Rolling 2022 Metal Thread

Johnny Z, aka Jon Zazula passed away. Without his vision and efforts metal would be a lot different now.

aw :(

I'm one of the Venom Prison backers around these parts, and their new one just dropped.

first few tracks a bit surprising in there's occasional clean vocals, use of synths in the background, slightly more accessible riffs, not quite as raw as previous VP.

but it's pretty effectively used overall! this definitely feels like a pivot a bit to more grandiose things, will probably piss off the fans that want them to do Samsara-esque stuff forever.

but so far I'm enjoying them feeling out this new territory. production IS a little antiseptic, but that's....a lot of metal these days.

almost feels like their Heartwork, not in sound, but in scope, and difference in relation to previous material (as well as increased accessibility without 'dumbing down' the material)

Looking forward to listening to the Venom Prison!

I have been listening to the new Saxon album that came out. It's pretty typical of latter-period Saxon releases - very solid, classic metal feel, Biff still has that distinctive voice.

I'll be buying it.

Yeah, this Venom Prison is fucking great!

Anyone know what's up with the Rise Above label? They've never really kept up with social media or updating their site, even at the best of times, but it seems to have gone eerily silent. It looks like they had another Electric Wizard vinyl reissue last year, but otherwise haven't released an album since September of 2020.

New Mares of Thrace! This is really really good sludge/something? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AcgzNapaM7I

a few new releases just dropped on the new stanard elite bandcamp:
https://newstandardelite.bandcamp.com/

baalsebub bringing more slamming grooves with their signature pornographic levels of snare ping. find that this all goes down much easier with a 15min runtime. last track rules.

the cenotaph is quite fun too. lots of pinch harmonics, twangin bass, and blast beats.

Good release day last Friday... Napalm Death EP, Voivod, Zeal & Ardor... Some smaller bands put out things I liked as well.

There are about three black metal albums I like. Immortal's Sons of Northern Darkness is one of them. Since it turns 20 this month, I wrote about it.

Foo Fighters did a death metal song as part of that horror movie the band is doing.

Although I have little hope for the movie, the song is... Actually kinda fun.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pj8XbTDBhXc

Holy hell this new Earthless. I love this.

god, the intro on the new Immolation is so fucking sinister. it's not like Atonement, that just begins, it builds to an ominous gong here and then onto what they do best.

abstract riffs and nightmares.

also Ross's voice always sounds great

only thing I'm not so warm about is the production, which is a little too sterile on the geetarz for my liking. but it's been like that for a bit and that's a minor quibble.

i have bought every one of their albums on drop date going back to Close to a World Below and it never disappoints.

immolation is the most consistent metal discog, y/n

hard y

the only album I seem to recall people saying "this is definitely below their usual standard" was Harnessing Ruin, which I didn't quite get, I loved that album, though the cover was stupid looking.

i have to adimt it was fun driving by a Baptist church last night with this blaring

immolation not only the best east coast "shun" death metal band (suffocation, incantation, um... malevolent creation?) but quite possibly the best death metal band

They're definitely the most consistent. Suffocation has higher peaks (Pierced From Within, Pinnacle of Bedlam), and Incantation's Diabolical Conquest is an absolute classic, but Immolation's whole catalog ranges from "really fucking good" to "holy fucking shit". The album before this one was amazing. I think this one is really fucking good but also a little overlong. Eleven songs in 40 minutes would have been fine - fifteen tracks in 52 minutes is too much.

agreed on atonement, that's right up there with close to a world below for me

also, pinnacle of bedlam, hell yeah. feel like that one might get overlooked because it's one of their later records with a goofy cover. but it's incredible.

yeah it is a wee bit longer than I usually like but I'll tolerate it.

I think Here in After is also an underappreciated one. came after their 'classic' (which let's be honest, Dawn of Possession is fantastic, but it was the band playing a completely different style of death metal, which, had they continued down that path, would have eventually made them like literally every other 90s death metal band. Here in After is where they said "lol, it's been five years, and we are completely different now".

