Deliquesce
For my money, Melbourne, Australia's Deliquesce is the best contemporary death metal band out there. I think this is my first time covering 'em on the site, but I've remarked on Instagram in the past that their aptly technical take on meaty death metal brings to mind the classic Roadrunner era, striking my ears a bit like Gorguts meets Suffocation circa 1993. Obviously there are some more modern vibes mixed in there, too; but in terms of overall sound, atmosphere, and quality of riffs, I've not heard better in recent years. Just ripping, badass death metal. I truly hope to see this group continue to garner more attention in the future, as they sorely deserve it.
Saviour/Enslaver is out now on all formats through a series of labels. BTK Recordings has you for CDs, Lacerated Enemy the vinyl, and Iron Fortress with cassettes. Bandcamp has some physicals alongside the digital; or you can resort to the arguable crime of streaming via Spotify, Apple Music, or some such.
Fates Messenger
U.K. metalcore (leaning more toward the metal) unit Fates Messenger boasts former members of Above All, Romeo Must Die, and Dishonour the Crown; and I believe this is their first proper EP after issuing a number of singles over the past year-and-a-half. Expect a vicious and intense blend of influences, from fast-paced borderline thrash to gnashing mid-paced grooves, and even some smatterings of subtle synth textures adding some atmosphere. The title track features a guest spot from V.O.D.'s Tim Williams, and they also cover Merauder's classic "Master Killer." I will say that the production can be a bit too modern for my tastes—occasionally aggressive to the point of exhaustion on the ears—so a hint more balance between the crisp modern punch and a touch of natural warmth/breathing room would be great. Writing-wise, this is extremely solid, though. Fierce.
Eternal War will be available on vinyl through Greyline Records, with Bandcamp solving your digital needs. Streamers can head to Spotify or Apple Music or whatnot.
Shit Happiness
I first wrote about unusual Russian act Shit Happiness almost exactly two years ago, since which time the instrumental trio has stripped back to a guitar/drums duo. That being said, their rhythmically churning math metal meets noise rock jaunts have become no less pummeling! Everything comes across as hard-hitting and dense, and the effects lend a warped oddness to the skronk of the guitar tone—they might be using an octave pedal to mimic bass, as well as add other general peculiarities to the mix—while the drums sound excellently crisp and natural. At four songs in less than 10 minutes, I'm continually curious to hear more. Good stuff.
Forest 1, Forest 3 is available digitally through Bandcamp; or streaming via Spotify, Apple Music, etc.
Standover
Standover, out of New Zealand, dropped their debut full-length of scorching metalcore earlier this summer—pitched to me as comparable to All Out War, Ringworm, and Hatebreed. And that tracks, as I definitely hear some breakdown-fueled similarities to Perseverance/The Rise of Brutality with a smidge more fiery metal under the hood, without really crossing over into the occasional speed nor vocal ferocity of All Out War or Ringworm. I haven't seen the lyrics, but with track titles such as "Off the Leash," "End You," and "Dead to Me" (amongst others), the message seems to align with the overall aesthetic that this is not "bright side" music. Pretty damn strong for what it is, and any fan of this niche would indeed be recommended to seek this out.
...When a Clenched Fist is No Longer an Option is out now on CD and LP through Gutter Prince Cabal—U.S. orders here, Europe here, and everyone else through Bandcamp. If you'd prefer to stream, find the album on Spotify, Apple Music, etc.
Worse
My initial experience with Vancouver, B.C., Canada's Worse came in the form of latest single "Misandrist," which is a brilliantly doom-sludged instrumental, so I went back to February's "Mackinaw" to get a feel for what the band has to offer full-on. The trio—which has lineup connections to Bison B.C., Goatsblood, and 3 Inches of Blood—looks to have been kickin' for quite some time, but have primarily been releasing singles here and there for the last few years. That being said, the shit is heavy and also kinda rocks surprisingly hard given the slow- to mid-paced pummelings of the tempos. Utterly superb guitar tone and great production all around on the tracks I've perused thus far. A new full-length would rule. Listeners of this realm: take heed.
Check out Worse on Bandcamp, Spotify, Apple Music, or wherever else you jam your jams...
Yokedevils
Yokedevils is a solo project from Richmond, VA that released its second EP of the year earlier this month. Five songs in about 20 minutes of raw 'n' rugged grungy/noisy punk rock, where the blown-out vibe of the production to some degree masks that the drums are programmed. If the band name strikes you as "unserious" in any way, rest assured that the lyrics are quite substantive: "We're all the results of who we needed to be. We're the bi-products of how we made ends meet. But when brakes wear thin and all filters degrade, we go back to the basis of what makes us unique..." I haven't had time to dig back through the earlier tunes yet, but this is definitely a promising first exposure.
Spring Session is available now through Bandcamp; as well as Spotify, Apple Music, and other such outlets.
