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Category: Audio

New Ihsahn Album Details Leaked Via Amazon; Samples Available

Filed Under: Audio, General News, New music, Upcoming releases

Apr.03, 2012

Sweet Jesus, my excitement can hardly be contained. After a reader tipped them off, MetalSucks picked up on Amazon UK’s page for Ihsahn‘s upcoming solo album, which lists the title, album art, release date, tracklist, and features samples of every track. Awww yeah.

The new record, titled Eremita, will be released June 18th on Candlelight Records. Here’s the tracklist:

01. Arrival
02. The Paranoid
03. Introspection
04. The Eagle and the Snake
05. Catharsis
06. Something Out There
07. Grief
08. The Grave
09. Departure

This is shaping up to be a great record, featuring guests such as Jeff Loomis and Shining‘s Jorgen Munkeby. If it even comes close the the brilliance of After, we’re in for one of the best albums 2012 can offer.

- JR

Tags: candlelight records, Eremita, Ihsahn, Jeff Loomis, Shining

Vestascension Are Back!

Filed Under: Audio, Downloads, New music, Upcoming releases

Apr.02, 2012

Last year, Maryland-based dream rock darlings Vestascension had every intention of releasing a new song for free every month of 2011, but a wrench was thrown into their plan after a crippling lineup change that ultimately stopped the project in its tracks. It was a huge bummer, and suffice it to say, we missed hearing our monthly fix of Vestascension. The group recently made a rebound though, picking up a new vocalist and drummer and made the promise of being back shortly.

Thankfully, the dudes made good on their promise, releasing their new track ‘Until We See The Ocean’ this weekend. Suffice it to say, the boys are back and they’re as great as ever. Expect what you always would out of Vestascension — climactic ultra-melodic dream rock that is heartfelt and passionate. You can stream the track below and download it for free at Bandcamp.

Unfortunately though, the old Vestascension songs were pulled from Bandcamp, so if you didn’t get them while they were available, you’re gonna have to wait. According to guitarist/manager/etc Justin Gosnell (who you may remember from his brilliant column he did for us a handful of times), the songs are to be re-recorded with the new singer and will return. That’s good to know!

Vestascension, it’s good to have you guys back! We hope to hear more from you soon!

- JR

Tags: Vestascension

New Version Of Monuments’ ‘Admit Defeat‘ Surfaces

Filed Under: Audio, New music, WILD SPECULATION!

Apr.02, 2012

…Strangely close to April Fools day.

However, while the band hasn’t announced any affiliation with the new Soundcloud page that the track was posted on, I’d say it was a pretty elaborate and even pointless ruse if it turned out that the band had nothing to do with this. Got Djent posted the track last night, noting that the band had already found a new singer and were regularly posting updates about it through their Facebook page, so whilst there aren’t any changes to the instrumentation, the move from two singers to one makes for an interesting comparison.

It definitely gives the track a different feel, missing a lot of the rhythmic refrains that made the track before but I was already predisposed to hate this as I loved the way that the departed duo of Neema and Greg meshed with those huge djent riffs so I’ll definitely give this one some more time before making a final judgement on it. Either way, here’s to hoping that 2012 is the year that we finally get to hear these tracks — honestly, a studio version of ‘Doxa‘ would suit me just fine — in their studio album form whether it’s with this vocalist or not. I’ve included the We Are The Foundation EP version of ‘Admit Defeat‘ after the jump so you can make up your own mind.

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Tags: Admit Defeat, Basick Records, Doxa, Monuments, We Are The Foundation

Dying Fetus Shall Reign Supreme

Filed Under: Audio, Upcoming releases

Mar.28, 2012

So, Dying Fetus have posted a teaser for their upcoming album Reign Supreme. THIS IS EXCITING. Dying Fetus are Marylandian deathgrind legends, and this will be their 7th album. It will come out on the 17th of June on Relapse Records (man, these guys have all the awesome bands), and it will pulverize our existence. Don’t believe me? Here’s the teaser with the album art and a sample of a song. The production sounds so crushing, and at the beginning of the sample, you can hear Jason Netherton (ex-Dying Fetus, current Misery Index) guesting on vocals. If you like what you hear, check them out on the Metal Alliance tour right now!

- NT

Tags: Dying Fetus, Misery Index, reign supreme, Relapse Records

I Know It Aint Even Remotely Metal, But There’s A New Silversun Pickups Song Available

Filed Under: Audio, New music, Unmetal, Upcoming releases

Mar.26, 2012

Silversun Pickups are like the opposite of heavy, but we like to break the mold from time to time and listen to a fair share of non-metal. I enjoy a bit of post-rock and shoegaze (especially when fused with metal), and while those influences are plain as day in Silversun Pickups, they have been compared to both My Bloody Valentine and Smashing Pumpkins, if that’s something you can get behind. I dig em quite a bit, so I’d like to assume some of you would as well.

SSPU’s new album Neck of the Woods is out in May, and the promo ball got to rolling today with the streaming of their new single ‘Bloody Mary (Nerve Endings).‘ You can stream it below.

