A weekly feature focusing on select heavy music news, primarily involving new and upcoming releases with a list of ’em provided at the end. This also serves as a week in review, collecting all of the most recent content on Grizzly Butts in a brief additional list. Want to see what came out this week? Read the “Annihilate This Week” column every Monday. If I can’t hear it, I won’t cover it! If you have new releases, show announcements, or important heavy music news that’ll be relevant or interesting to folks send it to: grizzlybutts@hotmail.com

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THIS WEEK IN NEWS (1/30/21 – 2/05/21)

• Swedish folk/black metal act MÅNEGARM’s seventh album ‘Legion of the North‘ was originally released back in 2013 yet, along with much of their discography, hadn’t been set to vinyl yet. Black Lodge Records have been on a crusade to correct this, releasing remastered vinyl editions of each of their albums. On March 26th they’ll release a double gatefold LP in two colors and special edition. I haven’t kept up with the band much since ‘Vredens Tid’ so I’ll be interested to hear it. Pre-order [Sweden-based]: [LINK]
• British label Repose Records have announced they will be releasing the debut from avant-garde/technical post-black metal act ISGHERURD MORTH. It’ll be titled ‘Hellrduk‘ and release on CD and Digital this coming March 12th. There is a quite strong “solar” resplendence to the two tracks they’ve shared thus far, intensely technical and yet deeply breathing blackgaze that promises to be taxing and curiously enjoyable. The band name is a challenge, though it is oddly memorable. Check out the two preview tracks over on Bandcamp: [LINK]
• Purity Through Fire have set February 28th as the release date for HÆNESY‘s sophomore album, ‘Garabontzia‘, on CD. The vinyl version to follow later. Holy hell, I suppose if you are going to be atmospheric black metal, how about truly sunsoaked and chasmic? Brilliant sound for a type of atmoblack I’m not generally one to go for. Check out the first preview track “Asphyxia” over on YouTube: [LINK]
• Norwegian black metal band NORDJEVEL are ready with their third full-length on the horizon but after deciding to postpone due to the inability to tour they’ve put together an EP release. The five-track EP, which will release through Indie Recordings this coming May 7th under the title ‘Fenrir’ and feature considerably gruesome cover artwork featuring the wolf himself. The album is available for pre-order [Norway] here: [LINK]
• The fine folks from Lublin-based Polish stoner/doom quartet DOPELORD have announced their upcoming EP ‘Reality Dagger‘ is due out this coming February 19th through Green Plague Records. I’d loved their ‘Sign of the Devil’ album from last year so I’m looking forward to this new material. More details and whatnot over on their Facebook: [LINK]
• The extremely well-plucked pick’uns over at Night Rhythms Recordings will tentatively include cassette versions of both MOLTEN CHAINS albums this Spring, MEFITIS‘ ‘Offscourings‘ on vinyl LP this Summer, EXPANDER‘s brilliant 2020 full-length ‘Neuropunk Boostergang‘ on cassette this Spring and a bunch more this year. Holy macaroni that is my kinda spread, support ’em and check out that rad The Gnosis CD they’re carrying. I definitely felt like I blew it discovering it way after the fact. Night Rhythms: [LINK]
• I’ve gotten a keen tip on this Leeds-based Post-punk / indie rock trio, MUSH who are releasing their second album, ‘Lines Redacted‘ next week on February 12th via Memphis Industries. Swerving drunk-driver vocals, sweaty post-punk at funk intensity and a bit too much action on this fine single “Hazmat Suits”. I dunno if the album keeps things exactly as bumbling and twisted as that song but, it has a bit of decent hook to it. It isn’t your thing at all but maybe try it out on YouTube: [LINK]
• Sheboygan, Wisconsin based modern thrash metal band TOXIC RUIN have signed with M-Theory Audio for their second full-length, ‘Nightmare Eclipse‘ which has been announced for a tentative 2021 release. M-Theory tend to do a fine job of picking highly skilled, shredding thrash (see also: Hazzerd) when they do pick up the sub-genre and Toxic Ruin fit nicely. I appreciate how present the bass guitar is even when they’re slinging pretty straight classic thrash riffing. It is definitely the Revocation generation of thrash but still, solid song. The first single from the new record “Ritual Rebirth” is over on YouTube: [LINK]
• German thrashing heavy metal militants Dying Victims Productions have announced they will release the second album from Swedish thrashers INSANE, ‘Victims‘, on CD and vinyl LP this coming April 30th. The first single “Sinister Victims” premiered this week and yep, they’re still fine riff craftsmen as they work up this Antichrist and Inculter feeling ripper. Check out “Sinister Victims” over on Bandcamp: [LINK]
• Hell’s Headbangers Records have announced March 31st as release day ‘The Ancient Calling‘ a split 7″ between two of the best Greek black metal acts to arise in recent years FUNERAL STORM and SYNTELEIA. The two song EP of course hearkens back to the glory days of the early to mid-90’s and in one unexpected way: Funeral Storm are using the same drum machine on this track (“Mistress of the Night“) which used at Storm Studio for Rotting Christ’s ‘Thy Mighty Contract’ and ‘Non Serviam’, Varathron’s ‘Walpurgisnacht’, and Nergal’s ‘The Wizard of Nerath’ among many others. Well, they’re better at using it now at least! Great news as the EP is up in full over on Bandcamp and up for pre-order already: [LINK]
