It was about one minute and thirty-eight seconds into this Oubliette album that I said “Oh boy.” Not in the condescending tone of “I can’t believe I’m gonna sit through this thing,” but rather “I’m gonna enjoy the hell out of this.” There’s something about the cutaway from melodic black metal to Alcest-like dreamscape guitars that says a lot about a band in the opening moments of their sophomore album, and it’s a hopeful plea that this intro isn’t all flash while the rest of the album is uninspired.  

We don’t hear much metal from the Eastern European countries all that often. Coming out of Turkey, Burial Invocation is one of the rare instances where we do hear something. And guess what? It’s death metal. Tried and true, shredding death metal, it just goes to show that even in the most extreme of metal genres, we can get over the hurdle of language barriers with blast beats and tremolo picking.  

Multi Platinum punk band, Rise Against and highly lauded photographer/filmmaker, Rob Fenn have released “Whereabouts Unknown” – a 272 page, 12″ x 9” hard cover photo book capturing the raw energy of Rise Against and their worldwide fanbase.  

Stockholm, Sweden’s rock quintet LIKE TORCHES have greatly evolved since the release of 2013’s Keep Your Head High. The band can be best described as “alternative, driving, infectious, modern, pop-punk inspired, testosterone fueled yet melodically uplifting rock for 2018.”  

Taking creative risks tend to be a thing bands are afraid to make. They’re called “risks,” after all, but why not keep your fans on your toes? That’s not to say your local black metal band needs to incorporate 80’s synthwave into their sound, but breaking the norm is always worth a try. Oklahoma’s Dischordia are willing to take some sort of risk with their newest release, Binge/Purge, as the technical death metal act break the formula a bit and aim for something different by their own standards.  

This special edition bust depicting a zombie-like GG Allin post-death is the first of its kind by Aggronautix. Based on a illustration by Lou Rusconi, sculpted by Arlen Pellitier, and detailed by Eddie Bradley, this figure is it is hand-painted and limited to just 1000 numbered units.  

Tremonti, the band comprised of Mark Tremonti on vocals/guitars, Eric Friedman on guitars/backing vocals, and Garrett Whitlock on drums, have a lot to celebrate this week. The band’s latest studio album, A Dying Machine released worldwide via Napalm Records on June 8th, has stormed the US sales charts giving the group their fourth Top 10 on the Independent Current Album Chart.  

The 80’s were a magical time for the growth of heavy metal, but I believe Operation: Mindcrime is one of the prime examples of why that era still is fondly remembered. Alongside Melissa by Mercyful Fate and Ride the Lightning by Metallica, Operation: Mindcrime made waves for the bands that followed, creating a waves of influence felt through the next few decades. It was also imperative to progressive metal as a whole, and while being a conceptual album and debatably what we call “prog metal” today, it still remains the middle ground between traditional heavy metal and what Dream Theater would solidify in the following year. So with Geoff Tate and friends getting together to celebrate 30 years of this timeless... 

Metal Blade Records is happy to announce the signing of Skull Pit, a new band featuring the talents of Mem V. Stein (Exumer) and Tatsu Mikami (Church Of Misery)!  

MACHINE MAN RECORDS is pleased to announce the 18-track remix album from CHMCL STR8JCKT, appropriately titled “RMX”. Available on CD and Name Your Own Price digital download via MACHINE MAN RECORDS’ Bandcamp site.  

Portland doom quartet USNEA announce Fall 2018 tour dates throughout North America. The band continues to tour in support of their recent full-length album Portals Into Futility. The tour commences September 9 in Boston, MA, ends September 21 in Washington D.C and includes two dates with Monolord plus a performance at Basilica Soundscape. A full list of tour dates is available below.  

Yob’s latest album, Our Raw Heart, has been receiving high marks all across the metal community. I myself chimed in last week with nothing but praise for this accomplishment, and the hype is absolutely real for this beast of an album. With a North American tour with Bell Witch recently underway, things are looking great for the Oregon doom trio. Before heading out, I was able to catch up with bassist Aaron Rieseberg, who was able to give us some insighto n the going ons with the band, the new album, and the upcoming tour.