While the absolute majority of the promos that I am receiving for review are metal related, I am noticing that the genre variety is becoming broader. This month I am happy to include a versatile collection of new albums covering different areas of the extreme sound like Doom, Death, Black and Hardcore.
Starting with two releases from a genre that I am not in general the biggest fan of (Doom and all its stoner-sludge subgenres that is) but nevertheless I could not deny the virtues of them and not present them in this post...
Crawl Below - Its Ministers On Earth
Crawl Below are a one man band from New England and as they/he mention(s) in their press release, they play New England music about New England. I am not sure if I understand what exactly this means however their Doom metal incorporates a rich variety of elements such as Hardcore, Black and Death metal and even shoe-gaze. Someone could attempt to "brand" this as post-Doom but what in my opinion is important and adds to the quality of the music are the beautiful melodies which eventually make Its Ministers On Earth a highly enjoyable album rather than an obscure one...
Purple Dawn - Peace & Doom Session Vol. II
Continuing in the same (musical) territory but this time with a more traditional and psychedelic 70s Hard Rock twist we have the new album by Purple Dawn. Here the reference point is obviously Black Sabbath and of course as it was expected the highlight is the exceptional work in the riffs. Thankfully (at least for myself) Peace & Doom Sessions Vol. II avoids falling into the "stoner trap" and remains focused in the retro 70s sound. Clearly a yes from me...
krvvla - x
krvvla come from Belorussia with x being their new release after one album and another EP over the past four years. They play a modern hybrid of Post and dissonant Black metal and while their sound is far from the orthodox Black metal there is not any slight suspicion of hipsterism or sell out here resulting in one of the most extreme albums that I have heard in the recent months. x is THAT good that I am sure that it will most probably make it in my year end list.
Beyond The Styx - Sentence
And here's the first great Hardcore album for 2022 ! Beyond The Styx, come from France and the first band that they brought to my mind are their compatriots Kickback. While the resemblance is mainly in the vocals on the music aspect things are heavy (really heavy I must say) with plenty of Beatdowns and Gang vocals. Sentence will not revolutionise Hardcore music but will give to the listener opportunities for plenty good friendly violent fun in a real or an imaginary moshpit...
Spill Your Guts - The Wrath It Takes
Spill your Guts are an international band based in Shanghai ! Their music reminded me of Kvelertak as it is a mixture of Modern punk, black metal and rock roll with plenty of blast beats. Maybe not the most original material that a listener can find out-there but still highly enjoyable. And btw hats off to their singer who despite being Russian stays on the right side of history saying things with their name...
Fall Of Stasis - The Chronophagist
Fall of Stasis are a Canadian band which play symphonic death metal with folk and modern metal elements. Pretty bold combination I would say which nevertheless works well, making The Chronophagist a very accessible album with the songs having a very smooth flow and which in parts it even reminded me Cradle of Filth of Median era (yes this is the level of catchiness that we are speaking about here). Not for purists but rather a very good way to initiate someone in extreme metal...
Neuropsy - Vivisection of the Demented
I am not sure if the Vivisection of the Demented can be classified as EP or LP but with the guitar work being so exceptionally good I had no second thoughts about putting the new release from Portuguese technical Death metal band in this months recommendations.
Post Mortal Possession - Valley of the Starving
Post Mortal Possession on the other hand avoid many modernisms and deliver straight forward US Death Metal which maybe brutal and "in your face" but also allows some hints of melody to come to surface.
Golgothan - Leech
Last but not least, Gologthan present a mix of death and black metal which is sometimes brutal and sometimes more groovy and even flirting with djent. The good thing is that these sonic acrobatics remain coherent and interesting rather than cringy...
#CrawlBelow #PurpleDawn #krvvla #BeyondTheStyx #SpillYourGuts #FallofStasis #Neuropsy #PostMortalPossession #Golgothan