• After four years of quiet Greek melodic death metal band AETHERIAN have released a standalone single entitled “Primordial Woods” a song celebrating the value of our environment and urging the conservation of natural areas. It also notably features guest vocals from Sakis Tolis of Rotting Christ. Their sound has gotten huge, notably touching upon the more atmospheric side of modern melodic death metal a la Omnium Gatherum and Aeolian. Excellent song and a preview of what is to come when their eventual second album materializes: [LINK]
• HEXVESSEL and Svart Records have announced they will celebrate the 10 year anniversary of Hexvessel’s debut album ‘Dawnbearer‘ with some lux reissues including CD, a double LP, and limited vinyl box set with a bonus LP showcasing the early demos for the record. This album had hit at just the right time back in 2011 when occult rock and spiritual/pagan folk were both finding larger audiences beyond northern European niches, I personally loved ‘Dawnbearer’ from first listen and have been a fan since. The album will be reissued digitally + CD on April 16th, the vinyl editions are aiming for April or May. Pre-orders and more info over at Svart’s website: [LINK]
• Philadelphia-based avant-garde/doom metal act SHADOWS have finally materialized their debut EP, it’ll be self-titled and released via our revered Polish fellows in Agonia Records. Lead by the considerable presence of Alex Bouks (Immolation) Shadows ropes in some of his fellow former Goreaphobia compatriots for this project. Their sound is certainly not classic USDM and instead features a sort of gothic doom rock vibe, tense as it is jagged in its Danzig-esque delivery. Their first single “Ghost Of Old” is a slow burn but should make it clear what they’re all about. Check it out over on YouTube: [LINK]
• Russian old school death metal band PYRE have announced their stellar sophomore album ‘Chained to Ossuaries‘, which released on CD last year, will see vinyl (black and gold variants) and cassette issue via Dawnbreed Records. Here in North America the vinyl will be available via Rotted Life Records and the cassette will be up via Caligari Records, in Europe you can hit up Dawnbreed or the band directly. Great news since I’d loved this record. Orders go up around February 12th, depending on outlet and region: [LINK]
• Epic progressive heavy metal band HERZEL have announced their full-length debut ‘Le Dernier Rampart‘ this coming March 19th on Gates of Hell Records. Hailing from the Brittany region of France, these fellows have a knack for the dramatic flair of epic heavy/speed metal but keep it steady with their easygoing 80’s heavy metal ride. The six year wait since their first cassette appears well worth it. The album’s strident first single, “Maîtres de l’océan,” is available over on YouTube: [LINK]
• A catchy Norwegian rock band with a distinct, dark aesthetic eh? Maybe it is the 90’s alternative rock lizard brain activating with the punchy, melodramatic spin of it all but I’d gotten a real kick out of this latest music video from DJERV for the song “(We Don’t) Hang No More”. I love the aesthetic and how it adds kitsch and discomfort to the sincere break-up song that it is. Indie Recordings will be releasing this song and another single “Throne” as a 7″ vinyl, the first release from the artist in about six years. Order over on their Website, check out the video on YouTube: [LINK]
• Montréal progressive/technical death metal band INTONATE have announced they’ve signed with Willowtip Records for the release of their second album ‘Severed Within‘ this coming April 16th. Though I’m not a fan of the album art so far holy Hell is this first ~10 minute single a righteous plunge into their sound. “Yearn” will definitely ping the brains hard if you’re into Ulcerate and earlier Beyond Creation, plenty of swelling riffs and carefully placed hits of tech-death. A grand entrance, can’t wait to hear the whole thing. Check out “Yearn” over on Bandcamp: [LINK]
• Lavadome Productions have announced they will release ‘Conflagrate The Celestial Refugium‘, the debut album from heretical death metal act CAMBION this coming March 26th. If you love classic Krisiun, Diabolic, and Centurian you’ll flip your shit over these guys. The band features members from Germany and the United States forged by guitarist Thorben Rathje in Germany and vocalist/bassist Rich Osmond in the United States, the one fellow you’ll likely know is drummer Chason Westmoreland who played on Hate Eternal’s ‘Infernus’ and Equipoise’s ‘Demiurgus’. Check out the first single “Cities of Brass” over on YouTube: [LINK]
• 20 Buck Spin have announced they’ve signed British black metal phenomenon WODE on board for their third full-length album of stomping, cosmic black metal hierophany ‘Burn In Many Mirrors‘ for an April 2nd release. This band (which features the guys from Aggressive Perfector!) had really hit a special sort of stride on their second album which they’ve built upon considerably with consideration for this latest single “Vanish Beneath”, you can check it out over on YouTube or Bandcamp: [LINK]
• NOTABLE ALBUMS AT PRESS THIS WEEK FROM: Intonate, Sullen Guest, Anime Torment, Dodsferd, Monte Penumbra, Starscape, Herzel, Adamantis, Sow Discord, The Split, Abstrakt, Valosta Varjoon, Empyrium, Spelljammer, Jarhead Fertilizer, Wolves of Perdition, No Year, Feculent, White Void, Midnight Odyssey, Mare Cognitum, Lunar Shadow, Nachtig, Stone Healer, Necronomicon, Pan-Amerikan Native Front, Myopic & At the Graves, Haenesy, Spellforger, Angelus Apatrida, Coffin Mulch, Feral Light, Plasmodium, The Mobile Homes, Vladimir Pavelka, Anguis Dei, and several more. Look for coverage in the near future. Don’t see your album listed? Send it to me: grizzlybutts@hotmail.com

