You want it loud? You wanna hear it loud? Right between the eyes? Don’t want no compromise? Join the club — my site ain’t called Tinnitist for shiggles, bucko. Here are the latest worthy metal and hard rockin’ offerings to menace my inbox. Raise your head, bang the dead (or something like that):
Dissona | Skinjob
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Get ready to be plunged into the neon, cyberpunk world of Blade Runner with the album Dreadfully Distinct from Chicago’s Dissona, due Nov. 10. Second offering Skinjob delves into the complex psyche of Agent K from Blade Runner 2049. It’s a purely electronic composition that still manages to feel both organic and authentic. The band is presenting it now in a video. “It opens with a sub-driven verse section that paints a vivid picture of life on the dystopian streets of Los Angeles,” Dissona say. “The lyrics resonate with Agent K’s struggle as a replicant, entirely subject to the will of humans. As the song progresses, it delves into Agent K’s internal conflict and the emotions that shouldn’t exist in a replicant, leading to a powerful emotional crescendo.”
Stone Horns | The Age Of Chimairas
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Founded in 2016 in Marseille, Stone Horns have been unleashing groove death metal since debuting The Beast Inside in 2018. Now they’re gearing up for their third album Chimaira, due in January 2024. Featuring seven groove-laden and hell-bent tracks, Chimaira tells the story of an odyssey of being rejected by all and thirsting for revenge. It explores life’s thirst for recognition, whatever its form. Through its various acts, the story continues in different states, colors, and landscapes. Say the band: “We’re all chasing a chimera, but isn’t it the chimera that’s chasing us? That’s the question this album tries to answer, combining freshness and warmth, violence and peace, waves, and digressions.”
Mindrazer | Entombed In Time
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Combining the anthemic melodies of traditional and power metal, the precise, aggressive attack of thrash, and twists of dark intensity borrowed from second-wave black metal, New Jersey’s Mindrazer play a style as familiar as it is fresh. Their debut album A Thing of Nightmares is now, along with the video for Entombed In Time. The band shares their thoughts: “Every song offers something different. We took the inverse of the AC/DC approach. We grew up in the playlist era; albums can’t be the same anymore. Every song has to keep the listener on edge and bring something new to the table to keep people from going to something else. Entombed in Time is moody, epic, and contemplative. It is supposed to make the hairs on your arm stand up and give you that rush that makes you throw yourself in the pit.”
Atria | Ground Zero
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “With a fresh lineup and a new musical direction, London, Ontario’s Atria have been baring their knuckles and punching down the concrete walls in all directions — and they have no plans on stopping. Today, they share the video for the title track from their latest EP, a song about the moment that you first pray to God and realize that there will never be an answer. Vocalist Tom Emmans adds: “The video was filmed at a place called Light is Art by Joe Lyko from Dark Moon Productions. The song is about the first time you pray and realize that no one is going to answer. Joe captured how terrifying that can be with the lighting by playing off of our image, specifically the contacts. We tried to capture the fear of losing God. We tried to make the scariest video that anyone will see this year.”
Vvon Dogma I | Lithium Blue
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “With their latest album The Kvlt of Glitch, Canada’s Vvon Dogma I are set to cement their status as a band unafraid to take risks and push boundaries. Their album is a visceral and immersive listening experience, with songs that take unexpected twists and turns and showcase the band’s impressive musicianship. Fans of experimental rock and avant-garde music will want to dig into this release, especially the latest video for Lithium Blue, which nine-string bassist and founder Chaoth explains further: “I just love that track Lithium Blue. It was on the Communion EP, but I felt like it needed a better production so I gave it a second chance and brought it in the studio and I love the result. From intricate high tapping patterns to the most caveman djent riff, it’s so satisfying.”
