Photo by Bryan Kirks
ERRA - silence out lives the earth (UNFD)
Metalcore contemporaries ERRA seem to be operating at a whole new level of efficiency with their latest full length via UNFD. Rejoining longtime producer Daniel Braunstein, the consistency of the unit remains in tact, though the collective has obviously achieved a new depth of songwriting that elevates the conventional metalcore category. While the album certainly doesn't skimp on the djent-adjacent riffs, the built-up breakdowns and the well-polished dynamics of the subgenre, ERRA's rock sensibilities and self-awareness as songwriters points to a band that is embracing their evolution.
FILTH - Welcome to Shelltown (Crowdkill Records)
North Carolina deathcore/hip-hop hybrid FILTH show out for their city with an EP that scores big without having to get too deep. Repurposing essential tracks from staples like Limp Bizkit, Disturbed and even a grimy, guttural take on Drowning Pool's "Bodies," the band's ability to pay homage to their influences while framing where they are from is make this release... fun. Loud, heavy, sweaty and brimming with a swagger, FILTH serve as the ambassadors to Shelltown with a collection of songs tailor-made for the pit.
THE S.E.T. - SELF EVIDENT TRUTH (Flatspot Records)
Bolstered by beefy riffs, brash, gang-vocal ready stanzas and a brass tacks Baltimore sound, The S.E.T. champion the ethos of hardcore with an introductory outing that suggests this passion project has some serious legs. Featuring Che Figueroa, founder of Flatspot Records and drummer Ryan Fauver formerly of End It, the band's credentials make The S.E.T. an instant contender, while the strength and cohesiveness of the album reaffirms that hardcore cachet.Stagediving's new soundtrack - The S.E.T. has officially arrived.
BOSSE-DE-NAGE - HIDDEN FIRES BURN HOTTEST (The Flenser)
Bay area heavy music outliers Bosse-de-Nage paint with broad strokes on their first album in nearly a decade. That extended stretch of time allowed for healthy revision, meticulous construction and the freedom to bridge various elements of heavy music that not only defies category but asserts an incredible range. Building a wall of sound that works post metal, black metal, noise, ambient and more into the framework, the variety suggests the chaos but the result is clearly comprehensively calculated. A testament to prioritizing quality over quantity, Bosse-de-Nage prove extreme music tacticians on Hidden Fires Burn Hottest.
VREID - THE SKIES TURN BLACK (Indie Recordings)
The Norweigian black metal stalwarts return with their first album in five years - an effort that dares to expand their repertoire while retaining their sonic signature. The band's rock heavy take on black metal has long set them apart from their contemporaries, but on the band's tenth album, the collective explores new terrain where most other veterans would rather default to the same old. From goth to blackened roll to the classic, frosty Norwegian heft Vreid craft a skillful balance of dark music that ranges from elegant to explosive in one fell swoop.
