Abraham–Look, Here Comes the Dark!
Genre: Post Metal, Sludge Metal, Progressive Metal, Post Hardcore, Doom Metal, Black Metal, Death Metal
FFO: Cult of Luna, Neurosis, Pelican
Hailing from Switzerland, Abraham earns the vote for “Least Likely to be Pigeonholed” by The LookOut for 2018 Metal releases.
Look, Here Comes the Dark! is equally rewarding as it is ambitious featuring a whopping 19 tracks and over two full hours of material. The group shifts from all different sorts of styles on the metallic spectrum throughout this massive work of art depending entirely on the mood and subject matter of each track grouping.
Despite an unorthodox running time, this LP is full of energy and refuses to waste single second.
The Body–I Have Fought Against it, But I Can’t Any Longer
Genre: Sludge Metal, Electronica, Industrial, Drone
FFO: Swans, Godflesh, Thou
Portland, Oregon’s The Body push beyond sonic limitations yet again with their latest LP. The two piece paint a horrifying portrait of dread, pain, and suffering through their instrumentation via harsh, unexplored methods of samples and droney white noise.
The Body boasts an expansive catalog of hard-to-swallow, avante-garde listening experiences, and I Have Fought Against It, But I Can’t Any Longer fits comfortably within its ranks.
Bong–Thoughts & Existence
Genre: Stoner Metal, Sludge Metal, Funeral Doom, Drone
FFO: Sleep, Boris, Sunn 0)))
UK Drone Doom outfit, Bong, release yet another gargantuan LP.
What Thoughts & Existence may lack in track amount, it more than makes up for with its extremely thick, and massive presence.
Bong‘s material is not for the impatient and demands a front to back experience with only two tracks hovering near the twenty minute mark.
While it is a commitment of a listen, it is rewarding in every sense.
Homewrecker–Hell is Here Now
Genre: Death Metal
FFO: Entombed, Bolt Thrower, Obituary
Similar to Of Feather & Bone‘s latest release, Ohio’s Homewrecker abandon their crusty Hardcore roots to present a more straight forward, nostalgic take on Death Metal.
Hell is Here Now proves the band has hit an all time high in their songwriting abilities, with production and riffage guaranteed to smash your face in like a slab of concrete.
LLNN–Deads
Genre: Post Metal, Sludge Metal, Space Rock
FFO: Neurosis, Amenra, Sumac
Copenhagen’s LLNN launch the listener’s consciousness deep into the furthest, darkest, loneliest limits of deep space with their sophomore LP.
Deads is a Science Fiction-themed epic utilizing soundscapes and samples that provide the listener with a protagonist role in this layered, complex sonic journey across the galaxy. LLNN‘s influences range from the staple Avante Garde approach of Post Metal titans Neuoris to the influential scores of John Carpenter.
The juxtaposition of droney synth and attention-grabbing, powerful riffs create an overwhelming, abrasive ambiance will keep your mind heavily occupied from start to finish.
Thou–The House Primordial
Genre: Sludge Metal, Doom Metal, Drone Metal, Black Metal
FFO: Grief, The Body, Bongripper
Louisiana’s Thou presents a new EP this year taking their malevolent soundscapes to the next possible level of unrelenting harshness. Thou and The Body are often compared following a history of collaborative projects and tours.
Side by side, both groups have pushed the boundaries of what it means to be a heavy band further and further, borrowing elements of pop music while somehow distancing themselves from the farthest points of accessibility.
The House Primordial balances beauty and ugliness in a profound way and deserves your attention as it may be one of best releases in Metal this year to date.