Alright, ladies and gents, maybe the empire is falling, maybe we’re on the verge of World War III, maybe the end-times are upon us. But through whatever may come, by the grace of Lord Anthony Frank Iommi Jr. and so many others, we have heavy metal to sustain us. Metal won’t put gas in the tank or food on the table, but if you have to grit your teeth and endure some bullshit, there is no better soundtrack. With that in mind, let’s see what your pals at Last Rites have been listening to.
As is quite typical the staff listening habits vary a great deal, but in a few instances they have converged, resulting in a three-way tie for album of the month. First in our winner’s triumvirate is Desert Collider with Generation Ship: Endless Drift Through Infinity. A review of this fuzzy behemoth of an album by Dan “The Man” Obstkrieg can be found right here. Secondly, we have long-running Polish black metal quartet, Furia, with 2023’s Huta luna. And, finally, closing out our trio of winners is Floridian / Canadian symphonic black / death / doom group Worm with its latest album Necropalace.
For our group discussion this month, let’s keep it light and easy: After a long cold winter, what kind of metal do you reach for to thaw your blood out for spring? Personally, I find myself enjoying brutal death metal more as the temperature rises. Something about the genre’s suffocating intensity warms my bones.
That’ll just about do it for this month. Be sure to have a listen to the staff-curated Spotify playlist below, and share your own playlist in the comments. Until next time, well, lets hope shit doesn’t get too much worse (It will).
- Zach Duvall
Sigh – everything
Blut Aus Nord – Ethereal Horizons
Furia – Huta Luna
Worm – Necropalace
Fluisteraars – Gegrepen door de Geest der Zielsontluiking
Vader – Tibi Et Igni - Captain
Spell – Tragic Magic
Spell – Wretched Heart
Neurosis – An Undying Love for a Burning World
Neurosis – A Sun that Never Sets
Old Man Gloom – Seminar III: Zozobra EP
Sumac – What One Becomes - Andrew Edmunds
Paul Chain – Alkahest
The Byrds – Untitled
Watchtower – Control And Resistance
Vanexa – Back From The Ruins
Yattering – Genocide
Repulsion – Horrified - Danhammer Obstkrieg
Egregore – It Echoes in the Wild
The Messthetics & James Brandon Lewis – Deface the Currency
Shane Parish – Autechre Guitar
Worm – Necropalace
Cradle of Filth – Cruelty & the Beast
DJ Food – Kaleidoscope - Spencer Hotz
Emerson, Lake & Palmer – Tarkus
System of a Down – System of a Down
Baazlvaat – Ridiculed by the Common Soldiery
King Crimson – Three of a Perfect Pair
Iniquitous Deeds – Incessant Hallucinations
Gorrch – Stillamentum - David Fonseca
Monstrosity – Millenium
Heavy Load – Death or Glory
The Ruins of Beverast – Foulest Semen of a Sheltered Elite
Judas Priest – Priest … Live!
Furia – Huta Luna
Enshine – Elevation - Lone Watie
Lovebites – Outstanding Power
Desert Collider – Generation Ship: Endless Drift Through Infinity
Silent Stream Of Godless Elegy – Iron
Beyond Creation – Earthborn Evolution
Lazuli – Être Et Ne Plus Être
Parallel Or 90 Degrees – Aftersometimelater - Isaac Hams
Fire Magic – Memories of Fire
Lola Young – I’m Only F**king Myself
Desert Collider – Generation Ship: Endless Drift Through Infinity
Stormkeep – Tales of Othertime
Absu – Tara
Forest Stream – Tears of Mortal Solitude - Wolf Rambatz
Buzzkill – Wasteland
Weedpecker – V
Maddie Ashman – Her Side
Station Model Violence – Station Model Violence
Mod Lang – Borrowed Time
Neural Indent – Thalassaeglean Unguents - Blizzard of Jozzsh
Grouper – Dragging a Dead Deer Up a Hill
Lamb of God – Into Oblivion
Embalmer – There Was Blood Everywhere
Dio – Holy Diver
Sleep – Sleep’s Holy Mountain
Darkthrone – Plaguewielder - Jeremy Morse
Exhumed – Red Asphalt
Converge – Love is not Enough
Tyrant Trooper – Insane Sickness
Visceral Decay – Obsessive Pathology to Eliminate the Scum Human Race
Vore – Lord of Storms
Danzig – III: How the Gods Kill
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Judas Priest – Defenders of the Faith
Judas Priest – Sad Wings of Destiny
Tomb Mold – The Enduring Sprit
Hyperdontia – Hideous Entity
Necrophobic – Hrimthursum
Cryptic Hatred – Internal Torment
For thawing the bones–old, classic heavy metal does it for me. Judas Priest (Sin After Sin, Stained Class), Di-Anno era Iron Maiden (Killers!), Metal Church (first album, holy smokes), Dio-era Black Sabbath (“Neon Knights” could thaw permafrost).
Nevermore – Enemies of Reality
Nevermore – The Obsidian Conspiracy
Sanctuary – The Year the Sun Died
Anaal Nathrakh – Endarkenment
Amorphis – Borderland
Type O Negative – October Rust
Paradise Lost – Draconian Times
Fear – The Record
Can’t think of anything spring specific. I suppose I could check what I was listening to 6 months ago, or see what I’m feeling in 6 months time. Meanwhile, winter is coming…
Tailgunner – Midnight Blitz
Worm – Necropalace
Soundgarden – Badmotorfinger
Ministry – Psalm 69
Nine Inch Nails – Pretty Hate Machine
Deadguy – Near Death Travel Services
When Spring actually rolls around I’ve found my listening habits naturally gravitate to either the crossover-hardcore-thrashier side of things. Bands like Drain, Cryptic Slaughter, End It, ST or to the speed metal spectrum – Razor, Bütcher, Black Viper, etc.