Greetings! It’s the last Saturday
of the month so it’s time for the August issue of the Harbinger’s Killer Picks!
Summer is winding down but the good music isn’t, as you’ll see in this second
issue of this new column. So, here are my top five picks of what stood out the
most for me in August.
First, Orden Ogan, the German power
metal titans released their eighth studio album titled The Order of Fear (which also happens to be what “Orden Ogan” means
in English) on July 5th. I must apologize as this was a huge
oversight on my part and should have been featured in last month’s issue of HKP.
You see, having never heard of this tremendous band before, for literally
months now, I kept seeing emails about them in my inbox and for whatever
reason, I was certain that they were a black metal band. So, the emails/EPKs/DL
links went straight to the recycle bin. Then I stumbled upon their latest
single, “Conquest”, on YouTube and I was like, “They’re not a black metal
band??” And I finally gave their LP a spin and was blown away! Moral of the
story: Don’t browse through emails; read them carefully. Also, there are way
too many death/black metals bands out there and I don’t care for it. Anyhow, from
melodic hooks, harmonious vocals, superb guitar solos set against an atmospheric
backdrop, The Order of Fear is a
phenomenal record from top to bottom. So, do yourself a favour and give this
band/album a spin—it’s another home run from the still very new German metal
label Reigning Phoenix Music who are on a roll and releasing stellar LPs on all
fronts.
Orden Ogan online: https://ordenogan.rpm.link/theorderoffearWE
Second, British thrash metal
legends Solitary return to celebrate their thirty-year career on September 6th
with their fifth full-length record, Embrace
the Darkness, on the heels of a short but ferocious live album, Live at Bloodstock, in 2022. This is
their best album in fifteen years in my opinion. It pulls no punches, the lyrics
are raw and in-your-face, the music fast and unforgiving, and the overall
results are simply stunning. The quartet knows how to do thrash metal and the
tracks go by at breakneck speed. They haven’t been the most prolific band but
when they’re on, they’re a pleasure to listen to—although their songs are far
from being joyful or upbeat. If you’re not familiar with Solitary, think of a British
version of Slayer and Testament. The two first singles give you a good
indication of what to expect throughout the LP—the brutal “Settle Scores the
Old Way” and the brilliant “Filtering Hindsight.” My only gripe is that the album
is already short enough but two of the songs won’t be included on the digital
release as “Divided and Demented” is a vinyl-only bonus track while “Beat the
Bastards” is a CD-only bonus tune. That’s a bit of a bummer for fans, but
otherwise, Embrace the Darkness is a
solid bare-knuckle affair without any hint of a dull song.
Solitary on Bandcamp: https://solitary94.bandcamp.com/
Third, New Haven, Connecticut doom/stoner
metal trio Curse the Son will unleash their fifth LP, Delirium, via the mighty Ripple Music on September 6th.
Man, I wasn’t expecting to enjoy this album this much! I was familiar with
Curse the Son, but their music hadn’t particularly clicked with me thus far.
The first single off of Delirium, “R.I.P.”,
a Witchfinder General cover, was fantastic so it got my full attention. More
greatness awaited inside Delirium
once I gave it a spin with the likes of “Deliberate Cruelty”, the title track,
and the closing track “Liste of the Dead” among others. It’s a dark and gloomy album
and one that sees the band in full control of their musical gifts. The father-son
duo of Ron and Logan Vanacore, on vocals/guitar and drums respectively (a
14-year old phenom!), is in perfect harmony with the pounding rhythm of Dan
Weeden on bass. There are a few instrumentals scattered throughout the record
and they don’t feel tacked-on to simply fill the void as is often the case with
bands who do it to pad the album’s runtime/add an extra track. Delirium is the perfect album to listen
to with autumn being just around the corner and as we inch closer to Halloween.
And that creepy album cover is ten shades of awesome, by the way.
Ripple Music’s Bandcamp page for Curse the Son: https://ripplemusic.bandcamp.com/album/delirium
Fourth, straight from Birmingham aka Sabbath City, heavy psych/doom quartet Alunah returns on September 20th with their third album on Heavy Psych Sounds Records (and 7th LP overall) titled Fever Dream. This band keeps topping themselves with every new album. Ever since the arrival of Siân Greenaway on vocals in 2017, they’ve been experimenting, constantly evolving, and fine-tuning their sound. Sadly, it was announced last week that it would be Siân's final album with Alunah. It’s already been over two years since the release of their masterpiece, Strange Machine, a record that has aged like the finest of wines. Fever Dream sees the quartet delving further into psych and less into doom, much to my delight. Once again, we are treated to gems and future classics with earworms like “Never Too Late”, “The Odyssey”, and “Far from Reality.” Melodic, catchy, and full of dazzling musical craftsmanship, Fever Dream may very well be their best LP to date, only time will tell. Siân is one of today’s greatest vocalists, all genres confounded, in my opinion, and I can't wait to see where and when we'll be able to hear her next. Alunah continues to impress and reinvent themselves as they keep going strong even after fifteen years in the game. Hopefully the next chapter in the band's life will be just as exciting as this one was. Fever Dream is absolutely worthy of a spot on the Top Ten Albums of the Year list.
HPS Records’ Bandcamp page for Alunah: https://heavypsychsoundsrecords.bandcamp.com/album/alunah-fever-dream
Fifth, another new discovery for
me courtesy of, once again, Reigning Phoenix Music (RPM), Swedish symphonic
metal warriors Tungsten will release their fourth album, The Grand Inferno, on November 8th. Another band I’d
never heard of who had me at hello with their single “Vantablack.” It’s
probably the album I’ve listened to the most in August and it just keeps
getting better with every new spin. Tungsten deliver a good balance of more
aggressive tracks and softer tunes with some cool electronic effects sprinkled throughout
the record. Their latest single, “Lullaby”, gets my vote as my fave song on
this excellent collection of eleven kick-ass tunes. Catchy with pop tendencies and
melodious to the max, The Grand Inferno’s
got a larger-than-life sound. I’m really starting to get into power and
symphonic metal, discovering bands that have been around for over a decade but that
are new to me. Whether you’re a novice to this musical genre or a seasoned
listener, I can’t imagine someone not appreciating The Grand Inferno; it’s an outstanding record from beginning to end.
Tungsten online: https://tungsten.rpm.link/grandinfernoWE
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