Sh*t That Comes Out Today – May 19, 2023
Nazis, King Gizzards, lizard wizards and a surprise record I never thought we would get. What a life!
Blindfolded and Led to the Woods
Rejecting Obliteration (Prosthetic)
New Zealand tech death outfit Blindfolded and Led to the Woods returns with their fourth album, Rejecting Obliteration. Much of the modern technical death metal scene is guilty of repeating the same ideas or having a sterile sound, but that’s not the case here. Rejecting Obliteration is as varied as it is a sonic brick to the insides of one’s skull. From dizzying guitar licks to shimmering melodies to remarkable drum performances, Rejecting Obliteration has it all and then some. Recommended if you’re tired of OSDM or looking for a fresh take on progressive/technical death metal.
Frozen Soul
Glacial Domination (Century Media)
Hate hardcore in your death metal? Grow up and listen to Frozen Soul, coward. This record has so many fucking riffs that I don’t even know what to do with them. The icy death dealers are probably the most successful band to come out of the Maggot Stomp camp and for good reason: Glacial Domination is fun, heavy and provides something for death metal fans, hardcore fans and everyone in between. Glacial Domination also features appearances from members of Trivium, Dying Fetus and Gost, which keeps things fresh.
Khanate
To Be Cruel (Sacred Bones)
Drone-doom masters Khanate put out their final transmission—Clean Hands Go Foul—in 2009, having already been broken up for three years at that point. The members went on to other bands and projects—Gnaw, Sunn O))) and, in the case of bassist James Plotkin, production—but the classic lineup, the only one Khanate have ever had, have come together once again. Recording the bones of the album in 2016 and pausing for the pandemic, To Be Cruel finally sees the light of day as a complete surprise. You can read our full review here, but, in short: Khanate have hardly lost a step and To Be Cruel stands up with the rest of their revered discography.
Sleep Token
Take Me Back to Eden (Spinefarm)
This one is sure to divide listeners. Whether you’re in the camp that views Sleep Token as the future of progressive heavy music or the one that compares them unfavorably to Imagine Dragons, it’s impossible to deny that Take Me Back to Eden has captured the attention of the metal world. Take Me Back to Eden continues to build on what Sleep Token have established over the last seven years. To further underscore my point about the record being divisive: I don’t understand the hype at all, while our own Max Heilman gave it a near-perfect score. Just don’t call them fart metal.
The Ocean
Holocene (Pelagic)
Holocene, The Ocean’s 11th album, continues the band’s tradition of exploring very large swathes of time, in this instance the Holocene, or the time since the end of the last ice age. Experimenting with melody, sung vocals, electronics and more, Holocene isn’t the heaviest record of the band’s career but they find plenty of ways to chart new territory without compromising their vision. Holocene is a record that takes time to build, but satisfies when you let it. Read our full review.
Other Shit That Comes Out Today:
Botanist, VIII: Selenotrope (Prophecy) Listen
Def Leppard With The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Drastic Symphonies (Mercury) Listen
Ghost, Phantomime EP (Loma Vista) Listen
Gozu, Remedy (Blacklight/Metal Blade) Listen
Inferion, Inequity (Horror Pain Gore Death) Listen
Roadwolf, Midnight Lightning (Napalm) Listen
Thulcandra, Hail the Abyss (Napalm) Listen
Vomitheist, NekroFvneral (Transcending Obscurity) Listen
Yakuza, Sutra (Svart) Listen
When you’re done with these new releases, why not check out these metal documentaries streaming on Thunderflix?
There’s Something About Metal (Streaming on Thunderflix)
Dive into the heart-pounding world of Finnish metal with the gripping documentary “There’s Something About Metal”! Join Baton Rouge Morgue, an unsigned band, as they record their third album and immerse themselves in the electrifying atmosphere of two epic metal festivals. Uncover the reasons behind the stronghold that metal music has on this nation and experience the wild nights that come with it. Now streaming on Thunderflix.
Truth to Power – Serj Tankian (Streaming on Thunderflix)
System of a Down frontman Serj Tankian’s powerful music and humanitarian efforts take center stage as we follow his journey to raise awareness about social and political issues, including the Armenian Genocide and human rights violations. This documentary is an inspiring testament to the power of using one’s voice to speak the truth to those in power and to the impact that can be made when we take action for what we believe in. Now streaming on Thunderflix.
Black Messiah: The Final Journey (Bonus DVD)
Contains a tour documentary, interviews and music video from the 2012 album from one of the leading bands in the German metal scene. The Final Journey marks the fifth studio release from Black Messiah and is no less epic than the outstanding 2009 release, First War of the World, which marked the “Ruhr Vikings’” first concept album. Tracks such as the exciting opener “Windloni” set the direction: variable speed, heaviness and stylistic device show Black Messiah more diverse and tighter than ever
Shakra: My Life – My World.
A live album released in 2004 by the mighty Swiss band Shakra.
