Metal Days – Heavy March
Each year, I like to take a step back and look at the prior year’s releases in Metal music, to try and sort through them and find an album or two that I really enjoy. Last year was an amazing success, introducing me to a number of new bands that I very much enjoy. Let’s take a look at what is in store for this year in Heavy Metal March!
This year’s metal I’ve been taking a bit slower, but I’m still doing in order of the albums that were on the lists. Amusingly, this has lead to trends across the first three months. I am in no way curating these lists to sync up musical styles, so don’t expect it to continue. That said, lets get on to the albums this month!
Snowy Saw – White is the New Black
The Idea for this album is that its a greatest hits album in reverse. This features 2 songs from each of 6 new albums that have yet to come out or some such. It’s a cool idea, but I honestly can’t tell the difference between one album and the other. Its a kind of strange techno-metal type of album. Honestly, I like it a lot, as I like heavy metal, and I like techno. It is, however, corny as Hell, with “excellent songs like Krampus, Its Getting Dark, and March of the Black Dwarves. I really feel its an amusing and fun combination of Korn and Rob Zombie – Take that as you will.
Recommended Songs: March of the Black Dwarves, Its Getting Dark, Evil Twin
Personal Rating:
Its a fun and interesting album, but its not something I can listen to over and over again, as its whimsy is not my type of whimsy. Still, its enjoyable to listen to and has nothing that grinds my gears.
Satan – Cruel Magic
Cruel Magic comes from a very distinctive set of music. Its definitely pulling from the old school heavy metal, and the rhythms and pounding of the guitar are catchy, heavy, and honestly really cool. Every year there are these types of albums that evoke and continue the eras of the past. This seems, at least to me, to be right at home with the 1975 Heavy Metal. Its definitely got the instrumental set for it, though the vocals are a bit higher, less grumbly-growly. The topics are dark, though, no doubt. Its not quite as crushing and powerful as heavy metal, and not fast enough to be speed or thrash. It stands on its own, and that is fine.
Recommended Songs: My Prophetic Soul, Death Knell
I’m giving a lot of three’s this year because these albums are all solid. They don’t go over the top and break my brain, and they don’t cause huge headaches with hideous screaming, This is right there. Its good enough to be solid, and that is about it.
Oceans Slumber – The Banished Heart
This album is really cool. I’m a sucker for instrumentals openings, and this one not only does a solid job opening up, it gives a good feel for the rest of the album. the vocalist is amazing, I love her tone with the metal that she’s singing with. Huge, sweeping songs with tons of cool metal and a vibrant pair of vocalists. This is the first album this year that I’ve enjoyed all the way through. Its just good, solid doom/heavy metal from start to finish. The songs are long and the vocals, as I’ve said, are just awesome.
Recommended Songs: The Decay of Disregard, A path to broken Scars, Etiolation
Personal Rating:
For all my praise of it, this did not absolutely blow me away. Its good, very good, but its not going to win my best album of 2018, this I know. Its up there, but its not quite a 5.
Witch Hazel – II: Sojurn
This is pretty standard Heavy/Doom Metal. I like it, its has a strong tempo and makes for good, metal listening, but it is clearly closer to hard rock than it is to Heavy Metal. Its slow, its methodical, and its pretty solid. I like Novembers Doom and Pagan Altar, and this is the same type of music in that vein. It does not, however, leave a strong memory with me. Its another in the chaos of a bunch of heavy metal bands. Good, not great.
Recommended Songs: See My Demons
Personal Rating:
Another Three. They have a fairly unique sound but aren’t as powerful, fast, or heavy as I like, but they are definitely not bad.
Until Next time!
