New Music Fridays: Lizzy McAlpine, Lo Moon, and more
Note: I noticed we haven't had these threads since March 22 I believe, and I miss them, so figured I'd copy from a prior format and start one for this week. @TooFewColours started most of the prior ones so shoutouts to them. I also don't want to duplicate any work/posts- so let me know if you have any issue with this. Tossed in a few extra links as well.
This is a thread to discuss 2024 releases that have recently arrived on our doorstep, or been announced for the future. Feel free to share albums, singles, EPs or reissues that have caught your eye and interest, or share your thoughts about any new music that you've had the chance to listen to this week.
Discussion Points
Is there anything you've been looking forward to listening to?
Any releases that have surprised you?
Have you listened to any new music recently? What are your thoughts?
What have you enjoyed from these artists in the past? How does their latest work compare?
Links:
Pitchfork - Out This Week
AllMusic - All New Releases
Stereogum - New Music
Shreddit Release Tracker
New Metal and Hardcore Releases - Lambgoat
Heavy Metal Album Release Calendar - Heavy Music HQ
Upcoming albums - Encyclopaedia Metallum: The Metal Archives
Going to post my faves from last week and this week here, I'll spoiler for length.
Faves from this week coming soon.
Faves from Week of April 5, 2024
Non-metal
Lizzy McAlpine - Older
The first time I'm hearing of this folk/pop/singer-songwriter. Older is her third studio release and I really enjoy the piano-heavy title track.
Lo Moon - I Wish You Way More Than Luck
Indie/alt pop/rock from LA. Plenty of synths but a very modern sound. Multiple outlets compare them to Talk Talk and Cocteau Twins. Love the track "Water" off this release.
Metal (primarily clean-ish / non-scream vocals or instrumental)
Attic - Return of the Witchfinder
Technically clean vocals, but they can be divisive among listeners. Very "spooky theatrical" sounding with lots of very high-pitched parts. This band is practically copying / worshipping the sound of King Diamond / Mercyful Fate.
Metal (primarily harsh vocals)
Diabolic Oath - Oracular Hexations
In typical Sentient Ruin form, these black/death/war metallers absolutely rip. Filthy as you'd expect but definitely some more progressive songwriting- these tracks worm all over the place.
Funeral Leech - The Illusion of Time
NYC death/doom- nothing too experimental here- but they definitely lean into the doom side pretty heavily, taking some funeral doom inspiration. You can hear the depressiveness, the sorrow, the necromancy.
Witch Vomit - Funeral Sanctum
US death metal, sounds a bit more old school in its songwriting, mix, and straightforwardness. Good stuff. No frills, cavernous, and aggressive.
Hate Force - Systems of Terror
Great dissonant greek black/death. Even though there are hundreds of bands doing this, this does have some unique touches. Very memorable and enjoyable riffs. Moments that remind me of Ulcerate.
Howl - Drought
Estonian black metal with death metal moments too. Dive bombs? In my black metal? Why not! Plenty of atmosphere here, fitting vocals and beautiful cover art.
While I'm getting this week's list together, here's an item from it: Maggie Rogers - Don't Forget Me. This has folk, country, Americana, etc vibes.
Faves from Week of April 12, 2024
Finally. Sorry. I've really been slacking at getting things done I plan to do... procrastination and such really getting hold of me lately.
Non-metal
Maggie Rogers - Don't Forget Me
A new artist for me. Americana, folk, indie-country-pop, singer-songwriter- you get the picture. Has a very genuine warm feel that I think avoids feeling too commercial despite being a "big label" artist. Highly recommend the title track.
Selofan - Animal Mentality
Greek new wave / post-punk, leaning heavy on the synths. Smooth yet slightly robotic vocals as is common in the genre, straightforward and haunting.
Virgins - nothing hurt and everything was beautiful
UK shoegaze with some speed and energy. A fresh approach that has dance moments, soaring pop, and wall-of-sound atmosphere.
Metal (primarily clean-ish / non-scream vocals or instrumental)
Castle Rat - Into The Realm
Clean-sung medieval/fantasy doom from NY. Some fun old-school hard rock vibe to this. Great vocal lines and solid riffs.
Vulture - Sentinels
Tows the line between clean and harsh vocals- it sits in that in-between spot that heavy metal often can occupy. Singing, but soaring King-Diamond-pitch yells, then speed metal screeches, and has plenty of grit and aggression too, all soaked in reverb. Heavy/speed metal from Germany. Wild guitar leads and plenty of melody.
SETYOURSAILS - Bad Blood
Going out on a bit of a limb here with a genre I do not often enjoy. Called 'modern metalcore' but not sure how accurate that feels. There are metalcore breakdowns occasionally, but it mostly stays in clean vocals the majority of the time. It just feels more like alt-metal / heavy radio-friendly rock. Anthemic sung choruses that firmly push this into some kind of pop-metal territory. It might be some nostalgia for older bands I heard these kinds of sounds from 10-20 years ago, so I don't know how much this will stick in rotation for me. But in this temporary moment in time, I enjoy it.
Metal (primarily harsh vocals)
Karst - Eclipsed Beneath Umbral Divine
Anti-fascist/leftist crust/death metal from Los Angeles. A dissonant and avant-garde take on crust that has softer interludes, tense chords and leads, plenty of bass, and perfectly nasty vocals. Name your price on Bandcamp, so highly recommend grabbing this release.
Necrot - Lifeless Birth
Oakland death metal now on the scene for more than 13 years. Still releasing quality stuff. Lifeless Birth continues Necrot's well-known sound and executes it well. Drill the Skull has some fun hammer-on leads and some SUPER cool riffs where the guitars drop out momentarily so the stomping drums and growling vocals can make a statement. It's great.
Sarcasm - Mourninghoul
Melodic blackened death metal from Sweden. Raspy, crisp, scratchy mid-range vocals. Swings into full black metal on occasion.
Nimbifer - Der bose Geist
Raw/lo-fi black metal in terms of production. Feels distant, but warm. Near-medieval/castle-metal sounding melodies and blasting drums. Almost feels like if you turned dungeon synth into guitar-driven black metal this is what you would get.
Replicant - Infinite Mortality
Harmonics, nasty chords, rumbling low movements and chugs. Brutal vocals, anxious atmosphere, plenty of interesting change-ups.
Mor - Hear the Hour Nearing!
Very fast, muted, and chuggy guitars for this to be black metal. Has a nice buzzy, noisy guitar tone that fits well with the fast playing. Well-mixed screaming vocals. Atmospheric (but not post-) black metal.
Ooh, I really liked Lizzie McAlpine’s 2022 album (five seconds flat), specifically “all my ghosts” and “orange show speedway.”
Excited to check out the new album!
A bit more than a week ago, but Babymonster's mini album released recently!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UAIWgiJYi8s
I've been enjoying it for my gym workouts, it's fun and the newer Kpop albums have been great for motivation lol.
girl in red - "I'm Doing It Again" - really enjoyed her older albums and her debut was a little uneven for me but I'm definitely looking forward to this
Ritchie - "Triple Digits [112]" - technically came out last week but I didn't get around to really listening to it until this week. really enjoy injury reserve and the surviving member's by storm debut single is just fantastic. The musicians out of phoenix that I've grown to love (Holy Fawn, Injury Reserve, Sydney Sprauge) is steadily increasing. Throw in Zola Jesus and Jimmy Eat World (Clarity was a formative album for me) and you got a pretty interesting music scene down there.
I'd like to give a shoutout to AJJ for representing Phoenix.