I always feel stupid saying this, and I’m probably talking to an echo chamber of one on this, but the four records we are presenting as runners up to the top 40 are awesome pieces of work. I love all five of them, and I would recommend anyone reading this trade some money for them. I just always worry the records in this piece will come off as not as worthy, and that’s not at all the case. Just look at these fuckers!

HIGH COMMAND, “Eclipse of the Dual Moons” (Southern Lord): From the time I came to know of them, thrashers High Command checked off all the boxes, delivering a sound that feels transported from the ’80s heyday but with their own edge and a world they created that is the center point for their music. Their second record “Eclipse of the Dual Moons” is a massive late-year treasure, an eight-track, 48-minute excursion into the world of Secartha (the concept is similar to Immortal’s Blashyrkh) and the events and chaos abound in that place. It’s aggressive, it’s nasty, and it has a fantasy element that explodes from the seams and reminds you thrash isn’t dead, and it lives with High Command. (Nov. 25)

For more on the band, go here: https://www.facebook.com/HighCommand

To buy the album, go here: https://southernlord.com/store/high-command-eclipse-of-the-dual-moons/

For more on the label, go here: https://southernlord.com/

IN THE WOODS…, “Diversum” (Soulseller): Long-running Nordic force In the Woods… have had their fair share of revolving door chaos, which is going to happen to any band that managed to stick around for three decades. Their latest full-length “Diversum” is a product of further disruption in their ranks with only one member still here from their “Heart of the Ages” days, though that hasn’t stopped them from continuing to create thought-provoking, stimulating material. “The Coward’s Way” starts dreamy before taking on an Enslaved-style edge, new vocalist Bernt Fjellestad immediately flexing his pipes, which are formidable. “Redemption, exemption, it’s just a blade away,” Fjellestad wails over the very effective chorus as the playing soars, and the seeds embed themselves into your bloodstream. It’s a high point as is “We Sinful Converge,” “The Malevolent God,” and heart-slaying “Your Dark.” Hoping this version of the band sticks it out. (Nov. 25)

For more on the band, go here: https://www.facebook.com/inthewoodsomnio

To buy the album, go here: https://soulsellerrecords.aisamerch.com/

For more on the label, go here: https://www.soulsellerrecords.com/

KREATOR, “Hate Über Alles” (Nuclear Blast): Classic German thrash masters Kreator made one of their best records four decades into their career with the fire-breathing “Hate Über Alles,” their 15^th long player overall. Not that Kreator ever lacked for energy and power as they’ve always had it in spades, they explode from the gate on this one, putting a dagger in the ground with the awesome title track, where vocalist/guitarist Mille Petrozza howls, “Hate is the virus of this world!” There are more killer blasts with “Killer of Jesus,” “Strongest of the Strong,” “Become Immortal,” and Demonic Future” that could be staples of their live sets for years to come. (June 10)

For more on the band, go here: https://www.facebook.com/KreatorOfficial/

For more on the label, go here: https://shop.nuclearblast.com/en/shop/index.html

To buy the album, go here: https://label.nuclearblast.com/en/label/index.html

SCARCITY, “Aveilut” (The Flenser): “Aveilut,” the debut record from Scarcity, makes me think of fight or flight, and it certainly led my brain in that direction over some of the subject matter with which I can identify. This project is helmed by multi-instrumentalist Brendon Randall-Myers, who began to write this record after processing the loss of two people close to him and while caught in lockdown in Beijing in 2020. Randall-Myers, leader of Glenn Branca Ensemble ever since Branca’s passing, worked with vocalist Doug Moore (Pyrrhon, Weeping Sores, etc.) to add a volcanic, unhinged element that increases the misery and devotion to the void. Black metal, doom, noise, ambiance, you name it, all is represented, and it all feels like a trip to the center of devastation. (July 15)

For more on the band, go here: https://www.facebook.com/scarcity.noise

To buy the album, go here: https://nowflensing.com/collections/scarcity

For more on the label, go here: https://nowflensing.com/

BLOOD INCANTATION, “Timewave Zero” (Century Media): It’s not hyperbolic to say there is no other death metal band quite like Colorado’s Blood Incantation, easily the most inventive and challenging of any artists pushing the sound. They’ve developed a reputation that’s become godly, but they deserve it because their first two full-length albums have redefined the style forever. But this record full of synthscapes woven together over two four-movement pieces is like the soundtrack to your own alien abduction. I don’t want to see them abandon death metal, but I’d like a meeting of the two worlds for their future work. Best enjoyed at night or while on nitrous at the dentist. (Feb. 25)

For more on the band, go here: https://www.facebook.com/astralnecrosis

To buy the album, go here: https://centurymedia.store/

For more on the label, go here: https://www.facebook.com/centurymedia/

HULDER, “The Eternal Fanfare” (20 Buck Spin): Solo black metal artist Hulder is on her way to making a classic full-length full-length, and those seeds are planted on “The Eternal Fanfare,” her five-track EP that really begins to uncover what this creator is all about. Bridging the gap between her full-length debut offering “Godslastering: Hymns of a Forlorn Peasantry” and her upcoming second long player, this EP shows the philosophical and creative growth this project has achieved, and this is a collection that while a mini release, still packs a winter’s storm of a punch. “Burden of Flesh and Bone,” “Sylvan Awakening,” and closer “A Perilous Journey” capture an artist exploding at her core. (July 1)

