Refused - War Music (2019)

While the first Refused album since they reunited left me cold, I really enjoy this one. This time with War Music they tried something very different : a very basic hardcore album, simple but with their superb melodic feel and excellent songwriting and the capacity of Lyxzén to be as good screaming or singing. Also the album is like a strong shot of energy, reminding a bit the first Rage Against The Machine album in that regard (but Dennis Lyxzén lyrics are more subtle and more interesting).
Obviously not their more ambitious album, but a very well crafted in its simplicity and enjoyable one.

https://www.officialrefused.com/

Altarage - The Approaching Roar (2019)

The Approaching Roar is the third album from Spanish band Altarage. They say they play "Chaotic Death Metal / Blasting Doom" and that's not a bad description. Maybe it's a bit less chaotic and a bit more doom (although it's definitely more death metal than doom, but of a super heavy kind that likes slow crushing in between blast beats parts) than their previous albums. Anyhow, it evokes a huge crawling lovecraftian horror, it's super massive heavy and menacing sounding. Really good stuff.

The Bandcamp page.

Theologian - People Are Weak They Deserve Pain (2019)

New album from Theologian, People Are Weak They Deserve Pain, have shorter tracks (five in less than half an hour) but the music isn't "lighter". Excellent industrial/ dark ambient  noise. Better in my opinion than Reconcile, the previous one, and as good as Forced Utopia which I really liked.

The Bandcamp page.

Redbait - Cages (EP 2019)

Cages is another really good EP from Redbait, furious hardcore metal with some finely crafted more melodic parts (some acoustic and lead guitars). Reminds a bit hardcore metal from the nineties, but with very good "new school" screaming vocals done by two female singers.

The BC page.

L'Orange & Jeremiah Jae - Complicate Your Life With Violence (2019)

Complicate Your Life With Violence, this second collaboration of producer L'Orange and MC Jeremiah Jae, is a masterpiece of hip-hop done the old school way (samples, boom bap beats and even cuts) and with a vocalist that really adds to the story, yes a story, this album is not just an addition of good tracks it also really succeeds in immersing you in a thick atmosphere of vintage detective noir movies & old war movies, with a fine selection of samples from old movies and old blues, boogie and soul tunes. Their first collaboration was good, this time they did even better I think. Two guys at the top of their game for an addictive and very special album. I love this album and recommend it highly.

The Bandcamp page.

Meth leppard / Blight Worms - split (2019)

Really good old school grindcore split (roughly six minutes for each sides) released by Psychocontrol Records with two Australian bands. I follow Meth Leppard since their demo in 2015 and this time again they don't disappoint. Blight Worms is another new grind band that I'm discovering with this release and they are good as well. It's this kind of split that are keeping this grind tradition much alive and exciting. Good stuff.

The BC page.

Fleshpress - Hulluuden Muuri (2017)

Fleshpress is a weird beast, and what you'll hear on their seventh album Hulluuden Muuri, released two years ago, is a dirty hybrid of psychedelic doom, noise and black metal/ old school death metal. The singing in Finnish (for the first time) adds to the weirdness. But just forget classifying their unique sound and enjoy their bleak trip. Strong stuff.

The Bandcamp page.