Staff Infections – February 2018

It’s February, friends, and it feels like we’re in the heart of the winter doldrums. Not just as it relates to seasonal affective disorder, but, as our playlists will reflect, with regard to the state of new metal releases. Only one new album has captured the collective ears of the Last Rites staff this month, and, even in that case, the collective only amounts to four ears. The album in question is ION, the latest from Portal, a band our new intern Ryan Tysinger calls “the kings of psychological death metal terror.” Ryan has fucked up more than a few sandwich orders, he can’t clear a paper jam to save his ass, and he seems entirely incapable of making a decent cup of coffee (Seriously, it’s a Keurig for Christ’s sake…), but the guy is pretty o.k. at writing. You can check out his review of ION here. Feel free to leave Ryan encouraging comments, such as: “NO MOTHERFUCKING PICKLES, RYAN!” or “LIGHT CREAM, YOU HALF-WIT!”

The only other album to snag more than one set of ears this month is Pestilence’s progressive death metal freak-out, Spheres. Testimony of the Ancients and Consuming Impulse each make an appearance as well. While we’re on the topic of progressive death metal, a couple of Atheist albums also cropped up in the playlists. A bit curious methinks. Finally, While it’s never a bad time to listen to Judas Priest, with four albums in staff playlists, Priest seems inordinately popular this month. Could it be the impending release of Firepower that has the band on our minds, or could it be something else? Time will tell.

Until next month, enjoy some Portal and Pestilence, be sure to leave your playlist in the comments, and if you care to, share some of your favorite jams to bust yourself out of a winter funk.

 

 

• • Zach Duvall
    Dawn – Nær sólen gar niþer for evogher
    Krallice – Years Past Matter
    The Cure – The Top
    Portal – ION
    Sodom – Expurse of Sodomy
    Nuclear Assault – Game Over
  • Captain
    Rush – Power Windows
    Judas Priest – Nostradamus
    Malady – Toinen toista
    Hooded Menace – Ossuarium Silhouettes Unhallowed
    Pestilence – Consuming Impulse
    Death – Individual Thought Patterns
  • Manny-O-War
    Rush – Hold Your Fire
    Mythic – Anthology
    Sturgill Simpson – Metamodern Sounds in Counrty Music
    Pestilence – Spheres
    Apollo Brown & Planet Asia – Anchovies
    Atheist – Unquestionable Presence
  • Andrew Edmunds
    Entombed – Clandestine
    Pestilence – Testimony Of The Ancients
    The Adicts – Sound Of Music
    Lee “Scratch” Perry & Subatomic Sound System – Super Ape Returns To Conquer
    Blind Guardian – Beyond The Red Mirror
    Paradise Lost – Gothic
  • Konrad Kantor
    Iron Maiden – Somewhere in Time
    Manilla Road – Crystal Logic
    Esoteric – The Pernicious Enigma
    Judas Priest – Sin After Sin
    De La Soul – Three Feet High and Rising
    Oxymoron – Westworld
  • Dan Obstkrieg
    Meat Beat Manifesto – Impossible Star
    Demonomancy – Poisoned Atonement
    Andras Schiff – Beethoven: The 32 Piano Sonatas
    Portal – Ion
    First Aid Kit – Ruins
    Tribulation – Down Below
  • Dave Pirtle
    Judas Priest – Painkiller
    Biohazard – State of the World Address
    Magnum – Lost on the Road to Eternity
    Anguish – Magna Est Vis Suignah
    Lione-Conti – Lione-Conti
    Machine Head – Catharsis
  • Jeremy Morse
    Sinister – Diabolical Summoning
    Sinister – Cross the Styx
    Atheist – Piece of Time
    Judas Priest – Killing Machine
    Therion – Beyond Sanctorum
    Pestilence – Spheres
  • Ryan Tysinger
    Exciter – Long Live the Loud
    Portal – Ion
    Pentagram – First Daze Here
    Black Cyclone – Death Is King
    Judas Priest – Rocka Rolla
    Paara – Riiti