After The Burial - Evergreen (Sumerian)

After the Burial’s ‘Evergreen’ is an album that I have been looking forward to ever since I encountered the eastern flavours of the guitar lead that sits above the rhythmic patterns of ‘Dig Deep’s’ lead single ‘Lost In The Static’ last year. Set to continue in more or less the same vein as ‘Dig Deep’, from what we have heard so far in the form of ‘Exit, Exist’ and ‘Behold the Crown’ or ‘The Snowball Song’ as it will forever now be known, ‘Evergreen’ will present the listener with a dirty groove laden assault destined to batter you senseless.


Alpha Wolf - Fault EP (SharpTone)

Alpha Wolf is band that is relatively new to my ears, yet one I wish a new about sooner. Facing disastrous lows that almost brought the band to the brink of collapse over the past year, as detailed in their documentary ‘Retrospect’, Alpha Wolf return with relentless aggression in the form of their new EP. Featuring heavy as fuck guitars and breakdown callouts guaranteed to make you throw down whatever the setting, no matter the situation, this release will resonate with anyone who has ever experienced self-doubt.


Fractal Universe - Rhizomes Of Insanity (Metal Blade)

Following in the footsteps of tech death giants Obscura and Gorod, Fractal Universe are a band that lean heavily towards the prog-death side of technical death metal. Coming complete with intricate guitar work and flawless drumming, ‘Rhizomes Of Insanity’ is a tech death album that contains a significant amount of technicality. Yet, far from being a prolonged 50-minute wank fest, the compositions on this album feel entirely accessible.


Grand Magus - Wolf God (Nuclear Blast)

For many of us, the wait is finally over. Igniting a furious hunger with their announcement of a new album back in February, we can finally gorge ourselves on the delectable grooves of Grand Magus. Filled to the brim with ripping riffage and the unique flavours of Christofferson’s vocal performances, ‘Wolf God’ seems to draw from the majority of their past work containing a brilliant mix of blues draped doom sections as well as moments of pure metal majesty.