Uniform - American Standard (2024)

After a few successful collaborative release (with The Body, Boris), Uniform returns with their fifth album, American Standard, and it's also something special. The first track is a more than 20 minutes long one, and probably their more ambient (after its screaming start) and experimental, with its repetitive patterns and synthscapes. Tracks 2 and 3 are aggressive industrial metal, more similar to what they've done before, closer to Godflesh or Author & Punisher territories, the first one, This is Not a Prayer, more on a post-punk/noise side, while the second one, Clemency, has some more heavy doom riffing. The closing track Permanent Embrace surprises with its nearly symphonic black metal parts, but if you give it a chance I think you'll agree it's a great song, and a good finish for another excellent album from Uniform. Highly recommended!

 

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Floating - Hesitating lights (2025)

Before listening to Floating I did not know prog/tech death-metal blended with post-punk was a thing, but in the form of their second album Hesitating Lights not only it exists, but it's also one of the best and most interesting album I listened to in at least a couple of years. Those typical post-punk basslines and riffs actually combines very well with a prog/tech and dissonant kind of death metal. A nice surprise that I really recommend!

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Bütcher - On Fowl Of Tyrant Wing (2024)

On Fowl Of Tyrant Wing, like Bütcher previous album, is a fine piece of old school speed/black/thrash heavy metal. With a first half of the album more focused speed and aggression, and a second half, the last three songs, being longer epic songs channeling a nice Bathory vibe. Suitably released by Osmose Productions. Recommended!

 

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Viagra Boys - Viagr aboys (2025)

Viagr aboys isn't my favourite Viagra Boys album, but I listened to it a lot and really enjoy it nevertheless. Not big evolution, but pure Viagra Boys music, funny and sarcastic smart lyrics, excellent vocals, sharp post-punk riffs, the saxophone, and excellent songwriting full of inventivity. Excellent stuff again.

 

Barren Path - Grieving (2025)

Barren Path is the new band with Takafumi Matsubara (ex Gridling guitarist), surrounded by a crew of experienced musicians (Bryan Fajardo, Mitchell Luna, Mauro Cordoba and Rory Kobzina), as expected their first album Grieving is full of sharp and tight supersonic grindcore. Too straightforward to compare to Gridlink except for the speed, but I guess there is no ambition of playing forward-thinking music here, just speed for its own sake, for the sheer joy of shredding fast, and I definitely can relate to that. And I think anyone into super fast and modern sounding grind will enjoy the intensity they deliver. Quite basic but excellent nonetheless.

 

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Eunoia - Psyop Of The Year (2022)

Since two of them have been sent to different states, Psyop Of The Year probably was Eunoia's last operation. Which is a pity because it was an excellent album, from an interesting band. They played a nice blend of noise rock and screamo, with also elements of math rock and extreme metal thrown in. Nicely surprising at the first listen, and even better when you knew the songs more. 

 

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Youth Code - Yours, With Malice (EP 2025)

Youth Code new releaase is a five tracks EP called Yours, With Malice. Firmly rooted in what they do well, EBM/Industrial metal (without guitars), with punk hardcore style screaming and some more melodic singing as well. Basic stuff but full of energy. I enjoy it.

 

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