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HULDER - VERBOLGEN (20 Buck Spin)

For those that have ever wondered what a black metal with warm production would sound like, Hulder has achieved such a feat. The third full length in Verbolgen officially welcomes Necreon alongside Hulder at the helm, on an effort more collaborative and as a result, more cohesive than 2024's outstanding Verses In Oath. Striving for and successfully achieving black metal majesty, Hulder honors the traditions of the genre while offering something new and progressive just the same. Among the standouts of American black metal, Verbolgen is a 9-track masterclass. 

CEREMONY - TELL ME YOUR DREAM (Relapse Records)

The distillation of hardcore backbone and a well-established post-punk foundation, Ceremony find a new gear on their seventh full length. Reconvening with producer John Reis of Drive Like Jehu and Rocket From the Crypt, Tell Me Your Dream is flex of intuitive songwriting that runs the gamut from the intensity of "Other Hells" to infectious cadence of "Dark Summer". More restrained, though no less dynamic, Ceremony's sonic evolution is a testament to their endurance as a band. Working in creative lockstep, Ceremony submit a daringly refined take on hardcore punk. 

CANCER BATS - GIVE ME DIRT (Marshall Records)

The Toronto riff punks reiterate the kind of crushing consistency they have delivered for the last two decades on arguably their best effort yet in Give Me Dirt. Aligning with legendary producer Kurt Ballou, the band's pedigree of swagger and heft packs the familiar wallop of their previous work, only this time more rich and robust than before. Inspired by frontman Liam Cormier's reconnection with nature amid the serenity of Nova Scotia, the narrative of the album in tandem with the band's chops make for 11-tracks that hit hard in meaning and it's metallic fury. 

JOHN CARPENTER - CATHEDRAL (Sacred Bones)

The iconic John Carpenter along with musical conspirators Cody Carpenter and Daniel Davies have crafted their first-ever metal record with Cathedral. The sonic companion to the graphic novel, Carpenter found inspiration in a vivid dream that informed a murder mystery inside an abandoned Los Angeles cathedral. Evolving into a tale of supernatural horror, the premise required an equally compelling score - thus prompting the trio to compose what became a sinister, cinematic soundscape. The result is an immersive listen that finds the master John Carpenter sourcing elements of industrial, synth and rock in what is another triumph in his catalog. 

INITIATE - WITH LOVE // WITH RAGE (Blue Grape Music)

Marking the band's debut release via Blue Grape, With Love // With Rage also serves as Initiate's  first studio release since 2023's, Cerebral Circus and proves well worth the wait. Fronted by Crystal Pak, the vocals are visceral and especially dramatic in contrast with the lush instrumental melodies. The EP's closer in "Future Saving Grace" is probably the best example of how contrast and balance come together perfectly. A definitive example of melodic hardcore, Initiate are a clear indication of the genre's very bright future.