The 20 Best Metal Albums of 2019
For yet another year, metal shows its endless well of creativity through fierce musicianship and ambitious outlook, highlighted through these 20 exquisite records.
27 Nov 2019
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Noise Rock's Buildings Urge You to "Sit With It" (premiere)
Minneapolis noise rock band, Buildings return with a new album and a new cut that speaks to the frustrations we face every day. Buildings make boredom sound (almost) fun on "Sit With It".
13 Nov 2019
Sunn O))) Revisit the World of 'Life Metal' with 'Pyroclasts'
The companion piece to Sunn O)))'s masterful Life Metal completes the most organic and minimal chapter in the drone masters' journey.
08 Nov 2019
Wilderun's 'Veil of Imagination' Is a Wonderfully Chameleonic Progressive Metal Adventure (album stream) (premiere)
Boston's Wilderun construct an epic combination of folk, classical, metal, and progressive rock on their third LP, Veil of Imagination. Hear it in full before it's release tomorrow.
31 Oct 2019
Alcest Deliver Exceptional Blackgaze Catharsis on 'Spiritual Instinct'
Everything that fans could want—and everything that makes blackgaze stand out—is contained within Alcest's Spiritual Instinct.
24 Oct 2019
MetalMatters: October 2019 - What's That Noise?
October is dominated by heavyweight returns from noise rock pioneers Swans and Lightning Bolt, while also filled with the black metal bleakness of Blut Aus Nord and the Great Old Ones, while Vastum continue 20 Buck Spin's death metal master class streak.
22 Oct 2019
Metallica and the San Francisco Symphony Christen the City's New Arena with Triumphant Team-Up
The world's greatest metal band, Metallica unite with their hometown symphony for a concert of symphonic metal magic to ring in opening night at San Francisco's new arena.
16 Oct 2019
Only Connect: An Interview With Lacuna Coil's Cristina Scabbia
Italian gothic metal outfit, Lacuna Coil return with their ninth and heaviest album to date. Co-lead vocalist Cristina Scabbia reflects on the album's inspirations: "This record is basically us saying that it is OK not to be OK."
Jedd Beaudoin
Music
11 Oct 2019
Dysrhythmia Reach Technical Ecstasy With 'Terminal Threshold' (album stream)
Twenty years into their career, instrumentally-driven trio Dysrhythmia still find new ways to surprise and astound listeners. Virtuosity isn't the only thing that matters here but it sure gives us a lot of marvel at on Terminal Threshold.
03 Oct 2019
MetalMatters: September 2019 - Back to the Grind
September is filled with exciting heavy releases, most notably the return of post-metal icons Cult of Luna, the sophomore record of post-black metal mavericks White Ward, and the resurrection of experimental proto-black metallers Mortem.
30 Sep 2019
Neurosis and Jarboe Create a Titanic and Utterly Enveloping Musical Experience
Neurosis and Jarboe collaborated on a stunning album of heavy metal experimentation back in 2003. Now the album has been remastered and it's time for a fresh appraisal.
18 Sep 2019
Tool Reclaim Their Crown with Some Caveats on 'Fear Inoculum'
Tool's Fear Inoculum meets nearly every expectation admirers could have and ranks as a worthwhile extension of the band's legacy.
03 Sep 2019
MetalMatters: August 2019 - A Quiet Month to Enjoy Loud Music
For what is generally considered to be quiet month, the unearthly forces of the underground have produced a surprising amount of excellent works, with death metal and its black/death extension taking the lion's share.
23 Aug 2019
'Infest the Rats' Nest' Sees King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard Embrace Their Inner Thrash
King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard go full metal to craft a brutal warning against ecological destruction on their 15th studio album, Infest the Rats' Nest.
20 Aug 2019
Lingua Ignota's 'CALIGULA' Continues Her Powerful Wailings Against Misogyny
Lingua Ignota's second full-length CALIGULA continues her blend of opera, neoclassical darkwave, and death industrial. She transforms shattering lamentations into empowered declarations against misogyny, while also complicating the dominant narratives of women's trauma.
05 Aug 2019
Post-Rock's Oh Hiroshima Provide Emotional Release With 'Oscillation' (album stream) (premiere)
Sweden post-rockers Oh Hiroshima return with their first album in four years. Though some of the sounds are familiar, the band escape cliches and emerge with a deeply satisfying LP. Hear it in full ahead of tomorrow's release.
Jedd Beaudoin
Music
25 Jul 2019
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