Photo by Anthony Tran

CHEPANG- JHYAPPA (Relapse Records)

Nepalese grindcore by way of Queens, NY - Chepang compile a furious sonic assault in nine track that clock in with a total running time of just 20 minutes. While the tracks are abrasive and feverishly aggressive, there is a method to the madness given the kind of precision that showcased throughout the record. These songs are technically sound in a way that translates as controlled, calculated chaos. Given the album is about self-immolation in the name of exploring higher spirituality, both the concept and execution make perfect sense. 

POISON THE PREACHER - VS THE WORLD (Seek and Strike)

Colombian crossover prospects Poison the Preacher have made an impressive introduction with their debut album, VS The World. A volatile meld of thrash, death metal, beatdown and hardcore, the final product showcases a dynamic base of songwriting that position the emerging unit well ahead of their peers. Big riiffs, even bigger breakdowns and mesh of death metal growls accented with the occasional gang vocals to get especially hype, Poison the Preacher are thriving among metal and hardcore purists given the kind of explosive energy that at the core of every track. 

HOUSE OF PROTECTION - OUTRUN YOU ALL (Redbull Records)

The tandem of Aric Improta and Stephen Harrison as House of Protection continue to establish a relentless productive pace and underscore their unmatched creative chemistry. On the band's latest release Outrun You All, the duo tempers their signature explosiveness to showcase songwriting savvy in the form of memorable choruses, melodic transitions and big crescendos that stick. Working with collaborator Jordan Fish, the tracks on the latest EP offer layers of sounds that emphasize a meticulous, detailed approach to the songwriting. Aggressive rock crafted with effortless artistry, House of Protection is ahead of the pack.  

MIDNIGHT - STEEL, RUST AND DISGUST (Metal Blade Records)

Offering some insight into the prolific and perverse psyche of underground filth metal renegade Athenar and his one man marathon project, Midnight, Steel, Rust and Disgust is collection of covers paying homage to the blue collar brass and rich musical lineage of Cleveland. From punk icons Dead Boys to Blues pillar Screamin' Jay Hawkins to underground power metal vets Kratos, no two songs source from the same pool, yet all maintain that signature Midnight sleaze. Coupled with two new songs in the title track and "Cleveland Metal," Athenar puts on for Ohio in a way few can.

NIK NOCTURNAL - THE LOST CHAPTERS (Nocturnal Records)

Capping an important career as an advocate for heavy music and culture for more than the last decade, Youtuber and social media omnipresent Nik Nocturnal delivered a pretty awesome parting gift as he announced he was taking an indefinite break from his platform. Collaborating with the likes of The Ghost Inside, Darkest Hour, Bury Tomorrow, All That Remains and Caliban, Nocturnal offers a sincere ode to early 2000's metalcore with his Lost Chapters EP. Pristinely produced and exquisitely executed, the EP serves well in tapping into the heft and hostility of the formative era, while showcasing modernity. Helluva way to say goodbye...