New Metal Out Today: 4/23

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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!

Bongzilla, Weedsconsin (Heavy Psych Sounds)

For fans of: Weedeater, Sleep, Electric Wizard

Standout track: “Free The Weed”

Okay, technically Weedsconsin came out on 4/20, but we’ll round it up today, because why not shout out a new Bongzilla album? And make no mistake, this record definitely does the band’s legacy justice, bringing all the ultra-fuzz and rasped Dixie Dave vocals one wants from a record by one of America’s highest bands. If you’re not stoned as hell, this album might not be the groove you’re looking for — but given the cover art, one has to wonder why you came here in the first place. 

Bodom After Midnight, Paint the Sky With Blood (Napalm Records)

For fans of: Children of Bodom

Standout track: “Paint The Sky With Blood”

The final recordings of Children of Bodom frontman Alexi Laiho are pretty damn cool, but they’re bittersweet nonetheless. On the one hand, the tracks sound like a continuation of Children of Bodom, right down to the embellished Dissection cover at the end. On the other, this three-song EP will forever act as Laiho’s tombstone, and the fact that his final work happened outside of his signature band is sad to say the least. Still, Bodom diehards will love these orphans as though they were their own children. RIP Alexi.

To The Dogs, To The Dogs EP (Edged Circle)

For fans of: Violation Wound, Death Breath, Repulsion

Standout track: “To The Dogs”

This band’s name and the cover of this EP might suggest road-rashed biker rock, but nope, it’s blistering death-thrash. Crusty, short-form, and bristling with attitude, all three songs on To The Dogs‘ new EP are just kickass underground metal-punk through and through. While these won’t blow anyone’s mind, they’ll certainly give fans of this sort of foaming-mouth filth-rock a satisfying strain in the neck. Sometimes, you’ve just gotta flip a table and bail.

Crypts of Despair, All Light Swallowed (Transcending Obscurity Records)

For fans of: Spectral Voice, Gatecreeper, Aosoth

Standout track: “Condemned to Life”

‘Cavernous death metal’ has become such a scene catchphrase that it’s good to hear a band actually doing the genre right. Lithuania’s Crypts of Despair definitely sound like they’re making mold music in a cave somewhere, but they don’t overdo the fuzz and reverb. Instead, the band sound kinetic and gnarly, bringing plenty of hard-hitting noise to the mix. Morbid, harsh, and looming in its evil — in other words, everything you want from a death metal album.

Other crushers:

  • Rudimentary Peni, Great War (Sealed Records)
  • Altarage, Succumb (Season of Mist)
  • Hideous Divinity, LV-426 (Century Media Records)

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Words by Chris Krovatin