Well, it’s not every week you get a surprise Gatecreeper release, but it’s one way to make the week instantly 10-times better. Along with the latest from those Decibel-darlings, you’ll find the latest from Deeds of Flesh, Bloody Hammers and more below.
Happy headbanging!
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Bloody Hammers – Songs Of Unspeakable Terror
I’ve always known Bloody Hammers as a retro-doom act, and as that’s not exactly my sound, I hadn’t paid much attention. But oh man, this new album is a different story. The spookiest duo in North Carolina has taken their signature vibe and filtered it through the classic lens of horror punk. Yes, that means there’s a clear Misfits-influence. Always a welcome thing in my book.
Stream: Apple Music
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Deeds of Flesh – Nucleus
From our review of Nucleus:
“In a heartwarming show of support and friendship, Nucleus not only brought former members Mike Hamilton and Jacoby Kingston back into the fold, but had Luc Lemay, George “Corpsegrinder” Fisher, John Gallagher, Frank Mullen, Matti Way and others contributing guest vocals in salutation.”
Stream: Apple Music
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Gatecreeper – An Unexpected Reality
Having a title like An Unexpected Reality for a surprise album is a little on-the-nose, isn’t it? Anyway, the band is similarly on-target in terms of quality here. Opting for the Nails-approach to album creation, Gatecreeper slams 7 short, grindy, d-beating death metal into your face before laying you to rest with the 11-minute closer, “Emptiness.” No nonsense, no filter, just heavy.
Stream: Apple Music
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Out For Justice/Mourning – Used To Mean Something
I have No Echo to thank for my stumbling on this short but sweet split, finding a couple of the tracks on their “2021 Hardcore Releases” playlist. This split release is a trans-Atlantic collaboration between NYC’s Out For Justice and Britain’s Mourning.
Stream: Apple Music
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Vajra – Irkalla
It’s pretty rad to see a band you saw years ago breaking through to a wider audience. I saw Vajra at a little place in New York back in 2014, opening for Protean Collective. The band played an infectious and engaging style, matched by the mesmerizing charisma displayed by their live performance. If 90s alternative metal is your bag, you’ll love this. In a better world, a catchy song like “Maya” would get heavy airplay on rock radio and the band arena-ready giants. Alas, it’s not 2001 anymore, but here’s hoping Vajra reaches the 2021 equivalent.
Stream: Apple Music
