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!
Inksterium's Iridescent Impression
Beneath a Steel Sky’s debut, Cleave, goes far beyond being just another album title. Divided into two distinct sides, like an existential sandwich, this post rock/post metal debut seems carefully structured. It’s an A and B. It’s a start and a finish. It’s a rock and a metal. Two sides, one post-y sky!
Cosmo's Chaotic Curveball
The sun’s shining, birds are chirping, and — wait, what’s that smell? A new pile of stinky hardcore-infused death metal, of course. Mutagenic Host, after releasing one demo, lurch back onto the scene nearly five years later with their debut full length The Diseased Machine. So, are your playlists ready to fire this machine up and see what spits out?
Anti-Peat Perplexing Positions
Stretching beyond melodeath’s greatest works is a long tail of releases that are banal, toothless, or some combination thereof. In theory, The Halo Effect’s roster of In Flames alumni fronted by Dark Tranquillity’s Mikael Stanne is great news for people hoping for more gems. But if you can hear their riffs from a mile away, how can their march be so silent?
In hindsight, I should have paid more attention to the album cover. Paolo Girardi has represented the void’s revelations as being all eyes, tendrils, and what I believe is referred to in these parts as “patented space-bunghole”. It hints at a band going for a big, disturbing sound more than what is commonly remembered from the '90s doom-death scene. Never judge a void by its cover.
Bobo's Brainless Bearing
Black metal as an ingredient can be very interesting if added in reasonable quantities. Listening to Sciomancy, Malediction & Rites Abominable felt like sifting through a promising pile of raw ingredients that never quite form any edible dish. Guess Bobo’s not eating any time soon.
