Columnist Cori Westbrook presents a shortlist of important album releases ranging from brutal death metal to anthemic hard rock.
This week we have the return of some metal masters, some fun Nintendo-inspired revelry and a solid dose of bludgeoning death metal. For all of our favorite new releases, both singles and albums, be sure to check out the official Knotfest New Flesh playlist.
BARONESS – STONE – PROGRESSIVE SLUDGE
Kicking off this week we have the vibrant new offering from sludge/progressive outfit Baroness. Always striking, Baroness are taking things a different way, as marked by the end of the chromatically themed album titles. With more edge and experimentation this album is unexpected but intriguing.
Unique is an understatement when it comes to Blind Equation. Combining grindecore and your favorite Nintendo inspired synth sounds you get something both savage and fun. Death Awaits is an intense experience, but surprisingly accessible.
Get your copy HERE.
BRUJERIA – ESTO ES BRUJERIA – DEATH METAL
All death metal, zero bullshit, this sixteen track leviathan will pummel you into submission over the course of its 55 minutes. While Brujeria exists on an ever changing rotation of musicians and contributors, they maintain their core, but with each release aesthetically and artistically unique.
Get your copy HERE.
COREY TAYLOR – CMF2 – HARD ROCK
Corey Taylor is embracing his bluesy side, with an undeniable pop-rock influence, that makes CMF2 a blast to listen to. He and his band have built upon the core sound they established on the CMFT debut, but refined and built upon that core for something distinct and energizing and not without some surprises.
Get your copy HERE.
TESSERACT – WAR OF BEING – PROGRESSIVE METAL
Angry, ethereal, dynamic and robust, the latest offering from the UK progressive masterminds is a triumph. The massive production, intricate drums, renewed aggression in the riffss and vocals and zero skimping on the bass give this album flair and flavor. *chefs kiss!
Get your copy HERE.
TOMB MOLD – THE ENDURING SPIRIT – DEATH METAL
Wrapping up this week we have a bit more brutality from Death Metal upstarts Tomb Mold. Modern death metal fans rejoice with the endless fantastic riffing, complex and adventuring songwriting and groovy brutality. A nice way to bludegon your senses through the weekend.
Get your copy HERE
ALSO OUT THIS WEEK…
Alkaloid – Numen (Season Of Mist)
Antumbra – Oblivion (Loud Rage)
Aortha – Monolit (Self)
Apotheus – Ergo Atlas (Black Lion)
Async Await – Irretrospective Part 1 EP (Chameleons Risen)
Blackened Halo – Extinction Inbound EP (Self)
Blood Oath – Lost In An Eternal Silence (Caligari)
Bolt Gun – The Tower (Avantgarde)
Burner – Hittin’ The Target (Time To Kill)
Carathis – The Haunting Of Sablewood EP (Personal)
Chorosia – Stray Dogs (Kvtl und Kaos/Grazil)
The Chronicles of Father Robin – The Songs & Tales of Airoea – Book 1 (Karisma)
The Coffinshakers – Graves, Release Your Dead (Svart)
Contorsion – The Children Of The Snake (Self)
Damnation’s Hammer – Into The Silent Nebula (Massacre)
Danko Jones – Electric Sounds (AFM)
Deadly Carnage – Endless Blue (A Sad Sadness Song)
Earth Altar/Sun Below – Inter Terra Solis Split (Black Throne)
Eerie – The Delirium Of The Believers (Negra Nit)
Electric Boys – Grand Explosivos (Mighty)
Escape The Hive – This Is Gonna Sting (Weapon)
Eunomia – The Chronicles Of Eunomia Part II (Rockshots)
Fabricant – Drudge To Thicket (Profound Lore)
Fâché – Fâché (HPGD)
Faust – VooDoo Live (Self)
Fever Dog – Alpha Waves (Helter Skelter)
Flesher – Tales Of Grotesque Demise (Redefining Darkness)
Fulanno – Ruido Infernal (Helter Skelter)
George Sanders & The Parallels – Hope Hotel EP (Bread & Butter)
Great Falls – Objects Without Pain (Neurot)
GridLink – Coronet Juniper (Willowtip)
Holycide – Bazookiller EP (Xtreem)
Huronian – Beyond Frozen Heights EP (Gruesome)
Ignition – Vengeance (Self)
Lark – Antarctica (Sliptrick)
Lords Of The Drift – Throat (Stay Gold)
Magnitude – Days Renewed… (Triple B)
Mayhem – Daemonic Rites (Century Media)
Midnight – Through Oceans Of Space (Conquest)
Mike Mains & The Branches – Memory Unfixed (Tooth & Nail)
Molybaron – Something Ominous (InsideOut)
Mondo Drag – Through The Hourglass (RidingEasy)
My Dearest Wound – The Burial (Tragedy)
New Model Army – Sinfonia (earMusic)
Night Verses – Every Sound Has A Color In The Valley Of Night Part 1 (Equal Vision)
Old Ruins – Always Heading East (Doc Gator)
Otep – The God Slayer (Cleopatra)
Patriarch – Demonic Heart (Wormholedeath)
Psygnosis – Mercury (Season Of Mist)
Quasarborn – Novo Oružje Protiv Bola (Self)
Quits – Feeling It (Sleeping Giant Glossolalia)
Resolve – Human (Arising Empire)
Rich Kid Express – Under The Purple Lights EP (Squib Kick)
Ronnie Romero – Too Many Lies, Too Many Masters (Frontiers)
Roots Of The Old Oak – The Devil And His Wicked Ways (Hammerheart)
Serration – Simulations Of Hell (Daze)
She Burns Red – Out Of Darkness (Self)
Shining – Shining (Napalm)
Slaamaskin – Trollveggen (A Production)
Slave Steel – In Fieri (Wormholedeath)
Smokeheads – All In (Wormholedeath)
Son Of Deni – Sporty EP (No Funeral)
Swami Lateplate – Doom Jazz II (Subsound)
Tar Pond – Petrol (Prophecy)
Taz – Wake Up & Sweat, Vol. 1 (Eonian)
Thierry Arnal – The Occult Sources (Atypeek)
Thorn – Evergloom (Transcending Obscurity)
Through Mists – Starkiller/Homicidal Hamsters (Syrup Moose)
Tideless – Eye Of Water (Chaos)
Torpor – Abscission (Human Worth)
To The Grave – Offcuts EP (Unique Leader)
Violent Life Violent Death – Break.Burn.End. (Innerstrength)
Vjajitor’s Tenebrarium – E.N.L.D. (Avantgarde)