Failures for Gods is the weirdest produced one. double bass drum on every beat, and it was clicky, and the guitars sounded a little like farts

it's also one of my favorites

it is a bit weird that it's 15 tracks. that beats their previous high of 12, on Majesty and Decay.

not really any filler tho. hard to complain when every track smokes. “derelict of spirit,” holy moly.

I wrote a full review.

Phil Kusabs aka VK of Qrixkuor, Vassafor, Diocletian, apparently (according to one source) pleads guilty to distribution of child sexual abuse imagery: https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/300524972/death-metal-musician-admits-sharing-child-sex-abuse-material

oh fucking hell

(he also played bass for the Chills on one tour, just for the record)

If you just heard the Blood Incantation ambient synth record, Timewave Zero, cold, you would have no idea it's by Blood Incantation. It consists of two 20-minute, four-part suites that are pure synth atmospheres, and not even particularly "dark" or "heavy"; they remind me of some of the soundtrack stuff Steve Moore of Zombi has done. Not as melody-focused as, say, Klaus Schulze, and totally drumless. I like it, but I listen to a fair amount of endless cosmic synth stuff anyway. People likely to sit down with this one and just angrily think BUT WHY NO RIFFS? for 40 minutes should just not bother with it at all.

I am anxiously awaiting my copy of that to show up this weekend, really excited for it.

I really, really enjoyed the rage over at Angry Metal Guy over it. The review itself wasn't bad, the writer was pretty fair about how far out of his wheelhouse this was, but the comments are gold.

picked up the new Embryonic Devourment and Corpsegrinder solo album, starting with CG.

That is, uh, some cover art for the Embryonic Devourment album.

so far CG doesn't sound like a CC carbon copy, which is cool. little more melodic.

I was gonna ask if this was the first death vocalist to go solo (which I'm sure it's not), but also Six Feet Under is basically Chris Barnes solo by now

just noticed that two of the lizard people are Trump and Kim Jong-Il

And Putin!

And I think the Queen and I'm not sure if far right guy is supposed to be Biden.

oh is that who it is? I was thinking "dad from Alf"

CG album is fun like I expected. songs a bit verse/chorus/verse-y though.

not really 'necessary' but glad to have it nonetheless.

xpost - haha, I'm actually not sure, it also kinda looks a little like prez Bush senior too

Getting a promo for a new Sabaton album on a day when there's an actual invasion/war happening in Europe really drives home how hard Sabaton's music fucking sucks.

excited for a new batch of inzanejohnny Blood Incantation memes

i'm gonna peep the BI ambient album soon.

Sabaton has been a case of slowly diminishing returns, but Carolus Rex is legit one of the best metal albums of the previous decade.

Listened to the new Scorpions record out of obligation, not expecting much, but hey, it's pretty good!

It runs a little long but has some good high points: "Peacemaker" in particular is a total jam.

I just purchased the 2xLP Isolation released by New Hampshire Post-Metal group KYOTY.

http://i1.wp.com/distortedsoundmag.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Isolation-KYOTY.jpg?resize=768%2C762&ssl=1

The band spent the COVID lockdown digitally releasing a stream of singles. This LP compiles all of them and tacks on one new song. It's only the second full-length release for a band that has been around since 2010.

Over at @invisoranges, @tednubel hyped me to KYOTY. The New Hampshire instrumental sludgy post-metal has a dark accessibility to it, falling somewhere between Neurosis and Tool; in a world of COVID-compelled darkness, they search for light and find it.https://t.co/RIuflQIkcL

— Brian O'Neill (@NYC__Native) February 26, 2022

The band has released a string of videos as well. Clips and links to full album streams below...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AmIJDPxMGjc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y2dlui4G9DI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y2dlui4G9DI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S_Ca65z3XQk

http://open.spotify.com/album/1imbw9BG6kokDfR0enPbPQ?si=fNmUOIIOSe-yPI4wWa31IA
http://kyoty.bandcamp.com/album/isolation