Well, we’re still here. Everyone survived and chaos / destruction will have to wait until…who knows. Anyway, another huge week here on Initial Descent — I know, I know that has been said a lot but there have been multiple weeks with several really good releases so humor me, or not. Der Weg Einer Freiheit are back with another truly immersive and entrancing album’s worth of forward thinking black metal on Finisterre and I’m of the belief this band can do no wrong. Akercocke return from quite the break and continue to be the masters of molding death and black metal into something out of this world yet at the same time uniquely their own on Renaissance in Extremis — welcome back guys. Moving on, Ruby the Hatchet returns with their classically inclined, riff fueled proto-rock on Planetary Space Child, if you’ve yet to check this band out do it now. Rounding out the top slots is a Split between BLK OPS and Cave Bastard that grinds, pounds and lurches like a pride of lions going in for the kill. And with that it’s another full week but…you guessed it, there is sooooo much more to explore. So, stick around and find a new favorite with us.
—
Der Weg Einer Freiheit – Finisterre (Season of Mist) black metal
—
Akercocke – Renaissance in Extremis (Peaceville) – death/black metal
—
Ruby the Hatchet – Planetary Space Child (Tee Pee Records) – psych rock [feature review]
—
BLK OPS//Cave Bastard – Split, LP (Accident Prone Records) – grindcore [feature review]
—
Also on tap:
Akercocke – Renaissance in Extremis (Peaceville) – progressive black metal / death metal
An Assfull of Love – Monkey Madness (Independent) – glampunk
ANCST//King Apathy – Split (Alerta Antifascista / Supreme Chaos Records) – death/black metal, crust
Battle Raider – S/T (Fighter Records) – heavy metal
Bloodlust – At the Devil’s Left Hand (Caverna Abismal) – black metal [full review]
Bool – Fly With Me (Soulfood) – alternative rock
Built on Neon – Running Out of Time, EP (Independent) – synthwave
Cognizance – Illusory (Independent) – death metal
Crafteon – Cosmic Reawakening (Independent) – black metal
Crimfall – Amain (Metal Blade) – epic metal
Dimman – Guide My Fury (Inverse Records) – melodic death metal
Fleurety – Inquietum (Aesthetic Death) – noise, avantgarde
Grande Royale – Breaking News (The Sign Records) – rock
Howling Giant – Black Hole Space Wizard Pt. 2 (Independent) – stoner rock
Human After All – Don’t Worry It Only Gets Worse (Independent) – post hardcore
Inanimate Existence – Underneath a Melting Sky (The Artisan Era) – progressive technical death metal
Jack Starr’s Burning Starr – Stand Your Ground (High Roller Records) – heavy metal
Kal-El – Astrodoomeda (Argonauta) – stoner rock
Ledge – Cold Hard Concrete (Translation Loss) – blackened hardcore
Leng Tch’e – Razorgrind (Season of Mist) – grindcore [feature review]
Lisa Cuthbert – Hextapes (Iron Bonehead) – droning death metal
Mekigah – Autexousious (Aesthetic Death) – noise, avantgarde
Morbid Evils – Deceases (Svart Records) – grind/drone
Mordatorium – Obsessed with Death (Independent) – death metal
Neurosis – The Word As Law, Remastered (Neurot) – classic neurosis
Noothgrush/Corrupted – Split (20 Buck Spin) – sludge
Old James – Speak Volumes (Independent) – rock
Old Man Wizard – Innocent Hands (Independent) – progressive heavy rock [feature]
Pagan Altar – The Room of Shadows (Temple of Mystery) – NWOBHM
Portrait – Burn the World (Metal Blade) – heavy metal
Queens of the Stone Age – Villains (Matador) – desert rock
Samsara Circle – The Dark Passenger (Independent) – metalcore
Sannhet – So Numb (Profound Lore) – instrumental prog
Schafott – The Black Flame (High Roller Records) – extreme metal
The Artisan Era – The Euphonic Collection Vol. 1 (The Artisan Era) – label compilation
The Haunted – Strength In Numbers (Century Media) – melodic death metal
The New Roses – One More For The Road (Napalm Records) – hard rock
The Pod – S/T, Vinyl (Accident Prone Records) – experimental, drone
Ursinne – Swim With the Leviathan (Transcending Obscurity) – death metal
Vasilek – The Dark Road (Translation Loss) – ambient
Vatican – Ache of Eternity (Sorrow Carrier Records) – metallic hardcore
Vinsta – Vinsta Wiads (Trollmusic/Prophecy) – folk, melodic death metal
Vulture – The Guillotine (High Roller Records) – thrash metal
Woeful Silence / Euphrasia – Split (Cruel Bones) – black metal
Xanthochroid – Of Erthe and Axen Act. 1 (Triton’s Orbit) – cinematic black metal
– Josh
Nine Circles 