For more on the band, go here: https://www.instagram.com/wormgloom/

To buy the album, go here: https://www.20buckspin.com/worm

For more on the label, go here: https://www.20buckspin.com/

MIZMOR, “Wit’s End” (Gilead Media): Faith in and of itself is fine, but when it turns to fanaticism and starts to replace logic and evidence with a message that can’t be proved and is part of a very dangerous con, and it morphs into something that should be eradicated. A.L.N., the sole creator behind atmospheric black doom project Mizmor, had a long journey with the Christian faith before that turned into atheism, and his EP “Wit’s End” is a frustrated lash into people who have left behind all sense for expecting god to protect and heal them. The title track is an anger-filled classic Mizmor cut that tries to piledrive sense into people, while “Pareidolia” is 14:05 and mostly is an ambient piece that feels like your body leaving this earth. (Jan. 14)

For more on the band, go here: https://www.facebook.com/whollydoomedblackmetal

To buy the album, go here: https://gileadmedia.net/products/mizmor-wits-end-cd-dvd

For more on the label, go here: https://gileadmedia.net/

VEGA, “Reliquia” (Fiadh Productions/Vita Detestabilis): One-woman black metal project Vega revealed the stunning five-track debut EP “Reliquia,” an impressive and promising first outing. Creator Vega Shaker explained the power behind this jarring effort combines her desire to move forward with her life and the struggle to make sense of a past that wasn’t always comforting. The songs on here revel in black metal horror but also trade off with gothy tendencies and delicacy not often experienced in this style of music. It feels very personal even before knowing what the music is about, and you can feel the exploration and the pain drip through this entire thing. It’s emotional, intense, vicious, and vulnerable, the first step on what could be a fascinating project to watch and hear develop. (Nov. 4)

For more on the band, go here: https://www.instagram.com/vega_bm_official/

To buy the album, go here: https://fiadh.bandcamp.com/album/reliquia

Or here: https://vitadetestabilisrecords.bandcamp.com/album/reliquia-2

For more on the label, go here: https://fiadh.bandcamp.com/

And here: https://vitadetestabilisrecords.bandcamp.com/

VICIOUS BLADE, “Siege of Cruelty” (Our Ancient Future): Vicious Blade, a malicious thrash unit that hails from Pittsburgh, dropped their savage second EP “Siege of Cruelty,” a blast to burn you down. Over five raucous tracks that combine thrash, classic heavy metal, punk, and other volatile elements, the band gives you a huge blast back to when the harsher forms of metal started to solidify but with a 2022 mindset that powers these tracks and make them melt over. Vocalist Clarissa Badini (who also fronts Castrator) is in full command, and the rest of the band provides ample firepower on “Cult of Scourge,” “Scavengers,” “Speed, Leather & Hell,” and molten closer “Wretchedness of Existence.” (June 24)

For more on the band, go here: https://www.facebook.com/viciousbladepgh

To buy the album, go here: https://www.ourancientfuture.com/collections/all

For more on the label, go here: https://www.ourancientfuture.com/

VILE CREATURE/BISMUTH, “A Hymn of Loss and Hope” (The Flenser): The doomed 2020 version of Roadburn still bears fruit with the long-awaited union of Vile Creature and Bismuth, two doom powers that have a lot in common musically but contribute entirely different magical creations into the heavy music world. This project originally was commissioned for the 2020 fest, and it finally saw the main stage at this year’s version. Even better for us non-travelers, The Flenser released the studio version of this union, the amazing 40-minute, single-track “A Hymn of Loss and Hope.” Combining Vic (vocals) and KW (guitars and vocals) of Hamilton, Ontario’s Vile Creature (their pets also have a hand in this, if just from animalistic inspiration) with Tanya (bass, piano, vocals) and Joe (drums) of Nottingham, England’s Bismuth, these forces meld seamlessly as a greater whole, one that delivers might and passion that would shift the earth off its axis. (April 24)

For more on the Vile Creature, go here: https://www.facebook.com/vilecreature/

For more on Bismuth, go here: https://www.facebook.com/bismuthslow

To buy the album, go here: https://nowflensing.com/collections/flenser-releases/products/vile-creature-and-bismuth-a-hymn-of-loss-and-hope-lp

For more on the label, go here: https://nowflensing.com/

WORM, “Bluenothing” (20 Buck Spin): One seeking perfect music for mind stretching can find that in “Bluenothing,” the mini album from Florida doom/death/black metal lurkers Worm, whose “Foreverglade” was one of the main revelations from 2021. Speaking of that album, half of what you hear here was born in the sessions for that record, while the other half demonstrates a new beast, and all of which is completely mind melting and ultimately stimulating. Long helmed by Phantom Slaughter (vocals, guitar, bass, synth), the band was boosted by the addition of guitarist Wroth Septentrion (Atramentus, VoidCeremony, Chthe-ilist, live member of Hulder), whose work takes these songs into a foggy stratosphere not previously explored by this mind-altering band. The title track is one of the best metal tracks in 2022, while “Invoking the Dragonmoon” and “Shadowside Kingdom” take you to a different plane of existence. (Oct. 28)

For more on the band, go here: https://www.instagram.com/wormgloom/

To buy the album, go here: https://www.20buckspin.com/worm

For more on the label, go here: https://www.20buckspin.com/

Obviously this is primarily a heavy metal site, but we’ve never been super good at staying within those boundaries. A lot of our readers have diverse interests, and the people that actually make metal records also have tastes that lie beyond their chosen sound. We’re no different, and I’m always really excited to create this piece every year because it’s the only chance I get to write about some of these artists that make up a lot of my regular music rotation. Presented in alphabetical order.

