No better way than to start the year than with some new Death Metal is what I say. I’ve quit coffee and don’t touch Red Bull, so I need something to kick start the day. It’s a particularly cold winter here in New England and every time I check Twitter there is a freshly developed shitshow going on so the more extreme music the merrier. Long story short, thank you Frozen Soul for kicking in the 2021 door with Crypt of Ice (Century Media).
There was a time where Metal had an ageism problem; the perception prevalent that once heavier bands passed certain milestone birthdays or anniversaries, or wracked a certain number of albums, or miles on the road, they became jaded, watered-down parodies of themselves. The late nineties, and, to be fair, a good chunk of the first decade of this millennium, were not kind to our grizzled veterans, some of whom fed into the prophecy, with stock output outweighing those who could still hold their own.
Gatecreeper will surprise drop a new album An Unexpected Reality tomorrow, January 13th, 2021via Closed Casket Activities. The band last released their acclaimed full-length Deserted in 2019, along with a split release with Exhumed via Relapse Records. The band has commented:
Wisconsin’s horror obsessed Death Metallers Casket Robbery have announced a New Year’s Eve livestream event, from 4 – 6 PM CST, via their Facebook page. You can tune in to the stream at the link below. The band sent a message out to fans to announce the event!
Ho holy shit, did you catch The Black Dahlia Murder’s holiday livestream? I hope you did because it was a Christmas miracle. Aptly titled “Yule `Em All,” this was definitely not your typical livestream (or Black Dahlia show, for that matter.) Jam-packed with the bands’ trademark sense of humor and brutal riffage, the night was fueled by holiday joy and metal mayhem.
Long-running Death Metal band Morgoth has announced they are permanently breaking up. The band had formed in 1985 as Exterminator and operated from 1987-1998 and then reunited in 2010. The band went on hiatus again in 2015, and at the time hinted that they might return. The band posted to their official Facebook page, to bring the news to fans. Their last album was Ungod in 2015, released on Century Media Records.
Danish death metal band Baest has announced their third full-length album Necro Sapiens out early 2021 via Century Media. More details about the release are coming soon. Formed in 2015, they signed to Century Media in 2018 and have spent the past few years releasing new music and touring with bands like Aborted and Entombed A.D. The band has won a total of three Danish GAFFA awards. Now, Baest is happy to announce their new album and a massive European tour in support of the forthcoming release, with dates opening for Benediction and major festivals, such as Roskilde, in their homeland.
UK’s Death Metal leaders Venom Prison announces the signing to their new label home, Century Media Records. The band released a statement: Continue reading
The second full-length album from Denver’s Green Druid promises broader influences compared to its predecessor, 2018’s Ashen Blood. It’s certainly true to an extent as the harsher vocals pop up more frequently and a couple of segments go-between post-Rock and Death Metal, but At The Maw Of Ruin (Earache Records) ultimately keeps to a steady Stoner Doom template. Comparisons could be made to their fellow Coloradans in Khemmis as the album utilizes a similar combination of monolithic riffs, drawn-out structures, and a desolate atmosphere.
Not exactly renowned for being a hotbed of thrash metal, Australia has nevertheless served up some quality bands over the years. Sadistik Exekution, Addictive, and Deströyer 666 all enjoyed relative success along with bigger names such as Hobbs’ Angel of Death, and of course, Sydney’s Mortal Sin, but in more recent years it’s been left to Melbourne act Harlott to fly the Aussie flag of hate.