The best new metal albums you can buy this week

Darkest Hour press shot

Darkest Hour - Godless Prophets & The Migrant Flora

“True to the band’s punk ethos, Godless Prophets & The Migrant Flora is more energetic than the last. It begins at a blistering pace, as though it were already halfway through. It’s been almost three years since their last release but opener Knife In The Safe Room sees a freshly bloodthirsty Darkest Hour with a gritty edge and fretwork at the forefront.” Read the full review here.

Lock Up - Demonization

“Standard bearers for precision, power and dexterity, this amorphous supergroup have never delivered less than total devastation, but the loss of vocalist Tomas Lindberg in 2014 suggested that either renewal or retreat were in order…” Read the full review here.

Evocation - The Shadow Archetype

“They might have split up initially in 1993 after only two demos and suffered a severe setback four years ago, when two of their key members threw in the towel after four post-reunion albums that ranged from great (Tales From The Tomb, Illusions Of Grandeur) to so-so (Apocalyptic), but The Shadow Archetype immediately twists the knife where it hurts the most.” Read the full review here.

Jagged Vision - Death Is This World

“Hailing from the same scene that delivered us Kvelertak’s hardcore mangling, it’s no shock to learn that there is yet another band to file alongside Okkultokrati, Blood Command and Man The Machetes in the neverending list of excellent Norwegian punk bands. Jagged Vision have grabbed a touch of Entombed, a dollop of Integrity, nicked a few black metal riffs and bashed it all together.” Read the full review here.

IEatHeartAttacks - Please Just Dance Death

“Norway might be home to Vikings, trolls and A-ha, but it also houses a burgeoning hardcore scene. Anarchy isn’t dead in the frostbitten north, and one of the newest bands to pick up the torch is the charmingly named IEatHeartAttacks.” Read the full review here.

Havok - Conformicide

“The bio promoting these Denver thrashers’ fourth refers to Conformicide as the band’s “Rust In Peace moment”. This is meant to delineate the record as their masterwork, destined to reign forever in metal’s annals. What goes unmentioned is that the Rust In Peace citation might exist because of how much Havok have taken to sounding like Dave Mustaine and his hired guns.” Read the full review here.

The best new metal albums you can buy this week

The best new metal albums you can buy this week

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