Sydney sludge four-piece MOUNTAIN WIZARD DEATH CULT are hitting the road for their first shows of 2022. The Initiation Tour will hit Sydney, Gold Coast, Brisbane, Melbourne, Canberra and Katoomba, with special guests MUNT, ISUA, KULL, OAR and FOOTHILLS.
Presented by Beats Cartel and Seagrams VO you can get your hands on tickets here, merch here and follow MOUNTAIN WIZARD DEATH CULT on social media.
Hailing from India, R.A.I.D are a four-piece that fuses hardcore and thrash metal to create their unique sound.
R.A.I.D endured an immense amount of professional and personal struggles throughout the pandemic, as a band, they channelled their energy into writing their 3rd studio album titled “Defiance“. In the lead up to their new record, R.A.I.D has dropped their first single “Alpha” featuring a powerful anime-themed video clip.
Defiance will be released through Rottweiler Records, you can see the video for Alpha below and stay up to date with R.A.I.D on social media.
You can see more from R.A.I.D and the full Rottweiler Records line up on their official YouTube channel.
Kings of British death metal INGESTED have released “Rebirth” the first track from their upcoming album.
“‘Rebirth’ has arrived at quite an important time for INGESTED. We’ve shed our skin and transformed into our next phase. We decided on a live video for the single as we’ve missed the bubbling intensity of playing live so much over the past year or so, we really wanted to capture the destructive nature of an INGESTED show. Unchained, unleashed and unburdened, we’re ready to show the world what INGESTED is truly capable of, and to all our fans, thank you for sticking with us through the years, the best is yet to come!“ – Vocalist – Jason Evans
You can check out the video for Rebirth below and keep up to date with INGESTED on social media.
You can see more from INGESTED and the full Metal Blade Records line up on their official YouTube channel.
When Portland’s ALLUVIAL dropped their album “Sarcoma” it fast became one of 2021 best albums. Sarcoma is a sonic journey that shows just how deeply skilled each member of the band truly is. Check out the video below of guitarist Wes Hauch effortlessly ripping through the title track from their latest album.
Sarcoma is out now via Nuclear Blast Records, get your hands on it here. You can keep up to date with ALLUVIAL on social media and check out more from Wes Haunch on his official YouTube channel.
Following the announcement of their upcoming album “Obsidian” Sydney’s NORTHLANE will finally be touring Australia in June. backed by some of the best local and international acts including Plini, Sleep Token and ALT.
“It’s hard to be on the internet without seeing people get continuously angry about something. We’re addicted to having a hot take about nothing and it’s quite exhausting. At the same time I shouldn’t let it bother me that much but it’s like a ringing in my ears after a while, so I’m praying I go deaf.” – Marcus Bridge – Vocalist
Obsidian is NORTHLANE’s sixth studio album and debuts worldwide on the 1st of April 2022. Check out the tour dates and the video for their lead single “Echo Chamber” below.
2021 has been another difficult year for the music industry with bands, venues and promoters continuing to feel the strain from the ongoing pandemic. In this challenging time, many bands have pushed through the adversity to release some truly impressive albums. This is is our top 20 releases for 2021.
Coming in at number 20 is everyone’s favourite extreme metallers turned hard rockers MASTODON. This isn’t MASTODON’s greatest release, yet it is filled with some pretty easy listening jams such as Pushing The Tides, Teardrinker and Pain With A Ancor
Since their 2005 album, The Way Of All Flesh Gojira have become a staple in the heavy music community and developed a global fanbase. “Fortitude” is another commendable effort from the French metallers, although Fortitude is not groundbreaking, Gojira has an extremely refined sound and a healthy love for mother earth. Stand out tracks include ‘Another World‘, ‘Amazonia‘ and ‘Born For One Thing‘.
Violence Unimagined is Cannibal Corpe‘s 15th, yes, 15th studio album, this alone deserves an entry in the top 20. This record is filled with classic brutal death metal tracks like ‘Murderous Rampage’, ‘Inhuman Harvest’ and driving it home with ‘Cerements Of The Flayed‘.
Belgium’s ABORTED never cease to impress, dropping crushing album after crushing album across their 25-year career. ‘ManiaCult‘ follows Wayland Thurston, a cult leader that serves otherworldly beings by torturing others, this narrative of horror plays out across 11 tracks of unimaginable horror. Honourable mentions include the title track ‘ManiaCult‘, ‘Impetus Odi‘ and ‘Drag Me To Hell‘.
With a career spanning over 30 years, CONVERGE has a sound rooted in early punk, hardcore and are considered by many as one of the defining metalcore bands. Bloodmoon I sees CONVERGE collaborating with successful folk artist Chelsea Wolfe to create an experimental album that moves between heavy, ambient and melodic. Top-rated tracks include title track Bloodmoon, Viscera Of Man and Coil.