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SITE WEEK IN REVIEW (1/30/21 – 2/05/21)

• Annihilate This Week 2/01/21: “…an elegant rockpile monument to everything cruel and stupid and corrupt in the human spirit.”
  • This year …From the Tomb becomes Annihilate This Week, still focusing on new releases from the week but now accumulating a New Releases list/discussion in addition to short reviews for around 5-10 new albums each week. It will post every Monday.
  • This week I chose to cover 5 New Releases from January 29th-February 5th. The favorite(s) being Tunisian funeral death/doom trio Omination.
• An Early Stream of WHITE NIGHT’s ‘Solanaceae’ EP + INTERVIEW (2021) | PREMIERE
  • This week we were lucky enough to get to premier the second EP from deathrock and black metal influenced psychedelic metal act White Nights alongside a short interview. I really enjoy how this project is developing and it was cool to get to pick his brain a bit.
• CYBERPUNK 2077 (2020) | REVIEW
  • Cyberpunk 2077 is one of the best games I didn’t get around to finishing last year well, because it was such a long open world game and it was -broken-. At the end of my ~84 hours with the game I’d resolved to just have a blast and ended up appreciating the actual RPG elements that allow you to build a very mobile, ruthless killing machine. I didn’t love my writing voice on this one, it sounded like a doofy high-speed reading ACG review in a few paragraphs. Then again, I don’t mind that comparison so much as one should be flippant and cynical after playing this game but still thrilled by certain aspects such as environmental design and dice-roll mechanics.
  • Next up is Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla, Cyber Shadow, and Werewolf: The Apocalypse — Earthblood. If those don’t pan out I may wheel back to Final Fantasy VII Remake or, something that is much more my style: Greedfall. Should I start doing my bi-monthly BACKLOG blog again?