While I instantly fell in love with most of 2009′s Swoon, this song’s a bit of a grower and may need a few listens to sink in, which is good because the song’s atmosphere leaves a lot to be discovered. I’m definitely looking forward to Neck of the Woods. It’s due out May 8th on Dangerbird Records.

- JR

Tags: Bloody Mary (Nerve Endings), Dangerbird Records, My Bloody Valentine, Neck of the Woods, Silversun Pickups, Smashing Pumpkins

HBIH PREMIERE: Brave The Moment’s ‘Nothing but the Remnants of Our Divide’

Filed Under: Audio, Features, New music, Upcoming releases

Mar.21, 2012

While we’re on the subject of the burgeoning UK tech metal scene, we’d like to draw your attention to up and coming Hitchin-based band Brave The Moment. This is a band to keep your eyes on in the next few years, for sure. They’re set to release their debut single EP Nothing but the Remnants of Our Divide on March 26th, but we’ve got the advance streaming of the title track below:

The single details the story of the untimely demise of a band, explains drummer, Murray Rawson: “Our last band (Our Divide) was dying a painful death, the track ‘Nothing But The Remnants Of Our Divide’ is about that break up. It’s a statement about how we are in a much better place now and the value of the lessons we learnt through the whole break up process, something which many musicians who have been in bands can probably relate to!”

Here’s the tracklist to the upcoming single release:

1. Nothing But The Remnants Of Our Divide
2. Being Human
3. Your Defeat Is Imminent

Brave the Moment’s debut album is due out this summer. Expect a string of dates and a new video to come to light in the coming months! Be sure to keep up with Brave the Moment on Facebook in the mean time!

- JR

Tags: Brave the Moment

Cattle Decapitation Know You’re ‘A Living, Breathing Piece Of Defecating Meat‘

Filed Under: Audio, New music, Shut Up And Take My Money, Upcoming releases

Mar.19, 2012

After prematurely announcing the release of a new Cattle Decapitation track for last week, Metal Blade thankfully didn’t keep us waiting long, as just last night they uploaded the truly stellar ‘A Living, Breathing Piece Of Defecating Meat‘ from their upcoming album Monolith Of Inhumanity.

As seems to be tradition with death metal releases in 2012, it’s pretty ridiculous how good it is. Of particular note is the performances of David McGraw whose pummeling gravity blasts carry the track and Travis Ryan’s vocals that range from guttural lows to screeching highs but never stray far from being sickeningly heavy. Whilst it’s not a huge departure from The Harvest Floor, it’s undeniably well put together and, surprisingly, catchy (not a word I thought I’d ever get to use in relation to Cattle Decapitation).

Monolith Of Inhumanity is set to be released on the 8th of May through the aforementioned Metal Blade, which may seem like a world away with all the great releases in between now and then but it looks like the wait will be worth it. The album is available for pre-order here.

- DL

Tags: A Living Breathing Piece Of Defecating Meat, Cattle Decapitation, Monolith Of Inhumanity, The Harvest Floor

Breakdowns and Bluegrass: The Blurring Of Genre Lines In Metal

Filed Under: Audio, Editorials

Mar.15, 2012

Metal is much more varied than people give it credit for. Sure, from the outside it might look like a bunch of dudes being evil and playing music that is faster and more technical than necessary, but once you’ve seen how deep the well goes, the breadth and scope of the genre is quite obvious. Far be it from me to preach to the choir about the endless array of subgenres with their own niche flourishes, though. I love this music dearly, and its esoteric nature just makes it that much more special to me.

Since I’ve delved into the world of metal and have fallen into my own specific tastes, nothing has gotten me more excited over the years than metal bands who can pull off wild leaps in genres of music. I’m talking about a pivotal moment in a song where the band throws convention and their own signature out of the window for a moment and explores their own brief rendition of anything from jazz to funk and country. I’m not sure why, but these moments of genrebusting (as I like to call it) is easily my biggest draw to progressive music, and I can’t get enough of it.

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Tags: Arsonists Get All The Girls, Between The Buried and Me, Dream Theater, gorod, Rush, Sigh

Periphery’s Spencer Sotelo is a Heretic

Filed Under: Audio, lolwut

Mar.14, 2012

Photo via Sahisnu Photography

I have no idea why, but Periphery singer Spencer Sotelo has gathered with a few friends to cover Slipknot‘s classic ‘The Heretic Anthem’.

Alright people…. As promised, I give you THE HERETIC ANTHEM. Taylor Larson on guitars, Will Donnelly on bass, Misha Mansoor and Matt Hellporn on drums and myself on vocals. Enjoy fuckers! -Spencer

I used to listen to this song all the time during 6th grade, so I’m intimately familiar with it, and Spencer absolutely nails it. He captures all the anger and nuances of Corey Taylor‘s voice. I wasn’t expecting much, but this is definitely insane. I hope Spencer sounds this vicious on the upcoming Periphery album too!

- NT

Tags: Corey Taylor, Periphery, Slipknot, Spencer Sotelo