Greetings, Decibel readers!
Christ, I can’t believe it’s been 9 years since Gridlink‘s last album, Longhena. 2014. Lots of great records that year. In fact, I think that was the year I really found my voice as a metal writer over at Metal Injection (I would come to join the party here at Decibel a couple years later). I feel like we’ve all lived several lifetimes since then, many of them not so happy. But if there’s any reason for hope, it’s that a band like Gridlink can return with a record like Coronet Juniper. Perhaps it’s a sign of the simulation resetting itself to 2014 in some ways. One can only wish.
Enjoy!
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Baroness – Stone
The champs of modern desert rock return. It’s been awhile since 2019’s Gold & Grey, the era which saw Baroness grace the stage at Decibel Metal and Beer Fest. For the band’s legions of devoted fans, this will be another precious stone (ha ha ha) in their collection.
Stream: Apple Music
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Blind Equation – Death Awaits
What is THIS???
Somewhere between The Birthday Massacre, The Locust, Thursday, and Poison the Well, this band has found its way to a genre apparently called “emotional cybergrind.” Totally confounding in the best way.
Stream: Apple Music
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Blood Oath – Lost In An Eternal Silence
And now for something much more straightforward. Blood Oath plays raw, crushing death metal, with lost of Death-style twists and turns. The band cites Sadus and Cenotaph as major influences, and you can’t definitely hear that as well. It’s a little tech-y, but still super necro!
Stream: Apple Music
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Flesher – Tales of Grotesque Demise
Groovy. The band is definitely going for a BIG sound here, from the gigantic vocal growls, to the titanic drumming, to the gargantuan riffs. That’s about all the adjectives I can think of. I think you get the idea. If you’re down with a gore-obsessed Bolt Thrower or a Jungle Rot that teamed up with Exhumed, you’ll dig this all the way to the grave.
Stream: Apple Music
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Gridlink – Cornet Juniper
An absolutely triumphant return. As before, Gridlink masterfully weaves melody and nuance into the blistering brutality of their grindcore assault. I also love how they included karaoke versions. Gotta find a way to get those loaded into the clubs on 34th street, just to see how people would react.
Stream: Apple Music