Not sure about you but all this solar eclipse talk is getting old. For the past two to three weeks it’s been all the rage. So, solar eclipse Monday, check it or not. I’ve heard not to look at it unless you want your eyes to pull a Scanners and explode. Ah yes, plenty of new metal to be heard and we have a full plate for you here on Initial Descent. Leading us off this week is our very own Chris Voss and his multi-faceted black metal project Necrolytic Goat Converter with the insanely good and extremely robust Isolated Evolution. Be sure to head inside, listen and SUPPORT! Next up is another wicked good black metal album, Heretical Wisdom, from Void Ritual — Dan Jackson has done a hell of a job on this album so be sure to check it out, you’ll be glad you did. Next up is the debut, Sinister Totem, from Finland’s Shaman Ritual and their combination of tribalistic death metal and jarring black metal will be a long standing favorite here. Closing out the opening spots is Khazzadum with their Tolkien inspired death metal on Plagues Upon Arda — whether you’re into Tolkien or not this is a great album. We’re only four albums in and the end of year contenders are strong but, as always, we have so much more waiting for you inside so go and explore…
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Necrolytic Goat Converter – Isolated Evolution (Independent) – black metal [full review]
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Void Ritual – Heretical Wisdom (Throats Productions/Tridroid) – black metal [full review]
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Shaman Ritual – Sinister Totem (Caligari Records) – black metal / death metal
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Khazaddum – Plagues Upon Arda (Independent) – death metal [full review / interview]
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Also on tap:
American Wrecking Company – Everything and Nothing (Pavement Entertainment) – hardcore
Attic – Sanctimonious (Soulfood / Ván Records) – heavy metal
Beneath – Ephemeris (Unique Leader) – death metal
Canyon of the Skull – The Desert Winter (Independent) – doom metal
Casket Robbery – The Ascension (Independent) – death metal
Death Yell – Descent Into Hell (Hells Headbangers) – death/black metal
Desecresy – The Mortal Horizon (Xtreem Music) – death metal [full review]
Diktatur – La Voie Du Sang, Remastered Reissue (Melancholia Records) – black metal
Dr. Shrinker – Archive I, DLP (Nuclear War Now! Productions) – death metal
Eagleheart – Reverse (Scarlet Records) – power metal
End Christian – Energy & Strength (Translation Loss) – experimental noise
End of Green – Void Estate (Napalm Records) – dark rock
Eskapism – Tales of Elder Forest, Cassette Reissue (Folkvangr Records) – atmospheric black metal
Evil – Rites of Evil (Nuclear War Now! Productions) – speed/black metal
False Gods – Reports From Oblivion (Independent) – sludge/doom metal
Funeralglade – May the Funeral Begin, EP (Inverse Records) – melodic death metal
Horrific – Your Worst Nightmare (Hells Headbangers) – thrash/punk/death
Karamazov – Self-Control, EP (Independent) – progressive metal
Kimi Karki – Eye for an Eye (Svart Records) – progressive doom
No Funeral/Livid – Split (LiveFast DieFast) – sludge/doom metal
On Top – Top Dollar (Horror Pain Gore Death) – rock
Proscrito – El Calvario, MCD/MLP (Iron Bonehead) – death/doom metal
Protosequence – Biophagus (Independent) – technical death metal
Rabid Bitch of the North – Nothing But a Bitter Taste (Hostile Media) – heavy metal
Rebel Wizard – The Warning of One, EP (Prosthetic Records) – death/black metal
Reverorum ib Malacht – Ter Agios Numini (Ajna) – black metal
Ritual Knife – Hate Invocation (Fallen Empire Records) – black metal
Shepherd/Death By Fungi – Split (Inspirus Records) – sludge
Social Crash – Burn Out (WormHoleDeath/The Orchard) – rock
Sons of Crom – The Black Tower (Bindrune/Nordvis) – heavy metal
Steel Mammoth – Atomic Oblivion (Ektro) – heavy metal
The Necromancers – Servents of the Salem Girl (Ripple Music) – progressive stoner rock
Ulvedharr – Total War (Scarlet Records) – thrash metal
Valence – He Tried To Kill Me With a Forklift (Independent) – progressive metal
Von Justice – Bret Hart, EP (Independent) – punk/crossover
– Josh
Nine Circles 