The Best New Metal Album Releases This Week

A photograph of the Devin Townsend Project in 2016

The Devin Townsend Project – Transendence

If absurd, audacious and unapologetically ridiculous music is your thing, then Devin Townsend probably doesn’t need much of an introduction here. His latest album is, of course, all of the above, shoved full of “joyfully over-the-top fretboard wankery” to boot. It scored a hefty 910 in our review, which you can read here.

Of Mice & Men – Cold World

Of Mice & Men singer Austin Carlile’s not been a particularly happy chappy recently, plagued as he has been with wince-inducing medical issues. So, you can probably guess at the general vibe of this album – but people don’t listen to metal for its overwhelming optimism, right? Read our full review here.

Norma Jean – Polar Similar

Georgia’s Christian metal crew up the ante with album number seven, drawing more on post-punk influences than the meat and potatoes metalcore of their previous albums. You can read our full review here.

Cover Your Tracks – Fever Dream

Our reviewer called this “Papa Roach in a blender with the spirit of Warped Tour metalcore”… but try not to let that put you off too much. Part of the a nu metal renaissance sprucing up the genre for a modern audience, you can read the full review here.

Pain – Coming Home

As far as statements of intent go, Coming Home’s opener Designed To Piss You Off really tells you all you need to know about the industrial metallers’ comeback album. If you do want to know more, though, you can read our review here.

Sinnergod – Sinnergod

This is a gothic album, so it makes sense that our review sees it “stomping amongst the shadows of the underground” with its “brooding theatrics” and “sinister ambience”. Fans of the nighttime and frilly shirts are recommended to click through to our full review here.

Tardive Dyskinesia – Harmonic Confusion

Ahh, prog metal – the most idiosyncratic of all the genres. This album of zig-zagging noise is no exception, causing our reviewer to dub it “progressive music in the truest sense of the word”. Read the complete review here.

Wild Throne – Harvest Of Darkness

Technically not a metal album – hey! Wait! Come back! – this alt.rock album references everything from The Darkness to the Mars Volta, and, surprisingly, is all the better for it, scoring a 810 from our reviewer. Check out our full review here.

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