Greetings, Decibel readers!
Although I cringe at any therapeutic language applied to art, I cannot deny metal’s powers to provide escape, catharsis, and release. Some of us could really use that right now.
And luckily we have some true masters to take us away this weekend.
Enjoy.
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Alcest – Les Chants De Laurore
The high kings of atmospheric enchantment return with their long-awaited followup to 2019’s Spiritual Instinct. Neige remains, as ever, an expert at weaving emotions and complex reflections into thunderous waves of distorted guitars. Music for the morning after.
Stream: Apple Music
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Cavalera Conspiracy – Schizophrenia
Meanwhile! Max and Igor are back with another reimagining of a Sepultura classic. As much as I loved what they did with Bestial Devastation and Morbid Visions, the band’s second full-length was always the one in most desperate need of a makeover. The boys keep things rough and raw here, but the balance of sounds is way more pleasing to the ear now, and the added reverb to the vocals actually enhances the songs’ power and atmosphere. I wonder what the brothers will do from here though, as the rest of the classic catalog doesn’t really need a new coat of paint. But we’ll have to see what they come up with!
Stream: Apple Music
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Gorgatron – Sentience Revoked
Heh, I did the title. This is the Fargo, North Dakota’s band fourth full-length album, and their first on the venerable Redefining Darkness Records. Sharp, crisp, well-produced death metal.
Stream: Apple Music
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Hyperdontia – Harvest of Malevolence
From our full-album stream:
“Once again clocking in at a lean eight tracks, Harvest of Malevolence moves briskly and with force. Hyperdontia have never been a band for things like intros or ambient and interludes and that hasn’t changed. Starting immediately on album opener “Death’s Embrace” and powering straight through closer “Servant to a Cripple God,” Hyperdontia are a riff machine.”
Stream: Apple Music
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Kvaen – The Formless Fires
I remember being excited to write about these guys back in 2020 when they hit the scene. I also remember being embarrassed when I misspelled their band name in my article. All’s well that ends well, especially with an album this good. Hits a lot of the same notes as Dark Funeral, Necrophobic and newer Naglfar while also bringing in elements more akin to melodic death metal.
Stream: Apple Music