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 Country, New Road – Ants From Up There (experimental rock, art punk)
What a rough start to Black Country, New Road’s young career. After their phenomenal debut For the first time was delayed due to COVID, frontman Isaac Wood left the band just days before the release of their sophomore album, Ants From Up There. Naturally, the group canceled their upcoming tour dates, presumably to find a replacement vocalist or learn how to proceed as an instrumental group. While no one can predict what comes next for BCNR, I’m stoked to check out their follow-up to my favorite rock record of 2021. With their debut behind them, I’m curious to see how they’ve further refined their unique blend of post-punk, art rock, and klezmer.
See Also: Animal Collective – Time Skiffs (neo-psychedelia, art pop); Other than the brilliant Merriweather Post Pavilion, Animal Collective’s core releases and solo material have been very hit or miss for me. Their music ranges from wildly inventive to the musical equivalent of paisley wallpaper — colorful and quirky, but ultimately fading into the background. With that said, the highs in their discography are excellent enough that I always give their material a shot, and I’m genuinely interested to see whatTime Skiffs has to offer.
–Scott
Persefone – Metanoia (prog metal)
Persefone’s previous record, Aathma, was my album of the year for 2017, making Metanoia one of my most anticipated releases of 2022. Having said that, I’ve had the promo for about a month now and it still hasn’t quite clicked with me yet. Still, there’s plenty of awesome moments that jump out all over the album, which is the kind of dense prog release I and others are sure to be unpacking for many month’s to come.
See also: Venom Prison – Erebos (death metal, deathcore); Haven’t heard this one yet, but I’m intrigued by the more expansive sounds Venom Prison have been hinting at on their more recent material.
Last week’s best album: Akrasia – Act of Will (melodeath, groove thrash); killer melodeath thrash out of Budapest with an absolutely vicious array of beatdowns and tempo changes that will have you snapping your neck over and over again.
–Josh Bulleid
Rolo Tomassi – Where Myth Becomes Memory (post-hardcore, mathcore)
The relatively genre-defying Brits in Rolo Tomassi return this February with the highly-awaited follow-up to their 2018 break-out album Time Will Die and Love Will Bury It. In a fairly predictable progression, Where Myth Becomes Memory sees them continue to evolve from their nintendo-mathcore roots to more artistic pop expressions, dense blackgaze influenced atmospheres, dramatic mood changes, and angular riffs. This album is probably their softest and most intimate to date, yet contains some of their heaviest moments.
If you loved the more accessible “Aftermath” off their last album, you’ll find a lot to love here, but they haven’t abandoned their ability to evoke striking bouts of emotional catharsis through their violent anguish. A special album from a special band, that like their previous two, should stand up above their peers for years to come.
See also: Ode and Elegy – Ode and Elegy (chamber music, post-metal); Members of The Pax Cecilia return with a monumental and ambitious new project.
–Trent Bos