BLACK SHEEP WALL kept fans waiting five years to hear new music and they definitely didn’t disappoint. Songs For The Enamel Queen leans hard into the band’s sludgecore sound. While keeping true to their roots they expanded on their sound offering more experimental elements that flirt with alt-rock, post-hardcore and even throw in a little trumpet. Stand out tracks include Human Shaped Hole, New Measures Of Failure and Concrete God.
EVERY TIME I DIE are onto their 9th studio album, RADICAL is yet another fast-paced heavy-hitting release that you have come to expect, yet also features some of their most creative writing to date. This album is adventurous, yet extremely well refined. From guitars, to drums, to vocals, each aspect of every track feels intentional, fleshed out and even a little tongue and cheek. Notable tracks include Post-Boredom, Planet Shit and Things With Feathers.
ZAO‘s latest record The Crimson Corridor takes a few listens to really appreciate it. The album is nuanced, intricate, heavy and quite an audible journey. Not much else can be said other than to dive right in and give The Crimson Corridor a solid listen.
The debut release from Cult of Luna’s newly-founded record label Red Creek Recordings. The Raging River has an amazing pace, linear across this five-track ep, devastating and extremely enjoyable.
Eternal Blue is the debut full-length record for Canadian outfit SPIRITBOX. Fronted by the absolute powerhouse Courtney LaPlante who’s vocal style moves seamlessly through cleans and growls with a smattering of pop. The vocals meld nicely with heavy guitars and the electronic elements throughout, a special mention goes to the bass line on Secret Garden and the sneaky drum and bass break on Holy Roller.
ALIEN WEAPONRY has always displayed musicianship beyond their years yet this record shows how much they have matured. Powerful and filled with old school metal vibes, Tangaroa is some of their most passionate music yet delving deep into the stories of the native Māori people of New Zealand. Popular traks include Hatupatu, Blinded and Buried Underground.
DEVILOOF are seriously good fun, mixing heavy riffs, nasty breakdowns with j-pop and traditional Japanese instrumentation. Their latest record Dystopia sees the band doubling down on their horror theme with a new darker and more blood-soaked look. DEVILOOF are described as a visual kei band yet what sets them aside is their tremendous technical skills and impressive vocal range. notable tracks are Orwellian Society, Libido and DIsclosed Pandora’s box.
LLNN are an amalgamation of hardcore, post-metal and sludge, a combination that they execute extremely well. Clearly influenced by 80’s sci-fi soundtracks and video games, Unmaker is bleak, chaotic and also ambient. The best quote we have heard about this album comes from Dave at Metal Epidemic – “It’s the audio equivalent of a truck full of gravel being dumped on you, you know it’s coming, but you still can’t prepare for it”.
JINJER are unstoppable, touring the world relentlessly playing sold-out show after sold-out show. When touring ground to a halt they hit the studio to produce their fourth studio album Wallflowers. This album does tread some familiar territory blending vocalist Tatianas signature style with groove and gritty metal. This album doesn’t feel like a huge leap for the band but more of a thank you to their loyal fan base and there is no doubt the new tracks will go down a treat when they play them live.
This Place Will Become Your Tomb is the second outing from ominous masked and mysterious collective SLEEP TOKEN. This Place Will Become Your Tomb takes a more melodious approach to 2019’s Sundowning, leaning on the vocal prowess of the lead singer. This said there are plenty of heavy elements and deep cuts such as Alkaline, The Love You Want and Atlantic.
Melbourne progressive instrumental trio The Omnific consists of two bassists and a drummer. This combination creates some of the most unique, intricate and ambitious music of 2021. From beginning to end Escapades is powerful, technical and refreshing in its authenticity and creativity. Not only do they have two extremely talented bassists they have one of the best live drummers we have ever seen.
Bleak, grim and harrowing, Sydney Based BURIAL PIT‘s latest release Subhuman Scum feels like the perfect soundtrack to a challenging year we have all faced. BURIAL PIT had intended to tour this release in the second half of the year and it was cut short by more lockdowns. As a treat to their fans, they released a live stream playing the album in full.
Any year a new PORTAL album drops is a good year, but in 2021 we received two new portal records. Avow showcases a more progressive sound for PORTAL with tracks less laden with distortion allowing the instruments to shine through in a way we haven’t heard in the past, most notably on the track Offune. Hagbulbia on the other hand is five tracks of sonic trauma that feels like less of a album and more of a ceremony to summon otherworldly creatures.
