Top Picks
Flub – Dream Worlds (progressive tech death)
The oddly named Flub are somewhat of a tech-death supergroup, consisting of current and ex members of Vale of Pnath, Rivers of Nihil and Alterbeast. Dream Wolrds follows up their extremely promising, self-titled 2019 debut and, although only four tracks long (plus some instrumentals), shows a huge leap forward in the band's songwriting. In particular, vocalist Michael Alvarez, who has also worked with the likes of Inferi, Equipoise and Burial in the Sky, plays a less jarring and much more commanding role this time around. Overall, the band just sound more comfortable, with the songs reflecting their newfound confidence. Definitely ones to keep an eye on.
Wig Wam – Out of the Dark (heavy metal, hard rock)
After nearly ten years of absence (and a fairly dismal decade of existence before that), poorly named Norwegian glam metallers Wig Wam returned kicking all kinds of arse with 2021's Never Say Die. Guitarist Trond Holter's stint with Jorn Land had clearly rubbed off on the band, who suddenly sounded like Whitesnake by way of Black Label Society, rather than The Sweet or whoever else they were poorly immitating during their original run.
While not quite as consistent as their previous record, Out of the Dark continues the band's newfound run of form, delivering a few fist-pumping highlights alongside some ofther less raucous, although still satisfying offerings. The title track is worth the price of admission alone, although I'd still say you're better off starting with Never Say Die. Either way, I've been listening to this album a hell of a lot more than the new Carnosus one, which got rid of all the cool progressive parts that made their debut so compelling, so what atre you going to do about it?