Double, double toil and five of the best metal albums released this month.
Clutch – Psychic Warfare
by Shawn Miller and Joshua Bulleid
Telekinetic! Dy-No-Mite
Psychic Warfare is the hardest-rocking album of the year, and sees Clutch miles ahead of their competition (as if they really have any at this point). The album’s huge grooves, bluesy stoner rock and just a bit of dusty Texan twang mix to create the catchiest album of Clutch’s career, with Neil Fallon’s quick-witted lyrics and Appalachian drawl serving as icing on the cake of what may very well be the band’s finest hour.
Psychic Warfare is certainly Clutch’s most-consistent record since the one-two punch of Blast Tyrant (2004) and Robot Hive / Exodus (2005) and deserves to stand alongside those records as, not just one of the band’s greatest achievements but, one of the finest hard rock records committed to either vinyl or silicone. This is both Clutch and rock n’ roll at its biggest and best, and a defining moment of 2015.
Havukruunu – Havilinnaan
by Neil Bird
Discovering things at random is a joy. I had not been familiar with Havukruunu before this new album came out. However, a chance-look through my bandcamp feed led me to checking it out because of the artwork. Havilinnaan grabbed me instantly with its great black and thrashy riffs and vocal performances. It’s been on repeat play for a while now and it’s quickly becoming something that has caused me to look further into the band and their label, Naturmacht Productions. Havilinnaan is a damn good listen from start to finish, and a random highlights for me in 2015.
Hooded Menace – Darkness Drips Forth
by Nathan Hare
Hooded Menace’s fourth album, Darkness Drips Forth, is the kind of crushing effort we’ve come to expect from the Finnish doom/death band. Containing four tracks of cavernous vocals and monstrous, lurching riffs with eerie melodies, Darkness Drips Forth cements the band’s status as one of the genre’s most consistent acts. It’s a little more melodic than its predecessors overall, but only relatively speaking. Darkness Drips Forth is a true Halloween treat, which is highly recommended for fans of doom and old school death metal alike.
Panopticon – Autumn Eternal
by Ailo Ravna
Austin Lunn’s Panopticon has an almost spotless track record, with an impressive discography packed with forward-thinking black metal that still pays loving tribute to its roots. After the bluegrass-influenced sounds of Kentucky, and the progressive density of last year’s Roads To The North, Autumn Eternal sees Lonn return to a stripped down approach. In Many ways, Autumn Eternal feels like a spiritual successor to classics such as Ulver’s Bergtatt and Agalloch’s Pale Folklore, while also pushing the Panopticon concept forward through Lunn’s unique touch. Autumn Eternal is the perfect album for its titular season, and a gorgeous blend of melancholy and jaw-dropping grandeur.
Ouroboros – Emanations
by Evan Mugford
Oh, how the snakes shall dine on Emanations—the second full-length release from Australian thrashing tech-death powerhouse Ouroboros. The quintet already released one hell of a debut in 2011’s Glorification of a Myth, which was a record stoked with ample grooves and a near-endless supply of winding riffs, and the band’s imitable chops are back on full display on Emanations. However, this time around they’ve buttressed everything with orchestral girders and an historical atmosphere that crosses more than a few borders and cultures. Emanations is hopelessly impressive from start-to-finish and routinely strikes wonder with its innovative string work and hammering percussion. Choke on this one and get back to me.
Previously on albums released in October:
