Shannon Rowley - The King Departs (2022)

You can always count on Svart Records for delivering something unusual, and of quality. The first album from Shannon Rowley, released in 2022 and called The King Departs could be described as an unusual take on dark americana, but it's also rocking, there's a haunted intensity and epicness that evokes heavy metal (there's a Hallowed Be Thy Name something in the first track, Says The Dead Sailor). I suppose Son House covering Birthday Party and Iron Maiden would have produced a similar vibe.  Yes, it's that good. 

The BC page.

 

Eye Flys - Eye Flys (2024)

This self-titled album is the second one from Eye Flys (they also released two EP's), and like the first one it's a great piece of sludge / noise rock full of abrasive groove reminding what we like in bands like Eyehategod or Unsane. The opening song Trepanation Summer should be an underground "hit". Addictive stuff.

The BC page.

 

Serpent Corpse - Blood Sabbath (2023)

Blood Sabbath, released last summer, is the excellent first album by Serpent Corpse, from Montréal. Death metal that is firmly old school, and on its more slow and heavy side, somewhere between Bolt Thrower and death-doom. Good enough to be also enjoyed outside the old-school aficionados circles. Recommended!

 

The BC page.

 

Endless Swarm - Manifested Forms (2023)

Manifested Forms, released last year by To Live a Lie, is another fine piece of powerviolence/fastcore/grind from the Scottish Endless Swarm. It's All killer, no filler, and maybe their best album yet. Recommended!

The BC page.

 

Kill The Thrill - Autophagie (2024)

If Kill The Thrill first appear on Blasting Days, it's just because their previous album was before my blog existed (Tellurique was in 2005, Blasting Days started in 2012). Kill The Thrill is among my favourite French band. They can loosely be classified as industrial rock/metal, but on the more atmospheric side of industrial, closer to bands like Jesu, The Young Gods, Einstürzende Neubauten, or Swans than to Minsitry. And their new album Autophagie is maybe their less heavy one. I think I preferred Tellurique, but I also really enjoy the new one as well. The singing, now nearly entirely in French is again excellent.

The Bandcamp page.

 

Cruciamentum - Obsidian Refractions (2023)

In this second album, Obsidian Refractions, Cruciamentum's songs are longer and slower, maybe not death-doom all the way, but in an old school death-metal vein reminding bands like Immolation and Incantation. Their style is evolving a bit, but quality remains and they confirms they are among the new death metal bands we'll want to follow. I especially like the guitar work in this album, very nice.

The BC page.

 

All Them Witches - Baker's Dozen (2023)

When reviewed All Them Witches first album twelve years ago (already on Blasting Days, yes!), I wrote that they were : "A promising new band that could craft a very good magic if they find how to add more of their own voodoo to their already good music". Well, I'm happy to say the promise has been kept, and they did a good job in finding their own voodoo and make it flourish. Their sixth album Baker's Dozen is proving it once again, with enjoyable doses of their usual garage/heavy blues rock sound, but we also get to hear them at their most psychedelic in some songs, and at their most traditional blues in some others. At the same time deep-rooted in American music traditions and experimenting. Good stuff! I hope I'll review them again in another twelve years!

Their website.

 

Parasitic - Disfiguring Symmetry (2023)

Parasitic, from San Diego, isn't a new band, but their EP Disfiguring Symmetry is their longer release so far, which is a pity because their brutal US death metal is good, technical, but in an old school vein reminding Cannibal Corpse and Suffocation. Good stuff, time to do an album, guys!

The Bandcamp page.

 

frett - notwo (2023)

notwo is the second album from frett, still released by ant-zen records, still with a synth-wave and death industrial basis, but this time with more EBM, more melodies and tracks more structured like songs, giving it an industrial rock feel. Quality stuff in any case.

The BC page.

 

GAG REFLEX - Psychosis (2019)

As far as I know Psychosis is the only release of GAG REFLEX (from Leeds, UK) which is a pity since it's an excellent piece of powerviolence / hardcore. Short, but intense as should be. Recommended!

The BC page.