CANTO: The Ocean, Dragony, Bongzilla, and More


Today was a weird one, not gonna lie.

  • Urlo, most known for work through Ufommamut, has announced the second LP from solo project The Mon. Eye is out on May 26 through through Supernatural Cat. Give “Where” a watch and listen at this location.
  • How about some Austrian symphonic power metal? Dragony revealed a previously unreleased digital single through Napalm Records titled “The Dead Queen’s Race”, the lyric video of which can be seen here. That marks the farewell to 2021’s Viribus Unitis, so we’ll see what else 2023 brings.
  • Bongzilla are releasing their sixth studio full-length on June 2 through Heavy Psych Sounds, titled Dab City. Check out the first track, “Hippie Stick”, over at Decibel.
  • Ara Solis have set the release date for their debut. Ashvatta will be out on May 19 through Iron Bonehead Productions, and you can hear “Ara Solis” over at the label’s Soundcloud.
  • Since we’re continuing our march towards the release of Holocene, I’m happy to wrap up the day with the new video from The Ocean. Check out the clip for “Sea of Reeds” below, directed by Lo!’s Adrian Shapiro. That album is out May 19 through Pelagic Records. Obviously.

“Ein Bier… bitte.”
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Initial Descent: June 13 – 19, 2021

Alustrium

Any of you pay attention to all the crackin’ singles released last week? If not, hit rewind and peruse our Canto posts to find out. Needless to say, this year is only getting better on the new metal front. Speaking of new metal, we’ve got entries from prog-tech death wonders Alustrium, a split of doom and fuzz from Dead Witches and Witchthroat Serpent (witchy), a slab of super heavy post-metal from Bossk, and a half dungeon synth half 80s horror flick soundtrack from supergroup Arelseum. And, as you surely are aware by now, so much more follows these four so do yourself and these bands a solid and make it rain.

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Initial Descent: May 16 – 22, 2021

Maggot Crown

Like I said, at some point recently, the new release hits just keep coming. As always, keep your eyes peeled here for all the goods, but don’t forget to keep an eye on Bandcamp as well as following your favorite labels and bands on social media because let’s face it, we don’t have a magic ball nor do we know EVERY album coming out. We try. But, well, anyway, yea. Alright then, let’s see what kind of filth is in store this week…Maggot Crown are back with yet another wall of impenetrable death metal, one of Beyond Mortal Dreams‘ best albums is getting a re-release (more death metal), the ever popular and ever defining Metal Massacre series is dropping its XV edition, and Hippie Death Cult (damn, what a great band name) offer up an acid trip of a psychedelic, rockin’, laid back album that I simply can’t get enough of—good lake floatin’ album. Drop below and get your eyes full.

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Initial Descent: April 18 – 24, 2021

Capra

No bitchin’ this week. I could, don’t get me wrong. Rather, I’ll just keep it all in my head and see visions equal to that Cannibal Corpse album that came out last week. As the kids say, what a banger. Moving on, new week and new metal so let’s do it…Capra explodes with some vicious hardcore and punk infused metal this side of, well, a very long time and the fact that this is a debut? Snap! A name I was excited to see that I haven’t in a long stretch is Bongzilla who returns with an album I’m stok(n)ed on and you should be too, Akiavel are back with a blistering sophomore death metal effort, and Altarage keep the violence going with their brand of blackened death metal that keeps the needle pegged to extreme. Alrighty then, these top four are worth your time, but there’s a lot more to follow that bears the same worth. Do it.

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Initial Descent: February 21 – 27, 2021

Black Sheep Wall
Black Sheep Wall

Last week was a good week. Finally. Lots of reasons and none of which matter to anyone but me. I mention it because it was an anomaly as of late and demanded mentioning. And, I’m all out of witty one liners—even though last week was full of crappy but funny movie quotes—so you got that for an opening statement. Yay you. Anyway, new week means new releases and we got a ton of them to get to and from all corners of the vast metal and metalish landscape. Looking for some incredible sludge that bites back? Black Sheep Wall has your back. How about some shamanic doom? Sunnata saves the day. Or maybe some filthy doom/sludge is calling? 16 and Grime do it and do it well on a split so you’re covered there. Or maybe some exceptionally low end driven, crazy, avant-metal fits the bill? You guessed it, Timo Ellis is looking out for you—just sayin’, I’ll die on the hill of Timo Ellis and Netherlands so there’s that to entice you. All that and a very long list to follow so GET AFTER IT, folks.

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