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
Don Broco – Amazing Things (alt-metal, pop rock)
Even in a year as stacked as 2021, this is probably my most anticipated album of the year. 2018’s Technology is one of my favourite and probably most listened to albums of the last five years and every single they’ve released so far only suggests that unprecedented hot streak is going to continue with the aptly named Amazing Things.
See Also: Green Lung – Black Harvest (heavy metal, stoner-doom); Best Black Sabbath album since Sabotage (1975); New ETID as well, and even that new Dream Theater album is pretty good!
Last Week’s Best Album: Hippotraktor – Meridian (progressive post-metal); Shout out to Karlo for putting me on to this one.
–Josh Bulleid
Every Time I Die – Radical (chaotic hardcore, southern hardcore)
New Every Time I Die! It’s new ETID, you should know what to expect by now. The raucous five-piece from Buffalo have been around for over 20 years now with Radical being their impressive ninth full-length, and somehow they’ve arguably gotten better with each album.
Based off the singles, the sound here is a predictable continuation from the last two albums. They’ve really dialed in their distinct chaotic hardcore sound with a southern edge, while getting tighter and slightly more progressive without losing their belligerent, raging party dad enthusiasm.
See Also: Sentinels – Collapse By Design (progressive metalcore, mathcore)
–Trent Bos