I’m starting to wonder if this project is affecting me
I wonder if mainlining so much new music means I’m actually not listening to it very closely and just giving a “yep, sounds good to me” whenever there’s a decently engaging bit in a song, no matter how small.
I don’t think that’s the case, but I worry it’s getting there. There’s so much new music and I’ve given myself a quota of how many times I need to listen to each song, so I wind up “just getting through it” a lot of the time when my new music playlists are on rather than listening closely.
Anyway.
Behold! The List!
Twenty releases, let’s do this
This list contains several albums I thought I was going to like more than I did. I mean, it’s not like I pick albums I think are going to be bad, but some bands I’ve listened to before and have a certain expectation. Alas, it’s not always to be.
S-Tier
Succumb - XXI
Grimey and sublime from start to finish. I am in a paradise made of filth and rended flesh whenever I listen to this album.
A-Tier
Aborted - ManiaCult
Aborted needs to miss just once. Please. Save some brutality for everyone else.
Lvcifyre - The Broken Seal
This was a pleasant surprise. I’d never listened to Lvcifyre before but was immediately taken in by the big bashing riffs. A real joy.
Sermon of Flames - I Have Seen the Light, and It Was Repulsive
Another surprise — and a debut album no less — from Sermon of Flames. This album is noisy and raw. It has a lot of stylistic similarities to the Succumb album above, actually, and I think the only thing keeping this from reaching S-Tier is the handful of songs that don’t quite come together as well as they could’ve.
Orbit Culture - Shaman
A little EP that packs a big punch. Orbit Culture are versatile with their sound in a way that few bands are willing to go for these days.
B-Tier
Carcass - Torn Arteries
This is the first of the surprise disappointments if only because Carcass are heavy metal royalty. This is not a bad album by any stretch and it’s honestly so close to reaching up into A-tier, but there are some tracks that fall short of the excellence we’ve come to expect from Carcass. Don’t get me wrong: most of this record absolutely slaps.
Alghol - The Osseous Key
The only reason I’m putting this in B-tier and not C-tier is because “Fall of the King” is such a banger it makes up for the rest of the songs not living up to their potential. I love the sounds of this band, but the riffs are lackluster for what an otherwise solid sound they have.
Carnifex - GRAVESIDE CONFESSIONS
Good ol’ deathcore stand-by Carnifex has whipped up another batch of delicious, moshable tunes for us to sup on. This album is front-loaded in my opinion. A lot of great riffs in the second half still, but they really have an issue keeping the momentum going in that part of the album.
Insomnium - Argent Moon
Insomnium is a band it took me a while to crack. They do melodic death metal with heavy emphasis on the “melodic”. Most of the melodeth I gravitate towards tends to be fairly riff-based, but that’s not so much the case with Insomnium. They’re more about soaring, layered guitar harmonies. Now that I’ve finally gotten on that wavelength, I find their music to be shockingly beautiful for death metal. This EP is a nice slice of that. I wish there was a touch more meat on the bones, but this is a pleasant listen.
Inferi - Vile Genesis
Looking at my iTunes library, I’ve given most songs on this album a slot on my “loved” playlist. So why do I feel the need to put Vile Genesis in B-tier rather than A or S? I think it’s because even though Inferi can certainly whip up a killer riff I enjoy listening to, they’ve created an album that is still really typical of technical death metal. They don’t do a thing to differentiate themselves, just some solid riffage. Which I can appreciate. If it were executed with just a touch more pizazz I think I could forgive their otherwise generic sound more.
Employed to Serve - Conquering
Metalcore the way it should be done.
Aorlhac - Pierres Brûlées
This album was a grower for sure. I wouldn’t be shocked if I revised my opinion to bump this higher upon even more listens. The intricacy in the music continues to impress me, as do the climactic swells.
Crisix - The Pizza
This EP is very dumb. It’s also very fun. “It’s Tough to Cook a Song” is a legit banger and I will fight anyone who says otherwise.
Rivers of Nihil - The Work
The Work definitely holds better together as an album rather than on an individual basis. Which isn’t to say there aren’t bangers on here, there are, but some of the songs definitely play more into a general vibe and aid in album flow rather than pulling weight on their own.
C-Tier
Poppy - Flux
Fun lil’ nu-metal thang. If more songs were a touch heavier and/or catchier I think this would be higher.
Andrew WK - God is Partying
I’ve never been that big into Andrew WK, but I understand this album is a bit of a heavier turn. It’s decent and I’ve got my top tracks for sure, but I didn’t find this to be much more than a typical classic-style metal record.
Unto Others - Strength
I really dig Unto Others’ sound and their first album, Mana, contains some of my favorite metal tracks from 2019 (if you talk shit on “Nightfall” I will throat punch you), but outside of a handful of excellent tracks, most of these songs are unfortunately forgettable. It’s a shame. I love the staccato baritone of the vocalist and need more.
D-Tier
Gaylord - Crown of Joy (a Sublime Sun Thriving Amongst Suicidal Stars)
I love how tongue-in-cheek this band is, I love the satire, I love the antifascism. I wish the music was good.
Iron Maiden - Senjutsu
Mostly boring tbh. Sorry.
Funeral Winds - Gruzelementen
Absolutely none of this stuck in my brain. Just slid in one ear and right out the other.
Until next month
Buh-bye!