This Toilet Tuesday (10/7/14)
Greetings, flushers! As October continues to gush forth its torrential new-release-diarrhea, W, Leif Bearikson, Stockhausen, and I remain ever-vigilant against the shitstorm to bring you the best of what the week has to offer. It’s not going to be a happy week for your wallet, but your ears will love you for it. Have at it!
Thaw – Earth Ground (Witching Hour) [Black Metal]
Thaw has been plenty busy the past couple years, giving us some demo material in 2012 that led up to a full-length in 2013, a single later that year, and then another full length due out this Friday. Earth Ground is a massive, sludgy beast of an album, hulking from the depths through a crushingly heavy production. The pacing of this album is fantastic; we’re rushed through a thickening void for a stretch, then we grind to a slow, tortured drag through swampy muck. Thankfully, Thaw never sacrifices clarity for their huge sound, and every riff is sharp enough to stab straight into your brain. Your brain will thank you later, trust me. (Stockhausen)
Godflesh – A World Lit Only By Fire (Avalanche) [Industrial]
Justin K. Broadrick and his million projects have left a permanent mark on heavy metal history. Whether you love his art or hate it, you can’t deny that he’s a major player who knows how to draw a crowd and build anticipation for new material. So, it was with bated breath that I eagerly waited for the newest Godlfesh release, A World Lit Only by Fire. Well, friends, the wait is over, and fans of Broadrick the world over can rejoice. I’ve listened to the whole album over at NPR, and let me tell you, it’s vintage, earth-shaking Godflesh in stellar form. If you aren’t a fan of Broadrick, you probably won’t like this new album. But if you, like many of us here, enjoy down-tuned crushing repetition and heavy industrial bounce, you’ll enjoy this. The album seems to be a nod to early and mid-career Godflesh, although I don’t feel that same palpable rage as permeated Streetcleaner. That said, the new 8-string is a great choice for bringing singularity levels of heaviness. Stream this album and bob your head to the hypnotic and heavy riffs. (W.)
Lo-Pan – Colossus (Small Stone) [Hard Rock]
Darkness. Despair. Depravity. Literally none of these D words describe Lo-Pan’s latest. Colossus, the 4th album from the Columbus quartet is just pure rock enjoyment filled with massive hooks and positive vibes. If you find yourself needing a break from all the bleak trveness you’ve ensconced yourself in, grab a 6 pack, hit the porch, turn up Lo-Pan and lighten up, Francis. (Leif Bearikson)
Trepalium – Voodoo Moonshine (Klonoshpere/Season of Mist) [Death Swing]
If you like Diablo Swing Orchestra (and I know that some of you nerds do), then Trepalium should be right up your alley. They bring the same amount of upbeat syncopated groove and traditional jazz instrumentation as the former, but with a slightly more wicked flair and markedly heavier vocals (read: growls). “Moonshine Limbo” is looking to be one of the most fun releases of this year. (Spear)
Lavatory – Morbid Terror (Slaughterhouse) [Death/Grind]
Lavatory are making a strong showing with their full-length debut, Morbid Terror. These Malaysian madmen toss thrashy fuzziness, punk energy, and no-nonsense death metal into a blender, set it to heavy, and let it dry into concrete. Well-placed solos give their songs a classic feel, while stomping riffs and straight-from-the-blackened-heart vocal delivery propel them in all different directions. I get impression that these guys do not mess around, so buying their album would be a wise choice. (Stockhausen)
Myopic/Torrid Husk – Crawling Mountain Apogee (Grimoire) [Black Metal]
Metal splits are always a bit of a gamble. Sometimes you love one of the bands but hate the other. Sometimes neither band is truly able to capture their trademark sound over the course of only 2 to 3 tracks, and you’re left with a mediocre final product. Not so with this split, however. Crawling Mountain Apogee features two fantastic black metal bands for the price of one. Even better, both bands are able to shine on this release. Myopic play instrumental metal heavy with thoughtful riffs and rich bass lines. This is beautiful music that evokes a serene wooded glen. Not to say that they don’t bring the heavy, but the reserved vocal approach and dynamic textures take the forefront and transport your consciousness to a happy place in the wilderness. Torrid Husk provide an interesting antithesis to the effervescent first half of the split. I’ve had my eyes on these black metal upstarts for some time, so it’s exciting to hear some new songs by them. The tremolos and blasts wash over you unrelentingly, but the evocative vocals are what really caught my attention. There’s a pained urgency on display here, and this second half sounds like a tortuous battle for survival. The two halves work together to create a binary experience that is engaging throughout. Don’t miss it. (W.)
