Pyrrhon – Exhaust

Well, this came out of nowhere—promo included! Not many bands can match Pyrrhon‘s ability to obliterate what little sanity the listener has left. The Mother of Virtues and What Passes for Survival are absolute classics, perfect soundtracks for puking while looking up (don’t try it at home, you’ll drown). However, Abscess Time left me a bit cold. I didn’t quite get it, which is why I approached Exhaust with caution. You can never be too safe with a band this volatile. In that sense, Pyrrhon had already succeeded in manipulating my expectations. But enough intro—let’s dive into the madness.

Zeal & Ardor – GREIF

Every once in a while, a band shows up and defies expectations to levels that we thought weren’t possible. Zeal & Ardor managed to mix oil and water; mixing Black Metal with Soul music in a way that even the biggest purist could respect. Yet it’s been years since Strange Fruit smacked us all in the mouth, and though Zeal & Ardor was good, I do wonder what can the band do next? It’s hard to keep innovating so much in this boring world. So stick around and find out here!

Ingurgitating Oblivion- Ontology of Nought

I was there when Ingurgitating Oblivion released Vision Wallows in Symphonies of Light. It was album-of-the-year material in what was probably the best year Metal has had in my lifetime. This won’t be a typical review. You see, Ontological Nought isn’t music you listen to for dealing with emotional issues. This is art, and to fully embrace it, I’m pulling out every weapon in my snobbish arsenal. So I hope you’re ready for the most pretentious review since we covered Ulcerate or Aquilus. On y va!

Concrete Winds – Concrete Winds

Concrete Winds is a strange name for a band. It even feels like an immediate contradiction. Perhaps that was the plan all along because the band’s sound is absolute musical debauchery. It’s as if you take The Dillinger Escape Plan and Pyrrhon. So, you know this is going to be unbearable for 99.9% of the human population, but you’re not normal. You’re a freak of nature who enjoys discovering the most extreme music that hell can provide, which is why Concrete Winds might offer something for you, lunatic. Time to find out!