Sh*t That Comes Out Today: January 15, 2021
Happy new year everyone! Sure am glad 2020 is over and crazy shit has stopped happening. Here’s the first crop of new metal releases for the year in case you need some escapism for some reason.
Dale Crover
Rat-A-Tat-Tat! (Joyful Noise)
I’ll admit to being biased on this one (I wrote the band bio), but the second solo full-length from the longtime Melvins drummer pretty much kicks ass. You got some grunge, you got some doom, you got some weird experimental stuff, you even have some genuinely catchy pop songs. If his partner-in-crime’s recent comments have turned you off of Crover’s main act, this’ll give you the hit you need, guilt-free.
Gatecreeper
An Unexpected Reality (Closed Casket)
I wondered what this was all about when I saw the back cover ad for it on the latest Decibel; turns out it’s a surprise quarantine EP! Each side of Gatecreeper’s stopgap release covers the two opposing poles on each side of their midtempo death metal goodness: grind and doom. Turns out they do both of those as well as they do their main thing. The seven grinders have the fun and energy of the more crossover-influenced side of the genre, while the 12-minute doom track remains engaging the whole way through. At the risk of sounding like a fanboy, these depraved Sonorans kick ass at everything they set their minds to.
Kabbalah
The Omen (Ripple)
Occult rock was a thing for a few minutes there, and then it wasn’t. Kabbalah didn’t get the message, and I for one am glad of it. The Omen leans harder on atmosphere than their previous Spectral Ascent, and it’s a move that works for them. This Spanish trio just makes incredibly infectious music — I could probably use some lazy analogies about them casting a bewitching spell or brewing intoxicating potions, but they’re so good I don’t need to. Their songs do the speaking on its own.
Miss Lava
Doom Machine (Small Stone)
Yeah, I know it’s stoner rock, but stoner rock is basically my comfort food and Miss Lava serves up fully loaded nachos on top of a buffalo wing pizza. There’s some Fu Manchu surf groove, some Hawkwind hypno-sleaze, some Kyuss desert rock. What’s important is that Miss Lava deliver big fat riffs on top of a big fat bottom end. Pour yourself a beer and start up the doom machine. Nobody’s judging you.
OTHER SHIT THAT COMES OUT TODAY
Bhleg – Odhin (Nordvis) Listen
Bloody Hammers – Songs Of Unspeakable Terror (Napalm) Listen
Dragony – Viribus Unitis (Napalm) Listen
Dread Sovereign – Alchemical Warfare (Metal Blade) Listen
Edenbridge – The Chronicles Of Eden Part 2 (SPV/Steamhammer) Listen
Emma Ruth Rundle & Thou – The Helm Of Sorrow EP (Sacred Bones) Listen
Komatsu – Rose of Jericho (Heavy Psych) Listen
Razor – Armed & Dangerous Reissue (Relapse) Listen
Razor – Live! Osaka Saikou 大阪最 Reissue (Relapse) Listen
Starified – Fat Hits (Ripple) Listen
Wedge – Like No Tomorrow (Heavy Psych) Listen
