This week’s releases include unapologetic hardcore, some avant-garde experimentation from metal veterans, absolutely fun thrash, and dynamic extreme metal rising stars.
For all of our favorite new releases, both singles and albums, be sure to check out the official Knotfest New Flesh playlist.
Death Goals – A Garden Of Dead Flowers - Hardcore
Kicking this week off we have the sophomore effort from Death Goals. If their debut, The Horrible And The Miserable was any indication (and it was), A Garden Of Dead Flowers is one of the best hardcore albums of 2023. Fusing metalcore, chaotic hardcore and screamo, the band represents an unapologetic call to radical self-love and acceptance.
Get your copy HERE.
DieHumane – The Grotesque - Experimental
This avant-garde alt-metal affront features former members of Exodus, Type O Negative, A Pale Horse Named Death and Life of Agony. The eclectic sound coupled with varied dynamics, high emotion, and captivating song structures give you a lot to dig into here. If you like anything from doom to prog to smoky jazz and blues, The Grotesque has something for you.
Get your copy HERE.
Drain – Living Proof - Thrash
If Drain has anything down pat, it's charisma. Relentlessly catchy, Living Proof is jam packed with infectious hooks and punishing aggression while also finding balance with approachable lyrics and inviting songwriting. At 25 minutes in length, there is no fluff or filler, all fun and fury.
Get your copy HERE.
Undead – Putrefactio - Death Metal
Spanish four-piece Undead have served up a nice slice of death metal that is anything but rotten. Vicious and visceral, for those who are familiar with the band, this is a step deeper into your worst nightmares. Unhinged guitar, interesting and captivating melodies and destructive vocals, Putrefactio will scratch your death metal itch this week.
Get your copy HERE.
Unearth – The Wretched; The Ruinous - Metalcore
The Wretched; The Ruinous can be summed up in three words: pure pit fodder. With melodeath inspired guitar work, bone breaking groove, gravelly vocals and immense riffage, along with touches of American thrash and a healthy dose of hardcore, you’ll be bruised and beaten in no time. The album is both fun and powerful and a solid addition to Unearth’s discography and metalcore as a whole.
Get your copy HERE.
Vintersea – Woven Into Ashes - Progressive Extreme Metal
Wrapping up this week we have the latest from Vintersea, a band that are, to put it lightly, absolute masters in dynamics. From destructive melodeath moments, to blackened bleakness, soaring gothic infusions, progressive intricacies and an abundance of shredding, Vintersea will have something for you. Avienne Low as always shines on vocals, effortlessly transitioning from ethereal to savage. Woven Into Ashes is a must listen.
Get your copy HERE.
Also out this week…
Abolish – From The Depths (FDA)
Adrian Benegas – Arcanum (Reaper)
Ancient Settlers – Transition EP (Crusader)
Apex Ten – Aashtray (Self)
Balmog – Covenants Of Salt (War Anthem)
Blood Ceremony – The Old Ways Remain (Rise Above)
Bloodgutter – Death Mountain (Trollzorn)
Bluphoria – Bluphoria (Edgeout)
Bohannons – Night Construction (Cornelius Chapel)
Burning Witches – The Dark Tower (Napalm)
Cemetery Moon – Cemetery Moon (Self)
Chavez Cartel – Man’s Best Friend EP (Self)
Concilium – Sky Bvrial (Sentient Ruin)
Cosmic Jaguar – The Legacy Of The Aztecs (Metal Warrior)
Countless Skies – Resonance (Willowtip)
Creme Flesh – Casablumpkin (Comatose)
