Wipe the blood from your teeth and get in the pit; it’s time for a recap of this week’s best hardcore, metal, and punk rock. We dug through the record crates to find the new tunes we think you need to spin and rage to. Strap in, kiddies, it’s time to rock.

Hellkeeper are vicious. They just blasted out the track “Drown” and it’s a merciless pounding in the vein of Cursed and Heiress. This is hardcore punk with a hint of feedback-laced black metal: a thunderous mixture of blast beats, distorted vocals, and pulverizing breakdowns. In other words, this stuff is fan-freaking-tastic. Ghastly and savage, Hellkeeper hit all the right notes in the song of our dark, dark souls.

(Decibel)

If you find yourself searching for something unexpected, a lost traveler on the road of life, you may find that Vivian K is singing your song. Verses is a post-hardcore romance told through low-fi riffs and screams. In a lot of ways, this band carries the torch of ’90s emo. Listening to Vivian K invokes the image of a beat up boombox blasting a well-worn tape you’re playing for the thousandth time. This record is earnest and raw; it plays like a fresh wound, bleeding out every note and staggered harmony. There’s no one thing happening here, rather a cacophony of chaos that forms into something undefinable and beautiful. Check this band out, guys. You won’t regret it.

Yes, we know it’s only February, but it has to be said that King Woman’s Created in the Image of Suffering is a contender for Album of the Year. Easily. With each new track it becomes clearer that this band has crafted a truly evocative and transcendent album. Their sound is redolent of darker times, like wisps of haunted places you used to tread. You can hear “Hierophant” below and get a small picture of why Created in the Image of Suffering is such a masterpiece.  It sounds like nothing else you’ve ever experienced, it’s gorgeous, and it’s heavy. We may have a long way to go in 2017, but it’s difficult to imagine something surpassing this record. It’s magnificent.

(CLRVYNT)

Iron Reagan delivered Crossover Ministry earlier this month and it’s a damn fine album. We told you several times to buy it, so let’s assume you have good taste and did just that. Now, to enhance your listening pleasure, we give you the music video for the charming tune known as “Fuck the Neighbors.” The video was directed and animated by Johnny McHone, who works on a little show called Robot Chicken. It’s a delightful clay number that perfectly captures the nuances of suburban life. Also, at one point, a dude gets his head cut off by a pizza. That’s poetic and stuff.

Our post-metal fuel tank is currently being refilled by In the Company of Serpents. They have a new album called Ain-Soph Aur coming March 10th and it’s great. They just released the track “Limitless Light,” a 12 minute journey through bleak and tortured territory. It’s reminiscent of Kowloon Walled City and early Neurosis. The band’s name sounds like a short story from H.P. Lovecraft, which is fitting given their big, mythological sound. In the Company of Serpents is tightly formed; they don’t waste a single second of this 12 minute track; everything is carefully structured and in delivered. Plus, they have some of seriously killer guitar tones. Just listen to that 1:17 mark when everything kicks in. It’s huge.

Power Trip is the soundtrack of the times. We live in a time of anger, resistance, and punishment. We need fierce riffs and circle pits now more than ever. On February 24th, Power Trip’s Nightmare Logic will come into the world, born of darkness and bitter defiance. The world needs to thrash. We need to get our hands dirty and listening to Power Trip oils the blood and fuels the fire. Get pumped up and inject some Power Trip into your soul.

That’s it for us this week. Throw some horns up and go wreak havoc. On your way out, make sure you hit up the comments below and let us know what grind, thrash, doom, hardcore, punk, and metal is filling your earholes currently.

Image: Hellkeeper

Gif: Ren and Stimpy/Viacom

Benjamin Bailey writes for the Nerdist and can be found on Twitter talking about Godzilla, comic books, and hardcore music.