ALVVAYS, “Blue Rev” (Polyvinyl): Canadian indie pop killers Alvvays are a longtime favorite of mine, which might seem like a weird fit with all the black and death metal in my musical rotation. Look, you need a change of pace, and I appreciate and love a lot of music that’s not heavy, with this band being one of my favorites. “Blue Rev” is their third, and Molly Rankin remains a powerful voice and great storyteller and she and the band devastate on “Pharmacist,” “Tom Verlaine,” “Velveteen,” “Belinda Says,” and “Bored in Bristol.” Easily one of the most infectious bands on earth.  (Oct. 7)

For more on the artist, go here: https://alvvays.com/

BEACH HOUSE, “Once Twice Melody” (Sub Pop): Beach House was the first band I saw live since the pandemic, and the tour was in support of their excellent double album “Once Twice Melody” that actually started to roll out as seasonal EPs in 2021. Victoria Legrand’s husky voice has only grown richer, and she and Alex Scally manage to put together 18 tracks that vibrate with spacey dream pop on songs such as “Pink Funeral,” which is my favorite of the collection, “New Romance,” the numbing title cut, “Masquerade,” and “The Bells.” (Feb. 18)

For more on the artist, go here: http://www.beachhousebaltimore.com/

BRUTUS, “Unison Life” (Sargent House): One could argue “Unison Life” could fit into the top 40 as a metal record, but I felt it fit better here. This Belgian trio exudes power and energy, led by vocalist/drummer Stefanie Mannaerts who constantly sings like her life is at stake. “Miles Away” kicks off the record and immediately gets your blood flowing, “Victoria” is another barn blazer, and “What Have We Done” is introspective and emotional but still can knock you on your ass. “Liar,” “Storm,” and “Desert Rain” are other high points in this post-hardcore power’s best record yet.  (Oct. 21)

For more on the artist, go here: https://www.wearebrutus.be/

CRIPPLED BLACK PHOENIX, “Banefyre” (Season of Mist): I’ve long been a huge fan of English dark rockers Crippled Black Phoenix, as they have released some of the most passionate social and political commentary as well as takes on the human condition. But “Banefyre” was their first as a reconstituted band, and breaking in a new singer can be tough. CPB didn’t miss a goddamn beat as “Banefyre” is a barnstormer full of Justin Greaves’ most ferocious and sensitive writing in some time, and Belinda Kordic got more of the spotlight she’s long deserved, trading off with Joel Segerstedt, who sounds like he’s always been there. “Wyches and Basterdz,” “Blackout77,” incredible “Bonefire,” and amazing epic “The Scene Is a False Prophet” are more stark reminders this band is the sound of our world falling apart as those in charge let it happen.  (Sept. 9)

For more on the artist, go here: https://crippledblackphoenix.net/

ZOLA JESUS, “Arkhon” (Sacred Bones): Nika Roza Danilova’s run under stage name Zola Jesus has had so many high points, but a song seven tracks deep on her sixth record “Arkhon” might be her crowning achievement. If you play the song “Desire” for someone and they’re not instantly in piles on the ground, never speak to that person again. The gothy, stormy music on this record peaks often, not just on “Desire,” as you can hear on “Lost,” “Undertow,” and “Dead & Gone,” and Jesus’ voice just reaches through the speakers and squeezes the life out of you until you have no choice but to submit. (June 24)

For more on the artist, go here: https://www.zolajesus.com/

PLAINS, “I Walked With You A Ways” (Anti-): I already was a big fan of Jess Williamson’s solo work and Katie Crutchfield under the Waxahatchee banner, but when they aligned for Plains and their excellent debut “I Walked With You A Ways,” it felt like dream booking a match between two forces that have never come into contact before. Their road-weary and battle-tested country sounds like a journey that goes over easy despite being so vulnerable. These two amazing artists make total magic with “Hurricane,” the total earworm “Problem With It,” personal high point “Abilene,” and “No Record of Wrongs.” I hope this is just the beginning for these two together. (Oct. 14)

For more on the artist, go here: https://plainsband.com/

SASAMI, “Squeeze” (Domino Recording Co.): Sasami Ashworth did the most metal thing of anyone on this list by hiring crushers Barishi as her backing band as she works to co-opt largely white male culture by adding her brash two cents. And it works insanely well as she puts her boot through your face on “Skin a Rat” and “Sorry Entertainer,” two absolute crushers that leave bruising on your body. But she has other tricks such as on torch bearer “The Greatest,” ’70s-splashed and spacey “Call Me Home,” folkish rocker “Tried to Understand,” and  slurry “Squeeze.” This record is part batshit lunacy and part heartfelt dagger, and it’s fucking awesome. (Feb. 25)

For more on the artist, go here: https://www.sasamiashworth.com/

WAILING STORMS, “The Silver Snake Unfolds” (Gilead Media): North Carolina-based psyche and noise powerhouse Wailin Storms weave foreboding tales, and they spill over onto their killer second record “The Silver Snake Unfolds,” containing eight tracks that take you on rides through storms and haunted hollows as you watch these stories play out and imitate the tension you feel deep inside. This record is dark, dramatic, and explosive, a journey you’ll take over and over, punishment and scars be damned. “Broken Into Three,” “Sunday Morning Ceremony,” “Concrete Covers Dead Lovers,” and awesome closer “Carolina Moon” will haunt and shake you. (July 22)