Degenerator | Eternalism
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Buckle up for a relentless journey into aggressive alt-rock as Edmonton’s sonic titans Degenerator unveil their latest creation The Abyssal Throne. Led by Barrett Klesko (All Else Fails) on vocals, guitar, and bass, along with drummer Jonathan Webster (Pass of Era, ex-Striker), this highly anticipated debut release takes listeners on an exhilarating ride through stoner, sludge, grunge, and goth rock, pushing the boundaries of alternative music. The first single is Eternalism, which Klesko comments on: “Time slips away fast. Aggression and melody. Balance the darkness. This was the first song crafted for the album, and it captures the essence of the album, both musically and lyrically. I am exploring the conflict between being stuck in the past and living only in the now. It starts fast, hits hard, but carries a depth of melody and thought that goes beyond a standard set of 4/4 metal riffs and faux melancholia.”
Vitskär Süden | Thriller
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “L.A. prog-doomers Vitskär Süden began experimenting with a cover version of Michael Jackson’s monumental Thriller a few years ago during the recording of their second album The Faceless King, although most of the band didn’t realize it. “I launched into my vocal/bass take on Thriller around Halloween during a jam session and the guys joined in but had absolutely no idea that’s what they were playing,” says vocalist and bassist Martin Garner. “They thought I was just improvising like I usually do when we’re writing.” Later, upon realizing what had emerged, the band decided to record the cover in proper Vitskär fashion as a Halloween treat for fans. “We developed an approach to the track that was something along the lines of ‘a slo-mo trip to a seedy strip club with David Lynch,’ ” says Garner. “That told us everything we needed to know.”
Foetal Juice | Legion Of The Grotesque
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Renowned in the U.K. underground, the indomitable talents of Derek Carley (Burial, Wolfbastard), Ryan Whittaker, Rob Harris (Necronautical) and Lewis Bridges (ex-Ond) form Foetal Juice, a band that deliver a seething, virtuosic, and violent audial assault. Their latest album Grotesque is more gruesome than ever, with savage sound and remorseless lyrics, it will unleash a cataclysmic symphony of brutality that will leave the faint-hearted in tatters. Their single Legion of the Grotesque delves into the macabre world of those who overuse cosmetic surgery, turning themselves into grotesque monstrosities. A disfigured tale of botched Botox and vanity gone horribly wrong is explained further by the band: “This song was inspired by our love of Angel Corpse. Our guitarist wrote a riff that we loved so we thought, “Why does it need to move to the next section every 4 bars?’ So, we stay on the same riff for longer than we normally would with other elements of the song changing around it. Again, it’s something new that we have tried for this album and for me at least, it works really well. We’ve thought it needed breaking up with something less blast-beaty in the middle as it has a lot of constant blasting in this one.”
Raised By Haze | Freedom
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Progressive rockers Raised By Haze will release their debut album Touch The Sky in November. Following up their first single Prediction, the band offer their second single Freedom. Guitarist Gabriele Robotti explains: “Freedom is more than just a song: It’s a journey into the core of Raised By Haze’s musical philosophy. The lyrics, masterfully crafted by Valentina, delve into personal experiences and perspectives on life. In the track, my influences related to American rock from the ’90s and 2000s emerge, from Alice In Chains to Alter Bridge to Linkin Park, with the progressive vein surfacing in the song’s 7/4 time signature special section.”
Display Of Decay | Legion Of Doom
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Prepare to have your senses shattered as Canada’s Display Of Decay unveil the chaos and power that can only be found in death metal in their sixth album Vitriol, due Oct. 2. The eight tracks on Vitriol will take listeners through distorted riffs colliding with thunderous percussion, creating a maelstrom of sound that leaves no room for compromise. The lyrical content covers a variety of topics ranging from pop culture references like Diablo & Mass Effect to darker undertones of acts of senseless violence and brutality. The band explain: “At long last, we are excited to finally announce our long-awaited new record and sixth instalment into the discography, Vitriol!… This album follows the trajectory our style has grown over the years, whilst still paying homage to the first few records of our discography.”
