Written by Westin, Ellis, Kep, and Kirk
Well friends, February is over and March has arrived. The neverending trudge of time carries on heedless of our protests and priorities. Each day brings us yet another step closer to the end of another month, the end of another year, and the end of our human existence. Onward we march; onward we toil.
But February also brought us some killer metal and metal-adjacent shit, so let’s talk about that instead!
As per usual, quick links to our reviews of February releases:
Spectral Voice – Sparagmos
Amiture – Mother Engine
Stellar Remains – Wastelands
Commander : ) – Starberry Perzervz
Samsara Joyride – The Subtle and the Dense
And on to the rest of our favorites!
Soulmass – Principality of Mechanical Violence
Death metal from the US
Fresh off last year’s strong Let Us Pray LP, Soulmass are back with something quite different. The moody doom and gloom of the Bloodborne themes here are set aside for pummeling aggression as robotic warriors duke it out on the bloody battlefields of distant stars. The trademark Soulmass sounds of Lux‘s voice and Brett‘s meaty guitar tone return (check the gnarly sound on “Living Dead Division”), but with such a forward ferocity it sounds almost like a different band. The ocassional melodic leadwork and sick drum programming are icing on the cake. Some tracks still lean slower in reference to the duo’s signature doom laden standard, but others lean a little more melodic or thrashy. There’s variety in spades here and it just highlights what a sick band Soulmass is.
– Westin
Divine Right – Salvation Ends
Metallic hardcore from the US
“From this path I will not stray / The X has yet to fade”. Divine Right are fiercely straightedge – is it really possible to do it any other way? – and between that and the artwork you may have a pretty good idea of what their debut EP sounds like. This is classic, 90s-influenced metallic hardcore with a decent lashing of proper metalcore if such a distinction actually means anything. Harmonised leads, blackened tremolo parts, and loads of chunky riffs and breakdowns with the occasional meditative interlude to break things up – no one is suggesting that it’s not been done before but it is still executed phenomenally here. It’s not all about knocking beers out of hands either, with hard-hitting lyrics covering a wide range of topics like grief, substance abuse, and predatory political and religious figures.
– Ellis
Chainsword – Born Triumphant
Death metal from Poland
Five words: Bolt Thrower worship done right. That’s all that matters to me here, and it’s all that should matter to you. Chainsword is the best death metal band in this style out there right now, and you already know that if you listened to Blightmarch in 2021. Born Triumphant is even better. Fantastically focused riff-centric death in the most satisfying of styles, crunchy and thick as all hell, 100% guaranteed to get your head banging. And for what it’s worth, despite me labeling them “Bolt Thrower worship” just now, we should probably acknowledge them for being more than just that; this five-piece is just a good fucking band that writes good fucking songs, regardless of what metal legends their music most closely resembles. Born Triumphant is 10 tracks and 45 minutes of kickass death metal. What more could you want?
– Kep
The Sorrow of Being Immaculate – Church Music for Satanists
Drone/doom/sludge metal from the UK
Okay, before I get started, how cool is this band name? In the lexicon of awesome band names, I think The Sorrow of Being Immaculate has claimed the throne, and good luck to any and all bands looking to overthrow their reign. Now that my fanboi moment is over with, this is an album (technically an EP, but its runtime is over 25 minutes) that really should click with metalheads of all shapes and sizes. Nestled comfortably in that drone/atmospheric doom world that harkens back to that early sound of the ‘70s with a noticeably modern sensitivity, you could almost call this “comfort metal.” Its moody, it’s gloomy, and yet it’s colorful in spite of all those shades of grey. There’s warmth and character to these songs that make them blend together like a smooth glass of scotch (no ice!). drone alone productions (lack of capitalization intentional!) may be a small label with only eight releases under its belt (this one is number seven), but I’ll be keeping my eye on them from here on out. You might want to do the same.
– Kirk
Wolven Daughter – Gospel of the Claw
Raw black metal from the US
“Played with live instruments in a decrepit attic using the worst equipment possible.” That really says it all, doesn’t it? This solo black metal project’s first LP has been a long time coming and it’s as great as you could hope. Dark, violent, queer, and ugly, this is raw black metal with refinement and appreciation for a sonic depth that isn’t always prevalent in the genre. The mood is positively of some horrid beast creeping through the night stalking unwitting prey. Lamia displays incredible talent at every aspect of the record, crafting a piece of aural horror that also happens to groove and riff like hell. If you’re a fan of fucking raw, check this.