For more on the artist, go here: https://www.wailinstorms.com/

WEYES BLOOD, “And in the Darkness, Hearts Aglow” (Sub Pop): Weyes Blood’s magical, haunting music sounds like it could have been at home in a velvet-splashed lounge deep in the 1970s. It also could float through the cosmos and bathe in the stars. Everything here works and makes your heart swoon as tracks including “It’s Not Just Me, It’s Everybody,” “God Turn Me Into a Flower,” “Twin Flame,” and the title song thaw your heart and let you take an adventure in the dark that’ll ignite your cells. I’m just getting familiar with this since it’s only been out a few weeks, and I’ll follow it deep into the winter. (Nov. 18)

For more on the artist, go here: https://www.weyesblood.com/

YEAH YEAH YEAHS, “Cool It Down” (Secretly Canadian): It had been nine years since we last heard from Yeah Yeah Yeahs and their electronic-warped rock that certainly makes people who like to dance do that activity. I wasn’t sure what to expect from this record since I was lukewarm on 2013’s “Mosquito,” but this one knocked me on my ass from the first listen. “Spitting Off the Edge of the World,” the excellent opener featuring Perfume Genius, is sort of a red herring as what follows takes different turns and zaps past you. “Wolf” might be their best song since “Maps,” “Fleez” is a great one that’s brimming with energy, and closer “Mars” is a galactic trip beyond that ends the record on another world.  (Sept. 30)

For more on the artist, go here: https://yeahyeahyeahs.com/

We’re starting to jump into year-end roundup stuff, which it honestly feels like we just did for 2021. But no, I looked back at my calendar and the extensive notes I have taken on each release that was covered this year, and it indeed has been another 12 months that ripped past us mercilessly. There are a few things from the year I want to get off my chest, so fucking bear with us, won’t you?

***

For some reason, a story I did about Geoff Tate 10 years ago must have been spread somewhere, because legions of Tate fans showed up to complain about the story. I even wrote a new intro because so many angry people could not believe I had the gall to rip his voice. Never mind the story was a review of his still really not good solo record “Kings & Thieves,” but everyone seemed fixated on me saying his voice was shot. Uh, it was. He hasn’t sounded good on a studio recording in a really long time, and I’ve watched him struggle through live shows. I’m not happy about it. I love Queensryche’s earlier material, and I’ve interviewed Tate, who could not have been nicer. But these people were basing their opinion on how Tate sounds today, not in 2012, and they insisted he sounds as good as ever. The other night, a Tate live clip showed up on my TikTok feed, and OK, FUCK, HE SOUNDS WAY BETTER NOW. Happy? It does sound like he rehabbed his voice, he’s not “Mindcrime” strong but I’ll take the form he’s in now vs . where he was a decade ago. So, I agree. Tate sounds much better on 2022. A big improvement from 2012. WHEN I WROTE THE FUCKING STORY.

***

The Rock n Roll Hall of Fame is one of the biggest jokes ever, and I don’t care about it. When Alex Lifeson of Rush literally blah-blah-blahed his way through his acceptance speech, it was perfect. It’s a useless institution circle jerk of fucks, and I’ll fight every person responsible for it. That said, I am happy Judas Priest finally got it, and I even watched their performance (fucking great, of course) and speeches. That’s all the credit I’ll pay it. It also was such a massive statement that a band at their age still has that kind of presence and power. They’re amazing and should have been in any legitimate rock hall years ago. And how the fuck are we only putting in Dolly Parton this year? She should have gone in year one.

***

I got to see Metallica this summer at PNC Park in Pittsburgh, one of the only times that waste of a ballpark has seen enthusiasm in years. They were awesome. They still have it. Then a few weeks ago, the band announced its new record “72 Seasons” complete with some of the worst album cover art you’ll ever see and a lead single that’s … fine. It’s OK. It sounds more like a band trying to sound like Metallica, but whatever. Then they announced a tour where they’ll do two nights in a city with a totally different setlist each night, and different openers. Cool idea. Problem is that the tickets are so goddamn expensive that you’re pricing out regular fans. A friend said to get tickets for his son and himself, the cost was over $1,000. That’s insane. Plus, the openers are mostly awful (the Pantera not-a-reunion money grab, Five Finger Cop Band, that weird Led Zeppelin rip off), where they could have grabbed some good younger bands (Khemmis would do awesome in that spot, as would as would a band such as Undeath or even Blood Incantation or Ruby the Hatchet) and given worthy newer artists a big boost. I get Metallica is a business and all, but they’ve never felt more corporate than they do now.

***

Speaking of live shows, it wasn’t long ago where these didn’t exist any longer. The pandemic shut down touring, and finally having things back to normal from that aspect feels so great. I’ll never take that for granted again. It was not lost on me finally getting to see Cave In after last seeing them 20 years ago was a huge moment, and a really special tour. Great night of music and energy and love. Also, there was a killer triple bill of Elder, Dreadnought, and Ruby the Hatchet that was an electric evening of musically diverse performers that gave you a little taste of something different. Also, it was nice to have back local institutions Descendants of Crom and Metal Immortal Festival that can go back to being annual events we anticipate in Pittsburgh each year.  

