Editor’s Note: Do you think we “missed” an album this week? Click here.
Each month, we always seem to come to the same conclusion when it comes to our Editors’ Picks column: Friday release days open the floodgates and unleash a seemingly endless stream of quality new music. But while some of our Editors and Contributors sit down gleefully each week to dive into this newly stocked treasure trove, others find themselves drawing a blank at the end of the month due to the breakneck pace needed to keep up to date with what’s been released. Which brings us to this Heavy Blog PSA: a weekly roundup of new albums which pares down the week’s releases to only our highest recommendations. Here you’ll find full album/single streams, pre-order links and, most importantly, a collection of albums that could very well earn a spot on your year-end list. Enjoy!
Top Picks
black midi – Hellfire (avant-prog, experimental rock)
It feels like black midi are addicted to upping the ante. Their third album in the last four years follows one of the most celebrated “kitchen sink” rock records in recent memory. While Schlagenheim (2019) was certainly an experimental record in its own right, black midi brought more of everything to the table with Cavalcade (2020) — a crazed avant-prog opus dabbling in everything from jazz-rock to zeuhl. The lead singles from Hellfire suggest yet another hard left turn, and I’m locked in for the ride.
See Also: Scarcity – Aveilut (experimental black metal); If Doug Moore is involved in a band, I listen to them. Simple as that. This time around he’s trying his hand at experimental black metal with the help of multi-instrumentalist Brendon Randall-Myers (conductor of the Glenn Branca Ensemble). The lead singles offer intense black metal that’s as disorienting as it is oddly beautiful.
–Scott Murphy
Deathbringer – IT (progressive tech death)
This sounds like if (among other things) Decapitated hadn’t taken the turn into groove metal and pursued the more progressive style of Carnival is Forever instead. IT isn’t quite the finished product. The trap/electronic parts are hardly more developed or integrated than those of the new Rings of Saturn record, but there’s a ton of potential here for Deathbringer to build upon and IT’ll give you a good kick in the pants while they’re at it.
See Also: Kruhl – Sanguine Nihilism (groovy tech death); for the more groove inclined.
–Josh Bulleid