It’s Friday, which means two things: giving the 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!
Harakiri From The Sky, Mære (AOP Records)
For fans of: Alcest, Krallice, Gallowbraid
Standout track: “I’m All About The Dusk”
Most black metal fans are probably far more aware of the German and Scandinavian scenes than the Austrian metal scene, but Harakiri From The Sky proves the region has much to offer (beyond Belphegor, anyway). Mære is a lush, nuanced album with a lot of atmosphere to it. But what’s especially heartening is that it’s never meandering or self-indulgent; there’s still a lot of racket here, which will keep older-school fans interested. A strange, beautiful new record.
Lizzard, Eroded (Pelagic Records)
For fans of: The Ocean, Gojira, Muse
Standout track: “Blowdown”
So, wait…danceable alt-doom? Am I getting that right? Whatever Lizzard are playing on Eroded, we’re here for it. The French trio play music that’s Billy Corgan-ish one minute and Al Cisnerian the next, all resonating in the same way that, I don’t know, old KISS does? Their most notable instrument is in many ways the bass? They have pop sensibilities, but are totally unlistenable to the close-minded? We don’t know! Just fucking listen to it, man!
Gravesend, Methods of Human Disposal (20 Buck Spin)
For fans of: Xibalba, Pissgrave, Maggot Casket
Standout track: “Verrazano Floater”
In the words of Uncle Fester, “Look, children…PUS!” Gravesend hail from New York, hence the references to the Verrazano and the cover with the subway nun (best cover ever, by the way). They’re also a rare example of a death metal band perfectly communicating the realities of the city. Grimy, overpowering, and caked with hobo semen, Methods of Human Disposal is a disgusting, rat-gnawed piece of music that’ll piss in a warehouse doorway while rolling a stem-spliff and calling a random passerby “cocksucker.” We live for this shit.
Nun Gun, Mondo Decay (Self-released)
For fans of: Godflesh, Liturgy, old-school zombie movies
Standout track: “Beef Diet”
Full disclosure, Nun Gun aren’t metal — hell, they aren’t even technically a band, but an audio-visual project with members of the band Algiers and artist Brad Feuerheim. That said, Mondo Decay is heavy as BALLS, using intense industrial noise alongside old-school synthwave soundtrack material to create an overpowering sonic environment. This is a background music to your long walk through the shitty part of town, and honestly, metal bands could learn a lot from these guys.
Other crushers:
- Nothing.nowhere, Trauma Factory (Elektra)
- Lake of Tears, Ominous (AFM)
- Coronary, Sinbad (Cruz del Sur)
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Words by Chris Krovatin
