Every Friday is new music release day. I dig through new release lists from sources like All Music, Metal Injection, Pitchfork, and Bandcamp to put together a queue of releases from bands and labels that might interest me. As I listen through the list, I add the stand out albums to a playlist for revisiting. This list is what I refer to as the First Pass. Some of the albums make it to my best of the month playlists. Others get tossed upon further review. Below is a list of albums from this week that made the first pass.
Frostmoon Eclipse
Worse Weather to Come
Black Metal
Good atmosphere, solid vocals, and cool riffs make this one worth another pass.
Black Marble
Bigger Than Life
Coldwave, Post-Punk
There is something really relaxing about this album, and some solid melodies that keep things interesting.
Raat
Déraciné
Atmospheric Black Metal, Blackgaze
Black metal with a positive vibe.
Malevich
Our Hollow
Grindcore, Blackened Hardcore
Noisy, loud, and full of angst.
Great Grandpa
Four of Arrows
Indie Rock
Great melodies enhanced by excellent vocals.
Dawn Ray’d
Behold Sedition Plainsong
Black Metal
Solid vocals and song craft accompanied by a violin.
Dogbreth
Ever Loving
Indie Rock
There is a lot of depth to this album. I kept getting pulled in as it progressed.
Vamachara
Hereafter
Hardcore, Beatdown
Short and to the point like hardcore is meant to be.
Cigarettes After Sex
Cry
Ambient Pop, Dream Pop
The whole vibe of this album is soft and comforting.
Cloak
The Burning Dawn
Black Metal
The slower pace of the album is what stands out to me.
Amy O
Shell
Indie Pop, Lo-Fi
Excellent songwriting sets this one apart.
The Great Old Ones
Cosmicism
Atmospheric Black Metal
Eerie and foreboding; these guys have a dark majesty to them.
Night Surf
The End of the World With…
Punk Rock
I like the vocals and the energy.
Rings of Saturn
Gidim
Technical Death Metal, Deathcore
I love the sci-fi vibes of this band, and the guitar work is excellent.
Kanye West
JESUS IS KING
Hip-Hop, Gospel Rap
This album cover is awful, and I’m not sure all the tracks can even be considered songs. However, Kanye is always worth a few listens if for nothing else but to admire the excellent production.
Aephanemer
Prokopton
Melodic Death Metal, Symphonic Metal
Typically I am not into metal with any type of clean vocals, but all the elements on this one work together so well.
Apollo Brown
Sincerely, Detroit
Hip-Hop
Joined by a huge list of guest rappers from Detroit, this album highlights the city’s place in the world of hip-hop.
The World Is a Beautiful Place & I Am No Longer Afraid to Die
Assorted Works
Emo, Indie Rock
I normally would not include a collection of previously released material, but this band deserves to be highlighted whenever possibly.
Norma Jean
All Hail
Metalcore, Mathcore
After more than 15 years, this band still delivers blazing, brutal music.