CARACH ANGREN ICED EARTH CKY TOMBS DYING FETUS DANCE AND LAUGH INCORRUPTIBLE THE PHOENIX THE GREAT ANNIHILATION WRONG ONE TO FUCK WITH AMONGST THE ROTTEN CENTURY MEDIA METAL/E1 METAL BLADE RELAPSE SEASON OF MIST After nearly three dedicated decades, guitar- Once upon a time, CKY burned it all down, The Grand Annihilation, Tombs’ fourth full- Self-reliance and musical integrity are the The Dutch masters of horror are back with ist/songwriter Jon Schaffer, drummer Brent with a raucous, anarchic, hard rock sound length, is the most epic, ambitious, emotion- two principles to which Dying Fetus have their most flamboyant album so far. On Dance Smedley, vocalist Stu Block, bassist Luke Apple- soaked in the skate-punk culture that birthed ally and tonally varied of the band’s career. always lived by. Formed in 1991, during the and Laugh amongst the Rotten, Carach An- ton, and new guitarist Jake Dreyer have as- them and a hard-partying lifestyle onstage Following up 2014’s full-length, Savage height of the death metal explosion, Dying gren are painting musical pictures that easily sembled the fiercest Iced Earth record since and off that decimated relationships and Gold, Mike Hill had his work cut out for him, Fetus have matured into one of the premiere combine the grandiose depth of a Rembrandt its 1996 milestone The Dark Saga and 1998’s reputations in its wake. Now, CKY rises from acknowledging that it was “the closest we extreme death metal / grindcore acts to with Van Gogh’s maelstrom of whirling colors chart-blazer Something Wicked This Way the ashes of the aftermath with The Phoenix, came to realizing what I thought the band emerge from the massive global metal under- and the utter madness of Bosch. This lus- Comes. Titled Incorruptible, Iced Earth’s a bold mission statement that hoists the flag should sound like.” Showcasing a more bru- ground. The band is recognized worldwide ciously seductive danse macabre will drag twelfth record is inspired not by things political high for big, raw, authentic, earth shaking tal, extreme side of the band, it hit home as a prime example of songwriting perfec- you in and never let go. Carach Angren but by things personal. Since Plagues of Baby- rock n’ roll, liberated from useless pre- hard, and saw them being embraced by ever tion across seven studio albums, combining have employed all the sonic colors on their lon landed in 2014 to heaps of praise and tense. The Phoenix touches on anger, bigger crowds. When it came time to track an innovative mix of technical virtuosity and palette to dazzling effect. Their trademark chart-topping success, Schaffer and team have revenge, good versus evil, desperation, the new record Hill once again enlisted Erik catchy song structures to create the ultimate whipping guitars are weaving harsh melodies weathered proverbial storms. Management recovery, growth, knowledge, survival, Rutan, whose production discography in- blend of death metal, hardcore and and sinister soundscapes, which are beauti- shake-ups, Schaffer’s well-publicized and very enemies, friends, and more. There›s heavy, cludes seminal releases from Cannibal grind. Now Dying Fetus raise the bar once fully contrasted by opulent keyboards and serious neck surgery – he’s since fully recov- dark, signature CKY grooves, “fun shit,” Corpse, Soilent Green, and his own Hate again with their first new material in over 5 majestic orchestrations. With Dance and ered – and lineup shifts all played positively “fancy shit,” driving and almost danceable Eternal. The Grand Annihilation’s rich yet years, Wrong One To Fuck With. The sea- Laugh amongst the Rotten, Carach Angren into Incorruptible. Certainly, after 27 years of stuff, big melodies, total ear candy, immense unfussy production ensures every song soned veterans manage to further stretch are returning to “pure” storytelling with epi- releasing albums and 666 minutes – or there- diversity... There are even parts that sound comes to life as if caught in the moment of its their creative and technical boundaries – sodes that are centered on a girl playing a abouts – Iced Age show no signs of slowing like maybe Quincy Jones was given the keys creation, crackling with energy and emotion and cement their legacy – across 10 com- little too long with her Ouija board. The down. Songs like “Clear the Way,” “Black to Rancho De La Luna and just ran amok with and standing them apart from the plethora of plex tracks of pulverizing death metal, filled Dutchmen have pushed their unashamedly Flag,” “Raven Wing,” “Ghost Dance (Awaken the dudes in CKY. bands with overly compressed, polished – with more dynamic intricacies, brutal break- theatric style to a new intense height. Drop the the Ancestors)” and “Great Heathen Army” and ultimately muted – additions to their downs and varied vocal patterns than ever needle and unleash these radiant ghosts into are destined for the halls of heavy metal great- catalogs. before. your home... ness. In fact, Incorruptible is special – a con- temporary classic!

