I don’t know if the best of 2020 glut has me temporarily bloated on music or what, but it’s been tough to really focus on new albums for more than a cursory spin. Instead, I’ve been catching up on some long overdue reading and burning the midnight oil in the mountains and it’s been a head clearer, to say the least. However, this week’s new release haul has offered at least a few that have me refocused and paying close attention. The first of which is the new gothic barnburner from Tribulation, progressive metallers Soen have given reason to pause, neofolk group Rome give much to reflect on as well as a bevy of amazing tracks, and Werewolves’ brand of intense yet melodic yet groovy death metal has been loads of fun. So, you could say that just when I need it the most, the artists have come through with precisely what I need and right on time. Obviously, there’s a ton more included below so there’s something here for everyone. Thrill of the hunt type of deal. Or whatever. Just do it.
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Tribulation – Where the Gloom Becomes Sound (Metal Blade / Century Media) – gothic metal
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Soen – Imperial (Silver Lining Music) – progressive metal
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Rome – Parlez-Vous Hate (Trisol Music Group / COP International) – neofolk
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Werewolves – What A Time To Be Alive (Prosthetic) – death metal
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Also on tap:
Accept – Too Mean to Die (Nuclear Blast) – metal
Altered Dead – Returned To Life (Memento Mori) – death metal
And Now the Owls Are Smiling – Dirges (Clobber) – atmospheric black metal
Angriff – Sodomy in the Convent (Firecum) – thrash
Astral Bomb – Degradation of Human Consciousness, Tape (Blood Harvest) – death metal
Barbarian Hermit – One, Reissue (Independent) – metal
Beyond Extinction – The Fatal Flaws of Humankind, EP (Independent) – death metal
Bleach Everything – Bound / Cured (Dark Operative) – metal
Bloodtrust – In Blood We Trust (People of Punk Rock) – punk
Cabeza – Broken Wanderer, EP (Independent) – extreme
Collapse Culture – S/T (Pax Aeternum) – experimental
Cruel Hand – Dark Side of the Cage (Dead Serious) – hardcore
Crystal Viper – The Cult (Listenable) – metal
Deep Space Mask – Songs From the Dark Light (Planet K) – stoner
Demon Head – Viscera (Metal Blade) – rock
Devotion – The Harrowing (Memento Mori) – death metal
Dipygus – Bushmeat (Memento Mori) – death metal
Dreamslain – Tales of Knights and Distant Worlds (Independent) – prog metal
Dreamweapon – Rites Of Lunacy (Cardinal Fuzz / Little Cloud Records) – drone
Escarion – Pillars of the Faith (Independent) – death metal
Eternal Autumn – To Tame the Impaler, EP (Independent) – metal
Eximperitus – Šahrartu (Willowtip Records) – tech death
Gravedäncer – Ripping Metal (Helldprod) – metal
Hån – Breathing the Void (Northern Silence Productions) – black metal
Hell-Born – Natas Liah (Odium) – black / death / thrash
Hinisides / Monstraat – Split 12″ (Shadow Records / Regain Records) – black metal
Ho Chi Minh – This Is Hell (Independent) – metal
King Baal – Conjurements (WormHoleDeath) – metal
Kriegsgott – H8 4All, EP (Odium) – black metal
Mordkaul – Dress Code: Blood (WormHoleDeath) – metal
Nopes – Djörk (Magnetic Eye) – punk
Oceana – The Pattern (Time To Kill) – death / doom
portrayal of guilt – We Are Always Alone (Closed Casket Activities) – hardcore / metal
Pounder – Breaking the World (Shadow Kingdom) – metal
Reconvalescent – The Process of Nothing, EP (Machineman Records) – industrial
Rezet – Truth In Between (Metalville) – rock
Sataray and Zania Morgan – Argyropoeia, Split EP (Scry Recordings) – ambient
Seide – Auakistla, Physical Edition (Throats Productions) – black metal
Skam – Sound of a Disease (Petrichor) – death grind
Sonic Flower – Rides Again (Heavy Psych Sounds) – psych
Souls of Diotima – Janas (Diotima / Rockshots) – symphonic metal
Speedkiller – Midnight Vampire (Edged Circle) – speed / black
Starcrazy – Played for Suckers, EP (Independent) – rock
Steegmoord – S/T, EP (Independent) – instru-metal
Storm Seeker – How to Be a Pirate (single) (NoCut Entertainment) – folk metal
The Body – I’ve Seen All I Need To See (Thrill Jockey) – noise / electro-industrial
The Hawkins – Live In the Woods (The Sign) – rock
These Colors Fade – Contemporary Tragedy (Independent) – post-hardcore
Trial – Sisters of the Moon (Metal Blade Records) – heavy metal
Trillionaire – Romulus (Nefarious Industries) – rock
Wallowing – Planet Loss + Graphic Novel (Independent) – black / sludge
Warzaw – Werewolves On Wheels (Independent) – heavy metal
Wømb – Here, The World Falls… (Purodium) – black / occult
Wowod – Yarost I Proshchenie (Church Road) – post-metal
Yoth Iria – As the Flame Withers (Pagan) – black metal
Zeahorse – Let’s Not (And Say We Did) (Copper Feast Records) – noise rock
– Josh
Nine Circles 