This week's new heavy metal releases include some epic deathcore, folk metal from a death metal man, classical prog metal, and more!
You can also check out select new releases here on vinyl via Gimme Metal. Now, to the metals…
Delain – Dark Waters
Genre: Symphonic/power metal
Origin: Zwolle, Netherlands
Label: Napalm
Buy now via Gimme Metal
A couple years ago 80% of Delain's lineup left. This album sees the return of two old members and two new faces including vocalist Diana Leah. With Martijn Westerholt still driving the band, fans will be happy to hear they're as epic and poppy as ever. Check out Dillon's chat with Martijn here.
Distant – Heritage
Genre: Deathcore
Origin: Rotterdam, Netherlands
Label: Century Media
Buy now on Amazon
If you're looking to keep things epic, but want something much heavier then Distant have you covered. This is low-tuned, heavy-ass deathcore with a bed of symphonics that make this an unrelenting wall of metal sound. Will Ramos from Lorna Shore even makes a cameo adding to the heaviness. Shaun has a full review here.
Flub – Dream Worlds
Genre: Technical/progressive metal
Origin: Sacramento, California
Label: The Artisan Era
Buy now on Bandcamp
If you're a fan of technicality with classical flair, and you're not already on the Flub train, you're making a mistake with your life choices. Though brief, this EP is dense and dynamic with so many influences traversed in four tracks (eight if you count the instrumental version they also offer up). This features a guest rhythm section in Andrew Kim from Inferi and Eric W. Brown from Nekrogoblikon throughout, and a vocal appearance from former Allegaeon frontman Riley McShane.
Fredl̦s РFredl̦s
Genre: Folk/experimental metal
Origin: Nortallje, Sweden
Label: Threeman Recordings
Buy now from Freeman Recordings
Alex Hellid of Entombed fame is getting into slow folksy metal with Fredlös's debut. This band includes traditional instruments from Swedish folk music alongside almost doom metal. A very cool blend of the new and old.
In Flames – Foregone
Genre: Melodic death metal
Origin: Gothenburg, Sweden
Label: Nuclear Blast
Buy now via Gimme Metal
Last year the best In Flames album in a bunch of years was released by a group of dudes that all left the band at one point and called themselves The Halo Effect. I like to think that inspired In Flames proper to put this stellar record. Without going full fan-service these guys manages to tap into everything they can do, and they did it all well. Max's review is here.
Pierce The Veil – The Jaws Of Life
Genre: Post-hardcore/hard rock
Origin: San Diego, California
Label: Fearless
Buy now via Gimme Metal
On The Jaws Of Life, Pierce The Veil are weaving between modern post-hardcore angst and an interesting pan-90's alt rock thing. Some spots sound like Helmet, some sound like Presidents of the United States of America, and when they're not inducing nostalgia, they're keeping things angry and noisy. I haven't checked on these guys in a while, they're doing some interesting stuff right now.
Venamoris – Drown In Emotion
Genre: Dark pop/experimental
Origin: Los Angeles, California
Label: Three One G
Buy now on Bandcamp
When does Dave Lombardo rest? He doesn't, right? Venamoris has Paula and Dave Lombardo doing their own version of dark, emotional pop music. Despite being a poppier affair, this still has some heavy friends like Tyler Bates (Jerry Cantrell), Ra Diaz (Suicidal Tendencies), Jack Gibson (Exodus), and more.
Also dropping today…
- Ad Omega – Aphelic Ascent (Drakkar Productions) – Black metal
- Aphyxion – Ad Astra (Circular Wave) – Melodic death metal/metalcore
- Big Laugh – Consume Me (Revelation Records) – Hardcore
- Cadaver Shrine – Benighted Desecration (Chaos Records) – Doom/death metal
- eMolecule – The Architect (InsideOut) – Progressive rock
- Frozen Dawn – The Decline of the Enlightened Gods (Transcending Obscurity) – Melodic black metal
- Infinite & Divine – Ascendancy (Frontiers) – Heavy metal/hard rock
- Khymera – Hold Your Ground (Frontiers) – melodic rock/AOR
- The Last Reign – Endangered Pieces (Self-released) – Melodic death metal
- Luger – Revelations Of The Sacred Skull (Heavy Psych Sounds) – Stoner/hard rock
- Motive Black – Auburn (AFM) – Hard rock
- Narrow Head – Moments Of Clarity (Run For Cover Records) – Alternative/grunge
- Negative Blast – Echo Planet (Three One G) – Hardcore/punk
- Oak – Disintegrate (Season Of Mist) – Atmospheric doom/death metal
- Paramore – This Is Why (Atlantic) – Pop rock
- Stormo – Endocannibalismo (Prosthetic) – Post-hardcore
- T3nors – Naked Soul (Frontiers) – AOR
- Terrestrial Hospice – Caviary To The General (Ancient Dead Productions) – Black metal
- Thin – Dusk (Twelve Gauge Records) – Mathgrind
- Veilcaste – Precipice (Wise Blood Records) – Doom/sludge
- View From The Soyuz – Immaculate (DAZE Records) – Hardcore
- Wig Wam – Out Of The Dark (Frontiers) – Glam/hard rock
