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. Looking for some new death metal to bring into your life? Got you covered. Need some grindcore to get your wedding reception off on the right foot? Say no more. Strap in kiddies, it’s time to rock.
We’ve been so excited for this record. When it comes to heavy, riff-driven, instrumental rock, nobody is better than Russian Circles. Every single album this trio has done is amazing, and their latest effort, Guidance, is no exception. Produced by the masterful Kurt Ballou, this album is Russian Circles at their rawest. It’s a post-metal godsend, a pummeling triumph from start to finish. This is the perfect soundtrack to kick some ass and chew bubble gum to, the sort of record that gets you fired up. You can finally own this bad boy or stream it below, but we highly recommend picking this thing up. It’s the kind of album that you want to have in your collection, just in case you need to get super pumped at any particular moment.
In considerably less awesome news, The Dillinger Escape Plan have announced that their upcoming album will be their last. After two decades and a revolving door of members, the chaotic and volatile band is calling it quits, but not before they unleash a little more mayhem on the world. “Limerent Death” is the first track they’ve shared off of Disassociation which is due October 14. It sounds like a Dillinger Escape Plan song, but somehow stranger and more twisted. Frantic and fearless, this band has always been one of those acts that you assumed would always be there, tearing up shows across the world every few years and leaving fans bloodied and bruised. Their demise is a shocker, for sure, but at least they are going out on top. We’ll miss you, Dillinger.
Holy crap, Knife Hits just might be our new favorite band. These dudes do not mess around, as is evident by the track below. Intense and blistering, this stuff hits you hard, crushes your heart, and is done in fifty-two seconds. Fans of the screamo slash grind of yesteryear will love this stuff. Knife Hits are releasing their first album, titled Eris, this September and the whole thing is a freaking ripper. Half the tracks on this monster don’t even pass the minute mark. It’s all killer; it’ll set your ears on fire. [Decibel]
New Trap Them! Guys, we freaking love Trap Them. They are, perhaps, the ugliest band in hardcore, playing grimy, dirty songs that are sure to make any mother cry. Case in point, “Hellionaires,” off of their upcoming Crown Feral. Listening to this song is like getting your face dragged across the asphalt, but in a good way, you know? It’s relentless and vicious in a way that only Trap Them seem to truly capture. We should also note that this one is also produced by the Kurt Ballou. That dude knows how to pick his projects,right?
Gatecreeper definitely wins the award for best band name, that much is certainly. Their heavy, menacing sound is likely to win some awards. Best growl? That one goes to Gatecreeper. These Arizona natives are poised to go big time and songs like “Craving Flesh” are the reason why. This is the sort of metal that requires some serious horn throwing and head banging. Plus, these guys are going on tour with Oathbreaker, Iron Reagan, and Skeletonwitch this fall. If that’s not one hell of an amazing show, then we don’t know what is. Cut the sleeves off of your shirt and grow your hair out, Gatecreeper is taking over the world.
Turnstile play a brand of hardcore that you don’t hear enough these days. If these guys had hit in the ’90s or late ’80s they’d be the biggest band in the scene. This stuff invokes the old guard, like Gorilla Biscuits or Youth of Today, the kind of hardcore that demands a stage dive into an endless sea of circle pits. The vocals are all shouts, the guitars are punk rock, and there’s even a breakdown (or two). This is the hardcore most of us grew up with, no frills, no bullshit. It’s not about fancy haircuts and cool fashion, it’s about energy, insanity, and shouting your lungs out.
Aside from having the coolest album cover we’ve seen in a while, Barishi also have some riffs and atmosphere. “Blood from the Lions Mouth” a track from the album of the same name and it’s rad stuff. It’s metal that takes you on a journey; listening to this song is like stepping into the Upside Down. It’s almost pretty at times, if not for the shredding vocals and sinister mood. It’s never overdone, never bigger than is has to be. Barishi is just a presence, a band you can’t ignore and that demands your attention. If these guys aren’t on your radar you probably need to take your radar in for repairs. It’s clearly broken and not functioning properly. [Revolver]
Hey, that’s it for us this week. What are you spinning lately? Got a heavy playlist you need the world to hear? Sound off in the comments below. Keep on screaming.
Image: Nicholas Sayers/Sargent House/Russin Circles/Cartoon Network
