Notable recent rock and metal releases - end Sept 2016

As usual, below is just a selection of some of my favourite releases. All music I've listened to goes into my New Rock and Metal releases playlist. Note that I now archive this off to leave only the last couple of weeks-worth in there. For the older ones, see my 2016 rock  / metal releases playlist. Just sort that one by date to see the most recent at the top.

King 810 - La Petite Mort or a Conversation with God : This sounds like Faith No More have become *really* pissed off about something. That's my best stab at describing the sound/style but it makes you sit up and take notice when something truly original comes along. Maybe this isn't a new style but it's not like anything I've heard before. The anger is difficult to take for an entire album, but in smaller doses it's great.
★★★☆☆

Sixtynine - You are Me : A fresh sound, nicely oldschool and a wide variety of styles from almost unplugged to Foos-style rockout. The first time I heard it I starred it for another listen, by the third listen it was in the favourite albums of 2016.
★★★★★

Allegaeon - Proponent for Sentience : It's prog/thrash/symphonic/death metal all rolled into one. I'm not keen on growled vocals but it's not all growled and musically it's an awesome album. The last couple of tracks were a surprise, with a switch to clean vocals. I assume the switch relates to the story, which has to do with machine sentience and them quite rightly deciding to destroy us.
★★★★★

Charred Walls of the Damned - Creatures Watching Over the Dead : Supergroup that seems to have come out of Iced Earth featuring Richard Christy, Steve DiGiorgio, Tim "Ripper" Owens and Jason Suecof. Delightfully heavy with the excellent vocals you'd expect from Owens.
★★★★☆

Devin Townsend Project - Transcendence : No Ziltoid this time, but more of that huge epic sound and great songwriting.
★★★★☆

Ghost BC - Popestar : I've been waiting for this release but I have to say that the songs (all covers) don't grab me as much as previous original work has. Maybe it needs more listens.
★★★☆☆

Lordi - Monsterophonic : Another one I've been looking forward to. I thought they'd shaken off the Eurovision legacy. There is still the odd anthematic chorus that sounds as if it's designed for the popfans who like to put on a New Look leather jacket and pretend that they're into metal. But for the most part it's genuine honest stuff.
★★★☆☆

Notable rock and metal releases , end of August 2016

Have the recent releases been abundant with good thrash metal or have I just been noticing them because that's the mood I've been in?

My Regime - Dogmas : Singer/guitarist Spice has some frustrations and says "I can't think of a better way than to express it through some good old thrash songs... Thrash the way it was in the beginning. Fast, angry and raw." As he says, it's old-school thrash, done well.
★★★★☆

Paradox - Pangea : The seventh album from German band Paradox (going back to mid-eighties). I really like the slightly agitated, quite high-pitched vocals. Who do they remind me of? Flotsam and Jetsam maybe. If I remember I'll edit this. Quality. A keeper.
★★★★★

Helstar - Vampiro : Still with the thrash, but with a black theme this time, or rather (going by the song titles and album name) a vampire theme / atmosphere. Which for the record are the best and sexiest monsters and I would willingly offer my neck if I met one. Although I'd probably then be like Bradd Pitt in Interview with The Vampire and live on rats because I couldn't bear to kill another person. Anyway, immortal music!
★★★★☆

Vicious Rumors - Concussion Protocol : I'm starting to feel that a theme of a planet breaking apart indicates a great thrash album. (see also Pangea by Paradox in this post and previously Destruction, Under Attack and I'm sure there are more). There's also something noticeable about the bands who've been around for a long time (also applies to Paradox) I don't know whether it's the tightness from musicians with long experience or something old-school in the style but you can spot the longevity in the sound alone.
★★★★☆



Meshiaak - Alliance of Theives : Debut album from a new Australian band (although formed from some accomplished musicians). Sounding timeless but with some modern metal polish. Mixed feelings; it's heavy and it moves, but I'm not sure I like the newer flavours.
★★★☆☆

I've enjoyed Michael Sweet's album, One Sided War. Brilliant vocals, skilful guitar work. Hard rock / classic metal. The Christian theme isn't so 'in your face' as with his band Stryper.
★★★★☆

Running Wild - Rapid Foray : Pirate metal done a little more seriously than the brilliant Alestorm. (If you can play at being pirates more seriously.) Great songwriting on some engaging themes and some very listenable music from a another band that's been around for aeons. I feel this is going to become a firm favourite.
★★★★★

Going back a week or two there's Sabaton doing more of what they do so well with The Last Stand. Solid metal with a 'we were heroes' theme. They've done something novel with the track The Lost Battalion, use sampled period guns and explosions for drums. Overall the sound can get a little samey but it's a good sound.

An honourable mention for SkeletonWitch - The Apothic Gloom. It's a teeny bit on the doomy and growly side of my taste, but I've enjoyed this particular album from them.


As always, all of the rock and metal releases that I like go into the 'New Rock and Metal Releases' spotify playlist.

I've begun a new system. They've been piling up in there, which is OK as you can sort by date to bring the newest to the top. but each week I'm now moving some older ones out into a 2016 rock and metal releases playlist, so the 'new' one just has the last couple of weeks-worth and is a more playable playlist.