Well, it’s a different world from last time we did Staff Infections. We here at Last Rites hope the worst you’re dealing with right now is cabin fever. If you and / or your loved ones have been directly affected by the coronavirus, our hearts go out to you. The same goes for those of you who might find yourselves dealing with financial insecurity as a result of the quarantine. Finally, if you’re a healthcare worker or an otherwise essential employee who doesn’t have the luxury of waiting this out in the relative safety and comfort of your own home, we thank you for shouldering what is an undoubtedly heavy load on our behalf. If we all do our part, hopefully we can get back to normal, whatever that even is anymore, sooner rather than later.
As trivial now as it may seem, let’s see what the hell all we’ve been listening to. For starters, have a gander at Mr. Fetusghost’s playlist. I’ll give you one guess as to how he’s been passing the time during quarantine, and can you blame him? Unfortunately, if the rest of us have been hitting the bong hard, it hasn’t translated so explicitly to our playlists. Consequently, nothing directly bong-related is in the running for album of the month, but if this shit goes on long enough, who knows? Keep dreaming big, my ethereal friend.
We actually have a quartet of albums tied for the top spot this month, with no runners up. First we have the triumphant return of Cirith Ungol with Forever Black. The band’s first album in 29 years is due out on April 24th, and we will likely have a review in the near future. Next, we have Visitations from Enceladus, the forthcoming debut full-length from British technical death / thrash outfit Cryptic Shift. Last month’s winner, Elder’s Omens, again takes a share of the blue ribbon. Omens is also out on April 24th, and although there is no review yet, there’s still time for us to get our shit together. Finally, rounding out the first place finishers is Danish black / folk / etc artist Myrkur with her recently-released third full-length, Folkesange. Have a listen to a few samples below.
Until next month, you all stay safe and socially distant out there, and have a listen to our staff-curated Spotify playlist while you share your own “special quarantine edition” playlists in the comments.
- Zach Duvall
Bestial Invasion – Monomania
Pearl Jam – Gigaton
Stevie Wonder – Where I’m Coming From
Tears for Fears – Songs from the Big Chair
Steve Vai – Passion and Warfare
Dimhav – The Boreal Flame - Andrew Edmunds
Iron Maiden – Brave New World
Defeated Sanity – Chapters Of Repugnance
Agathocles – Commence To Mince
Architectural Genocide – Cordyceptic Anthropomorph
Devangelic – Phlegethon
Suture – Carnivorous Urge To Kill - Danhammer Obtkrieg
Four Tet – Sixteen Oceans
Sölicitör – Spectral Devastation
Cirith Ungol – Forever Black
Nine Inch Nails – Ghosts V/VI
Elder – Omens
Menace Ruine – Venus Armata - Fetusghost
King Bong – Alice in Stonerland
Bongzilla – Amerijuanican
Bong Threat – Bong Threat
Earthbong – One Earth One Bong
Bongripper – Hippie Killer
Bongripper – The Great Barrier Reefer - Manny-O-War
Nils Frahm – Empty
Otzi- Storm
Furia – Martwa Polska Jesien
Witches Hammer – Damnation is my Salvation
Cryptic Shift – Visitations From Enceladus
Gwenifer Raymond – You Never Were Much of a Dancer - Captain
Christian Muenzner – Path of the Hero
Cryptic Shift – Visitations from Enceladus
Kurnugia – Forlorn and Forsaken
Cirith Ungol – Forever Black
Elder – Omens
Paul Chambers – Bass On Top - Dave Pirtle
Master Boot Record – Floppy Disk Overdrive
Myrkur – Folkesange
Kill Ritual – The Opaque and the Divine
Soilwork – Figure Number Five
Arch Enemy – Burning Bridges
g//z/r – Plastic Planet - Ryan Tysinger
Afterbirth – Four Dimensional Flesh
Pa Vesh En / Temple Moon – split
Black Cilice – Summoning the Night
Malokarpatan – Krupinské ohne
Trono Além Morte – As Portas da Ruína
Golden Light – Sacred Colour of the Source of Light - Megan Astarael
Spectral Lore & Mare Cogitum – Wanderers: Astrology of the Nine
Ulcerate – Stare Into Death and Be Still
Barshasketh – Barshasketh
Street Cleaner – Annihilation
Solar Fields – Blue Moon Station
Myrkur – Folkesange - LoneWatie
Gigafauna – Frozen Wastes
Conception – State of Deception
Novena – Eleventh Hour
Ivanhoe – Blood and Gold
Quel Che Disse Il Tuono – Il Velo Dei Riflessi
Long Earth – Once Around the Sun - Jeremy Morse
Striker – Armed to the Teeth
Shards of Humanity – Cold Logic
Blood Incantation – Hidden History of the Human Race
Sky Shadow Obelisk – The Satyr’s Path
Dawnbringer – Snake
ZZ Top – Rio Grande Mud
Blut Aus Nord – “Hallucinogen”
Sweven – “The Eternal Resonance”
The Deathtrip – “Demon Solar Totem”
Blood Incantation – “Hidden History of the Human Race”
Warlock – “Hellbound”
Entombed – “Clandestine”
Celtic Frost – “Into the Pandemonium
Metal Church – “Metal Church”
Jonathan Hultén – “Chants from Another Place”
Gamma Ray- Heading For Tomorrow
Razgate- After The Storm…The Fire!
The Spudmonsters- Stop The Madness
The Crown-The Burning
Skyclad- The Wayward Sons of Mother Earth
Palace- Reject the System
Void of Sleep – Metaphora
Sweven – The Eternal Resonance
Malokarpatan – Krupinske ohne
Psychonaut – Unfold the God Man
Vader – Welcome to the Morbid Reich
Earth Rot – Black Tides of Obscurity
Blood Incantation – Hidden History…
Powerwolf – Sacrament of Sin
Dua Lipa – Future Nostalgia
Slayer – Season in the Abyss
Paradise Lost – Medusa
Diplodocus – Slow and Heavy
Schizogen – Spawn of Amighty Essence
Today is the Day – No Good to Anyone
Burzum – Thulean Mysteries
The Berzerker – s/t
Architectural Genocide – Cordyceptic Anthropomorph
Assassin – Upcoming Terror
Rotting Christ – Non Serviam
Testament – Titans of Creation
Mayhem – Daemon
Sepultura – Schizophrenia
Hey dudes,
This is Matt from Gigafauna. I’ve followed the site since back in the Metal Review days and I can’t count how much good music I’ve discovered thanks to you guys. So it was unexpected as hell to see my band in this edition of Staff Infections. Thanks for giving it a spin LoneWatie and thanks to all the staff for continuing to bang out the great reviews.
FWiW I’m hooked on the new Afterbirth and Wake records. White Stones is also reminding me of what I used to dig about Opeth hehe.
Rush – 2112
Intronaut – Fluid Existential Inversions
Old Man Gloom – Seminar IX: Darkness of Being
Giant Squid – Minoans
Gloosh – Timewheel
Unfathomable Ruination – Finitude
Gomorrah – Gomorrah
Septycal Gorge – Scourge of the Formless Breed
Obsolete Mankind – Dystopian Heuristics
Uncreation – Overwhelming Chaos
Æpoch – Awakening Inception
Hyperdontia – Nexus of Teeth
Exodus – The Atrocity Exhibition: Exhibit A