365 Day Music Project Week 12

The Accuser by Abigail Williams
Hands down my favorite black metal release of this year. Now, I will make that statement knowing outside of colder months, black metal isn’t a genre I seek out often, but man, I have been following Abigail Williams for a while, and to see them really dive into a modern take on a classic style sound is great! It’s very atmospheric with a blend of black metal and shoegaze, and is a great thing to accompany the biting cold of the winter months. It’s also a great album to listen to when you just aren’t feeling people, haha, as it definitely puts you in a different mood. Check it out if you need some new black metal to add to your metal playlist as you traverse the frozen plains of the winter months.

In Time by Enslaved
Had no idea who these guys were outside of seeing them occasionally pop up in metal news articles and knowing some friends had listened to them. It’s a cool album! It’s got some great melodic moments and a cool blend of classic and current metal sounds, with a clear foundation of black metal. Check this group out, as they are yet another band to put out a cool album this year in the metal genre! I mean, they’re doing great if they are touring in such a killer lineup, right?

The Direction of Last Things by Intronaut
I love Intronaut, they are such a great blend of aggressive sludge riffs, great rhythmic grooves, and a wash of colorful harmonies. They put on a tight live show and each album is a great development of their sound. I think of them as “metal minimalism” because they can develop one groove into a long section while each member has a different rhythmic/melodic layer to the texture. If I try to recommend any metal artist to anyone, I include this band in a list of current ones to check out. Seriously, I love what they do, and hopefully you can appreciate their sound too!

Quiet World by Native Construct
These guys have been on my radar since finding out they went to Berklee with my buddy James Knoerl (Aviations, Oh! Malo, etc). I only drop his name because you HAVE to click on his name and check out everything he does, he works so hard and is such a great dude to know.

Anyway, this band took a bit to put their album out, but the wait was well worth it! Blending a styles in a way that is comparable Between the Buried and Me, each track can see a variety of styles from classical to jazz to metal. There are soaring choruses, technical gymnastics performed by the instrumentals, and interesting arrangements that aren’t always as predictable as some metal artists can be. If you’re looking for metal that plays around in other styles while forming a strong, cohesive sound, check this band out!

Coma Ecliptic by Between the Buried and Me
Speaking of BTBAM, these guys are prog metal juggernauts. I admit, I didn’t know about them until Colors and really didn’t dive in fully until The Great Misdirect, but I love each release they put out. It’s a blend of technical shredding reined in by some great song writing. Great guitar work, solid drumming, and distinct vocal presence with added keys/synths. The band has a legacy that is undeniable in the metal scene, and love them or hate them they continue to put out cool music and refine their skills as musicians. Go check out their new album, it’s got cool music!

Primal EP by Entheos

This is the first release from essentially the reforming of the band Animosity. The only difference is that there is no second guitarist and the vocalist is Chaney Crabb. It’s technical death metal with a prog/electronic flare, super precise in their execution of songs and definitely not shying away from ideas. Seeing a female vocalist kill it in the metal scene is often rare, as many female vocalists either get an increased amount of scrutiny in the metal world or they shy away from the frontwoman role if it involves screaming vocals. However, Crabb nails it just as hard as the other members of this all-star lineup, which includes Evan Brewer (ex- The Faceless, solo artist) and Navene Koperweis (ex-Animals As Leaders, solo electronic artist). Such a cool album that shows some great things to come!

A Moment's Notice by Bennett
The odd man out this week, an indie/folk/pop group originally from Grand Rapids that recorded this release in Tennessee. I only knew about them because The GravesTones played a show with them back in November at The Intersection, a fun show, but one I only partially experienced because I had to accompany a high school choir rehearsal during their retreat. The album has great production and it’s got a sound that draws in an audience when the first note drops. It’s definitely for anybody looking for some more relaxed music at the end of this week’s listening list. These guys were nice dudes and it was cool to share the bill with them. Check out their album!