This week seems to be a week where I keep listening to bands I haven’t in a while. Well, let’s keep the train rolling with this gem. Frail Body is back with their upcoming second album, Artificial Bouquet which arrives March 29, 2024 via Deathwish Inc. The first single released “Refrain” is one hell of a track that blurs the lines of hardcore, post-hardcore, black metal, and what the origins of “screamo” were all about. Personally, I’m excited to hear where this band goes from this point. This song is only the start of something I have a feeling.
It’s been a minute since I last heard from the Irish-born but now Liverpool-based, A Burial At Sea. I was at a show not too long ago and heard them played in between bands then low and behold I check my email and I see that their long awaited sophomore album, Close To Home on February 23, 2023 via Pelagic Records. Today their third single “Masterfred” arrived and it’s quite the cinematic dynamic song joining already released singles “Pairc Beal Uisce” and ” Tor Head.”
A couple years back I was introduced to Gost and I was rather intrigued by what I heard. Then when Greg Puciato did his first solo show, Gost was one of the openers and from there I got more into them. Now, Gost returns with a new album that is “exhilarating and dangerous at the same time.” The first single released “Widow Song” is a mesh of new wave and black metal influences creating quite the boisterous sound. The new album, Prophecy arrives March 8th via Metal Blade Records!
As we start the new year what better way to kick things off than with the albums of 2024 that are the most anticipated. Some of these are absolutely coming out and others we shall see what happens.
02/09/24: Chelsea Wolfe-She Reaches Out To She Reaches Out To She 02/16/24: The Baby Goats- Electricity 02/23/24: Darkest Hour-Perpetual | Terminal 03/01/24: Ministry- Hopium For The Masses 03/15/24: Gouge Away- Deep Sage
Iress The Cure The Smashing Pumpkins Better Lovers Spiritbox Centershift Kerry King Project Deftones Converge Thoughtcrimes Emma Ruth Rundle Black Magnet Fear Factory Killswitch Engage Spirit In The Room Sunny Day Real Estate The Halo Effect Black Map Dredg Korn Shadows Fall Thrice The Red Chord Vowws Pearl Jam The Black Queen Anthrax Chevelle Mudvayne Deadsy Failure Gojira The Pretty Reckless The Smile Common Wounds
MAYBE IN 2024: Chimaira? Down? Alice In Chains? Cult Leader?
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!
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
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.
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.
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.
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!