Anticipated Albums

New Release: The Smile- Wall Of Eyes

What a good way to start the week. Today, The Smile, the band featuring Thom Yorke and Jonny Greenwood of Radiohead, and former Sons of Kemet drummer Tom Skinner) have announced their second album. Wall of Eyes, the follow-up to their superbly eclectic and quite spelendid 2022 debut, A Light for Attracting Attention, is due out January 26 via XL Recordings. This new album sees the band working Sam Petts-Davies instead of longtime producer/collaborator Nigel Godrich. The video for “Wall Of Eyes” was directed by Paul Thomas Anderson (Boogie Nights, Inherent Vice, Magnolia, etc). If you haven’t heard The Smile yet, I recommend it. There’s bits of Radiohead in it but, it’s more jazzy, funky, and quite fun. I look forward to their album being one of the first of 2024 that I listen to!

The Smile- Wall Of Eyes:

New Release: END- Gaping Wounds Of Earth

If you haven’t heard END yet, you are really missing out. Ever since I first heard their 2017 EP, From The Unforgiving Arms Of God, I’ve been hooked. Their debut full length, 2020’s Splinters From An Ever-Changing Face is one of the best heavy albums in the last decade! Now, here we are in 2023 and END has entered the room again to destroy with their new album, The Sin Of Human Frailty which features the blistering new single “Gaping Wounds Of Earth.” END is heavy through and through with bits of hardcore, black metal, grindcore, and straight up metal. Their new album will be out on October 27, 2023 via Closed Casket Activities. Do yourself a favor and listen to END!!!!!

END- Gaping Wounds Of Earth:

See END on Tour with Full Of Hell, Inter Arma, and Wake:


10/26 — Philadelphia, PA — Underground Arts 
10/27 — Baltimore, MD — Baltimore Soundstage 
10/28 — Cincinnati, OH — Legends Bar & Venue 
10/30 — Oklahoma City, OK — 89th Street 
10/31 — Austin, TX — Elysium 
11/02 — Mesa, AZ — Nile Theater 
11/03 — San Diego, CA — Brick By Brick 
11/04 — Los Angeles, CA — Lodge Room 
11/05 — San Francisco, CA — Great American Music Hall 
11/07 — Albuquerque, NM — Launchpad 
11/08 — Denver, CO — The Bluebird Theater 
11/10 — St Paul, MN — The Amsterdam 
11/11 — Chicago, IL — Avondale Music Hall 
11/12 — Detroit, MI — Sanctuary 
11/13 — Cleveland, OH — No Class 
11/14 — Toronto, ON — Lee’s Palace 
11/15 — Montreal, QC — Les Foufounes Electriques 
11/16 — Cambridge, MA — Middle East/Downstairs 
11/17 — Hamden, CT — Space Ballroom 
11/18 — Brooklyn, NY — Monarch 

Anticipated Albums: Crosses- Good Night, God Bless, I Love You, Delete.

Just like many of you, I’m pretty excited about a new full length album coming soon from Crosses. Their long awaited second album, Goodnight, God Bless, I Love U, Delete. will be arriving on October 13th! The album also features guest spots from Robert Smith of The Cure and EL-P of Run The Jewels. The first single “Invisible Hand” is out now and it’s quite infectious. Here’s to hoping Crosses takes this new album out for quite the journey.

Crosses- Invisible Hand:

Crosses Online:

Pre-order Limited Edition Deluxe Vinyl and New Merch Capsule at https://www.crossescult.com/

Follow Crosses:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/crossesmusic

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CrossesMusic

Twitter: https://twitter.com/CrossesMusic

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@crossesmusic

Website: https://www.crossesmusic.com

Merch: https://www.crossescult.com

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/3gPZC…

Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/cro…

New Release: Repentance- Blinded By Fear

On September 1, 2023, Chicago’s own Repentance will be releasing their debut album, The Process Of Human Demise. That’s a pretty metal title! Ahead of the release, Repentance have released a couple songs with the latest being the absolute banger “Blinded By Fear.” The first single released “Withered And Decayed” is another head banger and features new Fear Factory singer Milo Silvestro. Repentance has a sound that is very metal with bits of groove metal, Swedish Melo Death, and a tinge of hardcore. The Process Of Human Demise was produced by Alex Lackner at Accelerated Sound. Mix and mastered by Chris Collier at CMC21 Productions. I’m for one am looking forward to what is to come with Repentance.

Repentace- Blinded By Fear:

Repentace w/ Milo Silvestro- Withered & Decayed:

REPENTACE ONLINE:

Official Website

Facebook

Twitter

Instagram

New Release: The Armed- Everything’s Glitter

I remember the day my friend Adam told me about this band he was really into. The way he described them to me made them quite intriguing and then he played me the song “Polarizer” and from there I was completely in. The band that we are talking about here is The Armed and they are one hell of a band. The Armed are a sonically bombastic entity that with sheer volume will essentially polarize you in a total good way. Today, they have released “Everything’s Glitter” a new song from their upcoming album, Perfect Saviors (out 8.25.23 via Sargent House). This new song finds the band further expanding their sonic sensibilities with a melodic and anthemic element. The Armed still have a wildly chaotic sound but, have been able to over the course of the last couple releases, harness that chaos into controlled chaos with the end result becoming more grandiose and catchy.

