The Link-Up Spell: Open the Gates for 2018 music!
Share the records you’re waiting for in 2018 in the first edition of The Link-Up Spell of this year!
First, greetings to everyone at the Toilet ov Hell once again! I send my best of vibes and wishes to all those who visit this magical cyber home during this 2018.
2017 is finally gone and we welcome with open arms this New Year, but the adventures are lurking near, waiting to engulf us on this complex labyrinth we call life. What challenges are we going to face? Who are we going to meet next?
To us, part of the Toilet ov Hell crew, one key aspect of our story is certain: music will be one of our companions this year.
Bands and artists appear and disappear like star clusters, but our devotion towards the magical force of music pushes us to connect ourselves with greater worlds and sceneries through new bard’s tales.
Having poorly said all this mumbo-jumbo, my main objective today is asking you, my friend: What are you waiting for most during this 2018? Which albums you predict will rock out your end-year list?
At least for me, I believe this year will be, perhaps, a little bit more shy in terms of music releases than it was the case with 2016 and 2017, but there is no shortage of ripping bands that will be punishing my elfic ears with their malevolent serenades and exquisite sounds.
The black riders of Summoning open up the gates of this year with chants contained on the codex With Doom We Come. The duo comprised of Protector and Silenius quietly channeled greater magic after their incredible Old Mornings Dawn. I am more than prepared to battle with the evocative sounds of these black metal masters. Mark with me the fifth moon of January to acquire this trinket!
I have high hopes with new Pestilence album, Hadeon. I mean, these guys confronted the plagiarism shock with the artwork like fine gentleman and counterattacked the entire debacle with a sharp first single, called “Multi-Dimensional”. While it used a nasty OSDM back on the rhythm, the guitars are incredibly profound, with Patrick Mameli and my comrade Santiago Dobles trading insane riffing and licks, filtered through the cosmic hands of the Benevolent Master Dan Swäno.
Based on this sneak peek, I can only wait for my face to be melted with this mixture of old school death metal and progressive leanings. Hadeon will arrive in UFO ships this March 9th.
Back into the frozen territories of Austria, Harakiri for the Sky will drop the coin to seek fortune with the continuation of their melancholic formula. The post black metal outfit is still on their way to immortality through an unhealthy dose of hypnotic soul breaker albums.
This year, the duo will unleash Arson to this world around the month of February, with their partners in crime, the German label Art of Propaganda. Their last output, III: Trauma, is rock solid depressive metal, with the added bonus of defined sound textures and occasional malevolent hooks, albeit a bit long in the time running. Whatever it will be, Harakiri for the Sky serves the darkness, and they bring it in form of a massive blizzard destroying cities on the pitch black night.
Talking about one of my favorite genres, melodic death metal, I am still waiting records from The Absence and At The Gates.
As far as I remember, the Americans hired young blood thanks the extraordinaire Armageddon guitar player, Joey Concepcion, and showed talent with the single “Septic Testament”. It seems they will release their new album somewhere this year. Let’s hope so!
Meanwhile, Swedish legends At The Gates announced the Anders Björler replacement, Jonas Stålhammar, and published some photos on the studio on the band’s social media profile. Like I expressed before on my article about the writing inside their last record, At War With Reality, I am very fond of what Tomas Lindberg and the boys are going to bring in the table. This is a band that is highly compromised to their musicianship and expression, therefore I will be very happy while following their steps in this new endeavor.
Conclusively, Alice in Chains, Nifrost, Orphaned Land, the mighty Judas Priest are other names I have wrote on my notebook to find their new material.
However, now is your turn, my friend. Shoot out in the comments, what bands are preparing the albums you need in your life?
Cover art: Ted Nasmith.
The Link-Up Spell is a weekly Toilet ov Hell column about music, movies, books, retro video games and guaranteed Elfic nonsense. If you want to contact the author to send your material, mail us at toiletovhell [at] gmail.com with the subject “The Link-Up Spell” or message him on social media.
