This past week, I was traveling for work, which kept me from writing up my last couple concerts. I saw Author & Punisher last Saturday, who focused on the new album Nocturnal Birding and performed at such a volume I could feel my bones rattling. And while I was traveling, I stopped into a small arcade/bar/venue in Savannah, Georgia and watched some regional death metal bands like Severed by Dawn, blurrily pictured above. ​There are some more shows coming up in the near future I hope to get to, and I don't see any reason I wouldn't be able to give them proper recaps. I also have some fitness content I plan to write up for the first time in a while. But until then, enjoy this week's picks!

Unverkalt is a German avant-garde post-metal band that features male and female vocalists, and the obvious comparison to this album's sound is Mariner, the collaborative album by Cult of Luna and Julie Christmas. Since I absolutely love that album, it's no surprise that this immediately clicked for me. Not quite as epic or spacy as Mariner, Hereditaire is a little more blackened and swampy. Absolutely great stuff - I ordered a vinyl copy off Bandcamp before I was even done with my first listen. 

To keep things confusing, there are new releases out today from bands called Matador and The Matador. I'm sure The Matador is fine too, but my pick today is Above, Below and So by Matador. Frustrating comma usage aside, this is a fine album of doomy post-metal with a vocalist that recalls Maynard James Keenan of Tool and his menagerie of other goofy bands. I covered the first single off this album a while back, and I'm pleased to learn that the rest of the album is working for me as well. 

Confusion about bands called Matador is nothing compared to bands called Hela. There are six artists by that name on YouTube Music, and something tells me that's not all of them. I am specifically talking about the doom band that released the album A Reign To Conquer today. This band would slot very nicely onto a tour with Messa or Hoaxed - they're another female-fronted doom band that's not afraid to break out of the traditional confines of metal. Like those bands, they're on the lighter side of the metal spectrum, but even those who want more riffs will appreciate the epic doom vibes. 

And now for something different. Despite the ongoing Kylesa reunion, Laura Pleasants continues to release new music through her solo project, The Discussion. "In The Mirror (Male Tears Remix) is a fun, goth-club reworking of the track from the excellent first full album. If you want something new to add to your classis Wax Trax! dance party mix, here you go.

The Discussion track above pairs very nicely with Deeper Graves. I saw their new album Pull Me Toward the Dark listed as shoegaze/ambient, but it really strikes me more as dance-y goth rock. If you're looking for contemporary music that recalls bands like Bauhaus, Christian Death, or New Order, this one should make it into your rotation immediately.

Stay strong. Music is resistance.