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Album Review: Escuela Grind — “Memory Theater”

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It’s not every day we plug other places to soak in music content, but I think it should be said that whoever runs the hate5six YouTube channel is maybe the hardest working person on the internet and also a true hero.  Especially over the past couple of years, whenever I need new music or I’ve been missing going to shows, I’ll pop over to the channel and I’m immediately greeted by a treasure trove of great live recordings.  It was through that channel, on a complete whim, that I managed to discover Escuela Grind, and from the first ring of feedback, I was hooked.  And if I was hooked before, Memory Theater is the release to reel me in.

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Album Review: I Am — “Eternal Steel”

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In recently describing third full length Eternal Steel from Texas based I Am, “angry music for angry times” rolled right off the tongue in that conversation. And simply put, that’s exactly what it is. The world’s a dumpster fire of epic proportions, greed and deceit are at the highest level ever, governments are a joke, everyone’s dollar has been reduced to mere pennies, and we’re one step away from a bomb going off on a scale none of us can even imagine. Eternal Steel feels like that moment just before detonation, that second when shit gets real, and the destructive aftermath. All rolled into one very pissed off album.

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Initial Descent: September 4 – 10, 2022

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Revocation
Revocation

It’ll officially be Fall later this month which means spooky season is right around the corner. I can’t think of a better way to get in that mood than the trio of death metal new releases that lead this week’s list; Revocation return with an album that after a few spins really hits a sweet spot for me, and even more so than anything they’ve done to date, then we’ve got Bloodbath who are on the forefront of every death metal fan’s mind, next up is I Am with a groovy bruiser (and killer album art to boot), and rounding out the top slots is Abrams who are not death metal but are favorites around this back office. Now, these four will definitely keep you busy, but don’t forget about the long list of other new stuff that follows as there’s a ton of good stuff out this week. Happy hunting and we’ll see you here throughout the next several days. Until next time…

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Album Review: The Callous Daoboys — “Celebrity Therapist”

Ian1 Comment

The Callous Daoboys have a lot going for them right now, but if they only had one thing going for them it’s that they are championing amplifying the weird and experimental in mathcore, a genre that really didn’t have a lot of help with the weird and experimental.  Wildly creative, massively heavy with the catchiest pop sensibilities this side of the radio, and truly unique, it would be really unfair to call them “fledgelings” despite the fact that Celebrity Therapist is only their second full length.  However, if you don’t know by now, it’s about damn time to start knowing.

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CANTO: Rivers of Nihil, I Am, Catalyst, and More

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Rivers of Nihil


Mondays don’t tend to be particularly interesting, but let’s see what I can find…

  • As part of their extensive North American tour supporting The Contortionist, Rivers of Nihil have also worked in eight headlining dates spread through September and October. They’ll still be performing The Work in full, but with a special encore.
  • If you haven’t familiarized yourself with Texas death/thrash outfit I Am yet, here’s another opportunity to do so. They’re streaming a new video for “Surrender to the Blade” over at Decibel, a track taken from Eternal Steel. That album is set for a September 9th release through MNRK Heavy.
  • Moving to the technical side of death metal, Catalyst are preparing an October release for their second album. A Different Painting For A New World will be out through Non Serviam Records, and I recommend pre-ordering that one here.
  • And we’re rounding things out with some black metal. Skare are releasing their self-titled debut on vinyl through Amor Fati Productions on September 12th. Naturally, we have a track from that album below. Give “Threshold Into Death” a listen right now.

“Ein Bier… bitte.”
– cmb