It’s Friday, which means two things: giving this week the finger and new music! Tune in every Friday for The Pit’s round-up of new releases, from singalong hard rock to pus-drenched underground death metal. Keep those ears bleeding!
Bloody Hammers, Songs of Unspeakable Terror (Napalm Records)
For fans of: The Misfits, HIM, Calabrese
Standout track: “The Ones Who Own The Dark”
It’s always interesting to see a new side of a band we love, and in the case of North Carolina duo Bloody Hammers, that side is horror-punk. The goth metallers decided to pick up the tempo on Songs of Unspeakable Terror, with frontman Anders Manga inspired by his favorite New York bands as he watched COVID ravage the Big Apple (read our interview with him for more details). Though not the usual grave-mongering most fans might expect from the band, this aspect of the Hammers definitely works, and will put a spring in the step of spooky kids everywhere.
Ingested, Stinking Cesspool of Liquefied Human Remnants (Unique Leader)
For fans of: Aborted, Benighted, Cognitive
Standout track: “Pre-Released Foetal Mush”
Like you don’t know what you’re in for here. If you got past the title and cover of Ingested’s new EP, chances are you had exactly this sort of disgusting sonic barrage in mind. A gauntlet of blastbeats, gurgles, and riffs that sound like the coffee just hit ‘em, Stinking Cesspool… is entirely dedicated to the levels of sonic grossness that its appearance and song names court. Shit in the barf bag, throw it at the neighbors.
Dread Sovereign, Alchemical Warfare (Metal Blade)
For fans of: Cirith Ungol, Spirit Adrift, Magic Circle
Standout track: “Binary Collapse”
It’s nice to hear that ‘occult metal’ doesn’t just mean listless witchy doom riffs. The new album by Dread Sovereign definitely has an arcane aspect to its riffage, but it always maintains a blackened thrash edge throughout. Meanwhile, Primordial frontman Nemtheanga brings some excellent old-school NWOBHM worship to the vocals, but keeps them on the shrieking side as opposed to going full soaring the way similar acts do. Also, you gotta love a Slayer pun in the album title.
Other crushers:
- Satanize, Baphomet Altar Worship (Helter Skelter Productions)
- Funeral Fullmoon, Revelation of Evil (Inferna Profundis Records)
- Dragony, Viribus Unitus (Napalm Records)
- Diocletian, Darkness Swallows All (Nuclear War Now! Productions)
- Crystal Viper, The Cult (Listenable Records)
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Words by Chris Krovatin