Cryptic Shift – Return To Realms (Blood Harvest)
Crushing Sun – Tao (Black Lava)
Currents – The Death We Seek (SharpTone)
Dave Lombardo – Rites Of Percussion (Ipecac)
Dawn Of Existence – Ancient Arts (Self)
Dead Chasm – Sublimis Ignotum Omni (FDA)
Deadline – Vitriol Inc. (Self)
Deathstars – Everything Destroys You (Nuclear Blast)
Deviate Damaen – Soqquandro Tanz (Self)
The Devil Wears Prada – Color Decay Deluxe Edition (Solid State)
Drama Noir – Nightfall Upon The Asylum (Floga)
Dusk – Rethrenody (Self)
Enforcer – Nostalgia (Nuclear Blast)
Erei Cross – The Widow And The Others (Klonosphere)
The Exiles – Mr. Dirty Martini EP (Golden Robot)
Eyes Of Tomorrow/Perfect Sky – Songs Of Faith & Demolition Split (Dedication)
Fathomage – Autumn’s Dawn, Winter’s Darkness (Northern Silence)
Fauns – Surcease EP (Self)
Finality – Technocracy (Self)
Frail – Stand By Me In The Storm (Inverse)
Frank Gradeen – Return Of The Vikings (Self)
Godslut – Procreation Of God (Selfmadegod)
Grandiosa Muerte – Egregor (Wormholedeath)
Gutted Christ – Hail And Kill (CDN)
Haunt – Golden Arm (Iron Grip)
Hearscape – Transient (Epictronic)
Heimland – Forfedrenes Taarer (Edged Circle)
Herod – The Iconoclast (Pelagic)
The Hip Priests – Roden House Blues (The Sign)
Horn – 20 Jahre (Northern Silence)
Howlin’ Sun – Maxime (Apollon)
Hyeena – Freedom From The Default (Innerstrength)
Impending Triumph – Impending Triumph EP (Jawbreaker)
Intercourse – Halo Castration Institute (Learning Curve)
Intöxicated – Sadistic Nightmares (Self)
Jerome’s Dream – The Gray In Between (Iodine)
Kanaan – Downpour (Jansen)
Karman Line – Like A Machine (Self)
Kilonova – Moment Of Clarity EP (Self)
Lumberghast – First Person Shooter (Self)
Lumsk – Fremmede Toner (Dark Essence)
Mactätus – Provenance Of Cruelty (Northern Silence)
Magnalith – Oblivion EP (Rothko)
Midnight Betrothed – Death…My Faithful Bride (Northern Silence)
The Modern Age Slavery – 1901 | The First Mother (Fireflash)
Muskeg Charnel – Decomposition Part 3: Rigor Mortis (HPGD)
Nadir – Extinction Rituals (Self)
Neolia – Neolia (Self)
Nightmarer – Deformity Adrift (Total Dissonance Worship)
Omnikoloss – Wandering Through Concrete Valleys (Unholy Conspiracy Deathwork)
Oreyeon/Lord Elephant – Doom Sessions Vol. 8 (Heavy Psych Sounds)
Phrenesy – Fears Apocalypse (Wormholedeath)
Savage Grace – Sign Of The Cross (Massacre)
Severed Angel – Severed Angel (Sliptrick)
Smokey Mirror – Smokey Mirror (Rise Above)
Sovereign Council – World On Fire EP (Self)
Spinebreaker – Cavern Of Inoculated Cognition EP (Creator-Destructor)
StartTheMonkey – Urban Psyche (Electric Talon)
Statues – Black Arcs Rising (Lovely)
Symbiontic – The Sun And The Dark (Apostasy)
Tantivy – Eyes In The Night EP (Metal Warrior)
Teeth – A Biblical Worship Of Violence EP (Nuclear Blast)
Terminal Khaos Builders – T.K.B. (Self)
Trevor’s Head – A View From Below (APF)
Tumble – Lady Cadaver EP (Self)
Tygers Of Pan Tang – Bloodlines (Mighty)
Ugly – Autograph (Satanik Royalty)
Unearth – The Wretched; The Ruinous (Century Media)
Vvon Dogma I – The Kvlt Of Glitch
Wazzara – Ombreine EP (Self)
Weathers – Are We Having Fun? (Sumerian)
Wildeornes – On The Earth, Under The Sky (Self)
Winger – Seven (Frontiers)
Xanxia – Maha Kalpa EP (Wormholedeath)
More on Knotfest...
Stay in the know – join Knotfest for relevant news, exclusive content, interviews, and more.
Upgrade to Knotfest Premium for early ticket access to the biggest shows, in studio footage from Slipknot, exclusive performances, 10% off merch and much more!
