A weekly feature focusing on select heavy music news, primarily involving new and upcoming releases with a list of ’em provided at the end. This also serves as a week in review, collecting all of the most recent content on Grizzly Butts in a brief additional list. Want to see what came out this week? Read the “Annihilate This Week” column every Monday. 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 send it to: grizzlybutts@hotmail.com

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THIS WEEK IN NEWS (1/01/21 – 1/08/21)

• Arizona-based technical/symphonic melodic deathcore band DEAD WORLD RECLAMATION have announced their second full-length ‘Aura of Iniquity‘ will self-release this coming Friday, April 23rd. Definitely not my style personally but, certainly an accomplished sound compared to their first album back in 2017. The first preview track “Heralds of the Formless One” is available on Bandcamp : [LINK]
• New Hampshire-based blackened melodic/technical death metal band UNFLESH have announced their second full-length album ‘Inhumation‘ will release Friday, April 2nd this year. We’d covered their first album back in 2018 to a moderate reaction but this one sounds promising if we can judge via the trailer they’ve released. Check it out over on their Facebook: [LINK]
• Memento Mori have announced they’ve signed Australian death metal act PUSTILENCE in pact of handling the CD version of their debut full-length in 2022, with Rotted Life Records handling the LP and tape versions. While we all wait twiddling our greasy thumbs Rotted Life will put out the cassette tape version of their demo, ‘The Birth of the Beginning Before the Inception of the End‘ in the meantime. See if you can hang over on Bandcamp, check out their demo: [LINK]
• Norwegian progressive sludge/post-metal trio ENRAPTURE have announced their debut full-length ‘Another Green Drought‘ will release this coming January 15th. Though the sub-genre description might indicate typical post-metallic fare these guys take a bit of Gojira-esque tonality and create their own stunning atmospheric and exuberant vision with it. Extended, weighty pieces like the second single “Groundswells” speak to the ambitious but tastefully reigned in hand applied to the full listen. Check “Groundswells” out over on Bandcamp: [LINK]
• Richmond, Virginia-based crossover death-thrashers ENFORCED have recently announced their signing with Century Media Records alongside the unveiling of their new full-length album ‘Kill Grid‘ to be released this coming March 12th. You’ll recall I’d loved their debut ‘At The Wall’ a few years ago, likening their style this Leeway/Cro-Mags version of crossover that bands like Iron Age, Power Trip and Plague Years are bringing lately. These guys are honestly a bit more thoughtful than some of their peers, cranking tighter thrashed metallic hardcore influenced songs with lots of energy. The black and white version of a Joe Petagno commission seems like sacrilege at first since he does color so well but, it does have a nice aesthetic. Check out a couple of singles over on YouTube: [LINK]
• Spanish modern thrash metal band ANGELUS APATRIDA have recently announced the release of their upcoming seventh full-length album, a self-titled album that’ll land this February 5th via Century Media Records. The first single from the album, “Bleed The Crown” seems to take some serious influence from Testament’s more aggressive late 90’s style, albums like ‘Demonic’ and ‘Low’, with some death metal influenced vocals and heavier grooves. Check the song over on YouTube: [LINK]
