Hello Decibel readers!
This week’s installment of new releases comes swarming at you with death, death, and more death metal! Ok, well there’s one black metal release to start off, but otherwise, it’s “ough”-powered energy all the way down. As usual, I’ve included Bandcamp tracks, along with Apple Music streaming links where available.
However, don’t forget the support labels like Caligari and Redefining Darkness that mostly stick to Bandcamp and physical releases. The soul of the metal scene lives in small, underground labels that propel our cult favorites into giants. So when you’re making your decisions on what to support (if you can!), make sure to keep the basement companies and after-hours labors of love in your minds.
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Calligram- The Eye Is the First Circle
Sublimely violent black metal from the UK. Check out our full album stream and interview, in which the band’s lead singer declares that “Death, chaos and absurdity lay the foundations for existence and embracing this truth is the only authentic way to be human.”
Stream: Apple Music
Cordyceps- Betrayal
If you’re not sure what to expect here, I’ll give you a nice clue: it’s on Unique Leader. This album is practically gushing with brutality: gurgling vocals, blastbeats, chugga-chugga riffs, and pinch harmonics. I might not always be in the mood for this, but it’s good to have it on hand for the right moment.
Stream: Apple Music
Like Rats- Death Monolith
According to our own wonderful Shawn Macomber, Death Monolith is “likely one of the most interesting and fully realized extreme releases of the year so far—adventurous, gritty, enlivening and catchy enough to have you mashing that play button like a rat in a brain stimulation reward experiment. Just with sick riffs instead of stale food.” Indeed, if you’re into Domination-era Morbid Angel but wish it had grittier production, this album is packed with jams.
Stream: Apple Music
Noroth- It Dwells Amongst Us
Dark as a pitch-black basement at midnight, Noroth locks you into a nightmare of riff-infused terror. According to the band’s founder, Mike, “I wanted [It Dwells Amongst Us] to be bleak and crushing. To reflect our dark lyrics. It came out as I imagined.” If you like Dawn of Possession, Onward to Golgotha and Blessed Are the Sick, you’ll find a lot to love here.
Sovereign- Neurotic
Sovereign is for the primitive among us. By that I mean those ragers who like their death with noticeable traces of thrash left over: speed, palm-muted tremolo attacks, and no studio-driven frills. If you like to stand on that precipice of Seven Churches but don’t want to leap fully into Scream Bloody Gore, stand with Sovereign.
