I know why you’re here. You need another fix of metal. Well I’ve got it for you.
Altar of Betelgeuze — “Darkness Sustains the Silence”
Starting off the new year with some sludge, death and doom is starting the new year right. That grimy mix of metal is exactly what you’re going to get with this release from the Finnish metallers that make up Altar of Betelgeuze. While checking out the group’s bandcamp, where three songs from the newest album are available for streaming, I discovered that this release is self-produced. This certainly shows through in the raw production, which shows especially in the harsh vocals. This band features heavy interplay between melancholy, cleanly sung vocals, and death metal style growls. Makes for an interesting listen.
Exhumed/Iron Reagan — Split 12”
Both of these bands are hot off the tails of 2013 releases and the successes that surround a well-received new album. So it’s quite nice to be graced with new music from both of these guys so quickly. And on the same disk and everything, would you look at that? Seeing as this is a pretty small release, you’re pretty much gonna be getting exactly what you expect with this one. But these are awesome bands and no one is gonna complain about more awesome. Also the bass intro in Gravewalker is just so dirty. Stream the whole thing on Noisey!
Exhumed: Facebook // Twitter // iTunes // Merch
Iron Reagan: Facebook // Bandcamp // iTunes
Nausea — “Condemned to the System”
This band is considered the sister band to legendary grind pioneer Terrorizer because of the lead singer they share and the close ties between the two bands when it comes to songwriting and the ability of songs to originate in one bands writing session and be used instead for the other. Or so I’ve read. Either way, this isn’t some newcomer grind band. These guys have pedigree, or as close to pedigree as you can come in grind. What’s peaked my interest is the new guitarist who has rounded out the band’s lineup, Leon del Muerte of Intronaut fame. I wonder if he’ll add anything odd to the songwriting on this album. Only one way to find out.
Links: Facebook // Song Stream // Merch
More New Releases:
Ghoul/Cannabis Corpse — “Splatterhash Split EP)
Legion of the Damned — “Ravenous Plague”
Michael Schenker — “Bridge the Gap”
Nigromante — “Black Magic Night”
Self Defense Family — “Try Me”
Siegewyrm — “Harvest Begins”
Suffering in Solitude — “A Place Apart”
