BadYearXXXX - Peak 2020 (2020)

Peak 2020 is the first release of BadYearXXXX, and it's an awesome mix of power electronics and noise rock. Only thing that's not great is that it's just four short tracks. I'm waiting for an album guys! Keep going!

The BC page.

Skullshitter - Goat Claw (2022)

The mighty Skullshitter from Brooklyn are back with a new album, called Goat Claw, and again with Nerve Altar Records. They deliver another gem of Autopsy inspired death/grind (traces of Terrorizer can be found as well). Very raw and brutal, but with also an especially strong songwriting, with enough creativity to bring "freshness" and breathe new "life" into a rotten old style. Best grind album in 2022 so far (and can also totally appeal to anyone into old school death metal). I love it, could listen to it all day long.

The BC page.

 

Willie Farmer - The Man From the Hill (2019)

The Man From the Hill is the first album from Willie Farmer. It's a first album, but Farmer not new in the blue scene, he's a more than 60 years old musician (but used to work as a mechanic). Farmer, and no doubt you can feel it in his music, comes from Mississippi, near the Delta. But he plays electric/Chicago blues, with also bits of rock'n'roll. High quality traditional blues.

Album webpage

 

Jungle Rot - A Call to Arms (2022)

A Call to Arms is released by Unique Leader Records, but this is definitely an old-school album, the eleventh from Jungle Rot, an American band formed in 1992. They play a death/thrash/hardcore crossover (no, not metalcore nor deathcore, more like Obituary meets Agnostic Front and Kreator). It's all about raw mid-tempo grooves. Done with a lifelong mastery. A solid, enjoyable, and again, old-school album. 

 

The BC page

 

Christoph de Babalon - 044 (Hilf Dir Selbst​!​) (EP 2021)

Third excellent EP in a row for producer from Berlin Christoph de Babalon, one every year. But I've never heard something bad from him, so it's no surprise, we can only expect high quality from the master of smart and dark jungle. And the six tracks of 044 (Hilf Dir Selbst​!​) are another proof. Strongly recommended.

The BC page.

 

Impulsealer - 42 (2021)

Impulsealer is a Czech duo active since 2018, 42 is their fifth, and longer, release. They play some Nasum inspired grindcore. And they do it well. 

On 12" vinyl and cassette on Psychocontrol records (and Bandcamp, see link below).

The BC page.

MIDNIGHT - Let There Be Witchery (2022)

Let There Be Witchery is the fifth album from MIDNIGHT, and as usual they deliver a nice dose of speed metal (think a mix of Venom, Sodom, and Motörhead). Not really different from their previous albums, but they play a very traditional kind of metal anyway, and as long as it's so good and pleasing, that's totally fine.

The BC page.

 

Modern Ruin - Flesh (EP 2022)

Modern Ruin are Nikolaos Raptis (aka Fringe Society based in Berlin) and Gerard Papasimakopoulos (lead vocalist of the now-defunct Rattler Proxy, based in Athens). This EP called Flesh follow their first album. Their music on these four songs could be described as post-punk with a minimalist electro beat à la Suicide, but with also elements of noise, boogie rock, and psychedelia. Sometimes warm sometimes cold, always groovy or trippy. And the two remix bring a more EBM feel. An interesting and enjoyable EP!

The Bandcamp page.

 

Dead Neanderthals & Aaron B. Turner - Corporeal Flux (2021)

Corporeal Flux, released in December 2021, is a collaboration between free jazz/noise duo Dead Neanderthals (René aquarius on drums as usual, and Otto Kokke this time doing synths / organ) and post-metal pioneer Aaron Turner (guitar / vocals). The result is a 25 minutes track of drone/doom : heavy, trippy, and noisy at times, and good all the way. Recommended stuff. 

The BC page.