Release Round Up – January 29th, 2021
Every Friday there is a tidal wave of new music released unto the world. Whilst we try to cover as much as possible here at The Razor's Edge, it's not always possible to review everything. So each week on a Friday we'll round up some of the best new music available, some we've reviewed, some we haven't, but all worth checking out!
Theres a lot of new heavy music hitting the airwaves this week, everything from black metal, death metal, gothic metal, Stoner rock, doom, thrash metal and even some of your traditional heavy fuckin' metal!
Here's what we think you should check out today!
The first big release of the week is Tribulation's new album 'Where The Gloom Becomes Sound'. This has had us in The Razor's Edge office buzzing since before Christmas when it first landed and it is a genuine contender for album of the year!
"Majestic, entrancing, and bewitching in equal measure, ‘Where the Gloom Becomes Sound’ is an album that finishes as strongly as it opens."
You can read our full review here and our interview with the band here.
Next two giant German metal acts both releases albums this week! First up Accept drop 'Too Mean To Die' an album inspired (if you can use this word in this context) by the pandemic.
"It’s a thunderous, robust, and explosive track that sees Tornillo in magnificent form, his screams complimenting the huge sound on the record.
Accept may be closing on 45 years, but there is plenty of life in the old dogs yet."
'Too Mean To Die' is released via Nuclear Blast today! You can read our full review here and our interview with Wolf Hoffmann here.
And then guitar legend Michael Schenker releases the next instalment from the Michael Schenker Group. Recorded under lockdown restrictions in 2020, 'Immortal' proves that Schenker has no desire to slow down just yet!
"Immortal is a reminder that with the right wind, few guitarists can match one of the most respected and influential guitarists we have ever seen."
'Immortal' is released via Nuclear Blast today! You can read our album review here and check back next week for our interview the man himself!
If you like tings really heavy, the stoners and doomsters of the world drop a bombshell of new releases this week. Demon Head drop their occult doom masterpiece 'Viscera' today [check out the review here]. Sonic Flower, featuring members of Church of Misery, release psychedelic number 'Rides Again' and King Baal meld elements of doom, symphonic metal and outright heavy in their album 'Conjourments'. Solo artist Deep Space Mask channels his inner Tony Iommi on 'Songs From The Dark Light' whilst UK upstarts Barbarian Hermit re-release their epic debut 'One'. You can read our review of 'One' here and watch the video for 'Through The Periscope of the Deadly Sub' below!
For the thrashers amongst our readership, there are a few releases worth checking out. Angriff released their first album in over ten years when 'Sodomy In The Convent' dropped earlier this week. Rezet release 'Truth in Between' whilst Bristolian thrashers Trapped in Purgatory rise from the ashes of classic thrasher Purgatory and release their 'Damned Nation' album. It's safe to say we're fans of that one and you can check out the review here!
There is a slew of death metal releases for your ears to be brutalised with today. Our top recommendation comes in the form of Werewolves and their new beast 'What A Time To Be Alive'.
"‘What a Time to be Alive’ is not for the faint hearted, nine tracks of visceral hate, starting with the "1, 2, 3, 4" of ‘I Don’t Like You’, blast-beats flying at you from all angles the guitar and bass spewing forth all sorts of riffs and mayhem"
We reviewed this one earlier in the week and if you missed it you can check it out here.
'What A Time To Be Alive' is released via Prosthetic Records today!
Else where in the death metal world there is plenty for your ears to beast on. Devotion release 'The Harrowing' [review here], Dipygus (spawned in the contaminated sewers of Santa Cruz according to their press release) drop 'Bushmeat' and Beyond Extinction treat us to a new E.P. in the form of 'The Fatal Flaws of Humankind'.
Aussie newcomers Escarion release their debut death metal offering in 'Pillars of Faith' and melodic death metal act Mordkaul drop the elegantly titled 'Dress Code: Blood'. Whilst Dark Zodiac cross the death metal and thrash metal boundarues with their album 'Ophiuchus'.
If you like your death metal on the progressive side then we think you should check out Italian's Oceana and their new album 'The Pattern'.
"a magnificent 62-minute progressive record that displays numerous styles and influences. There are death growls, clean singing, heavy riffing, high harmonies, vicious riffs, and generous melodies."
'The Pattern' is released on Time To Kill Records today and you can read our full review here.
Another album of the year contender rears its head today in the form of Church Road Records alumni Wowod. We checked it out last week and were mightly impressed.
"Wowod have created an album that, if all things were fair, would stand colossus over all other heavy releases in 2021; an album that will simultaneously knock your teeth out and elevate you to soar on mighty wings."
You can check out our full review here and head over to Church Road's website to buy it!
For all you black metal fans, earlier this week one man black metal machine Shadow released 'H8 4All' under his Kriegsgott project. You can read what we though of this one here. Our favourite release in the genre this week is And Now The Owls Are Smiling's new album 'Dirges' which we described as "simultaneously devastatingly brutal and preciously delicate" here.
For fast-paced, traditional Black Metal with a melodic edge there is 'Breathing the Void' the new album from Hån and Polish legends Hell-Born drop 'Natas Liah' which you can listen to in full below!
Soen make a triumphant return with new album 'Imperial' which is potentially the third album of the year contender released this week alone!
"Each and every song is soaked through with a wonderful atmosphere, gorgeous melodies and choruses that will bore their way into your subconscious. "
You can read our full review from earlier this week here.
Warzaw release a storming slab of traditional heavy metal in 'Werewolves on Wheels', although we do suggest you look past the questionable album cover and focus on the music.
"If you want your metal served with lashings of old school style fist in the air, grab a beer, your denim cut off and immerse yourself in the thumpingly good debut release by Norwegian quartet Warzaw."
Our full review can be found here.
For a brilliant brand of new alt-rock we highly recommend the new album from The Young Hearts. 'The Modern State' reminded us of the happy go lucky rock sound that bands like Feeder and Ash brought to prominence at the turn of the millennium.
"The joyous, beautifully written guitar licks drive the album forth whilst the vocals of Craig Lawrence give you that feeling of familiarity. It’s new, it's fresh, but at the same time so familiar."
We reviewed the album earlier this week, here.
And for those of you who love your metal on the symphonic side of things. Italian's Souls of Diotima release 'Janas' today.
"Souls of Diotima combine driving heavy metal with symphonic and progressive elements to deliver a really engaging sound that blends the Northern European influences with the band’s roots in the Mediterranean."
You can check out our album review here and listen to our chat with frontwoman Claudia here.
And the releases don't end there. Both Starcrazy and The Hawkins release stunning classic rock albums. Dreamslain release a questionable album, 'Tales Of Knights And Distant Worlds', dubbed by themselves as "epic metal", you can check out our thoughts here. Skam release 'Sound of a Disease', Trial release 'Sisters of the Monn' and noise-mongers Zeahorse drop 'Let's Not (and Say We Did) which we reviewed here.
Plus there are albums out today from... These Colors Fade, Bleach Everything, Cellar Twins, Trillionaire, Wallowing, Eximperitus, Altered Dead and finally Sagenland whose album originally planned for release earlier this month dropped this week instead. You can read our Sagenland review here.
And thats just the tip of the iceberg! There is so much new music out today for you to get your groove on to. Enjoy it all!
