Shit That Comes Out Today: July 19, 2021
Here’s some new metal to help you beat the heat.
Band of Bastards
DELETE. REPEAT. (Redacted/Silverdoor)
Hard to get excited about new hardcore but Band of Bastards have members of …And You Will Know Us By the Trail of the Dead and Sparta so the pedigree alone makes them worth venturing into the pit. And yup, it’s hardcore, no bells or whistles or acknowledgment that the past 35 years of musical evolution ever happened. Which is fine — sometimes it’s not worth messing with what works. Can’t really go wrong with 25 minutes of punk rock fury.
Craven Idol
Forked Tongues (Dark Descent)
This thing (that is, the third full-length from British blackened thrashers Craven Idol) hits with all the power of the vomiting volcano splashed across the cover of Forked Tongues. This is the kind of maximalist bombardment that gets my Richter scale moving — absolutely bestial devastation tearing apart everything in its path. Even with Side Two consisting of two nine-minute epics, they bulldoze enough mountainsides in their path to keep things from hitting a wall. Don’t get burned — make sure you check this one out.
Flame, Dear Flame
Aegis (Prophecy)
I think we can all agree that The Gathering were the best band, full stop. Flame, Dear Flame have their own thing going but very much scratch that same art-doom itch. Their name may also be a Dark Souls reference? At any rate, they strike a nice balance between epic Candlemass/Warning-style doom riffs and Maren Lemke’s direct, emotive singing. I wish the production had a tad more punch but if you’re in the mood for the more melancholy side of things then this will light your fire.
Krossfyre
Rites of Extermination (Hells Headbangers)
Apparently there are enough Krossfyres out there that this particular killing unit needs to specify that they’re the ones from Spain. Electric guitar in a campfire, barbed wire font for the band logo, that one font every black metal band uses for the album title — you certainly won’t mistake them for the Louisianian soul band, that’s for damn sure. First wave black metal revival at its finest, they cover Hell, war, war in Hell, and other original subjects with aplomb. You won’t mind getting caught in this.
Mordred
The Dark Parade (M-Theory)
Gotta disagree with Vince on this, but he loved it so I’m including it. Outside of some very notable exceptions like Faith No More, Primus, and Rage Against the Machine, the funkless funk metal that people tried to make happen in the late 80s-early 90s never really… did. Mordred’s first few albums back in the day were footnotes; this one makes even less of an impact. I’m no expert on rap/hip-hop but I know bad rapping when I hear it, and boy do I hear it here. Were people really clamoring for more of this stuff? I’d rather have a new 24-7 Spyz record, to be honest.
OTHER SHIT THAT COMES OUT TODAY
Crypt Monarch – The Necronaut (Electric Valley) Listen
Eradicator – Influence Denied (Metalville) Listen
Erdve – Savigaila (Season Of Mist) Listen
Godslave – Positive Aggressive (Metalville) Listen
Heavy Water – Red Brick City (Silver Lining) Listen
Lee Aaron – Radio On! (Metalville) Listen
Sleep Waker – Alias (UNFD) Listen
Yngwie Malmsteen – Parabellum (Music Theories/Mascot) Listen