• Been pining for more SUFFERING HOUR since ‘Dwell’ a couple of years ago? Profound Lore has got you covered via their recent announcement of ‘The Cyclic Reckoning‘ which they will release on all formats this coming February 19th. Pre-orders are up on all of their usual channels and the first preview track “Strongholds Of Awakening” is streaming over on Bandcamp. You’ll have to excuse me for not listening to the singles just yet as I am going in blind for the sake of a review, needless to say I am hugely optimistic that they still smoke: [LINK]
• Brutal Mind have announced ‘Oculus Rot‘, the debut full-length from Netherlands-based death metal band BURIED, who feature ex-members of Pyaemia in their ranks. The album will release this coming Valentine’s Day, February 14th and promises “old school death metal with a modern twist”. The brutally loud and brutally brutal opening track “Retribution” uh, speaks for itself. Carefully turn down the volume just slightly unless you’re ready for it! Listen on Bandcamp: [LINK]
• Norwegian fusion guitarist BØRGE OLSEN will release his second solo album ‘Music in the Dark‘ this coming January 22nd via Norwegian boutique label Fresh Tea. The second single “The Count of Godthaab” has been made available on streaming, offering equal parts shimmering prog-jazz fusion, surreal neon-eyed movements and well, shredding in the most classic Shrapnel sense. Check it out on YouTube: [LINK]
• Transcending Obscurity Records have announced Cork-based Irish atmospheric doom/sludge band SOOTHSAYER‘s debut full-length album ‘Echoes of the Earth‘ will arrive this coming April 9th. These fellows have been around for a little under a decade but they’ll likely have eluded you unless you’ve been scouring Irish doom output these last three years. Their first single “Outer Fringe” showcases a dark atmospheric sludge sound with heavy influence from extreme doom metal, lots of inventive and very moody moments to be had. Check it out over on Bandcamp: [LINK]
• Redefining Darkness Records have announced they’ll be releasing the CD and digital versions of Swedish prog-thrashers PARANORM‘s latest full-length ‘Empyrean’, due out this coming February 26th. This one is an unexpected treat after so many years, some of you will recall I’d touted these guys for their 2014 EP when I was making my An Exhaustive Study… for technical/progressive thrash metal. It has been some time but they’ve returned with something truly substantial with ‘Empyrean’. Pre-orders are up on Bandcamp: [LINK]
• This coming March 26th stellar German label Dying Victims Productions will release Singapore-based heavy metal band WITCHSEEKER‘ssecond album, ‘Scene of the Wild‘, on CD and vinyl LP formats. Think along the lines of the 80’s rock infused NWOTHM bands like Skull Fist and Cauldron but, more ballsy than that’d suggest. Check out opening/title track “Scene of the Wild” over on Bandcamp: [LINK]
• Hessian Firm have released a second single from the upcoming January 30th release of Oakland-area black/death metal band MEFITIS‘ second full-length ‘Offscourings‘ with the incredible revelation of “Sonstead Blight”. What a song! The contrapuntal focus of the first two At the Gates records, the inventive mood-swining of ‘North From Here’ and their own ear for detail make this a truly convincing piece to sell the record with. Beyond excited for this one. Check it out over on YouTube: [LINK]
• NOTABLE ALBUMS AT PRESS THIS WEEK FROM: Gravehuffer, Everdawn, Charley No Face, Xeper, Dead Exaltation, Korplikaani, Harakiri For the Sky, Valdaudr, Collapse Culture, Inflabitan, Cortege, Hinsides, Enrapture, Comatose, Stortregn, Sea Sleeper, Reaper, Breaths, Bacchus, CO2, Hevilan, Black Magic Tree, Buried, The General, Regnvm Animale, Paranorm, Soothsayer, Needlepoint, Meer, Mefitis and several more. Look for coverage in the near future. Don’t see your album listed? Send it to me: grizzlybutts@hotmail.com

