#it'll be neat to see those guys in Archspire again - last time I saw them was pre-COVID and they were a much less confident band?

[optiwashere]

Archspire touring this year? Alongside Aborted? There's few shows where I've immediately bought tickets quite like that lmao.

Also, Friday's new releases were kinda sick ngl.

I love the "completely random discovery" part of new music. Sometimes you find a band that just flew under your radar for no reason.

Doomy, folky band called Isenordal released a new album and it's just fucking incredible? Melancholic, dark, emotionally raw. Melodic and depressing. Almost funeral doom in its pacing but with bursts of melodic black metal AKA fuckin' made specifically For Me. Definitely found new writing music with this one. The clean bridge in "A Moment Approaches Eternity?" Literally all of "Await Me, Ultima Thule?" The ethereal title track? Every track is incredible, 11+ minute songs have never felt so brief. Also, the 2CD physical copy comes with a narrative essay about the concept of the album??? How can a band be so for me and yet I've only heard of them now?

Skeletal Remains is the best death metal a girl could ask for 💜 Ending the album on a Hate Eternal cover 💜💜💜 It feels good to hear death metal so clearly inspired by F/G-era Morbid Angel without the absolutely tragic snare sound of the G album. Incredible follow-up to their 2020 album (that also rules btw)

Fun grimy death-doom from the fantastically named Slimelord. This time with an album title referencing a fungal disease found in frogs (???) and the album starts off with a highly reverberated, atmospheric sample of layered geese and gull sounds (?????)

On another note, the new Midnight is fine, nice and punky. I feel like he's been spinning his wheels for the last few albums though. Live shows still fuck either way, so I'm probably gonna see them live when they swing around here next time lol.

I have to wait to get the new Spit On Your Grave because I can only buy it from their label in Mexico. Zero presence around this album at all, and it's very odd. Maybe it's getting a wider release with the independent release on the 30th, IDK.

Also, new Ulcerate this year? Which means possibly Ulcerate tour this year? What pact did I unwittingly sign to deserve this?