Happy Hallows Eve, Decibel readers!
An interesting theme runs through a lot of this week’s notable new releases, and it’s one that’s been ever-present in metal for the past 10 years. A lot of new releases are focused dedications to specific sounds of the past. On the one hand, it’s great to have classic styles live on. On the other, it may portend other things for metal’s future which merit further reflection and investigation. Is there really nowhere else to go other than homage or avant-garde?
But back to the first hand, if the music is good, that’s what we should care about. And you should care about the five albums below.
Listen to them this weekend, along with some Misfits and Type O, between servings of candy and horror movies. Enjoy!
—
Conjureth – Majestic Dissolve
Conjureth is something of a return, being composed of three former members of Ghoulgotha. This new band has a similar vibe, but uses a more energetic and punchy approach. It’s new old-school death metal with an extra thrashy edge, giving it a jolt of electricity that shoots right out of the speakers.
—
Cult of Eibon – Black Flame Dominion
From the artwork, to the vocals, to the picture-perfect guitar tone, you know what you’re in for here. This is purely a devotional work dedicated to classic Greek black metal albums like Thy Mighty Contract and His Majesty at the Swamp. The whole thing is so well done, that if I didn’t know better I’d think this was some long-lost classic from 1994 being reissued at last.
—
Grand Cadaver – Into the Maw of Death
Speaking of devotional works, Grand Cadaver is here to deliver the latest gift from the land of HM-2 pedals. Don’t get the wrong idea, though, this isn’t just another rendition of Left Hand Path with the barcode etched off. As Chris Dick put it last year, “the Stefan Lagergren (guitars) and Alex Stjernfeldt (guitars) formed quintet are simply revisiting their youth for the fucking fun of it.” Oh, and it features Mikael from Dark Tranquility on vocals. What more do you need to know?
—
Lucifer – Lucifer IV
If you ever wanted to hear a band take the classic rock aesthetic of the 1970s, file off its shortcomings and refine it into a consistent experience, look no further than Lucifer. I was a huge fan of The Oath back in 2014 and also thought the first Lucifer album was an absolute doom-metal triumph. When they took a decidedly more “rock” direction on the second album (less Black Sabbath, more UFO, Heart and Blue Öyster Cult), it wasn’t necessarily my thing, but I could respect what they were going for. This album represents the culmination of the band’s vision, led on the mic by the otherworldly talents of Johanna Sadonis. I also like the Carrie reference at the end of the music below, especially since I got to rewatch it with some friends recently.
Stream: Apple Music
—
Thulcandra – A Dying Wish
Thulcandra has a very clear mission, to carry the ice-encrusted wizard staff of blue-cover black metal into the future. Everything the band does here was set down ages ago on The Somberlain, Far Away From the Sun and Vittra, and thus the band seeks to continually put their own spin on the sound. For those of us who like our metal grim and melancholy, but with a touch of power and majesty, you can never really get enough of this style. If you liked Ascension Lost, you’ll love this.
Stream: Apple Music