***

Finally, I’m very excited that Bariann Tuite Smith is back running a label, the awesome Fiadh Productions. She was a driving force behind Broken Limbs Recordings (she brought awareness to bands such as the sadly dissolved Vattnet Viskar and Oak Pantheon, who we’ll hear from in January), and now with Fiadh, she’s continuing the effort not only to put out great music, but she’s also championing artists that you won’t have to expunge from your catalog due to shitty beliefs and behaviors. It’s an anti-fascist, pro-LGBTQIA+ space with proceeds from many of the records going to good, conscientious charities you can feel good about unless you’re a fucker. You never know what you’re going to get from Fiadh as you could take on black metal, death metal, doom, dungeon synth, you name it. She’s a credit to heavy metal, and I can’t wait to see what she has in store in 2

Our Pick of the Week feature almost always highlights a record out that week or the one after that we’re really excited about and want to make an extra big deal about them.  But it’s the final week of reviews for 2022, which is hard to even fathom, so this last one is something we totally missed that was released fairly recently and that we just fucking adore.

Los Angeles doom power Faetooth released their debut full-length effort “Remnants of the Vessel” at the end of October, and while I do get the bulk of every recording released each week, I didn’t get a copy of this one. In fact, I was looking at animals and chef reactions videos on TikTok (I know! I know!) while high, and I was served up a live performance from Faetooth that blew my brain out of my skull. That led me to track down their Bandcamp where I purchased “Remnants,” and it’s been in constant rotation since. The band—guitarist/vocalist Ashla Chavez Razzano, guitarist/vocalist Ari May, bassist/vocalist Jenna Garcia, drummer Rah Kanan—calls their sound “fairy doom,” and the dreamy yet blistering edge to their music could lure you into a patch of thorns. Fans into bands such as Blackwater Holylight, High Priestess, and Jex Thoth will find a ton to like on these 10 tracks and 49 minutes that are enrapturing and have no qualms about slipping a dagger into your side.

“(i) naissance” is an intro cut that basks in strings aching, the intensity slowly rising to “Echolalia” that starts solemnly before burly crushing lands, and the bruising starts to set. “On thy knees now, we fall with what we build,” rings out, jabbing deeply and leaving a mark that never goes away. Shrieks sink in their teeth as the leads burn brightly, leaving everything charred. “La Sorcière” is ominous and builds deliberately, the anguish in the singing making its presence felt. The track delves into perceived shame and women who have been put to the test, always unjustly, and that rage and fire blazes through this song. “She Cast a Shadow” has gentle guitar tapping as the darkness enshrouds, and a dreamy haze makes your head feel light. Shrieks jar as the melodies enter your veins, slinking and dripping before brutality beckons. “The roll of the tide, this lesson of disgrace, she plunges into water, her shadow engulfs the sea,” is called as moans and screams intertwine, blasting out into mystery. “(ii) limbo” is the second of three interlude tracks, this one bringing guitars clashing, voices warbling, and feedback squall digging deep into your psyche.

“Remains” dawns with a solemn pace as the singing emits pain, and the haze spreads its wings. Jolts make your teeth rattle while the dreamy essence here feels like a fever dream, whispers landing gently. Then the guitars flood over, shrieks peel back flesh, and everything melts into the earth.  “Discarnate” blisters as harsh howls wash over you, and the sludge collects and makes your footing nearly impossible. Menace and deliberate movement combine and make the energy hostile, the words, “Your heart held a holy sentiment,” draining into your mind. “Strange Ways” starts quietly as the singing emerges and takes your hand toward damnation. “Sick outside your home, in such strange ways, invoked under the floors, the procession sways,” haunts, increasing the darkness, making the fog in front of you seem impossible to survive. “(iii) moribund” is the final interlude, balancing gliding strings and turntable-style static spitting, turning toward apocalyptic closer “Saturn Devouring His Son,” a standout track saved for the end. This is the longest track, running 9:31, and everything feels morbid as the words, “First the head and then the bod’, and half his blood spills down the jaw,” make it feel like the world is ending. Emotions swell as the playing goes from gentle to cataclysmic, the aforementioned words continuing to repeat, paying an emotional toll that could cost you your heart and mind.

“Remnants of the Vessel” is one of those records you’ll always remember the first time you hear it, and Faetooth have something incredibly special with their first full-length that should be a building block to greater things. The way the band weaves their doomy tales and colors that with metallic trauma can feel disarmingly tranquil, and their delivery packs even more of a punch, which is terrifying to realize. You’re always going to miss out on really good records during a year, because there’s just so much to consider, but I’m grateful “Remnants” came into our orbit, and there it’ll stay forever.   

For more on the band, go here: https://www.facebook.com/faetoothband

To buy the album, go here: https://faetooth.bandcamp.com/album/remnants-of-the-vessel

For more on the label, go here: https://www.facebook.com/dunealtar/

I’m endlessly amazed by people who run RPG-related podcasts they devote to entire campaigns and others that do gaming on outlets such as Twitch where an audience can watch folks play videogames. I’m capable of neither of these things. I blame undiagnosed ADHD for my lack of attention to the plotlines of an RPG and mediocre skills playing videogames, but I still love them both.

