terraasymmetry Features

SYNCHRONY: Music News, Week in Review & Upcoming Releases (6/19/2020)

SYNCHRONY is a weekly feature focusing on relevant heavy music news, new releases, upcoming releases, as well as a week in review to help folks keep up with all of the content on Grizzly Butts. This’ll also include a list of upcoming releases and some preliminary notes on upcoming reviews or coverage. If I can’t hear it, I won’t cover it! If you have New Releases, show announcements, or important heavy music news that’ll be relevant or interesting to folks contact me at: grizzlybutts@hotmail.com

THIS WEEK IN NEWS (6/13/20 – 6/19/20)

  • What separates a true musician versus a recording artist? When I personally gauge the very salt of a composer’s musical mind, it is ideally source from improvisation. There you’ve got their muscle memory, their favorite groove, go-to licks, flow, and above all else adaptability. If you’ve fallen in love with Finnish music beyond the hard stuff, no doubt you’ll see a long running thread of experimental music, progressive rock mutations, and large improvisational troupes. So, anyhow, Svart Record‘s resident kosmische-psychedelic rock band SUPERFJORD have tipped the scales into full free-flowing improvised events with their live shows and ‘For the Moment Vol. 1‘ showcases four glorious moments where it all came together, taken from a live show in Helsinki this past January 31st. Bright and clear soundboard recording, fully lounge-heavy stuff, and its all over on Bandcamp if you’re ever in the mood: [Click/Tap HERE for more info]
  • Michigander death/thrash metal quartet RECORRUPTOR have announced the upcoming self-release of their sophomore album, ‘The Funeral Corridor‘, will release this August 21st. They’ve put it up for sale on their Bandcamp along with shirt designs and bundles. Sharp stuff, technical but not noodling, solid attack on the first preview track “Tormented Egress”. Check it out over on Bandcamp: [Click/Tap HERE for more info]
  • Seeing Red Records in collaboration with Selfmadegod Records have announced they will be releasing the debut full-length from Warsaw, Poland-based politico-thrashers SANITY CONTROL entitled ‘War on Life’ this August 7th. I’m actually thrilled as fuck for this one since their 2019 demo left me wanting more and the notes on this one include references to my major triggers: Crossover, Cryptic Slaughter and D.R.I., and so far in previews it has been a solid spin. I was expecting something way more goofy a la Acid Drinkers, not the case. Pre-orders are up over on Bandcamp, preview songs will be up there eventually: [Click/Tap HERE for more info]
  • Prepare your shit for nuke-heavy news out of the Godz Ov War Productions camp as death/doom metal trio ETERNAL ROT announce their second album ‘Putridarium‘ is ready to erode all humanity with another hit of cadaver-slopped doom this July 6th on all formats. So far we’ve gotten a preview of the album closer “Descent Into Torment” and unholy shit, is it ridiculously chunky stuff. Check it out over on Bandcamp: [Click/Tap HERE for more info]
  • And there is yet more great news from Godz Ov War Productions as they’ve set up a deal with Krakow’s most unrighteous death/doom usurpers RITES OF DAATH for their debut full-length ‘Doom Spirit Emanation‘ due out July 6th. These guys are deeply attuned with the dark, obscure world of death metal and their murky, crypt-storming sound is truly something to behold. I am psyched to my marrow for this one. : [Click/Tap HERE for more info]
  • The fine folks at Agonia Records have announced ‘Glorification Under the Latin Moon‘ the first live album from Greek black metal kings VARATHRON. The show featured on this record was part of their 30th anniversary tour and includes a full performance of their debut album ‘Her Majesty at the Swamp‘ (1993) as well as selections from their discography beyond. The full show is included, recorded on August 4th, 2019 in São Paulo, Brazil. It was the final show of the tour so you can tell they were very well practiced and really giving their all. Artwork is from the master Jaunjo Castellano. Pre-orders are up now, including some sharp looking double LPs: [Click/Tap HERE for more info]
  • We’ve had glimpses and peeks at the EN MINOR side of New Orleans-born musician Philip H. Anselmo within his metal and heavy rock focus efforts throughout the years but it’d been a drip to the flood of what awaits on the project’s debut full-length, ‘When The Cold Truth Has Worn Its Miserable Welcome Out‘. They’re calling it “depression-core” but after spinning this moving, personal incantation “Blue” alongside the 2019 self-titled EP, I’d call ’em depression spirituals. The whole thing is out this September 4th via Housecore Records, you can jump over to Bandcamp to hit up “Blue” and pre-order: [Click/Tap HERE for more info]
  • Hoo-boy, relax the neck, roll your shoulders and get ready for the fuzz to lift the fog, we’ve got stars to gaze and this fantastic space-faring BLACK ELEPHANT album to get to. Their fourth album, and second for Small Stone Records, ‘Seven Swords‘ is on the way this August 21st. Pure love for this, a natural atmospheric stretch beyond the blues-bursting stoner rock I’d grown up on in the 90’s. They’ve kicked things off with a huge opener, “Berta’s Flame”, which you can go grab over on Bandcamp now: [Click/Tap HERE for more info]
  • Ending the nine year gap between releases, Finnish black metal caustics FLAME have announced their latest EP, ‘Ignis Spiritus‘, will release through Primitive Reaction this August 21st. The first preview track “Firespirit of Rebellion” is a slow-blasting scourge barked with primal thrashing force. This isn’t a huge step away from their black/thrash adjacent sound but I would say they are going for first wave black metal spirit, or at least something attuned to cross old ways with new atmospheric innovations. Check out “Firespirit of Rebellion” over on Bandcamp: [Click/Tap HERE for more info]
  • Californian death metal upstarts DRAGHKAR will finally break out of incubation with the release of their debut full-length ‘At The Crossroad of Infinity’ this July 27th  on CD and digital by way of the fine folks at Unspeakable Axe Records. Channeling their love for Hellenic black metal as well as classic United States and Finnish death metal greats, it has been a difficult to chart road for a band with many interests but it seems they’ve found their rhythms as a quintet featuring members of Drawn and Quartered, Acephalix, and Azath. No preview tracks or pre-order yet, just the stunning Karmazid artwork. If you’re dying to hear the first preview track, Unspeakable Axe will be doing a radio show on GimmeMetal.com June 22nd and they will preview a Draghkar tune there. For now head over to their Facebook for more info: [Click/Tap HERE for more info]
  • Popular progressive rock band THE PINEAPPLE THIEF have announced their new album, ‘Versions Of The Truth‘, will be released this September 4th by way of Kscope Records. They’ve described it as a magnification of the previous album ‘Dissolution’ with some reflection of past works and at the very least the introspective and earnest tone of the first single “Demons” echoes that sentiment. Having warmed up quickly to recent Hail Spirit Noir and Arabs in Aspic records, I think I’m headed towards enjoying this TPT record, too. You can watch the video for “Demons” over on YouTube and pre-order here: [Click/Tap HERE for more info]
  • Intent on standing tall as the most brutal and sonically ruinous sludge metal, ever, PRIMITIVE MAN return with their third album, ‘Immersion‘, which will be released this August 14th through Relapse Records. This is a band I’ve been with since the beginning when ‘Scorn’ dropped out of nowhere and nuked sludge that year, I found ‘Caustic’ aptly named and I’m hoping there is more to ‘Immersion’ overall. The first thing you’ll note is that that was a 95 minute record and this one is 35 minutes, awesome! They’ve put out “Lifer” as the first single, a 7 minute deathly sludge ode to the creative’s lament, the road’s drain and ultimately the song ends up sparking thoughts on the devaluation of art and music within societies strangled by greed and technology. But that is my own take and I’ll save it for the review. Great song, awesome album art, looking forward to it. Listen to “Lifer” over on Bandcamp or YouTube: [Click/Tap HERE for more info]
  • Glowing neon cyberpunk Hell alight! Profound Lore have announced Austin, Texas-based cyborg thrash-punks EXPANDER as their latest signing alongside the announcement they’ll release the band’s second LP, ‘Neuropunk Boostergang‘ this August 21st. Get ready for some early Voivod-ian metalpunk staggering as you fire up the album’s first single, “Hyper-Flesh Aedificium”. Huge song, loved their first album and stoked for this one. Check out ‘Hyper-Flesh Aedificium” over on Bandcamp: [Click/Tap HERE for more info]
  • NOTABLE ALBUMS AT PRESS THIS WEEK FROM: Rites of Daath, Sanity Control, Eternal Rot, Uerberos, Precambrian, Jupiterian, Dunwich, Caedes Cruenta, Ascendency, Draghkar, Recorruptor, Concrete, Malus Votum, Siege Column, Bushpilot, Non Serviam and several more. Look for coverage in the near future. Don’t see your album listed? Send it to me: grizzlybutts@hotmail.com