Rigor Mortis – Slaves to the Grave (Independent) [Thrash]
The death of Mike Scaccia sent waves all throughout the metal community. I was never a big a fan of Ministry, but as a resident of DFW who has thrash pulsing through his veins, I love Rigor Mortis. Today marks the release of their final album, and Mike Scaccia’s final musical contributions, Slaves to the Grave. It is everything you could want or expect from a Rigor Mortis album, from Scaccia’s impeccable fretwork to Corbitt’s burly vocals. Stream it and love it above. (Leif Bearikson)
Abazagoroth – The Satanic Verses (Eternal Death) [Black Metal]
Listen to “The Angel Gabriel”
A Breach of Silence – The Darkest Road (Eclipse Records) [lolbuttz]
Listen to “Night Rider”
Acid Drinkers – 25 Cents for a Riff (Mystic Production) [Heavy Metal]
Listen to “25 Cents for a Riff”
Ain Sof Aur – Ophis Christos (Sulphur Records) [Death Metal]
Preview
Arcana Coelestia – Nomas (Avantgarde Music) [Black Metal]
Stream
Bethlehem – Hexekosioihexakontahexaphobia (Prophecy) [Dark Metal]
Listen to “Ein Kettenwolf greint 13:11-18”
Betrayed – Consuming Darkness (Independent) [Death Metal]
Listen to “Interment Necromancy”
BLuDDeD HEAD – Reign in Bludd (Sleeping Giant Glossolalia) [Noise/Doom]
Listen to “Fuckitdry”
Blut Aus Nord – Memoria Vetusta III: Saturnian Poetry (Debemur Morti) [Black Metal]
Listen to “Paein”
Cea Serin – The Vibrant Sound of Bliss and Decay (Generation Prog) [Mercurial Metal]
Stream
Cerebral Extinction – Inhuman Theory of Chaos (Ghastly Music) [Brutal Death Metal]
Listen to “Burned Breath”
Chainfist – Scarred (Mighty Music/Target Group) [Thrash]
Preview
Coraxo – Starlit Flame II (Independent) [Industrial]
Crucifixion BR – Destroying the Fucking Disciples of Christ (Horror Pain Gore Death) [Black Metal]
Listen to “Destroying the Fucking Disciples of Christ”
Death Valley Driver – Carnivore’s Oath (Diminished Fifth) [Doom/Hard Rock]
Stream
Drenaï – Deathwalker (Independent) [Folk Metal]
Listen to “The Last Stand”
Exodus – Blood In Blood Out (Nuclear Blast) [Thrash]
Listen to “Salt the Wound”, “Blood In, Blood Out”
Exotype – Exotype (Rise Records) [Metalcore]
Stream
The Francesco Artusato Project – Our Dying Sun (Sumerian) [Instrumental]
Listen to “Gates of Reason”
From the Vastland – Temple of Daevas (Non Serviam) [Black Metal]
Listen to “Wrath of Aeshma”
God Dethroned – The Christhunt” (reissue- VIC Records) [Death Metal]
Listen to “The Christhunt”
Hellion – Karma’s a Bitch (New Renaissance) [Heavy Metal]
Listen to “Hell Has No Fury”
Heroes of Vallentor – Warrior’s Path Part I (Inverse Records) [Power Metal]
Preview
Itnuveth – Way of the Berserker (Xtreem Music) [Viking Metal]
Preview
Korrigans – Ferocior Ad Rebellandum (Nemeton Records) [Folk/Black Metla]
Listen to “Proemio/Latium Vetus”
Like Desolate Like True – Infini Du Néant (Independent) [Blackgaze]
Madmans Esprit – Nacht (ATMF) [Depressive Black Metal]
Listen to “My Little Dark Paradise”
Maid Myriad – With Haste Upon Its Breath (Nefarious Industries) [Alt Metal]
Listen to “Be Careful What You Wish For”
Manes – Be All End All (Debemur Morti) [Experimental]
Listen to “Name the Serpent”
Manipulated Slaves – The River Without End (Slumber) [Thrash]
Mausoleum Gate – Mausoleum Gate (Cruz Del Sur) [Doom]
Listen to “Magic of the Gypsy Queen”
Monolyth – Origin (Independent) [Progressive Death Metal]
Listen to “Rupture”
Ohhms – Bloom (Holy Roar) [Stoner/Psychedelic/Post-Metal]
Listen to “Bad Seeds”
Orange Goblin – Back from the Abyss (Candlelight) [Heavy Metal]
Listen to “The Devil’s Whip”
Pyre – Human Hecatomb (Chaos Records) [Death Metal]
Listen to “Flesh to Poles”
Quartered – Eyes and Ears (Independent) [Metalcore]
Stream
Sanctuary – The Year the Sun Died (Century Media) [Progressive/Power/Thrash]
Listen to “Arise and Purify”, “Frozen”
Shadowseer – Shadowseer (Independent) [Power Metal]
Listen to “Cursed for All Time”
Single Mothers – Negative Qualities (Hot Charity/Dine Alone) [Punk]
Solitary Sabred – Redemption Through Force (Independent) [Heavy Metal]
Listen to “Sarah Lancaster (The Witch’s Breed)”
Spawning Abhorrence – The Cursed Earth (Independent) [Death Metal]
Stream
Tyranex – Unable to Tame (Black Lodge) [Thrash]
Preview
Viathyn – Cynosure (Independent) [Power Metal]
Stream
Vihaan – Invicta (Independent) [Progressive Metal]
Stream
Winterfylleth – The Divination of Antiquity (Candlelight) [Black Metal]
Listen to “The Divination of Antiquity”
Did we forget a new release? Is there a way we could improve this list? Let us know in the comments below!
(Photos VIA, VIA, VIA, VIA, VIA, VIA, and VIA)
