I can’t pretend to list all the myriad albums that are released every week. Each week there are albums I am interested in checking out, I share those here.
This week is one I have been looking forward to for months. And I think it would have resulted in my album of the year, except for that little surprise release from Neurosis. Still, it was a big one. Again.
Archspire – Too Fast to Die
It was just over a month ago that Canadian tech death maestros announced their Kickstarter to go fully independent with their next release. After the loss of previous drummer, Spencer Prewett, I was just a little hesitant how Spencer Moore would fill that role. Archspire’s music is… demanding. To say the least. But I backed it, and release day approached.
Once the first single dropped, my fears were assuaged. Spencer Moore’s drumming was excellent. So my excitement built.
And now we have it. Too Fast to Die is another slab of Archspire technical death metal. Archspire isn’t for everyone. They are too extreme for many metalheads I know. But they click for me. They do an excellent job of balancing their speed and technical virtuosity with moments of tranquil melody. They understand their music is an assault, and to really enjoy it, they are smart enough to give you little breaks here and there. Bleed the Future, their previous release, was my album of the year back in 2021. After initial listens, it is possible this would have repeated that feat.
Except for Neurosis.
Inferi – Heaven Wept
So this isn’t awkward.
Actually, hopefully it isn’t. But Inferi is also a technical death metal band. And they had a drummer. His name was Spencer Moore. Yeah. That Spencer. And he did the drums on this album before exiting the band. So, also on April 10th, Inferi released their own massive slab of tech death, and Heaven Wept is a good one.
I haven’t given it as much time as Too Fast to Die because Archspire clicks for me a bit more than Inferi. But this is an excellent album for fans of fast and furious music. I look forward to diving into it more.
Immolation – Descent
That’s right, folks. More death metal.
MOAR!!!
Immolation is classic, old school, brutal death metal. They’ve been around since 1986, and don’t appear to be slowing down. Their previous album, Acts of God, was what finally put them on my radar, and the consensus seems to be that they continue to be an excellent band. I love Acts of God, and so far, Descent is firing on all cylinders as well. This isn’t music to relax to (though it totally can relax me).
This is music for something violent. Maybe it was the fact I first listened to Acts of God while lifting, but Immolation just evokes that sort of self-violence.
Seriously. Three awesome death metal albums on the same day. Christmas in April.
Spirit Adrift – Infinite Illumination
I got into Spirit Adrift in 2015, about the same time I was getting into Khemmis and Pallbearer. It was discovering a trifecta of modern American doom metal.
It was awesome.
But then something changed. I don’t know exactly what. Pallbearer remains doom, but more sadboi doom. Khemmis has doom elements, but seems to be moving more into heavy metal. Spirit Adrift did the same. But while I continue to listen to Khemmis and Pallbearer, I just stopped listening to Spirit Adrift.
Particularly after the drama following the release of 2020’s Enlightened in Eternity. That turned me off, and the fact the album felt more like a hard rock album than a doom metal one, well, I sort of stopped paying attention.
But with the announcement of new Spirit Adrift, it was also announced that this was the band’s final album. More drama? Maybe. But it worked. I decided to check Infinite Illumination.
I was pleasantly surprised. This is, to my ears, a very solid return to form. This is excellent, moody, juicy doom metal with fat old riffs. Maybe I’ll have to revisit other recent albums. Hell, the fact that this is good enough to have me even considering that is a positive sign.
MASTER BOOT RECORD – REALTIME EXECUTION
MASTER BOOT RECORD (no, I’m not yelling, that is how the band writes it) is awesome. Seriously. Incredible, energizing, feel-good music.
It is also fucking hard to describe.
One part chip-tune, one part Bach organ toccata, a serious metal attitude, and a sprinkling of something, well, special, and you sort of get there. All that matters is this: every MBR album is good. And there are a lot.
REALTIME EXECUTION sets itself apart by being a live album. MBR music is layers of synths and effects. This is three people making that music live, with real guitars and drums in addition to the synths. It is different. Good different. But different.
The songs are recognizable, but the live aspect changes them enough that it is very interesting to listen to. One thing is certain: every time I listen to MASTER BOOT RECORD, all I can think is I should listen more often.