Staff Infections – March 2022

Welcome, friends, to the March 2022 edition of Staff infections, your monthly glimpse into the listening habits of your pals here at Last Rites. Last month I expressed my hope that Vladimir Putin’s threatened invasion of Ukraine was, in fact, just a threat. Tragically, that proved not to be the case. Fortunately, the conflict so far looks more like the Winter War than World War Three, but people are still dying by the thousands and being displaced by the millions, all for one man’s mad, cruel dream of a new Russian empire. Let’s hope by next month we’re speaking of this war in the past tense.

On a decidedly less grim note, let us see what we’ve been listening to lately. For the first time in what seems like quite a while we have quite a bit of crossover on staff playlists, resulting in a three-way tie for album of the month. First, however, an honorable mention to our runners-up, Papangu, with it’s sludge / prog / traditional Brazilian concept album Holoceno, and the mighty Immolation, with last month’s album of the month, Acts of God. On to the big winners—big names, one and all. The first prong of the trident belongs to the legendary Amorphis, with it’s still-fresh release, Halo (reviewed by El Capitan here). Next, we have the even more legendary Scorpions with their twentieth(?) full-length album, Rock Believer (reviewed by Zach here.). Finally, rounding out the trio is Voivod with it’s latest sci-fi, prog-metal soundscape, Synchro Anarchy (reviewed by Lone Watie here). We’re really leaning into our oldness around here, but it’s the honest thing to do, I think.

Before I wrap this up, be sure to have a listen to the staff-curated Spotify playlist below, and share your own playlist in the comments. Until next month, take care of yourselves and your loved ones. Here’s hoping whatever hardships lie ahead for you, they don’t involve bombs or bullets.

• Zach Duvall
  Papangu – Holoceno
  Freddie Hubbard – Ready for Freddie
  Scorpions – Rock Believer
  Amorphis – Halo
  Voivod – Synchro Anarchy
  Author & Punisher – Krüller
• Andrew Edmunds
  Scorpions – Rock Believer
  Napalm Death – Resentment Is Always Seismic
  Saxon – Carpe Diem
  Amorphis – Halo
  Voivod – Synchro Anarchy
  Immolation – Acts Of God
• Ryan Tysinger
  Luzifer – Iron Shackles
  svrm – Червів майбутня здобич
  Imšar – Ciemra Pierad Zołkam
  Fester – Silence
  Slave Agent – Alternate Histories
  Deathhammer – Electric Warfare
• Captain
  Necromantia – Scarlet Evil Witching Black
  Suffocation – Breeding the Spawn
  Fer de Lance – The Hyperborean
  Sigur Rós – ( )
  Sigur Rós – Takk…
  The Gloaming – The Gloaming
• Lone Watie
  John Coltrane
  Voivod – Synchro Anarchy
  Lalu – Paint the Sky
  Tears for Fears – The Tipping Point
  Le Orme – Uomo Di Pezza
  Maxophone – Maxophone
• Spencer Hotz
  Papangu – Holoceno
  Hath – All That Was Promised
  Deliriant Nerve – Uncontrollable Ascension
  Agusa – En annan värld
  Krallice – Crystalline Exhaustion
  Wiegedood – There’s Always Blood At The End Of The Road
• Dave Pirtle
  HammerFall – Hammer of Dawn
  Corpsegrinder – Corpsegrinder
  Scorpions – Rock Believer
  Johnny Cash – American III: Solitary Man
  Mark Lanegan – The Winding Sheet
  Amorphis – Halo
• Jeremy Morse
  Immolation – Acts of God
  All Out War – For Those Who Were Crucified
  Acid Bath – When the Kite String Pops
  Sick of It All – Scratch the Surface
  Van Halen – II
  Cinderella – long Cold Winter
• Danhammer Obstkrieg
  Pink Floyd – Saucerful of Secrets
  Genesis – Selling England by the Pound
  The Cure – Kiss Me Kiss Me Kiss Me
  PJ Harvey – Let England Shake
  Rancid – …and Out Come the Wolves
  King’s X – Faith Hope Love

Posted by Jeremy Morse

Riffs or GTFO.

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