This week is kind of slow with some of the more major releases (Angra, Armageddon) being pushed back to February. There's still a few albums worth mentioning, however. Power/progressive metal fans will love this week as get the debut release by Serious Black, "As Daylight Breaks", along with the stateside release of the fantastic "Get Your Bulls Out" by Messiah's Kiss. Other notables include a releases by The Decemberists, Marilyn Manson, and the return of female indie punk group Sleater-Kinney, among others. Enjoy and feel free to comment below!
Also don't forget to check out the Top Hard Rock/Heavy Metal Albums of 2014!
Pick of the Week
Serious Black - As Daylight BreaksRecommended Track: Arkhenaton
Genre: Power Metal
Label: AFM
Serious Black is yet another European super-group consisting of members from bands like Pyramaze, Visions of Atlantis, Blind Guardian, Helloween, Masterplan, et al. Usually in these culminations we receive a stand out track or two combined with filler. Luckily, Black has defied the norm and released a solid debut. On the one-two punch of album openers/singles "I Seek No Other Life" and "High and Low", vocalist Urban Breed (Trail of Murder, ex-Pyramaze) belts catchy choruses and the listener is instantly engaged. Luckily, the rest of the album is as solid as these two tracks as the band waivers through slow-paced ballads and fast-paced salvos. Each band member's talent shines with guitarists Dominik Sebastian (Edenbridge, ex-Astaroth, ex-Mortus) and Roland Grapow (Masterplan, ex-Helloween) working in concert, and bassist Mario Lochert (Emergency Gate, ex-Visions of Atlantis) and drummer Thomen Stauch (Savage Circus, ex-Coldseed, ex-Blind Guardian) keeping a steady rhythm. Keyboardist Jan Vacik (D-vision, ex-Dreamscape) shares a particularly wonderful piece with Breed in the title track backed by strings. Super-groups tend to come and go over in Europe, but Serious Black is definitely a case where the combination works and gives a lasting impression.
Runner-Up
Messiah's Kiss - Get Your Bulls Out!Recommended Track: Immortal Memory
Genre: Heavy Metal/Power Metal
Label: Massacre
Notables
Other notable releases this week include:
- Arcane - Known/Learned (2-Disc)Genre: Progressive Metal | Label: Sensory
- Breathless - Return to PangeaGenre: Thrash Metal | Label: Xtreem
- Dead City Ruins - Dead City RuinsGenre: Hard Rock | Label: Metalville
- The Decemberists - What a Beautiful World, What a Terrible WorldGenre: Folk Rock | Label: Capitol
- Lectern - Fratricidal ConcelebrationGenre: Death Metal | Label: Sliptrick
- Marilyn Manson - The Pale EmperorGenre: Industrial Rock | Label: Loma Vista
- Satan's Host - Pre-Dating God Part 1 & 2Genre: Blackened Heavy Metal | Label: Moribund
- Sleater-Kinney - No Cities To LoveGenre: Punk Rock/Indie Rock | Label: Sub Pop
Thanks for reading and hope you found something new to listen to. See you next Friday for the next Weekly Binge where I will break down more notable goodies.
- The Catalyst
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