ORIGIN GOATWHORE M.O.D. RIVER BLACK BROKEN HOPE UNPARALLELED VENGEFUL ASCENSION BUSTED, BROKE RIVER BLACK MUTILATED AND ASSIMILATED UNIVERSE METAL BLADE & AMERICAN SEASON OF MIST CENTURY MEDIA NUCLEAR BLAST Goatwhore’s seventh full-length, Ascen- MRI River Black deliver the musical equivalent Chicago’s masters of death fuckin’ metal, For 20 years, Origin has engaged a full- sion, is a sonic manifestation of war, chaos, With song titles like “You’re a Fucking Dick,” to a diamond-tipped drill to bore breathing- Broken Hope, return with their seventh blown sensory assault of tight, taut, and desolation, and emotional conflict. While “Busted, Broke & American,” and “All Out of holes into the crusty rusted armor-plating of studio album Mutilated and Assimilated – a technical death metal amplified by flashes of hardly a concept record in the traditional Bubblegum,” you would think that M.O.D. – the metal-genre to let some fresh air into the horrifyingly brutal yet catchy sonic massacre grindcore and groove. However, 2017’s sense, Vengeful Ascension loosely revolves shorthand for Method of Destruction – all too often stale scene. Their powerful self- produced by Scott Creekmore and featuring Unparalleled Universe sees the quartet around Lucifer serving not as a fiendish, all- and their founder and fearless leader Billy titled debut album impresses with undiluted cover artwork by Wes Benscoter (Bloodbath, strengthen that blueprint with a handful of destroying demon but rather an emancipator Milano aren›t masking their intentions on aggression, precisely executed and dead on Kreator, Slayer, Hypocrisy). Mutilated and surprises. “It feels like an Origin album, but or guiding light. It’s a theme of struggle and their new album. In fact, it would be a target. Based on an intimate knowledge of Assimilated marks a notable step up from its it’s unparalleled to what you might expect if transcendence derived from John Mil- logical assumption that Milano and Co. are thrash metal history, the Americans have predecessor uniting guttural vocals, devastat- you haven’t heard us for 10 or 15 years,” ton’s Paradise Lost epic, and one that has putting their unabashed and unedited found a modern answer to this classic style, ing blast beats, bowel-ripping grooves, says guitarist/vocalist Paul Ryan. “You could appeared, whether directly or indirectly, thoughts and feelings out there for all to see incorporating suitable elements of death, catchy riffs and highly melodic leads which say there are some twists in the plot musi- within Goatwhore works of the past. and hear with their new album Busted, hardcore, and other influences. The exper- fully showcase the band’s technical superior- cally.” Opener “Infinitesimal To The Infinite” Vengeful Ascension serves as the soundtrack Broke, and American – self-righteous and tise that River Black demonstrate in craft ity. Guitarist Jeremy Wagner owns the per- gallops forward on a steamrolling rush of to that luciferious rise straight off with the politically correct social justice warriors be and talent does not come out of the blue. sonal collection of the late Jeff Hanneman riffage as Jason Keyser’s screams take hold. combative, ritualistic drum onslaught of damned. As to be expected, Busted, Broke & Guitarist John Adubato and drummer David (Slayer). “I’ve never felt this inspired before,” “Invariance Under Transformation” tempers opening hymn, "Forsaken." Wholly American is fast, it›s furious, and it makes no Witte (Municipal Waste) formed their new says Wagner. “The album has my strongest a trudging, doom-y groove with a dark hiss immersive, each track is alarmingly palpable apologies. It also mixes hardcore, punk rock, creative outlet after the dissolution of Burnt riffage to date, it also has [vocalist Damian] and brutal stomp and the dynamic. “Cascad- in subject and corresponding execution. The and thrash -- and the result is a thoroughly By The Sun. To complete their dream team, Leski riffage on a few songs, it has my best ing Failures and Diminishing Returns” blud- tense, clandestine battery of "Chaos combustible collection of songs. Witte and Adubato recruited fellow friends on it, and in a crazy twist, I used Jeff geons and burns, while “Accident And Arcane," based on HP Lovecraft's Revocation bassist Brett Bamberger and for- Hanneman’s guitars to write the album with Error” barrels ahead on a double bass air book Nyarlathotep – a story which attempts mer Burnt By The Sun collaborator Mike and used them to track with in honor of his raid with smart bomb precise sweeping ar- to recount the inexplicable sense of fear in Olender for vocal duties. The result speaks influence on myself AND the world of peggios. Recorded by longtime collaborator expectancy of an unknown evil – conveys for itself. metal.” and engineer Rob Rebeck (Tech N9ne). that sensation of impending doom through sound in a way only Goatwhore can.