For 21 years, Belgium’s Amenra have been creating sludge-tinged hardcore so visceral and explosive that every album they release feels momentous in impact. De Doorn (the thorn) is absolutely no exception to the rule - not only is this their debut with Relapse Records, it’s also a shift away from their traditionally-named Mass albums. Having cycled through Mass I to VI, De Doorn feels like a departure from previous material, and so a change in name is suitably apt. Less rigid in structure, it’s bathed in poignant moments of soft ambience which lend a shimmering luminescence to frontman Colin H. Van Eeckhout’s cleanly sung vocals. As a result, in the moments where Amenra finally do lose control and feel just a little heavier, Colin’s animalistic screams come over a touch more feral…

Appearing near the dawn of the 21st century, Atlanta's Mastodon established themselves as one of the most original and influential American metal bands. Their wide-angle progressive approach encompasses stoner and sludge metal, punishing hardcore and metalcore, neo-psych, death metal, and more - sometimes in the span of a single song. The group's playing style incorporates heavy, technically complex guitar riffs, lyric hooks, long, melodic instrumental passages, and intricate, jazz-influenced drumming with syncopated time signatures. Their second album, 2004's Leviathan, was a concept offering based on Moby Dick, Herman Melville's iconic novel of whaling and obsession, and proved the band's commercial and critical breakthrough. Since its release, the record has attained status as one of the most important albums in heavy metal's history…

Ventura, California-based heavy metal band Cirith Ungol will issue four-song EP Half Past Human on May 28th, 2021 through Metal Blade Records. The EP titled "Haft Past Human" is proof that 2020's Come Back album "Forever Black" was no flash in the pan.

Swedish post-metal heroes Cult Of Luna return, with a little help from Mark Lanegan…
Cult Of Luna don’t do anything by halves. From their breath-taking collaboration with Julie Christmas, Mariner, to the full-on industrial assault of Vertikal, when these Swedes put their mind to something the end result is always monstrously huge. It’s with this in mind that of course the first release from their brand new record label, Red Creek, would be their very own EP - aptly named The Raging River.
For those that remember the ferocious return to their post-hardcore roots that encompassed 2019’s A Dawn to Fear, this latest dispatch won’t feel too unfamiliar…

After over 35 years of existence, Candlemass still stand tall as true heavy metal greats & kings of doom, in the footsteps of their influences, Black Sabbath. The band is renowned for the genre-defining masterpieces ‘Epicus Doomicus Metallicus’ (1986) & ‘Nightfall’ (1987), with Candlemass still thrilling an ever-devoted and expanding legion of fans to this day…

After over 35 years of existence, Candlemass still stand tall as true heavy metal greats & kings of doom, in the footsteps of their influences, Black Sabbath. The band is renowned for the genre-defining masterpieces ‘Epicus Doomicus Metallicus’ (1986) & ‘Nightfall’ (1987), with Candlemass still thrilling an ever-devoted and expanding legion of fans to this day. Following a year where most live activity has not been possible, ‘Green Valley Live’ features the band’s “lockdown” session (their only 2020 show, and first ever live streamed event), with the line-up of Johan Längqvist (vocals), Mats Björkman (guitar), Lars Johansson (guitar), Leif Edling (bass) & Jan Lindh (drums) delivering their crushing sound for the masses. The release contains numerous classic Candlemass doom anthems in the shape of ‘Well of Souls’, ‘Mirror Mirror’, ‘Betwitched’ and others from the band’s legendary first four albums, as well as the titanic ‘Astorolus’ from the band’s latest opus.