The Heavy Eyes - Focus (2026)

I don't think Focus is their best album, but anyway it's a pleaseure to hear again The Heavy Eyes six years after their previous one. Their garage / stoner /doom, somewhere between Brant Bjork and Black Sabbath, still has something special and theydifferentiate from similar bands thanks to superior songwriting skills and their excellent vocalist. Good stuff again!

 

The BC page. 

 

Haunted Horses - Dweller (2025)

Haunted Horses is a trio from Seattle, and their fourth album, Dweller, is confirming the excellency of their post-punk (reminding a bit Iceage, especially the vocals) mixed with some noise rock heavy enough to border doom, with a sinister industrial feel. Haunted indeed, and recommended!

 

The BC page. 

 

Archagthus - Cold Universe (EP 2017)

Actually this post isn't really about this specific release from Archagthus (but all their more recent stuff is splits, and also it's a good one in any case), I saw them play the other day and wanted to say how awesome they are. They played at Les Passagers du zinc in Besançon (France) with Tension, Fake Dust and local band Apoptose, and it was truly a memorable gig, all bands delivering a great show (I'll post about the others later, they also deserve it). Archagatus is an experienced old-school grind /mincore band, and are excelling at being at the same time totally wild but also groovy and catchy. Why we don't hear people sing Archagathus songs in the bus, in shopping malls or restaurants is beyond me. Why? Any idea? In any case, you got it, I really enjoy Archagathus and recommend you try it. 

 

The BC page. 

 

Immolation - Descent (2026)

Bands able to consistently release excellent music without a single failure for nearly 40 years aren't so many. Immolation is one of them. They don't release albums so often, but when they do they make sur it doesn't disappoint. Descent is their twelth one, and another masterpice in mid-tempo death-metal, with a strong feel of dark majesty and inexorable evil. Nothing new for them, but they found their own unmistakable sound long ago and they stick to it. And the results are there to show they are right.

 

The BC page. 

 

Sortilège - Le poids de l'âme (2025)

Sortilège is a French traditionnal heavy metal that had some sucess in the eighties, then split up, then reformed a few years ago. Le poids de l'âme is their third album since they reformed and is another excellent piece of Iron Maiden flavoured heavy metal, but with singing in French. I really enjoy it and I think anyone into old school heavy metal will do as well.

Their website. 

 

Bitter Branches - Let's Give The Land Back To The Animals (2026)

Guitars are sharp, vocals are tense, evoking at turns Black Flag and Oxbow. This second Bitter Branches album, called Let's Give The Land Back To The Animals, is another excellent piece of Am Rep style noise rock, confirming them as among the best noise rock bands around.

 

The BC page. 

 

The Scalar Process - Agnomysticism (2026)

The Scalar Process is a young French band and after an already excellent first album they confirm their quality with a second one (released by Transcending Obscurity) called Agnomysticism, which also is a fine piece in progressive and technical death metal. Recommended!

 

The BC page.