My inferiority complex came rushing back with “The Side Quest,” a split effort combining Bay Area thrashers Dungeon Crawl and Midwestern-based traditional heavy metal crushers Throne of Iron. This collection itself is a bit of a side adventure as the bands navigate between larger proper releases (Dungeon Crawl released “Roll for Your Life” in 2021; Throne of Iron dropped “Adventure One” in 2020), and it provides newcomers to one or both a quick taste of what each brings to the massive feast table. The collection is chock full of fantastical power and metallic glory, each band delivering sounds built into the genre’s storied DNA and splashing it with their own blood and guts. This split collection is undeniably fun as fuck.

“Minions of a Dark Master” starts the Dungeon Crawl section amid a synth swirl that makes it feel like being locked into deep space as the strangeness feels its way through the mist, bathing in dramatic winds before leading into “Where the Coin Falls” that changes the pace immediately. Riffs dig in and trudge as guitarist/vocalist Codie Jones’ nasty howls send jolts down your spine, blistering with heavy fire. Gang-shouted singing colors the chorus, filth is driven hard on the verses, and wild shouts make the blood rush in the heat of battle. “Critical Failure” starts with a clip from “Mazes and Monsters,” a 1982 film starring some complete unknown named Tom Hanks, and then it’s full-on destruction mode. The vocals are spat out, the guitars are speedy and grisly, and bludgeoning thrashing makes this adventure potentially bruising. Leads flurry and search, scorching wills before disappearing in ash. Finally, “Chained to the Grave” tears open with a devastating riff, raspy howls, and a rowdy chorus that ignites with adrenaline. Melodies soar in the stratosphere as scathing cries scrape at wounds, and everything comes to a jarring end.

As for Throne of Iron, opening is “Gods of Liquid Gold” that I’m pretty sure isn’t about mac and cheese, but we can dream. The riffs stampede as Thomasson’s mighty singing soars, driving toward a fiery chorus that directs the emotion into your chest. Double kick drums pummel as the guitars spill and flood, the chorus rips back, and everything ends in a quake. “Curse of the Lightningmancer” starts already in hyperdrive as the playing gallops viciously, and the chorus once again is packed with metallic glory as guitarist/vocalist Tucker Thomasson wails, “Lightning wizard, strike you down!” The drumming reverberates through the earth as howls and shrieks strike, and the soloing brings and extra jolt of electricity that really works in the punishment. “Tricksters” is the final cut and opens in full-on classic heavy metal thunder, chugging and charring, making your heart rate increase. The playing here is storming and energetic as the soloing chars faces, and the tempo gallops with strength, feeling like an impossible force to control. As Thomasson sings of combatants doing battle in his head, amplifying the panic, the sonic force behind the words are daggers that push deep inside your heart, with everything ending with a cat purring aggressively. I mean, obviously.

“The Side Quest” is a tremendous adventure pitting two bands in Dungeons Crawl and Throne of Iron that are like minded but approach their metallic brews from different directions. Not only is this the perfect way to get a good introduction to two bands that likely are flying beneath a lot of radars, it’s an exciting collection that feels right whether its dice or a beer in your hands. Metal fans of every stripe can unite over this fucker and have a bloody good time while indulging in these sinister sounds.

For more on Dungeon Crawl, go here: https://dungeoncrawlofficial.bandcamp.com/album/the-side-quest

For more on the Throne of Iron, go here: https://www.facebook.com/throneofiron/

To buy the album, go here: https://wisebloodrecords.bandcamp.com/album/the-side-quest

For more on the label, go here: https://wisebloodrecords.com/

There aren’t many art forms where something disgusting and disturbing can be a good thing and a selling point. Horror movies fall into this category quite obviously because the bloodier and more nauseating the visuals and story, the better. It’s the same thing for death metal where the closer you come to puking your guts’ contents, the better chance you have to succeed.

While they’re only two EPs into their run, New Orleans bashers Congealed Putrescence have a stranglehold on creating music that is foul, morbidly offensive, and unforgivably brutal. Their latest EP is “Within the Ceaseless Murk,” a four-track, 12-minute stomach wrencher that requires little of your time but all of your damaged psyche. The band—vocalist/bassist Steven Hendricks, guitarists Ian Hennessey and Matthew Moorin, drummer Alex Babineaux—piles enough carnage and tyranny into this release to give you an appetizer of what they do so well but also leave you with a little hunger left over, the intestines-churning torment you just suffered aside.

“Advection” opens with the drums rupturing muscles and sludgy death becoming a major factor, the growls crushing your bones. Guitars swelter and deliver a southern swagger, pummeling and destroying, spiraling out in menace. “Gelid Fathomless Suffering” brings twisted riffs and drums leaving blood splashing on pavement, the shrieks peeling paint from the walls. Guitars fire up anew as the bass brings rubbery dexterity, and then fire erupts, the playing hitting dangerous levels of intensity before finally giving way to solace. “Suffocating Brain” punishes right away with the guitars generating oppressive heat, and the growls gnawing into your nervous system. The playing steams and gives off attitude, flooding over and creating molten thrashing that drives everything into the earth. Closer “Burning Off” arrives with warping riffs and vile howls as the playing tramples everything in its path. A thick bassline acts like a steel spinal cord, the soloing melts, the burly thrashing slams home the final nails.

You need a little less than 12 minutes to take on “Within the Ceaseless Murk,” but doing so will be a total test of your strength as Congealed Putrescence throw a lot at you in just four songs. Pain and suffering combine with death and torment to make a formidable unit capable of destroying psyches, and just one trip will leave you with bruising both physical and mental. I can only imagine the damage they’ll do with a proper full-length.   

