Bill Laswell - Against Empire (2020)

Bassist and producer Bill Laswell is always releasing a lot of music, so it's hard to keep up, but I'd say its best album in recent years is this one, Against Empire (released last year). What is sure is that it's excellent. The music is in a fusion jazz vein, but Bill Laswell style, with of course his trademark bass playing style and sound, and around him is an impressive crew of musicians, with no less than Herbie Hancock on the electric piano and Pharoah Sanders on sax (bringing a spiritual jazz feel), with also Peter Apfelbaum on sax, flute and keys and sharing the drumming duties : Jerry Marotta, Chad Smith, Hideo Yamaki, Satoyasu Shomura, and on percussions Adam Rudolph. Four long tracks with no dull moment. Recommended !

The Bandcamp page.

 

 

Archspire - Bleed the Future (2021)

Archspire previous album Relentless Mutation has been for a few years the technical death metal album to beat. And still is, because Bleed the Future is not as good, which is not surprising since RM was so awesome. These guys are maybe humans after all... There are still gravity blasts aplenty, an impressively fast vocal delivery, the neoclasical leads, the brutality, the over the top everything... but, with maybe the opening track excepted, the songwriting is less inspired and the songs less memorable than those in RM. That being said, Bleed the Future remains anyway an impressive and enjoyable technical death metal album.

The Bandcamp page.

Droit Divin - Les Nouveaux Moralistes (2021)

This tape called Les Nouveaux Moralistes is from the French duo Droit Divin, from Bordeaux. They craft some excellent power electronics that is sometimes bordering on ritualistic dark ambient (it's not the most noisy kind of power electronics, it's more about building an atmosphere than about the sheer impact of harsh noise). The vocals are in French, and good. So far my favourite power electronics album of the year. I also recommend their previous album Prohibition.

The BC page.

 

Blockheads - Trip To The Void (2021)

Blockheads never disappoint. And their new album, Trip To The Void, is no exception. This sixth album,  to be released November the 15th by Bones Brigade Records & LIXIVIAT Records have been recorded, mixed and mastered by Steph Tanker in his Disvlar Studio. Blockheads have been delivering the best grindcore for 30 years and Trip To The Void is proof they still are at the top and still are a perfect embodiment of pure grindcore. Total grind intensity in 25 songs and 28 minutes. There is little doubt that Trip To The Void will stay as the best grindcore album of the year.

The Bronx - Bronx VI (2021)

As you can guess, Bronx VI is the sixth album from The Bronx, who, as you cannot guess, are from Los Angeles. Like their previous albums, this is really well-crafted rocking and positive punk-hardcore, in a vein that is really their own. Recommended!

Their BC page.

Blood Spore - Fungal Warfare Upon All Life (EP 2019)

Blood Spore is an American death-doom band singing about evil fungus. I really enjoy their EP Fungal Warfare Upon All Life released in 2019 (3 tracks in about 20 minutes). Their music is on the aggressive side of death-doom, with a raw delivery that can remind Autopsy. Good riffs, good vocals, good grooves. And fungus. Cool. 

The Bandcamp page.

 

Ministry - Moral Hygiene (2021)

The last memorable album from Ministry was Rio Grande Blood in 2006, so expectations weren't especially high for this new album, called Moral Hygiene. But it turns out it's their best one since Animositisomina (2003), and some would maybe even go back to Filth Pig (1996) or Psalm 69 (1992). Moral Hygiene reminds vintage Ministry, with more groove, basslines (there's even a dub track in the end) and there's also a Killing Joke feel running through most of the album (oh, and there's Jello Biafra singing one song). It's surprisingly good, and those whose gave up on Ministry are going to be shocked. 2021 is fucked, but at least a totally good time for a good Ministry album. Enjoy!

The BC page.