New year, new metal. What did January have to offer? More than it usually does, it turns out. Let’s take a look at five of the best…
I really like Oceana’s blend of progressive metal and old-school doom. It’s infectiously catchy and very enjoyable. These songs stick around long after they’ve ended, which is definitely a key feature of this sort of music. A lot of talent and work has gone into this. Don’t miss The Pattern.
Splendidula’s Somnus is an exemplary mixture of doom, sludge, and post-metal. Heavy riffs and powerful vocals drive the music forward. Whether crushing with weighty distortion or drowning the listener with waves of atmospheric heaviness, Somnus is a winner.
Now here’s a gnarly, foul slab of death metal for you. Altered Dead’s Returned to Life is a hideous old-school monster of an album, brimming with claws, teeth, and spikes. If you’re a fan of old-school death metal with a pinch of doom, then this is a high quality release for you.
18° Below the Horizon by Starer keeps getting better and better the more I listen to it. It’s really easy to become absorbed by the band’s atmospheric take on black metal. Combining second wave symphonic elements with a post-blackened delivery, this is a very strong release indeed.
If blackened hardcore floats your boat then look no further than Portrayal of Guilt. We Are Always Alone is is bleakly rich collection of dark nightmares compressed into musical form. Brimming with hateful aggression and punk attitude, but without neglecting mood and feeling, this is a great piece of work.
Wonderbox Metal 