Thanksgiving has come and gone and you’ve made it through a full work week. Why not reward yourselves with some kickass metal? We’ve got another very death metal Morbid Angel track, an unreleased Napalm Death track from 2014, a single Glassjaw‘s surprise new album, the return of both Tribulation and Mammoth Grinder, and more!
Morbid Angel – “For No Master”
Well, it sure as hell seems like Morbid Angel is done with its industrial days and is going back to being ridiculously good death metal. Steve Tucker’s vocals bring back memories of old Morbid Angel, while the ever-present Trey Azagthoth continues to lay down crushing, fast-paced riffs that don’t seem to be capable of doing anything but going several hundred miles per hour at all times.
Look. You’re going to need Kingdoms Disdained in your life, and you can do that because it’s out now.
Napalm Death – “Nurse The Hunger”
Napalm Death is currently working on a studio album to be out sometime in either 2018 or 2019, but the song we’ve got here today is not from that effort. Instead, “Nurse The Hunger” was recorded for Napalm Death‘s 2015 album Apex Predator – Easy Meat and has now been released by Decibel Magazine. If you’re down with that album’s semi-industrial, totally grindy brand of madness, then you’re going to love “Nurse The Hunger.”
Tribulation – “The Lament”
There seems to be quite a lot of discussion on what genre Tribulation fits into with this new song, so I’d like to clear that up for everyone – who gives a shit. “The Lament” is gloomy, catchy, and fits right in as a solid step up from what the band was doing with Children of The Night. It’s like Tribulation’s upcoming album Down Below is going to be another in a string of excellent albums, so you’d be wise to pre-order it here before its January 26 release date.
Glassjaw – “Shira”
It’s finally here. Glassjaw‘s first new album in 15 years is out today and it’s exactly everything you’d hoped it would be. The single “Shira” sounds like a solid progression over 2002’s Worship And Tribute, though the 15 years between albums has certainly given the band a much different flavor than before. Plus, “Shira” sounds like a chunky ass Deftones song, and that’s awesome.
Material Control. Get it in your life.
The Atomic Bitchwax – “Houndstooth”
The Atomic Bitchwax is so talented it’s a little disgusting. At the heart of its sound lies a clear love of all things raucous rock and roll, but the band’s penchant for off-kilter rhythms and tongue-twister riffs really makes for something head and shoulders above what everyone else is doing.
The Atomic Bitchwax will melt more minds with its new album Force Field come December 8, which I highly suggest you pick up. These guys can straight up do no wrong.
Portal – “Phreqs”
This might be the most coherent and typical death metal thing Portal has ever released and it’s still not even close to approaching normal. Portal‘s music is a lot like tripping down the stairs with a box full of infinite void and misery and spiling all that nonsense onto a death metal band, who in turn immediately lose all semblance of sanity and begin speaking in musical tongues. This is the least “that” Portal has ever been.
Have your mind properly annihilated by “Phreqs” below, stare at Zbigniew M. Bielak’s artwork too long until you go cross-eyed, and pre-order Ion here before January 26.
Of Mice & Men – “Defy”
Of Mice & Men‘s first album without vocalist Austin Carlile and with bassist Aaron Pauley stepping up to the microphone is shaping up to be one hell of an effort. Defy‘s title track isn’t quite as heavy as previous singles, though the super djenty-sort-of rhythms and radio-friendly chorus are a damn fine marriage of sounds that results in an excellent end product.
Mammoth Grinder – “Superior Firepower”
Mammoth Grinder has reunited in 2017 with original guitarist and vocalist Chris Ulsh (Power Trip), and then newcomers drummer Ryan Parrish (ex-Darkest Hour, Iron Reagan) and guitarist Mark Bronzino (ANS, Iron Reagan). Mammoth Grinder is still hateful, mid-paced death metal, so it doesn’t seem like Ulsh’s tastes have changed much in the five years since the last album… and I sure as hell wouldn’t it to.
Get a pre-order of Cosmic Crypt here before the album drops on January 26.
