Photo by Steve Rose

CHAMBER - THIS IS GOODBYE... (Pure Noise Records)

Nashville disruptors Chamber continue to put modern heavy music on notice with their latest full length this is goodbye…A violent collision of math, metal and hardcore, Chamber's meld of sonic bombast asserts controlled chaos anchored by fearless songwriting and sharp execution. The album is a torrent in 12 tracks that shift from sludgy to spastic with clear intention and surgical-sharp precision. Volatile, visceral, and executed with real vision, Chamber's latest is their greatest.  

BLACK LABEL SOCIETY - ENGINES OF DEMOLITION (MNRK Heavy)

Written while taking up the axe for Pantera during the band's heavy slate of touring in 2022, the first album from Zakk Wylde's Black Label Society since 2021's Doom Crew Inc. in Engines of Demolition is a masterclass in heavy rock and metal riffage. Combined with Wylde's vocal swagger out front, the songs showcase an expertise with pangs of bluesy cool that make each track definitively BLS. Completing the presentation with his most emotional ballad in "Ozzy's Song," Wylde offers his sincere tribute to the departed Osbourne in a finale that profoundly punctuates the album. 

HELLRIPPER - CORONACH (Century Media)

From the heavy music visionary in James McBain, HELLRIPPER's latest outing is not only his most ambitious showing to date, but also, his most personal. Sourcing Scottish culture from folklore to literature, McBain's opus underscores his proven pedigree of extreme sonics with an exploratory dive into his Scottish heritage on an album that runs the gamut from crust to black metal to progressive death. Distilling musical intensity with airy, ominous atmospherics, McBain's prowess as an extreme music craftsman is rooted in his obvious reverence for the art and his desire to continue to move the culture forward. 

DON BROCO - NIGHTMARE TRIPPING (Fearless Records)

UK boundary-pushing alt-rock shapeshifters Don Broco defy category with their latest full length, Nightmare Tripping. Distilling elements of nu-metal, metalcore, heavy alt and electronic-tinged pop for added style points, the band reaches new heights working in tandem with producer Dan Lancaster. Along with a pair of potent collaborative tracks with Sam Carter of Architects as well as Chad Kroger of rock radio mainstays Nickelback for good measure, the scope of Don Broco's sound is driven by innovation and clear  edict to defy expectation with every track on the record. 

CHALK HANDS - THE LINE THAT SHAPES THE COAST OF US (Dog Knights Productions)

The Brighton post-hardcore collective set a high bar on their sophomore release. Equipped with a knack for expressive, emotive songwriting, the ebb and flow of the album's energy plays well into the emotional subtext of the songs. Confidently combining melody with explosive fits of catharsis and volume, entries like "Breaking Waves," "Pauvre De Moi" and "Peregrine" prove dynamic in their ability to inspire all the feels, while translating as convincing in its tone and urgency.