New albums from Stargazer, The Ruins of Beverast, Misotheist, Alkerdeel, Black Hole Deity, and Revulsion reviewed favorably on my part in terms of new releases out this week, Check out the Annihilate This Week column for more details and more new releases. Albums from Abythic, Vestindien, Humanity’s Last Breath and Pan-Amerikan Native Front are in the queue for review soon while I am still considering if I’ll cover the latest Angelus Apidatra record. Expect two premieres mid-next week, hopefully with interviews if I can get into gear soon enough. I will move onto releases from the third week of February after that: Suffering Hour, Thron, Harakiri For the Sky, Voidwomb, and Gravesend are strong candidates so far but I’ve lots I’m still considering, listening to and drafting.

• THE RUINS OF BEVERAST – The Thule Grimoires (2021) | REVIEW
• MISOTHEIST – For the Glory of Your Redeemer (2021) | REVIEW
• CAEDES CRUENTA – Of Ritual Necrophagia and Mysterious Ghoul Cults (2021) | REVIEW
• DEIQUISITOR – Humanoid (2021) | REVIEW
• ABLAZE MY SORROW – Among Ashes and Monoliths (2021) | REVIEW
• REVULSION – Revulsion (2021) | REVIEW
• BLACK HOLE DEITY – Lair of Xenolich (2021) | REVIEW

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UPCOMING RELEASES (2/06/20 – 2/12/20)

NOTE: This is not a comprehensive list, some titles are already reviewed and/or covered and some have yet to enter the final queue for consideration and processing. An asterisk (*) indicates that a full review is drafted or in preparation. A pound (#) indicates a short review is warranted and in process. A plus (+) indicates that the album has already been reviewed. Click/Tap on RECORD LABEL name for preview, stream, or store.

• CAEDES CRUENTA – Of Ritual Necrophagia and Mysterious Ghoul Cults [February 12th, Helter Skelter/Regain Records] +
• HUMANITY’S LAST BREATH – Välde [February 12th, Unique Leader Records] *
• ABYTHIC – Dominion of the Wicked [February 12th, Iron Bonehead Productions] *
• ABLAZE MY SORROW – Among Ashes and Monoliths [February 12th, Black Lion Records] +
• ORDO CULTUM SERPENTIS – Derej Najash [February 12th, Signal Rex] !
• VESTINDIEN – Null [February 12th, Dark Essence Records] *
• TORRESIAN CALL / WELLDWELLER – Split [February 12th, Eternal Death] !
• DAYGLO MOURNING – Dead Star [February 12th, Black Doomba Records]
• PESTIS CULTUS – Pestis Cultus [February 12th, Signal Rex]
• DEMON KING – The Final Tyranny [February 12th, The Artisan Era]
• CRAWL BELOW – 9 Mile Square [February 12th, Self-Released]
• NATHR – Beinahrúga [February 12th, Signal Rex]
• SWAMPBEAST – Seven Evils Spawned of Seven Heads [February 12th, Translation Loss Records]
• SURUT – Surut [February 12th, Petrichor]
• BLESSED BLACK – La Brea [February 12th, Self-Released]
• CAMERA OBSCURA TWO – Dod [February 12th, Selfmadegod Records]
• INDICA BLUES – We Are Doomed [February 12th, APF Records]
• STONE MAMMOTH – Stone Mammoth [February 12th, Inverse Records]

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