– Westin
Gonemage – Spell Piercings
Blackened nu-metal from the US
I’ve written plenty about of Garry Brents‘ music before (see my Homeskin rundown, Gonemage – Handheld Demise review, and Memorrhage review), so I’m no stranger to the weird worlds that he is so fond of creating. I say that to properly put into perspective the following statement: Spell Piercings is some absolutely bonkers madman-type wild shit. I’m pretty damn sure that nobody has tried to mash up nu-metal and black metal before, but here we are with something wholly unique, outrageously inventive, and actually really good. There’s no reason whatsoever that this should work and a million reasons that it shouldn’t, but it does. You’ll hear things that remind you of early Slipknot and Korn (Brents channels those early Jonathan Davis cleans particularly well) and Coal Chamber alongside some of the most bestial black metal furor out there. Don’t ask questions; just listen to it.
– Kep
Dead Runes – Raidho
Stoner rock from Nashville, TN
To see a band name like Dead Runes would cause the average riff-addled metalhead’s brain to immediately associate it with black metal, but, surprisingly enough, that assumption would be wrong. What you get with Raidho is an astoundingly earnest and forthright approach to stoner rock, which is something the genre sorely needs. As much as I love stoner rock, it can be goofy as hell, so it’s always pleasantly refreshing to see someone take it as seriously as I enjoy it (and I do enjoy it quite a bit). This album is as much a punch to the solar plexus as it is a kick in the brain, so strap yourself in before you hit play. These riffs aren’t for amateurs.
– Kirk
Despize – Scotland’s Hardcore
Metallic hardcore from Scotland
The Glasgow hardcore scene is probably the most exciting in the UK at the moment and a lot of people have been waiting a fair while for this debut full-length from one of its very best. True to form they’ve dropped it with little fuss and less than a week’s notice but the music speaks for itself: hard, jagged, super aggro metallic hardcore where the tempo can shift on a dime but only ever to another part that will absolutely knock the wind out of you. This album has a plan and it sticks to it for 12 tracks and 26 minutes with only the occasional sample and a late-album interlude “Setting Up” providing any form of respite. You could probably pick any track as a highlight but if you need some immediate entries for your gym playlist or some home mosh practice you can’t go wrong with any of “Unstable”, “Roll Cage”, or the VIP-mixed version of “Floor Control”, a track which first appeared on their 2021 split with Deklination. Let’s hope their mates in Demonstration of Power, Nothin’ but Enemies and Hellbound all follow suit soon.
– Ellis
Coltre – To Watch With Hands To Touch With Eyes
Heavy metal from the UK
Coltre‘s debut LP is a love letter to the sounds of the 70’s. If you were a fan of last year’s Flight record (and their similar appreciation for the sounds of Blue Oyster Cult), but wish it had a little more Thin Lizzy this is another album worthy of your attention, though it’s definitely a little heavier. Instrumentals are dynamic (check out that very juicy bass), the production is minimal but still adds a little colour, and the vocals are magical. Blending a healthy mix of British prog vibes, early metal crunch, and rock appreciation for hooks and melody, Coltre come out the gate swinging.
– Westin
Unburier – Nebulous
Technical death/thrash from the UK
This EP was one I’d never even heard of before it dropped, but I flagged it to check out on a recommendation from Sublation‘s Max Svalgard. What a stroke of luck, because this rules extremely hard. Think of Revocation-style death/thrash, wild and brutal, with a touch of Edge of the Earth-era Sylosis (specifically in the vocals) and you’re getting close to what Unburier delivers here on their second EP. It’s immaculately performed, massively powerful, and the songs are well-written so you’re left wanting more. Here’s hoping it won’t be too long of a wait before we get a full-length from these dudes (who, judging by their promo picture, are pretty damn young).
– Kep
J Mascis — What Do We Do Now
Indie rock from the US
What can be said about J Mascis that hasn’t been said a hundred times over? To be honest, probably nothing, but some things are worth repeating. For starters, the man is prolific as hell. He’s been in bands like Deep Wound, Dinosaur Jr., Sweet Apple, and Heavy Blanket to name a few, but when he feels like saving some amplifiers from being taken to the dump, he cuts a solo record with his acoustic guitar. However, What Do We Do Now is a little different than his standard solo effort; for starters, there are drums. And there are special guest appearances (Ken Mauri of The B-52’s and Matthew “Doc” Dunn), so this one has a slightly different feel to it. Not quite the ear-bleeding country of a Dinosaur Jr. record, this album deftly walks the knife’s edge between total amp annihilation and gentle bedroom pop, which sounds completely implausible until you realize it’s J Mascis. If anyone can figure out a way to make it work, it’s him.
– Kirk