GRIZZLY BUTTS‘ WEEK IN REVIEW (6/13/20 – 6/19/20)

FEATURES:

  • …From the Tomb 6/15/20: “To die hating them, that was freedom.”
    • This year Ten From the Tomb changes to …From the Tomb and is no longer limited to ten releases. It will post every Monday with a list of at least ten new releases coming out during that current week and a short review will be included for each one.
    • This week I chose to cover 10 New Releases from June 12th-June 25th. There are too many things releasing on June 26th, and that’ll mean next weeks entry will deal solely with albums released that day.
    • Favorites: Greyhawk, Ofermod, Serment.

REVIEWS:

  • Big releases this week from Pale Divine (digitally), Hail Spirit Noir, and Ritual Mass. Also check out Stygian Crown, Dearth, Insatanity, Kall, and The Rite. The third Vampire album also released today, but I’m not on the list for Century Media stuff. Today is one of Bandcamp’s bigger fundraising days so far this year, so make sure you grab whatever is within your means at the moment.

RELEASED/RECOMMENDED THIS WEEK (6/13/20 – 6/25/20)

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NOTE: This small sample includes overlooked releases that are either not yet reviewed or covered but nonetheless recommended. Some of these will still be featured in other coverage. An asterisk (*) indicates that a review is drafted or in preparation. A plus (+) indicates that the album has already been reviewed. Click/Tap on RECORD LABEL name for preview, stream, or store.

UPCOMING RELEASES (6/26/20 – 6/30/20)

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NOTE: This is not a comprehensive list, some titles are already reviewed and/or covered and some have yet to enter the final queue for consideration and processing. An asterisk (*) indicates that a review is drafted or in preparation. A plus (+) indicates that the album has already been reviewed. Click/Tap on RECORD LABEL name for preview, stream, or store.

Did I miss something important this week? Send me an e-mail and tell me about it. It is always worthwhile to speak up for the lesser known stuff. Please remember you can donate to help keep me in front of the computer writing about metal. Thanks.

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