When the track 40 stories started to do the rounds it indicated that there may be more melodic and clean vocal-driven records coming for Portland’s ALLUVIAL. 40 stories is an amazing track that shows just how talented each member of the band is, yet is a sort of red herring as the album features some of the most punishing and creative death metal to come out in 2021. The opening track Ulysses is menacing, heavy and fast-paced. The album continues to melt your face in the proceeding tracks Thy Underling and Sarcoma, giving you some rest with 40 stories and the interlude of Zero. Exponent drops you right back into the brutality yet switches pace again on Sleepers Become Giants and Sugar Paper and closing out with Anodyne.
The Work is deep and brooding, there is a delightful playfulness that shines through on the track Wait where the band goes full power metal and features one of the best guitar solos of the year. The singles Focus and Clean are the most Rivers sounding tracks yet things get elevated on The Void From Which No Sound Escapes. This track is absolutely massive, the writing is solid and the composition is outstanding, not to mention it brings back the saxophone that fans have come to love. Rivers Of Nihil had the confidence to release an album that is both ambitious and vulnerable and The Work definitely paid off.
You can keep up to date with each band on their respective social media:
ALLEGAEON are back with the track “Into Embers” the first taste of new music since 2019’s Apoptosis. Into Embers is taken from their upcoming sixth studio album DAMNUM, the new track features everything that we love about ALLEGAEON, huge drums, blistering guitar solos, guttural growls and soring clean vocals from lead vocalist Riley and bassist Brandon.
“This song embodies the dark and fitful nature of this album by bringing to the table elements of ourselves as a band and as individual musicians that we have been waiting to share with you all for a long, long time. As always, we are excited for our listeners to join us as we step forward into new landscapes – continuing to push the boundaries of our music further and further – and we are eager to experience the unveiling of DAMNUM together over these next few months.” – Riley Mcshane – lead vocals
DAMNUM is out February 25, 2022, via Metal Blade Records, get your pre-orders and merch here. You can keep up to date with ALLEGAEON on social media:
DAMNUM Track Listing: 1. Bastards of the Earth 2. Of Beasts and Worms 3. Into Embers 4. To Carry My Grief Through Torpor and Silence 5. Vermin 6. Called Home 7. Blight 8. The Dopamine Void Pt. 1 9. The Dopamine Void Pt. 2 10. Saturnine 11. In Mourning 12. Only Loss
RIVERS OF NIHIL‘s latest album ‘The Work‘ has been out for a few weeks now and is shaping up to be one of the best releases of the year. As you all know the last two years have been hard on the live music industry and it is great to see a band push through and produce some amazing releases.
The Work is an experimental musical journey, seamlessly moving between genres and a great example of this is the track and video for ‘The Void from Which No Sound Escapes’.
‘The Void from Which No Sound Escapes’ is a song that was put together pretty early in the writing process for ‘The Work’. It features some familiar sounds that people have come to expect from our band, while also highlighting some new sounds and textures that we’ve never experimented with before.” – Brody Uttley – Lead Guitar
Directed by David Brodsky and Allison Woest for MyGoodEye and you can view the video for ‘The Void from ‘Which No Sound Escapes’ below. The Work is out now via Metal Blade records get your hands on merch here.
FIT FOR AN AUTOPSY have dropped ‘Far From Heaven‘ the first taste of new music taken from their upcoming record Oh What The Future Holds.
“A worthy introduction to premiere the album, we pick up where we left off creatively from our last release. Although there are more drastic dynamic turns to come, “Far From Heaven” delivers from a more simplistic and primal place.
Lyrically, this record will take you further into internal turmoil and chaos than we have gone before, partially due to isolation but also as an overstated reflection on existence itself.
This song is much more a literal and grounded representation of our continued frustration with institutions and class gaps that exist in all facets of society. The powerful video by Eric Richter is a thematic visual counterpart to the inherent dark nature of subject” – FIT FOR AN AUTOPSY
The new track is accompanied by a video directed and Edited by Eric Richter, with audio produced, engineered and mixed by Will Putney Mastered by Mike Kalajian
View the video for Far From Heaven below and keep up to date with the band on social media. You can also check our previous interview with Fit For An Autopsy guitarist Tim Howley here.
You can see more from Fit For An Autopsy on the official Nuclear Blast YouTube channel.
Melbourne’s ZEOLITE have released their huge new single ‘Indoctrinated‘ from their debut full-length album – Proselytism
As part of this release, the band have announced the addition of a new vocalist, Daniel Macdonald (Wormtongue).
INDOCTRINATED is Mixed and mastered by Tom Cadden at Violent Sound Produced, engineered, co-mixed and tracked by Patrick Haas and is accompanied by a new music video by Nicholas VanVidler at NJV Media.
PROSELYTISM drops worldwide on October 29th, 2021 via EVP Recordings. Check out the video for INDOCTRINATED below and keep up to date with ZEOLITE on social media.
