Nine Circles

First off, RIP to L-G Petrov. Death metal will never be the same without this legendary soul. This is not the way any of us wanted to start a new week, but here we are. Again. Unfortunately. New metal: Taking the lead is SC’s blackened thrash maniacs Demiser with a debut full length that’s sure to be the breakout hit of 2021, Eyehategod is back after a long silence and yep, you guessed it, they’re still the undisputed kings of sludge metal, The Crown offer up one of my favorite albums since Deathrace King, and Domestikwom lay out a physical release of their outstanding EP full of experimental metal and noise. Get some.

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Demiser – Through the Gate Eternal (Boris) – black / thrash [interview]

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Eyehategod – A History of Nomadic Behavior (Century Media) – sludge

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The Crown – Royal Destroyer (Metal Blade) – death metal

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Domestikwom – Wallowing In Misery, Cassette Issue (Philip K Discs) – doom / noise / ambient [video premiere]

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Also on tap:

a noend of mine – Sanctuaires (Hypnotic Dirge) – post-prog / melancholic jazz

All My Faith Lost – Untitled (Cyclic Law) – darkwave

Assassin – Holy Terror / The Saga of Nemesis, Demos / Re-Release (High Roller Records) – hardcore thrash

Autarkh – Form in Motion (Season of Mist) – extreme metal

Black Tarpoon – Ten Thousand Throats, Single (Independent) – rock

Bound In Fear – Eternal, EP (Unique Leader) – deathcore

Cactus Flowers – Solace, EP (People. Parties. Places.) – psych

Caskets Open – Concrete Realms of Pain (Seeing Red / Wise Blood) – metal

Chris Maragoth – Behind This Door (Independent) – rock

Cruel Life Inside – Eclipsis Vitae (Casus Belli / Beverina) – atmospheric / post-black metal

Enforced – Kill Grid (Century Media) – crossover thrash

God’s Hate – S/T (Closed Casket Activities) – hardcore

Isgherurd Morth – Hellrduk (Repose) – blackgaze

Mara – Djävulstoner (WormHoleDeath) – metal

Medieval Demon – Arcadian Witchcraft (Hells Headbangers) – black / speed

Minutian – Magical Thinking (Inverse) – prog rock

Myopic & At the Graves – A Cold Sweat of Quiet Dread (Grimoire) – doom

Necropanther – In Depths We Sleep, EP (Independent) – black / thrash / doom

Orden Ogan – Final Days (AFM) – power metal

Pestifer – Expanding Oblivion (Xenocorp) – death metal

Pupil Slicer – Mirrors (Prosthetic) – math / grind

Rioghan – Blackened Sky (Inverse) – prog / goth

Rise to the Sky – Let Me Drown With You (GS Productions) – atmospheric death / doom

Sacrilegious Crown – Plenilunium Cult, EP (Xenoglossy Productions) – black metal 

Saga – Symmetry (earMUSIC) – prog

Sepulcros – Vazio (Transcending Obscurity) – death / doom

Sleepless – Blood Libel (Press) – death metal

Slope – Street Heat (BDHW) – hardcore

Snær – Frozen Alchemy (Independent) – black metal

Stortregn – Impermanence (The Artisan Era) – death metal

Sulpur – Embracing Hatred and Beckoning Darkness (Amor Fati / Ancient Records) – black metal

Thorium – Ocean of Blasphemy, Reissue (Emanzipation Productions) – death metal

Thunder Horse – Chosen One (Ripple Music) – doom

Twitch of the Death Nerve – Beset by False Prophets (Comatose Music) – death metal

WitchTit – Intoxicating Lethargy (Independent) – doom

Utbyrd – Varskrik (Petrichor) – black metal / symphonic

Varmia – bal Lada (M-Theory Audio) – black metal

Wesenwille – II: A Material God (Ladlo) – metal

–Josh