Greetings fellow music lovers! Last
Saturday of April so that means it’s time for the Harbinger’s Killer Picks.
Weather-wise, this past month’s been really bad and it felt more like winter
than spring. Music-wise, good albums have been scarce, but I was able to find five
solid releases worthy of mention, including two amazing bands from my neck of
the woods—La Belle Province, Québec! What
this past month lacked in quantity more than made up for in quality.
First, Saguenay, Québec instrumental math-rock duo
Angine de Poitrine continued their world domination with the release of Vol. II this past April 3rd.
Unless you’ve been living under a rock, wherever you are located on this green
Earth, then you’ve most likely seen or heard about this uber-talented duo on
social media or TV. Angine de Poitrine (or angina
pectoris, a medical term for chest pain in English) has been taking the
world by storm and their music is the perfect antidote to AI music. The duo,
dressed in original paper mache costumes, masquerades as two visitors from
another planet in the form of guitarist Khn de Poitrine and drummer Klek de
Poitrine. Formed in 2019, this underground-gone-mainstream band’s second LP, Vol. II, is a follow-up to 2024’s Vol.
1. The band has become somewhat of an overnight sensation, seeing their first
vinyl sell for record prices on eBay and selling out every club and festival
they play at. This new 6-track LP pushes the boundaries even further. A
delicious mix of microtonal guitars, it’s math-rock with a bit of jazz fusion
and a dash of experimental stoner rock. There isn’t a bad tune on here, but if
I were to pick favourites, I’d go with the infectious “Fabienk”, the
head-bobbing tune par excellence “Sarniezz”,
and the insanely fun “Utzp”. If you’ve heard a couple of tracks and it didn’t
fully click with you, then I implore you to give them another shot—trust me, their
music becomes addictive the more you listen to it. Angine de Poitrine are here
to stay. With two solid albums under their belts, they’ve proven that they’re
more than a flash in the pan. Their brand of music is absolutely unique. Anyway,
just like Vol. 1 is, Vol II is freakin’ awesome! If you don’t
own it already, GO BUY IT NOW!!!
Angine de Poitrine on
Bandcamp
Second, eighties metal legends Metal Church made their
triumphant return on April 10th with their 14th album, Dead to Rights, via Rat Pak Records.
Full disclosure: I’d never listened to a complete Metal Church album before Dead to Rights. I’d heard a handful of
their songs over the years and it’s not that I didn’t care for their music,
just that I never got around to spinning one of their LPs. What piqued my
curiosity with this one was the fact that former Megadeth bassist Dave Ellefson
had joined the band’s ranks. Add to that the first two singles which I really
dug and I was all in. It’s a completely retooled band: along with a new
bassist, they have a new frontman, Brian Allen (ex-Vicious Rumors), and
ex-Flotsam and Jetsam drummer Ken Mary. They join lead and rhythm guitarists Rick
van Zandt and Kurdt Vanderhoof (the only founding member remaining). This
sounds almost like a supergroup at this point and I was eager to hear the full
album. Does it deliver? Can you teach an old dog new tricks?
From the opening track and
single, “Brainwash Game”, you know you’re in for some solid meat and potatoes
metal and it sets the tone for the whole record. The other single, “F.A.F.O”
(Fuck Around and Find Out), follows, catchy as all hell with Allen channeling
Overkill’s Bobby "Blitz" Ellsworth. The title track is a kick-ass affair
while “Deep Cover Shakedown” and “Feet to the Fire” are vintage metal jams that
would have felt right at home in the ‘80s. The second side of the LP is pretty
good but not as great as the first. It does end of an extremely strong note
with the bonus track, “Blood and Water”, which in my humble opinion is the best
song on here, period. This trend of bonus tracks never ceases to annoy me. I
understand why bands/labels do it, but in recent years we’ve seen standout
bonus iTunes/Target/etc tracks that should’ve been included on the actual LP
instead (KISS’s “Right Here Right Now” on Monster;
Judas Priest’s “The Lodger” on Invincible
Shield; Megadeth’s “Nobody’s Hero” earlier this year on their self-titled
LP, among many others). I mean, what’s up with that? I want the best (or close
to best) song on the official album, not as a bonus track. Anyhow, “Blood and
Water” rules! Metal Church is back with a killer lineup that I think long-time
fans will enjoy as much as newcomers will, like yours truly. Filled with
dynamic vocal prowess, fiery guitar solos, and fist-pumping choruses, Dead to
Rights is a very consistent LP with
moments of brilliance. On subsequent spins, it feels like it could make its way
to the top albums of the year list. Take it for a listen, I’m pretty sure you
won’t be disappointed.