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SITE WEEK IN REVIEW (12/23/21 – 1/08/21)

• Annihilate This Week 1/04/21: “Peace can only be a façade hiding the face of Hell.”
  • This year …From the Tomb becomes Annihilate This Week, still focusing on new releases from the week but now accumulating a New Releases list/discussion in addition to short reviews for around 5-10 new albums each week. It will post every Monday.
  • This week I chose to cover 5 New Releases from January 1st-8th but each week includes a short write-up on all of the new releases that I feel warrant closer listening. Favorites include: Malakhim, Transilvania and Mother of Graves.
• An Exhaustive Study: Death Metal/Crust Punk [1988-Present] Part I – The Stench of Infectious Fear
  • Ah, finally. This feature is back in 2021 and will aim to be a weekly or bi-weekly entry. We begin with a primer for co-emergent releases influencing the combination of death metal and crust punk. Part I details formative years between 1981 and 1988 then focuses on key entries from 1988-1991. There are four releases suggested by readers that will be included in an update this weekend, we will then move on to Part II.
  • Part II will focus on the 90’s starting in 1992. We won’t escape grindcore releases just yet but, we will see the first conscious attempts to combine crust punk with 90’s death metal. On some level you could argue that the Sunlight Studios sound was basically that but, we’re looking for stuff that is distinctly using crust punk as a major part of their sound rather than simply taking some small rhythmic influence.
  • What else will we cover this year? Melodic Hardcore Punk (1983-1993) will include skatepunk and some emergent pop-punk (but not much), Sega Genesis/Mega Drive A-Z (1988-1997) will include both game reviews and soundtrack reviews in tandem, and then I will “remaster” the Melodic Black Metal stuff from up to 2005. That will likely be a full year’s worth of digging around but if all of that is covered then it will finally be time for a deep-dive into Funeral Doom.
• The Top 10 Video Games of The Year | 2020
  • My yearly negative rant about the state of video games as a service is unusually passionate and well, it seems when I do this folks read the “tone” rather than the actual words. If you think this is me not “getting with the times” then you’re an idiot consumer kowtowing to some of the most absurd corporate practices of any entertainment medium.
  • Hades takes number one but if I had been able to spend more time with Cyberpunk 2077, it would likely be “Game of the Year in hindsight” despite the constant bugs and crashes on the Playstation 4 Pro. I have now spent roughly 15-20 hours with Ghost of Tsushima and it is beautiful but average in terms of actual open world content, not even as entertaining as the very average Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla which I will review near the end of the month.
• HERE LIES MAN – Ritual Divination (2021) | REVIEW
• FRACTAL GENERATOR – Macrocosmos (2021) | REVIEW
• AETHYRICK – Apotheosis (2021) | REVIEW
• MOLTEN – Dystopian Syndrome (2021) | REVIEW
• TRANSILVANIA – Of Sleep and Death (2021) | REVIEW
• FROZEN SOUL – Crypt of Ice (2021) | REVIEW
• BHLEG – Ödhin [January 15th, Nordvis Produktion] COMING SOON
• ALTERED DEAD – Returned to Life [January 25th, Memento Mori] COMING SOON
• HULDER – Godslastering [January 22nd, Iron Bonehead] COMING SOON

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UPCOMING RELEASES (1/09/20 – 1/16/20)

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 full review is drafted or in preparation. A pound (#) indicates a short review is warranted and in process. A plus (+) indicates that the album has already been reviewed. Click/Tap on RECORD LABEL name for preview, stream, or store.

• BACCHUS – Bacchus [January 10th, Solar Asceticists Productions]
• NEST – Crystallized [January 14th, Self-Released]*
• MISS LAVA – Doom Machine [January 15th, Small Stone Records]#
• FRACTAL GENERATOR – Macrocosmos [January 15th, Everlasting Spew Records]+
• MOLTEN – Dystopian Syndrome [January 15th, Self-Released]+
• ABERRATION – Aberration [January 15th, Sentient Ruin]#
• WINTERAGE – The Inheritance of Beauty [January 15th, Scarlet Records]
• BHLEG – Ödhin [January 15th, Nordvis Produktion]*
• A STICK AND A STONE – Versatile [January 15th, Anima Recordings]#
• RVBBER VVITCH – Mastvrbations Malveillantes MMXVII [January 15th, Werewolf]
• LYCOPOLIS – The Procession [January 15th, Azure Graal Records/Snow Wolf Records]#
• SAGENLAND – Oale Groond [January 15th, Heidens Hart]
• ANTRE – Dark Spectrum [January 15th, Withered Hand Records]
• KING BONG – Sand=Return [January 15th, Mandrone Records] Reissue (2017)
• INGESTED – Stinking Cesspool of Liquefied Human Remnants [January 15th, Unique Leader]#
• BURDEN MAN / OTHRS – Grievance [January 15th, Brilliant Emperor]
• ENRAPTURE – Another Green Drought [January 15th, Self-Released]
• GRAVEHUFFER – NecroEclosion [January 15th, Black Doomba Records]
• BLACK MAGIC – Grapevine [January 16th, Karma Conspiracy Records]

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