Another great week of releases. The standout this week is Blind Guardian's new epic, "Beyond the Red Mirror". Runner-ups, A Swarm of the Sun, release a post-metal monolith aptly entitled, "The Rifts", while death-thrashers Armageddon release their first album in over a decade, "Captivity & Punishment". Re-releases include Game Over's thrashy, "For Humanity", Saor's blackened-folk treat, "Roots", and Wolfheart's phenomenal, "Winterborn". Other notable releases this week include albums from Bob Dylan, Callisto, Daemon Pyre, Dead in the Manger, Deathbreed, Hellish Outcast, Iron Lamb, Leah, U.D.O, Winterage, Yesterday's Saints, and Zex. I have also added "Listen Here" links to sources like BandCamp, Youtube, SoundCloud, and wherever else I can find the best representation of a release. This will hopefully ease your search and help find what you like faster. Enjoy!
Also don't forget to check out the Top Hard Rock/Heavy Metal Albums of 2014!
Pick of the Week
Blind Guardian - Beyond the Red MirrorRecommended Track: Ashes of Eternity
Genre: Epic Power Metal
Label: Nuclear Blast
Listen Here
With "Beyond the Red Mirror", Blind Guardian have released another epic. While the talent in musicianship of the band, and Hansi Kürsch's voice has never been in question, a lot of what the group has released has so much going on that it's hard to find a groove or beat to latch onto. With their new LP the group has definitely smoothed some of the edges and released something equally catchy and breathtaking. Weaving orchestral moments with power metal's driving force, the album meanders between sweeping symphonics and almost thrashy grooves. Somehow it all fits into place and I never once found myself distracted by too much going on, which has hindered me with some of their previous efforts. "Beyond the Red Mirror" showcases a band at the pinnacle of performance, and is definitely something fans of all genres should sink their ears into.
Runner-Ups
A Swarm of the Sun - The RiftsRecommended Track: These Depths Were Always Meant for Both of Us
Genre: Ambient/Post-Metal
Label: Version Studio
Listen Here
At times sullen and tedious, and others entrancing and intense, A Swarm of the Sun's, "The Rifts", drags its listener through the muck, then lays them in the bright, warm sunshine before pulling them back in. For fans of post-metal groups like Deftones, Isis, Neurosis, and Pelican.
Armageddon - Captivity and DevourmentRecommended Track: Equalizer
Genre: Death Metal
Label: Listenable
Listen Here
After a ten year-hiatus due to guitarist Chris Amott's focus on Arch Enemy, the former side project, Armageddon, has found new life in "Captivity and Devourment". Amott's passions can be heard in every solo, and the riffs -played alongside Joey Concepcion- punch equal to, if not better than, most of his Arch Enemy work. The rest of the group is just icing on the cake, and I can't wait to see where they go next. For fans of riff-driven death metal like Arch Enemy, Carcass, and Ill-disposed.
Notables
Other notable releases this week include:
- Bob Dylan - Shadows in the NightGenre: Traditional Pop | Label: Columbia | Listen Here
- Callisto - Secret YouthGenre: Atmospheric Sludge Metal/Post-Hardcore | Label: Svart | Listen Here
- Daemon Pyre - Daemon PyreGenre: Technical Melodic Death Metal | Label: New Justice | Listen Here
- Dead In The Manger - Cessation - EPGenre: Grindcore/Black Metal | Label: 20 Buck Spin | Listen Here
- Deathbreed - New World OrderGenre: Death Metal | Label: Rogue | Listen Here
- Game Over - For Humanity Re-releaseGenre: Thrash Metal | Label: Scarlet | Listen Here
- Hellish Outcast - Stay of ExecutionGenre: Death Metal/Thrash Metal | Label: Listenable | Listen Here
- Iron Lamb - Fool's GoldGenre: Hard Rock 'n Roll | Label: High Roller | Listen Here
- Leah - Kings & QueensGenre: Symphonic Power Metal | Label: Inner Wound | Listen Here
- Saor - Roots Re-releaseGenre: Atmospheric Folk/Black Metal | Label: Northern Silence | Listen Here
- U.D.O. - DecadentGenre: Heavy Metal | Label: AFM | Listen Here
- Winterage - The Harmonic PassageGenre: Symphonic Power Metal | Label: Nadir | Listen Here
- Wolfheart - Winterborn Re-releaseGenre: Melodic Death Metal | Label: Spinefarm | Listen Here
- Yesterday's Saints - Generation of VipersGenre: Melodic Death Metal/Thrash Metal | Label: Draconum | Listen Here
- Zex - Fight For YourselfGenre: Punk Rock | Label: Magic Bullet | Listen Here
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. Don't forget to leave a comment and let me know how I'm doing/what you would like to see!
- The Catalyst
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