Greetings, Decibel readers!
What you have before you are five masters of their craft. Selecting the artists for this week was incredibly easy. I mean, bands like Enforced and Runemagick are such indisputable giants that they effortlessly rise above the competition. But there’s a few lesser-known practitioners on this list as well. And they deserve to achieve the same level of esteem as well. Especially if you like death-doom or melodic death metal. Or all of that combined (scroll to the bottom).
So, enjoy!
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Enforced – War Remains
The masters of muscular thrash-core return with their third full-length album. While late-2000s neo-thrash burned through everyone’s patience for high-tops and derivative 80s themes, bands like Enforced have carried the torch forward in a dignified and worthwhile manner. The songs light up and demand a response from your senses, created a mosh pit in your head that keeps you coming back.
Stream: Apple Music
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Fires in the Distance – Air Not Meant For Us
The masters of atmospheric melodic death metal are back with their second album. Producer Dave Kaminsky has done an incredible job here, balancing the crushing guitars and vocals with the smooth orchestral arrangements that makes everything blend together in a mesmerizing listening experience. If you dig stuff like Draconian but want some more Gothenburg in the mix, you’ll be in heaven with this album. And if you dig this, keep your eyes out for my interview with guitarist Yegor Savonin on Monday!
Stream: Apple Music
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Kaal Akuma – Turiya
The masters of off-putting and anxiety-inducing brutality return with an EP following up their 2021 album, In the Mouth of Madness. This is some seriously menacing stuff, and it’s crafted with such expertise that it’s almost cinematic in how it moves from one riff to the next. Don’t sleep on this. In fact, you might have trouble sleeping after listening to it.
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Runemagick – Beyond the Cenotaph of Mankind
The masters of titanic death-doom return with their lucky-13th full-length release. At this point, listening to Runemagick is like eating at your favorite restaurant. You know love the place, they know what you like, and bring it to you without having to take an order. Dig in, and don’t be afraid to go back for seconds!
Stream: Apple Music
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Vadiat – Spear of Creation
The masters of melodic, energetic death-doom return with their first-ever full-length. As I often say, Redefining Darkness Records is an easy mark of quality, and their support for Vadiat only further establishes this. That bridge on “Spear of Creation” is so nasty, man, I wish I’d come up with that. The dual-harmonizing guitars and heavy-metal solos give the band’s style a special shine that sets them apart from the legions of similar bands out there. Rock on!
Stream: Apple Music
