Perish
Listen: “Crown of Misery”

I’m not super familiar with these guys but it didn’t take long for them to hook me with the thrashy/deathcore feel of “Crown of Misery”. It’s always refreshing to hear this style of metal be much more heavily dominated by the riffs rather than the vocals or the general sound instruments themselves (if that makes even a little bit of sense) and that’s what we have here with Bleed From Within. One of the top-rated YouTube comments on their video for “Afterlife” describes them as if Parkway Drive and Architects had sex and I’d have to say that I agree with that, but it’s just a little bit heavier. So if any of that catches your interest, then check these guys out.

Caliban
Elements (Century Media)
On a playlist with every other interchangeable metalcore band
Listen: “Before Later Becomes Never”

Honestly I couldn’t resist featuring Caliban specifically because “Before Later Becomes Never” has guest vocals from CJ McMahon (Thy Art Is Murder) in it and I can hear Axl groaning all the way from the Midwest. However, it seems random that CJ would be on there considering Caliban have put out what, at worst, is generic metalcore and at best, is good cop/bad cop vocal prog. Whatever. CJ’s part is definitely the highlight of the track, but for metalcore it really isn’t that bad. The operative phrase here being ‘for metalcore’. However, knowing most of you, this won’t be something you want to check out unless you like Thy Art Is Murder. So that probably leaves maybe 4 of you that would be into this. Otherwise, hard pass.

OTHER SHIT THAT COMES OUT TODAY
Black Salvation Uncertainty Is Bliss (Relapse) listen
Glorior Belli The Apostates listen
Hypno5e Alba: Les Ombres Errantes (Pelagic) listen
Kamelot The Shadow Theory (Napalm Records) listen
Lecherous Nocturne Occultaclysmic (Willowtip) listen
Messa Feast For Water (Aural) listen
Panopticon The Scars of Man on the Once Nameless Wilderness (I and II) listen
Spiders Killer Machine (Spinefarm) listen
The Amorettes Born To Break (SPV/Steamhammer) listen
The Dead Daisies Burn It Down (Spitfire) listen
The Grotesquery The Lupine Anathema (Xtreem) listen
Valis Ablaze Boundless (Long Branch Records) listen
Various Artists Inside Metal: The Rise Of L.A. Thrash Metal Part 2 (N/A) listen
Verlorener N/A (N/A) listen
Whyzdom As Time Turns To Dust (Scarlet) listen
Winterfylleth The Hallowing Of Heirdom (Candlelight/Spinefarm) listen

SHIT THAT COMES OUT AGAIN TODAY
Jungle Rot What Horrors Await (CD) (Victory) listen