Photo by Damón Zurawski

TRIBULATION - SUB ROSA IN ÆTRNUM (Century Media Records)

Swedish metal purveyors Tribulation have unleashed their sixth full length studio album. The project marks the follow-up to the band's widely acclaimed 2021 effort, Where the Gloom Becomes Sound and offers another profound testament to the band's well-constructed meld of metallic goth. Forging eerie melodies and creating a haunting, beautifully dark aesthetic, Tribulation craft a collection of songs that are as grandiose as they are gargantuan. 

CANE HILL - a piece of me i never let you find.  (Out Of Line Music)

The New Orleans outfit have delivered their first full length in some six years, asserting some things are most certainly worth the wait. Building on the sound they cultivated on their series of Krewe EPs, Cane Hill have fully embraced their metalcore lean and as a result, have better found their creative stride. Elijah Witt makes a convincing case as one of the genre's most engaging frontman, out in front of a cluster of songs that balance explosiveness and elegance. Produced by Jonathan Dolese, a piece of me i never let you find is indicative of the true potential Cane Hill always had and are now finally unlocking.

NEON NIGHTMARE - FADED DREAM (20 Buck Spin)

Appropriate for the season, the one man passion project in Neon Nightmare resides on the heavier end of the spectrum of goth-influenced metal boasting sinister guitars and sultry, almost soulful lyrics. Doing a good job of keeping his identity under wraps, Nate Garrett of Spirit Adrift ha since been revealed as the man behind the album that indulges the profound influence of bands like Type of Negative. If sludge could be sexy, Neon Nightmare manages to toe that line with well executed guitars run the gamut stylistically on the album and really shine as the star. 

SALTWOUND - THE TEMPTATION OF PAIN (SharpTone Records)

In a overly saturated scene cluttered with varying degrees of deathcore, Northern California standouts Saltwound have made a convincing case that are next on deck. The band's debut full length packs the wallop of deathcore, while implementing the song dynamics of metalcore - ensuring the drubbing doesn't become redundant. Coining their own brand of "NorCal Violence", the fast-rising trio are out to inject new blood into the space of modern deathcore and achieve just that on The Temptation of Pain. 

HAVOK - NEW EYES (Afterburner Recordings)

Classic thrash practitioners Havok have dropped their first reveal of new music since 2020 with a four track EP wears its influences on its sleeve. Taking on covers of both Metallica essentials in "Eye of the Beholder" and the unexpected take on Creedence Clearwater Revival's "Commotion" Havok asserts both their range and ability with renditions that are masterfully executed and technically sound. As for the pair of new tracks on the effort, speed and precision are on full display as songs like "Death Is An Illusion" and the title track showcase D-beat intensity and thrash flair - resulting in walk-off knockout, one-two punch.