Our This Week in Metal post collects our thoughts on music released in or around this week in the music world. We cover mostly metal, but we consider other genres to allow our writers poseur flexibility. Follow us on Instagram too!
Scuttlegoat’s Curmudgeonly Critiques
Nuclear Power Trio – Wet Ass Plutonium
Metal Blade Records ~ Jazz Fusion / Instrumental Metal / Shred
Bandcamp // Facebook
A big part of the DNA of your average Shred band nowadays is inspired by the “Big Dick Lick” Shredders of the 80s. But even more recently, guitar nerds have been smitten by the wave of late 70s/early 80s Japanese Fusion Guitarists, including the race car aesthetics of Cassiopeia and the more laid back attitude of faux-Brasilian Surfer Boy Masayoshi Takanaka—a favorite in the house of Goat. High Octane Sega Genesis Metal.
Metalligatorrr’s Chomping Commentaries
Grand Cadaver – Deities of Deathlike Sleep
Majestic Mountain Records ~ Death Metal
Bandcamp // Facebook
For all the talented people involved in Grand Cadaver (featuring members from Dark Tranquility and Katatonia, among other bands), their mission statement is simple: to write Death Metal songs that are conceived spontaneously and quickly, letting their passion for the music guide the way. Grand Cadaver are anything but sleepy.
Massen – Gentle Brutality
Apostasy Records ~ Melodic Death Metal / Melodic Black Metal / Folk Metal
Bandcamp // Facebook
A hazard of venturing into deeper waters of dissonance and the more extreme ends of Metal is that these genres have a hard time impressing on that end as they have to balance melody and heaviness. Despite this I still enjoy melody, groove, and selectively catchy material but drift away from things that mix in overt aspects of Pop melody. Bands like Massen are instantly fighting an uphill battle for my interest, then. But this Belarus duo ain’t Massen around.
Soen – Memorial
Silver Lining Music ~ Alternative Rock / Metal / Pop
Official site // Facebook
Soen’s inspirations always seemed clear to our Metalligator. Tool laid the base for their debut and Opeth’s best ex-drummer, Martin Lopez, has been a member from the start. 2019’s Lotus, however, revealed itself as a watershed moment, Soen sounding more confident than ever… but Soen‘s in the kitchen with Dinah…
Cosmo’s Chaotic Curveballs
Blut aus Nord – Disharmonium: Nahab
Debemur Morti Productions ~ Psychedelic / Industrial Black Metal
Bandcamp // Facebook
I’m convinced that Vindsval, the figure behind peerless enigmatic Black Metal entity Blut aus Nord, picks which styles they want the next BaN album to sound on a whim. On any album, the listener could face beautiful Atmospheric or Melodic Black Metal, such as on one of the Memoria Vetusta albums or 2019’s Hallucinogen.
Exmortus – Necrophony
Nuclear Blast Records ~ Death-Thrash Metal / Shred
Official site // Facebook
Crammed full of guitar solos and Neoclassical wank, Slave to the Sword was one of the best and most-listened to albums for a High School-aged Cosmo. Now, nine years and two albums since that release, Exmortus returns fresh to Nuclear Blast with Necrophony after a couple releases on Prosthetic Records. Is this one to add to the list of Exmortus successes or does this signing to a major label signal a watered-down sound for a wider audience? Slave to the wank.
