✦✦✧✧ This is a bit of a step down from predecessor “The Sin And The Sentence,” but there’s still plenty of the band’s metal-for-the-love-of-metal all over the album. There’s also a conspicuous accessibility in a lot of the material here that might excite the SiriusXM metal crowd, but doesn’t really do much for me. See the rest here
✦✦✦✧ This album perfectly marries the attitude of hardcore and the sound of aggressive industrial, resulting in a post-metal, post-punk triumph, reminiscent of (Arsies winners) The Armed’s “Untitled.” The riffs may not always be memorable, but the band commit to them with such gusto that it’s hard to resist their charm. See the rest here
✦✦✧✧ Thrashy death metal from this long-lived band. Fast and blistering from the jump, but there’s something doggedly retro about this sound that fails to inspire true ferocity. Oh well; at least every song on this album is less than 4 minutes long. See the rest here
✦✦✧✧ Crowbar’s founder and frontman finally puts out a solo album, to… free himself of the shackles of accessibility? I kid, because this is actually a really interesting and cohesive album that’s more experimental and emotionally well-rounded than you might expected, coming from a sludge standardbearer. See the rest here
✦✦✦✧ Lorna Shore go full-epic on their latest album, blending blistering deathcore with symphonic embellishments throughout every song (and I do mean throughout; think violin swells and choral pads behind blast beats). The back half of the album does run out of steam, but there’s plenty here to enjoy for at least 30 minutes. See the rest here
✦✧✧✧ You might hope for some radical departures from form, when getting into a double album. Not so with HSB, who just give you a double helping of fairly formulaic metalcore. Also, hey, bands: STOP PUTTING OUT DOUBLE ALBUMS. See the rest here
✦✦✦✧ Like other Australian prog bands that I happen to love, C-Horse deliver a fascinating suite of tunes that are heavy yet dynamic, with captivating vocals, unusual riffs, and tasty shredding throughout. This reminds me a lot of what I love about Leprous and Textures. I don’t know that it’d go on heavy rotation, but it’s a worthwhile listen if you get a chance. See the rest here
✦✦✧✧ Be careful what you wish for: Seminar IX does indeed have less noise-filler and more musical content, but the songs here are not as solid as the ones on Seminar IX. It also feels less like OMG and more like, well, Mutoid Man or Cave-In, frankly. I can respect the band’s commitment to underdeveloped song ideas; it’s just not for me. See the rest here
✦✦✧✧ Seemingly reusing the same template that they used for The Ape Of God, OMG released a pair of companion EPs last week. Seminar VIII (the first of the pair) is both surprisingly listenable and excruciatingly tedious, with winsome songs bookended unnecessarily by noise that doesn’t seem particularly connected to the music. See the rest here
✦✦✦✧ I did not expect this. Oranssi Pazuzu’s latest album is a blend of their previous black metal excellence, plus Nine Inch Nails? plus Steve Reich?! Also, why hadn’t I really considered how well black metal and industrial sensibilities would blend together before now? It’s potent and methodical and devastating. Run, don’t walk, to your headphones! See the rest here
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