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CARPENTER BRUT - LEATHER TERROR (No Quarter Prod / Virgin Records)
The visionary scope of the French synthwave disruptor combines elements of 80's glam rock decadence, retro slasher film aesthetic and a colossal electronic throb that fuses new wave sensibility with arena-sized electro. The third and final entry in the Leather series, Leather Teeth soundtracks a a post-apocalyptic society where societal stratification is absolute - where reality is limited to survival for spectacle amid a cutthroat reality of the have and have-nots. Nothing sort of epic, Carpenter Brut colors outside the lines of conventional heavy music to craft an immersive universe and equally consuming listening experience.
FINAL GASP - NEW DAY SYMPTOMS (Relapse Records)
Expanding on the band's bleak, bulldozing signature, New Day Symptoms asserts Final Gasp as songwriters betterrefined, building upon the stylistic meld that first earned them such universal acclaim. Enlisting producer Arthur Rizk to oversee the project, the result is a collection of 10-tracks that successfully bridges the band's collective influences ranging from death metal to post punk, all while making their own contribution to outsider art through heavy, metallic music.
NOTHING - A SHORT HISTORY OF DECAY (Run for Cover)
Shifting from the outward dejection of 2020's The Great Dismal, Domenic Palermo has crafted arguably his most personal record to date with A Short History of Decay. A ruminating, introspective collection of songs that navigates coming to terms with his own neurological disorder, Palermo's songwriting prowess plays out over nine tracks that run the gamut of expansive shoegaze, delicate indie pop and singer/songwriter melancholia on cuts like "purple strings." Heavy in a way that requires reading between the lines, NOTHING has delivered maybe their most important work yet.
THE GLOOM IN THE CORNER - ROYAL DISCORDANCE (SharpTone Records)
The Melbourne unit showcase calculated chaos with their latest, Royal Discordance. Competently costructing tracks that shift from well-polished melodies to bombastic breakdowns, the cadence of the album is sharp, swift and sure-handed throughout. Toeing a fine balance between explosive energy, emotive melody and the dynamic songwriting that allows that to coexist, this is metalcore at its most progressive and powerful.
DEEPER GRAVES - PULL ME TOWARDS THE DARK (Disorder Recordings)
A masterful meld of influences, Deeper Graves is comprised entirely of the vision of Jeff Wilson (Chrome Waves, Contrition, ex-Nachtmystium, ex-Wolvhammer). Responsible for the entirety of the project from concept to execution, Wilson's foundation of death rock and noir goth textures combined with moody, menacing rock make for an impressive presentation. Tastefully bridging styles and effectively concocting something creatively fresh, Deeper Graves lands with a broad range of fans from post punk to shoegaze to post metal in a way that rings authentic.