For more on the band, go here: https://congealedputrescence.bandcamp.com/

To buy the album, go here: https://caligarirecords.storenvy.com/products/36256753-congealed-putrescence-within-the-ceaseless-murk-cal-195

For more on the label, go here: http://www.caligarirecords.com/

Growing up in the 1980s, two things were burned into our brains: Marijuana was a gateway drug that would either kill you or have you hopelessly addicted to heroin and cocaine imminently, and that Russia and the United States were bitter enemies that would potentially slaughter each other and end the world in nuclear holocaust. Metal…

Obviously the U.S. and Russia still are openly hostile when it comes to government relations, but the people who live in those countries do not hate each other. Why would we? Oh, and marijuana is the deadliest drug on earth. That’s just science. But today, we have a split from Russian force Gosudar and American crushers Malignant Altar proving we can all come to an understanding under the banners of doom and death metal. This five-track collection brings these forces from across the planet together and delivers a forceful display as destructive as any warhead and warps you from the inside out. Gosudar are a little grimier and delve deep in the doomier waters whereas Malignant Altar serve death metal as scathing and menacing as they come. It’s a perfect match.      

Gosudar opens with “Mortified Transformation” that instantly jams you into a murky haze before doom and death sprawl, and the growls aim to gut you alive. The playing trudges while the leads scorch, making way for muddy, clubbing fury and the vocals slithering through viscous waters. Animalistic howls sever nerves as the tempo slows but remains heavy, and everything is crushed totally and completely as the air is forced from your lungs. “Domination of Irreality” fades in and begins mashing, the growls pummeling as the earth moves beneath everything. Filth piles up as the stress multiplies, the drums crush, and the vocals wretch before the playing explodes. Chaos erupts while the guitars drill into rock, growls maul, and everything ends in blackened brutality.

Malignant Altar starts with “Malfeasance (Inexorable Enmity)” that explodes in a death metal assault, the riffs entangling as the growls explode and spatter. Your sanity is mangled as the leads catch fire, and doom horns signal the fear you’ve held deep inside coming to pass as molten terror flexes its muscles. Atmospheric strangeness lands as the guitars fire away, drilling everything into the heart of the blaze.   “The Awakening of the Majestic Darkness” is their take of the Imprecation track from the 1993 EP “Sigil of Baphomet.” It’s vile and molten, evil and in the midst of slaughter, a devastating version of a track that had a major impact on the band and underground death metal, as punishing a tribute possible.

Over these hostile 28 minutes, Gosudar and Malignant Altar prove bands from entirely different worlds can speak the same language when it comes to death and doom filth. There’s nary a moment to breathe, and over these four tracks, your mind will suffer mental wounds you can’t easily soothe. This split drips with ill intent, bathing in nothing but blood and guts.

For more on Gosudar, go here: https://www.facebook.com/gosudardeath/

For more on Malignant Altar, go here: https://malignantaltar.bandcamp.com/

To buy the album, go here: https://www.mesacounojo.com/shop/gosudar-malignant-altar-split-12/

Or here: https://www.rottedlife.com/all-products

For more on the label, go here: https://www.mesacounojo.com/

And here: https://www.rottedlife.com/

I don’t know how many bands were formed from kids kicking and striking each other, but we know that number isn’t zero. This isn’t as bad or as objectionable as it might sound on the surface as we’re not here to encourage youth violence. In this case, we’re talking about kids learning Tae Kwon Do, and how one particular class led us to Ready for Death.

Vocalist Artie Thomas and guitarist Dallas Thomas both had their kindergarten-aged kids in the same class, and later on, the two got to know of each other’s background as Thomas did vocals in Indecision, Millhouse, and Concrete Cross, while Thomas played with Pelican, Asschapel, and Swan King. That birthed Ready for Death and their self-titled debut record that’s a raucous, smashing collection of 10 tracks that dabble in death metal, hardcore, punk, and thrash spread over an economical 22 minutes. The band—rounded out by guitarist Dan Binaei (Racetraitor, Haggathorn), bassist/backing vocalist Luca Cimarusti (Annihilus), and drummer Shawn “The Beast” Brewer (Haggathorn)—wasted no time whipping this frenzy together, with the lyrics based on a sci-fi dystopia where two cosmic forces battle for the bones of a nuclear-ravaged earth. It’s a fast, furious great time that spills blood and crushes bones.

“Vaporized” is an opening blast that crushes you fast and effectively, mangling with relentless power and sooty madness that churns inside your belly. “Blackmasker” brings spiraling guitars and mangling howls, defacing your mental well-being and bringing a boiling pace that amplifies the humidity. The chorus is simple but effective, blackness spreads its wings, and everything ends in filth. “Chamber of Disease” rips by, thrashing and stomping, aiming to gut you alive with sharp riffs and ugly power that makes everything feel awful inside. “Cyborg Priest” is fun as fuck as strange howls meet up with black metal-style melodies and storming terror that has its way with you. Things gets daring and stabbing, the leads blaze, and the rowdy gang shouts of, “Cyborg priest!” are impossible to remove from your brain. “Synthezoid Warrior” flattens with devastating riffs and drums destroy, and infectious energy shoots through your veins. Deliberate thrashing changes the pace a bit, the playing twists muscles, and the final blows leave you gasping.

