Rise of The Northstar - Showdown (2023)

Following the excellent Legacy of Shi wasn't an easy task, but I'd say Rise of The Northstar managed to do it with Showdown. Their manga inspired mix of Biohazard flavoured metallic hardcore and nu metal (Korn and Slipknot comes to mind) produced again a very enjoyable album filled with finely crafted and catchy songs. Highly recommended!

 Their website 

 

The Body & OAA - Enemy of Love (2022)

At first I've been disappointed by this album, we can distinguish the somewhat glitch/jungle electronic of OAA in the music, but overall Enemy of Love sounds very close to the bleak industrial doom The Body are doing on their own. But after a few listen the tracks get into my head, and even if it's less different than some of their other collaborations, I have to admit that it produced a good album, and I enjoy it as such. Not their most interesting release but a good one nevertheless.

The BC page.

 

Siberian Meat Grinder - Join the Bear Cult (2022)

Like any crossover hardcore/thrash band, Siberian Meat Grinder is mostly a live band (saw they on their tour with Napalm Death and Dropdead and they were excellent). But the albums, like Join the Bear Cult released last year, are good enough to be also enjoyable, they know to write plenty of catchy and highly dynamic songs and their vocalist have a very effective flow.

Screamer - Kingmaker (2023)

Fifth album from Screamer, maybe I prefer the previous one, the awesome Highway of Heroes, I feel Kingmaker is a bit more cheesy, but it feels better after a few listens, and it's still very finely crafted heavy/speed, and I also enjoy it. 

The BC page.

 

Creatures of Habit - Parasites Paradise (2021)

Creatures of Habit is a hip-hop trio from the UK, but don't expect grime on their second album Parasites Paradise, Illinformed production is finely crafted old-school boom bap, with a slight Cypress Hill / horrorcore feel. The two emcees Eric the Red and Sean Peng are also very talented, one in a higher and fastest delivery, the other more laid-back. Good stuff!

The BC page.

 

Warfuck - Diptyque (2023)

I already liked Warfuck first release more than ten years ago (did a review and interview, in French, back then) and the grind duo kept getting better release after release. And that's also true for the new one, coming in April, Diptyque (released by the also excellent LIXIVIAT Records), more dense, more brutal and more technical, still with grindpunk/crust vocals giving an oldschool grind touch, and drumming and riffing definitely more post Nasum / Rotten Sound modern grind. Even the "rapmetal" track with French vocals is a success. They confirm they are among the main bands of the French grind scene alongside Blockheads, Chiens and Whoresnation. Recommended!

The BC page (but Diptyque is not yet there)

Black Helium - UM (2023)

Black Helium is a trio from London, UM is their third album, released by Riot Season Records. They play heavy and psychedelic rock and manage to be as good when they go in a heavier psych doom direction as when they take a trip into a more frankly psychedelic and lighter direction, going from Black Sabbath / Electric Wiard to Hawkwind or even The Brian Jonestown Massacre. This new album brilliantly confirms that they are among the bands that matters in the heavy psych scene. Recommended!

The BC page.