Author: Willie

New Metal

Here’s some new stuff in our metal section. Come down and give it a listen!

Napalm Death – Utilitarian

Napalm Death has been around forever, although their lineup nowadays includes no original members and they sound quite different. Utilitarian is the closest they’ve moved to their early grindcore sound in years. It is solid, crushing, intense death metal with little punk-isms here and there. John Zorn also makes a little appearance.

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Check this out if you like Carcass, Cattle Decapitation, and Obituary

 

Eluveitie – Helvetios

Eluveitie is Eluveitie and always will be. Hailing from Switzerland, these guys weave the traditions of their native land into their music using folk instruments, traditional melodies and structures, and re-telling of the myths and tales endemic to the alpine world the band comes from. If you’ve heard any of their albums, you’ve pretty much heard them all, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that they don’t sound good.

Check this out if you like Tyr, Korpiklaani, and Ensiferum

 

In Flames – Sounds of a Playground Fading

In Flames is one of the most successful groups to come out of Sweden since ABBA. Accordingly, their sound has shifted from straight up melo-death early on to now a more pop-oriented alt sound. In this new niche, they excel, and Sounds of a Playground Fading is yet another solid outing from these Scandinavian legends.

Check this out if you like Dark Tranquility, Children of Bodom, Soilwork

New Metal

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Revocation – Chaos of Forms

Exploding out of Boston, these thrashing tech-death masters have unleashed their third album (and second on Relapse) to the masses. Strewn with references to some of the gods in the pantheon of metal-dom, I have no doubt that this will be on many year-end best of lists. If you’ve got eyes, keep them fixed on these guys.

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Check this out if you like Slayer, Necrophagist, and Evile

 

Architects – The Here and Now

With three albums under their belt, Architects have now come around with a fairly different sound. The Here and Now sees the use of less technical aspects and a bit of a push towards a more post-hardcore, poppy sound. They’re still searching for their exact niche, but it should only be a matter of time until they’ve found it.

Check this out if you like The Dillinger Escape Plan, Bring Me the Horizon, and A Day to Remember

 
 
Arch Enemy – Khaos Legions

For over ten years now, Arch Enemy have been able to lay claim to arguably the most infamous female vocalist in metal. Fortunately, Angela Gossow’s pipes have been showing no signs of letting up and she still sounds as horrifying as she did way back on Wages of Sin. The rest of the band has also shown great resolve, with Khaos Legions being one of their best releases in years.

Check this out if you like In Flames, Dark Tranquility, and At the Gates

New Metal

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Decapitated – Carnival is Forever
Polish tech-death metallers Decapitated are back at it after 5-year hiatus inflicted by a bus crush, the death of their drummer, and the near dissolution of the band occurring thereafter. They still sound heavy as hell, but with a slightly different approach which incorporates more prog influences from bands like Meshuggah. Overall, a good comeback. Looking forward to more.

Check this out if you like Vader, Death, and Necrophagist

 

 

Alestorm – Back Through Time
In a world where power and folk metal are dominated by the cheese of bands who wish they were vikings or medieval dragon-slayers, it’s refreshing for a band to essentially satire everything about the scene. Alestorm is a group of Scottsmen who base their sound on pirates. It’s the ultimate in cheesiness, but in all the right ways. If you haven’t heard anything else by them, Back Through Time would be a fine introduction.

Check this out if you like Ensiferum, Tyr, and Swashbuckle

New Metal

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Pestilence – Doctrine
These Dutch tech death behemoths have been at it a long time. Doctrine is the much anticipated follow up to their 2009 comeback release Resurrection Macabre. Here, we see them changing their style up a bit, notably in the vocal department, where Patrick Mameli explores the extent of what his voice can do. It’s a nice breath of fresh for a band that’s been around 20+ years.

Check this out if you like Immolation, Atheist, and Deicide

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Sepultura – Kairos
A mainstay (or rather, the centerpiece) of the Brazilian metal scene, Sepultura have been making music consistently since 1986, never skipping a beat. Kairos continues where A-Lex left off, but also acts as an exploration into the band’s 25-year history. Fans of any of the band’s eras, from the death metal of the ’80s to Cavalera’s leadership, will find something to enjoy in this one.

Check this out if you like Soulfly, Machine Head, and Pantera

 

Trivium – In Waves
Most metalheads have either a love or hate relationship with Trivium. They are, for all intents and purposes, entry-level metal, but that doesn’t mean they can’t be good. For newbies to the genre, In Waves (and the rest of their catalogue) is a great place to start, but even the experienced listener won’t be totally turned off by this album.

Check this out if you like The Black Dahlia Murder, All That Remains, and Killswitch Engage

New Metal (not nu metal)

Devin Townsend Project – Deconstruction

Devin Townsend is most famous for Strapping Young Lad, but said band was dissolved way back in ’06. Since, he’s embarked on many endeavors. Deconstruction is the last in a four-album series which began with 2009’s Ki. There’s lots of craziness, with influences ranging from black metal to industrial metal and even a little carnival waltz in one song.

Check this out if you like Fear Factory, Dimmu Borgir, and Dream Theater

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Origin – Entity
In the tech-death world, Origin are certainly a household name. Coming off the heels of their acclaimed 2008 release Antithesis, we are now getting Entity, yet another excellent album. Keep in mind, though, that this is not light stuff. If you like your lyrics discernible, time signatures straightforward, and guitars in standard tuning, this isn’t for you.

Check this out if you like Necrophagist, Brain Drill, and Decrepit Birth

 

Turbid North – Orogeny

 Alaska never exactly been a haven for metal bands. However, Turbid North, a fresh band out of the tiny city of North Pole, could be spearheading something. With a sound somewhere in between groove thrash, and proggy NWOAHM bands, expect to see these young eskimos gain some ground in the wake of their sophomore release.

Check this out if you like DevilDriver, Evile, and Slayer

What’s New at Pure Pop: Metal

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Tombs – Path of Totality

Third album from these Brooklyn-based behemoths. They wield a deftly constructed combination of black-, sludge-, and post-metal and come across tighter than on any other release with this effort. Expect Path of Totality to breathe a little cold air into our lives when it gets hot this Summer.

Check this out if you like Isis, Kylesa, and Immortal

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[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=COHNQjtOsaE]

 

 

Portrait – Crimen Laesae Majestatis Divinae

Recently, with bands like White Wizzard, Ghost, and Cauldron, the metal sound of the ’80s has seen an incredibly renaissance. Portrait, a Swedish quintet, are one of those carrying the torch in this movement. On Crimen Laesae Majestatis Divinae, a sophomore release, they prove themselves able to walk among the godfathers of metal.

Check this out if you like Mercyful Fate, Judas Priest, and Iron Maiden

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cywlJWyzS-k]

 

 

Scar Symmetry – The Unseen Empire

With several years and four previous albums under their belt, it finally seems like Scar Symmetry are coming unto their own. The Unseen Empire, their fifth release, contains everything you’d expect from the band at this point: down-tuned, Meshuggah-esque guitars, contrasting clean and growled vocals, and the occasional synthesized texture. Don’t expect any surprises, but if you like what the band’s done in the past, you should be satisfied.

Check this out if you like In Flames, Meshuggah, and At the Gates

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ArELZEYr444]