Kulk

UK band Kulk make a loud and noisy blend of alt-rock, stoner metal, and doom, eardrum-rattling stuff to shake the cobwebs off.  New album "Choosing to Die" is out now, and you can grab it here from Church Road Records.  In the meantime, listen to "An Endless Knife" below.

Hidden Mothers

Maybe it's too early in the morning for this kind of noise, but it's hard to care when the noise rules as much as it does.  Enter Sheffield band Hidden Mothers, whose mix of post-hardcore vocals, black metal guitars, and post-rock aesthetic makes for a both brutal and soaring sonic experience.  New album "Erosion / Avulsion" is out in November on Church Road Records.  Pre-order it here and listen to album opener "Defanged" below.

Landlords

I've got a house painting project laying ahead of me today, which, while it needs to be done, is not something i'm looking forward to doing.  So, here's some appropriately moody music to suit my demeanor from New Zealand band Landlords.  The band combines elements of shoegaze, slowcore, and sludge metal to make a thick and heavy sound.  Check out "Clover" below and then grab the "Codeine" EP here from Church Road Records.

Zetra

January brings us another EP from British duo Zetra.  The gothy, shoegazey, black metal-tinged, darkwave synth band has released a string of excellent EP's over the last couple of years, and "From Without" follows September's "From Within."  Check out "The Raven's Game" below and pre-order the cassette here from Church Road Records.

Respire

As we've now arrived at the 9 month mark of a pandemic that we just spectacularly failed at getting under control, be it scientifically, governmentally, or culturally, and more and more people die to the sound of crickets, along comes a record that seems to hit my mood just right.  And so we have "Black Line," the latest release from Toronto's Respire.  The whole thing is a beautiful, intense, chaotic, and cathartic mix of black metal, screamo, and post rock and metal.  It's pretty much where my nerves are at these days.  Check out "Tempest" below and get the album here from Church Road Records.