Dan Hillier
Primitive in a way that’s more arcane than it is undeveloped, ‘Jaguar’ see’s psych sludgers Kurokuma tap deep into the cabalistic brutality of the ancient primal magic we have a long forgotten as a species. Somewhat of a tribal war chant that echoes mind-altering psychedelia, this latest track from Kurokuma serves as the introduction to their forthcoming debut LP Born Of Obsidian, which see’s the band viscerally explore the culture of the Mesoamerican civilisations; concepts that include the subject of human sacrifice, the Sun God Huitzilopochtli and how Aztec priests used psychedelics to commune with such blood thirsty deities.”After years of silent gestation, our first full length will finally emerge into the blinding light of corporeal existence”, state the band on the record. “The five songs that make up this album stand both unified and distinct, creating an edifice that transcends the moment and speaks to the raw nature of the universe. So turn your back on the madness; seek this column of unseen truth and elevate yourself from the primordial chaos in which you dwell.” – Dan Hillier
An unholy amalgamation of sludge, hardcore and metal, fast-rising quartet Heriot aren’t for the faint of heart. With their latest dual single ‘Near Vision / Into the Flesh’, they give another glimpse into the continual evolution of their sound ahead of a debut release we can only hope comes soon. Even with two tracks, it’s scarcely four minutes of music; Heriot can do an awful lot in not much time, which ‘Near Vision’ demonstrates neatly as it careens from whiplash-inducing speed to a glacial breakdown heavy enough to pulverize bone. The twin vocal attack of Debbie Gough and Jake Packer is backed up by thunderous drumming and caustic riffs across both songs. Make no mistake, this is the sound of the future. – Will Marshall
The final single to be taken from their upcoming EP From Without – releasing January 21st via Church Road Records – ‘Call Of The Void’ is the most anthemic work to date from the well versed lofi devotees Zetra. Encapsulating all that makes Zetra unique and effortlessly enchanting, the single see’s the band alchemise the esoteric frequencies of fatal fuzzed out romanticism with an eclectic musical palette that draws from all four corners of the metal spectrum in order to create a concoction that’s mystical, shimmering and irresistible. Harkening thoughts of acts such as Type O Negative, Black Sabbath, Soft Kill and even darkened synth lords Drab Majesty, ‘Call Of The Void’ is a beckoning into the hypnotic sounds of modern metal thats untainted by the cheap polish that coats the majority of the output on the airwaves. – Dan Hillier
It’s been a good fair few years since we’ve been blessed with any new material from the bonafide Australian progressive rock legends Karnivool, but ‘All It Takes’ has made the wait well worth it. The first original music from Karnivool since the release of Asymmetry back in 2013, ‘All It Takes’ showcases the band’s penchant for progressive and rhythmic melodicism in a way that’s heavily reminiscent of their seminal 2009 effort Sound Awake, something that shouldn’t be tremendously surprising given the track was produced by Forrester Savell, the man behind the aforementioned record. With more fresh material seemingly upon the horizon, ‘All It Takes’ just shows that Karnivool’s irrefutable skill and talent hasn’t diminished in the slightest over the years. – Dan Hillier
London alt-metal quartet HAWXX have unveiled the latest single from their forthcoming EP, You’re Only As Loud As You Shout Right Now, due in 2022. ‘Hologram’ deals with social media and the dystopian impact it’s had on our lives. Distorted, robotic voices are interspersed with their trademark harmonised vocals and crunching, winding guitars. They deal frankly with the over-reliance on likes, shares, retweets; all these artificial things that have come to be measures of people’s worth, delivering dopamine by going viral. With the increasingly online nature of the world, it means we only ever show the idealised version of ourselves and it’s something ‘Hologram’ rebels against and derides throughout. In keeping with its themes, it’s a more robotic, industrial number than their other work that shows their range as a band and songwriters while still definitively being HAWXX. – Will Marshall
By album three, it’s often expected that bands have developed a sound and are starting to get comfortable with it, not moving too far outside the confines they set themselves. Not Venom Prison; not by a long way. The first single from the upcoming Erebos, ‘Judges Of The Underworld’, was a groove-laden monster that took aim at the carceral system and the violence it commits against the incarcerated; the latest single, ‘Pain Of Oizys’, is nothing like it. It’s still identifiably Venom Prison, but there’s piano, even cleanly sung passages, and the overwhelming sense that they simply refuse to be defined solely as a death metal band. The electronic drums, the morose melodies and the vicious screams atop tinkling piano; it’s like nothing they’ve ever done before and it’s unmissable. – Will Marshall
After five long years away, New York death metal giants Immolation are to make their return in 2022 with their latest album Acts of God. The first single to be taken from it, ‘Apostle’, is a tour de force of everything that makes Immolation who they are. Ferocious low growls, technically daring riffs that never lose their sense of groove and a barrage of drums all make ‘Apostle’ an engrossing experience. Vocalist and bassist Ross Dolan says of the song, “It’s a heavy and explosive track that ebbs and flows from start to finish, with dark and creepy soundscapes and extreme bursts of dark energy that will take the listener on a dark journey that is just a small glimpse of what the album has to offer. Enjoy!” – Will Marshall
Amorphis have been a band for decades but it perhaps wasn’t until vocalist Tomi Joutsen joined them in the early 2000s that they truly came into their own. Pushing beyond just death metal to incorporate progressive and folkier elements, they forged an identity all their own. The first single taken from their upcoming fourteenth(!) album Halo, ‘The Moon’ is nothing short of a melodic masterstroke by them. Joutsen transitions effortlessly from cavernous, bear-like growls to soaring, mesmerising melodies, always backed by stunning guitars with one foot planted in death metal and another in melodic, progressive music worlds away from their beginnings. Of the album’s themes, lyricist Pekka Kainulainen says “The lyrics tell of an ancient time when man wandered to these abandoned boreal frontiers after the ice age. While describing the revival of a seminal culture in a world of new opportunities, I also try to reach the sempiternal forces of the human mind.” – Will Marshall