Metal Church on Rat Pak Records’ Website
Third, hot on the heels of last
year’s Bleeding the World: Live LP, legendary
San Francisco thrash purveyors Heathen gave us a taste of things to come on
April 23rd with a special 2-track maxi single of Never A God on vinyl and digital
formats, marking the beginning of a new chapter with Napalm Records. Both tunes
are reworked versions of classic demo tracks from the early ‘90s, invigorated
with Heathen’s distinctive sound. The first, “Never A God”, was originally
recorded by Laughing Dead, while “Twist of Faith” takes its roots from an early
Psychosis song. Heathen breathes new life into these songs and turns them into
instant classics. I love this band and cannot wait for a new LP hopefully by
year’s end. Pick up this twofer ASAP and bang your head!
Heathen on Bandcamp
Heathen's limited vinyl on Napalm Records’ Website
Fourth, Montréal, Québec prog
rock sensation Karcius will return with their seventh studio album (eighth
release overall) titled Black Soul
Sickness on May 8th. Part III of a magnificent trilogy including
The Fold (2018) and Grey White Silver Yellow & Gold
(2022)—I’d also add to that list their fantastic live album, Live in France, recorded at Festival
Crescendo 2019. It’s mindboggling to me that Karcius turns twenty-five this
year and they’re still not signed to a major record label! Karcius is a
prodigious quartet with an impressive body of work. Initially they started out
as an instrumental progressive jazz fusion band in 2001 and began a new chapter
in 2009 with the arrival of vocalist and bassist Sylvain Auclair. Their
versatile sonic inspiration comes through Black
Soul Sickness; you can hear shades of Pink Floyd, Rush, Yes, Genesis,
Radiohead, and Opeth, among others. But at the end of the day, they have their
own unique, distinguishing sound.
The 7-track opus kicks off with
an epic-length gem, “Wallow”, a 13-minute track that quietly simmers until it
fully blooms; “Out of Nothing”, the first single, follows, probably the
catchiest tune of the LP and definitely a standout; the second single, “Darkest
Heir”, is dark and heavy yet melodic with an alternative edge to it; “Slow Down
Son” is short and mellow; the anthemic latest single, “Rise”, is a powerful
song, and maybe my fave; “Awakening the Spirit” is another solid track that
perfectly segues into the closer, “Dusting My Coat”, a nostalgia-infused song
that stays with you long after the record has stopped spinning. After multiple
listens of Black Soul Sickness, I
believe it’s the strongest album of the trilogy. In any case, it’s my
favourite. Sylvain Auclair’s vocals are a treat to listen to, sometimes
reminiscent of Peter Gabriel with hints of Sting. Sébastien Cloutier’s
keyboards give off echoes Rick Wakeman while drummer Thomas Brodeur keeps time
like no other, sounding tribal at times. The whole affair comes together with
guitarist/producer Simon L’Espérance who shines on guitars and delivers a
polished album from top to bottom. Black
Soul Sickness is a cinematic journey into the human psyche by a band at the
height of their artistic talents. This one goes straight into the Top Albums of
the Year list, folks. It might just be the best album released thus far in
2026. Give Karcius’s Black Soul Sickness
a listen at your earliest convenience, your life will be better for it.
Karcius on Bandcamp
Fifth, Kansas City old school
thrashers Hellevate will return with their sixth assault, Killicon Valley, on May 22nd. The quintet has been
around for nearly twenty years and they’re still going extra strong. This is a
lengthy album of 12 tracks running at just a little over an hour, a rarity in
today’s music landscape where albums tend to span closer to the 38-minute
runtime. That being said, Killicon Valley
never overstays its welcome. The instrumental track “D.T.C.” shatters the doors
wide open to let the first single, “In the Long Grass”, take center stage with
its goofy lyrics—a fun party tune for the duration. Some other highlights for me
include “Demagogue”, a kick-ass tune with wordplay; the intricate “The Rampart”;
“Part of the Tribe” with its elite percussion and relentless guitars; “Killicon
Valley”, title track and one of the more serious songs on the LP, has got a neck-breaker
wall of sound feel to it; “The Lost Pages”, the other instrumental track, may
very well be my favourite of the bunch—it’s introspective and outstanding,
showcasing the band’s musical versatility; and last but not least, “Thou Shalt
Kill”, a vintage, Bay Area thrash-sounding sing-along ditty. Hellevate fires on
all cylinders with Killicon Valley.
This is top tier thrash, folks. Old school metal and thrash metal fans owe it to
themselves to check out Hellevate and their latest offering.
Hellevate on Bandcamp
And that’s all she wrote! Hopefully the floodgates will open and we’ll get a lot of great releases for the summer around the months of May and June. In any case, tune back here on May 30th to read all about the Harbinger’s Killer Picks. Until then, stay safe and crank up the tunes!
