To The Teeth: Katatonia, Ulcerate, Elder, Cirith Ungol, Paradise Lost
New albums
My favourite records this week: first of all Katatonia (prog rock/metal from Sweden), a band I've loved since the nineties when I saw them play with Opeth for 50 people - and they already had two or three subgenres under their belt. The new record alternately rocks and soothes, and hits every mark I'd hope a Katatonia record hits.
I'm also in awe of new Ulcerate (tech death from New Zealand), a band that demonstrates how much room there still is left in extreme metal. It's amazing how they invoke such a strong atmosphere within their technical wizardry (I think I would still listen to this record if it was just the drummer).
Elder (psych stoner/doom from the USA - now based in Germany) is always exciting, because they never fail to manage to lift my spirits (something you might need after the previous two) with their unique psyched out, proggy doom.
And who would've predicted that Cirith Ungol (heavy/doom from the USA) would sound so fresh and exciting after twentynine (29!) years of absence? I mean, comebacks are kind of metal's thing, but this is a lifetime. I didn't expect much, and got a lot.
There's more.
New albums, demo's, splits and ep's are out from Trivium (metalcore/thrash from the USA), Auroch (blackened death from Canada), Black Curse (death/black from the USA - with members of Blood Incantation, Khemmis, Primitive Man & Spectral Voice), Warbringer (thrash from the USA), Bezwering (black from the Netherlands - ex-Wederganger), Warlust (black/thrash from Germany), a split from Carpe Noctem & Árstíðir Lífsins (both black from Iceland), White Nights (avantgarde black/deathrock from ??), Allelic (folk/black from Canada), Barishi (prog/sludge from the USA), Together To The Stars (post-black from Sweden), Elephant Tree (doom/stoner from the UK), Blaze of Sorrow (atmoblack/folk from Italy), Luctus (black/thrash from Lithuania), Golden Light (black from the USA), Helfró (black from Iceland), Bâ'a (black from France), Bythos (black from Finland - members of Behexen and Horna), Karloff (blackened punk from Germany), (0) (experimental from Denmark), Expunged (death from Canada), Light Dweller (death/black from the USA), Total Fucking Destruction (grind from the USA), Hegemony (death/black from the USA), Dämmerfarben (atmoblack/doom from Germany), Lustre (atmoblack/ambient from Sweden), Unmerciful (death from the USA), Old Tower (dungeon synth from the Netherlands), Destroyed in Seconds (thrash/crossover from the USA), I Am Destruction (deathcore from the USA), Werewolves (death/grind from Australia), Chopping Mall (death/grind/great titles from the USA), and listen to two new Avantgarde Music records in full early: With The End in Mind (post-black from the USA) and Drought (black from Italy). There's a live record from Inter Arma (sludge/black/death/post from the USA - all their proceeds go to directrelief.org), ánd a live record from Thou & The Body (sludge/doom and experimental/doom from the USA - proceeds go to electricgirls.org).
New singles
There are new songs, singles and advance tracks out from Paradise Lost (doom/death/gothic from the UK), Hail Spirit Noir (prog/psych black from Greece), Ulthar (death/black from the USA), Aleah (dark folk from South Africa/Sweden - a posthumus release), Lamb of God (groove/metalcore from the USA), Carach Angren (symphonic black from the Netherlands), Golden Ashes (atmoblack from the Netherlands), Infant Island (post-hardcore/screamo from the USA), END (metalcore from the USA), Impavida (black from the USA - their side of a split with Vuur & Zijde), Aversio Humanitatis (black from Spain), Pyre (death from Russia), Lesoir (progrock from the Netherlands), Cerebellion (prog from the USA), Eremit (sludge/doom from Germany), Eye of Nix (black/doom from the USA), Cosmic Putrefaction (death from Italy), Vampire (death/thrash from Sweden), Secrets of the Moon (black/gothic from Germany), and a teaser for a new Ahab (funeral doom from Germany) live record.
Bonus: I really enjoyed this version of Ozzy's Crazy Train by members of Dillinger Escape Plan, Chelsea Wolfe and Cave In.
Next week
I’m looking forward to next week because of: Vader, Havok & Umbra Vitae.
Non-metal album of the week: BC Camplight - Back to Work
Have a great weekend, please stay safe - Peter.