The Armed- Everything’s Glitter:

The Armed- Polarizer:

New Release: Filth Is Eternal- Crawl Space

Filth Is Eternal are one of my favorite bands that I’ve had the pleasure to write about. They are a powerhouse band that is raw and unapologetic through and through. Their new single “Crawl Space” from their upcoming album, Find Out (out 9.29.23 via MNRK HEAVY) is an anthemic track that hits you in all sorts of ways with interesting melodies and pummeling riffs and rhythms all in a matter of a minute and a half. Filth Is Eternal are quite the force of nature. Their immediacy/urgency in their music is impactful right from the start. And live, this band is on a whole other level of ferociousness. Take a moment and dig into what Filth Is Eternal is cooking and soon, you’ll Find Out what else they have in store for you!

Filth Is Eternal- Crawl Space:


Filth Is Eternal ONLINE:

Stream/Purchase Here: https://filthiseternal.ffm.to/follow.OYD

Spotify: https://filthiseternal.ffm.to/spotify…

Instagram: https://filthiseternal.ffm.to/instagr…

Facebook: https://filthiseternal.ffm.to/faceboo…

Twitter: https://filthiseternal.ffm.to/twitter…

YouTube: https://filthiseternal.ffm.to/instagr…

Filth Is Eternal Official Site: https://filthiseternal.ffm.to/follow.OYD

New Release: Baroness- Last Word

This is exciting! New Baroness is on the way! Today, the first single “Last Word” from Baroness’s upcoming new album, Stone was released. On September 15 the long awaited new album arrives via the band’s label Abraxan Hymns. Speaking on the album singer/guitarist John Baizley said “An important through line in Baroness is we don’t like to repeat ourselves. It’s all about the willingness to take risks. When I was younger, the whole point of music was to be different, not to do the same thing, and not to listen to parents or play by the rules. That’s kind of goofy, but in practice, it works. It’s really sort of terrifying to be at the sixth record in your career and think that you’ll have to keep up with your history rather than continually invent. So, we doubled down on continuously inventing to see where it takes us. I think this record is a good reflection of that. ‘Stone’ is a lot more alive, more direct.”

Baroness spent a month shrouded amidst the pines, holed up in a vacation rental that became an impromptu recording space replete with big, vaulted ceilings, hardwood floors, and brick/glass walls. While they wrote “Stone”, Baizley recorded and pre-mixed it in real time, giving each song on “Stone” its own sonic treatment. After the group finished tracking drums, guitars, and bass, they took everything back to Baizley’s basement studio to record vocals. Stone, is the band’s first self-produced album and was mixed by Joe Barresi and mastered by Bob Ludwig.

Baroness- Last Word:

New Release: Mutoid Man- Siren Song

Alas!!! “Siren Song” the second single from Mutoid Man’s new album, Mutants has arrived. The album will be out on July 28th and it’s shaping up to be quite a fun and killer record. This is also the band’s first album with new bassist Jeff Matz who you might know from High On Fire. One of the things that makes Mutoid Man such a fun band is that they are always mixing different styles like rock, prog-rock, punk, metal, hardcore, even a bit of the sludgy/stoner side of things. I’m personally very excited about this new album and tour. Mutoid Man live is one of the most fun you’ll have a at a show. Pre-Orders for Mutants can be found HERE!

Mutoid Man- Siren Song:

Anticipated Albums: Fotocrime- Accelerated

I keep finding myself ever more drawn into the “darkwave” sound. There are so many bands out there that can be categorized as such but, there are very few that actually present that “sound” in an inspiring and thought provoking way. The other day I was sent the new album from the darkwave/post-punk band Fotocrime and I can’t stop listening to it. The song first single “Turn Away,” has all the elements you’d expect from a band in this genre but, they add a couple other bits to it like a sharp cinematic texture throughout as well as a tinge of disco to make an infectious, danceable and captivating song. The title track “Accelerated” has an electro-rock feel while at the same time dips into some Depeche Mode territory a la Songs Of Faith And Devotion. The band’s new album, Accelerated is out on September 8th, 2023 via Artoffact Records. This is the band’s fourth studio album and the title is ever so fitting. Fotocrime has taken their darkwave/post-punk sound into a more forward direction (see how the title plays into this all?) that shows how to not only properly evolve within this genre but also breaks new ground on what can be added to it. If you don’t know who Fotocrime is, now is a great time to get into them.

Fotocrime- Turn Away:


Fotocrime- Accelerated:

Find FOTOCRIME Online:

Fotocrime Website

IG: @fotocrime

Bandcamp

Spotify

By: Brian Lacy


Anticipated Albums: Oxbow- Love’s Holiday

There are certain bands within the heavy music community that when they release new material whether it’s a single, EP, split, or full length, you know that this is going to be something worthwhile. With that being said, it’s refreshing to hear new music from the one and only Oxbow! If you don’t know about Oxbow, you really should take a delve into their catalog. Oxbow are a band that take chances and experiment with so many different genres and ideas that in the end wind up being something that really stands out and leaves a mark. By mixing metal, jazz, blues, noise rock and even classical music, Oxbow has a knack for creating shapeshifting sounds that rattle you to the bone. Their latest opus, Love’s Holiday, is the perfect evolution of the band and what they do. Previous Oxbow albums found their impetus in a lyrical framework provided by the band’s vocalist Eugene Robinson, with Niko Wenner applying his musical compositions to the singer’s narratives. However, Love’s Holiday began with the music this go round. A unifying theme throughout the album is love, and was the organizing principle behind these songs, even if they still carry the band’s signature brand of drama and conflict. Oxbow’s new album Love’s Holiday is out on July 21, 2023 via Ipecac Recordings. Pre-Orders HERE!

Oxbow- 1000 Hours:

Find Oxbow Online:


Theoxbow.com

Oxbowofficial.bandcamp.com

Instagram.com/oxbowtheband