“Savior Sinner” is speedy with wild shrieks and a storming assault, pushing and bruising with no sign of mercy. “Church of the Nuclear Bomb” trudges as rapid-fire howls devastate, and darkness is abound, the simple, effective chorus feeling like the earth is imploding and swallowing you into that gaping maw. “Wasteland of Peace” is dark and sooty, a change of pace that leans more on increasing the threatening shadows than destroying your spine. Not that the track holds back at all as it scorches and scars, rubbing your face in the bloody mud puddles. “Worldwide Blackout” packs a punk edge and wastes no time kicking up dust, the leads adding strange new colors. Harsh howls drive in the daggers, the playing pounds, and the final moments burn off into a vapor cloud. Closer “Microchip Mutilation” is the epic of the bunch at 3:34, and it immediately plasters, adding some hardcore toughness and mauling chaos that wastes no time spilling over. “I rip myself apart,” White howls as deadly thrashing sinks in its teeth, and brain-voiding heat ends worlds.

Leave it to little kids kicking and punching to spawn an exciting and devastating new band, but that’s what we have with Ready for Death and their monstrous debut offering. These tracks are fast and effective, stripped of excess, and go straight for your neck with no concerns for your health. This is a promising project, one that has sharp teeth, misleading hooks, and plenty of aggressive blows to leave you prone on the ground, aimlessly trying to defend yourself.  

To buy the album, go here: https://www.facebook.com/readyfordeathband/

To buy the album, go here: https://translationloss.com/products/ready-for-death

For more on the label, go here: https://translationloss.com/

Music is often described as cinematic and, while I didn’t do a search for the word on this site because I didn’t feel like it, I’ve definitely used the descriptor for plenty of bands and records. But most often that’s just because it’s a useful term to use to describe something that takes you out of your reality and into something dramatic and picturesque.

Sometimes artists intend that effect such as The Atomic Bomb Audition, whose run the past nearly two decades has been loaded with the intent to create something that should accompany a story on a movie screen. That was their focus when the band got going in 2004, but in 2022, a decade after their last release, they’re back with “Future Mirror,” a record that keeps their big vision intact but also packs that in with enough emotion and hooks to capture any heavy music fan. The band—guitarist/vocalist Alee Karim, bassist/vocalist Jason Hoopes, drummer/multi-instrumentalist Brian Gleeson, and The Norman Conquest, responsible for synthesizers, wurlitzer, Hammond B3, ARP 2600, farfisa, ARP Solina, Prophet 5, Eurorack modular, vocals—dug in and created something that makes your heart race but also maintains their storytelling tendencies. This record could charm listeners who embrace rock, metal, prog, you name it, and there’s so much richness baked in, it’s impossible to come away unaffected.

“Render” opens in a doomy soup, thick and bubbling, hearty singing getting deep into your bones. The guitars flood and amplify the emotion, spirited drubbing gets your juices flowing, and the keys blip, driving this thing deep into the cosmos. “Night Vision” could be the breakout of this collection, the bass driving hard, the guitars absolutely glimmering. The hidden gem here is the chorus, an energetic burst as you’re hit with the call, “It’s so dark but I know you can’t see me,” a refrain that will stick in your brain. There’s an undeniable late-era Rush vibe that fills with energy, and this whole thing is a blast of adrenaline.  “WNGTIROTSCHDB” is a brief interlude with Twisted Sister’s “I Wanna Rock” dreamily buried deep within it, creating a strange aura that hangs around for a while. “Dream Flood” quivers in place, the bass reverberating, the keys giving off a psyche sheen. The sludge collects as the synth mesmerizes, a gritty chorus spits cinders, and the guitars slice through and add to the doom cloudiness.

“Golden States, Pt. 1” arrives amid guitars buzzing and the keys haunting, giving off an uneasy apocalyptic feel, as if there was a comfortable version of that. Militaristic drumming paces as the synth turns in alien frigidity, the power jolts, and everything turns breezy and fades off. “…Spells” is a strange interlude that contains children singing a song about witches and Halloween, moving through your mind and making reality seem unattainable. “Haunted Houses” follows, naturally, the longest track here at 9:56. Guitars drip as the playing slowly spreads, drone firing up and blackening, your imagination running wild. Doomy mauling begins the bruising as the vocals swelter with the wailing of, “You don’t know what you can’t see,” a sentiment that’s repeated throughout. The guitars scuff as a psychedelic edge cuts, an admission of, “I’m still afraid of ghosts,” strikes, and the playing amplifies your lingering fears. Closer “More Light” runs 8:36 and brings haunting guitars and gentler singing, the power gradually becoming a bigger factor. “Nothing changes what’s been done, there’s no way back to the past,” resonates as the words circulate in your head, the energy feeling not unlike Cave In’s spacier moments. Finally, the power bristles, emotions race to the surface, and the blood eventually runs dry.

It’s really difficult to put a finger on what “Future Mirror” feels like, as it’s all over the map in a really good, creative way. The Atomic Bomb Audition have made what’s likely their most approachable material to date, but they did so by leaving in the intricacy and challenges, making sure they expand your mind along the way. This is a record that certainly lives outside of metal’s terrain but will find favor within that world. It’s capable of so much more than boundaries offer, and it excels because of its ingenuity and heart.

To buy the album, go here: https://www.facebook.com/theatomicbombaudition

To buy the album, go here: https://theatomicbombaudition.bandcamp.com/album/future-mirror