It's a bit of a slower week for albums, which isn't surprising because there are some big releases coming in the very near future. That said, it's an absolutely great week for singles. I've compiled several exciting tracks below and, of course, I've got a few albums I'm pumped about as well. They're all waiting for you below in the deep, deep dark. Or after the Read More link, whatever. 

Cult of Luna is a band that does fury really well, so when they quiet things down it makes almost as big of a statement as their blistering tracks. "A Way Back" is a ballad from their upcoming album that reminds me of one-time CoL collaborator Mark Lanegan. It's a lovely track. 

Let's go from that more sedate track to something on the opposite end of the spectrum. The Body love to collaborate, and their next album Whole Wide World is a joint effort with Cel Genesis. If you've ever listened to The Body, you already know their sound is unique and unsettling, but Cel Genesis brings an extra dimension with maximalist, distorted electronic noise. The first track, "Candy Crush," is nightmarishly unpredictable union of electronica and heavy noise. I find this track so exciting and challenging that Whole Wide World just jumped a few notches up the list of upcoming albums I'm most excited to hear this year. 

Speaking of albums I'm excited about, Enslaved officially have a new one on the way in October. Mio will include the excellent collaborative track "Spirit Helper," which features Kevin Kicking Woman and was debuted live at Fire in the Mountains. Another new track from the album dropped this week, "Solar Will." It's a much more traditional Enslaved song, but no less excellent. 

I've featured Concrete Vehicles before, but will again point out that this band has an earlier album out under the name Computer. Whatever they're called, they're noisy, punky, and experimental. "Text Stop" is a little less chaotic than "Cut Ties," the first single from their upcoming album, but are jangly, distorted, and awesome. 

Last week, I featured an offbeat jazz album. Let's make it two weeks in a row! This week's jazz pick is definitely heavy enough to fit neatly in this column Madame Orange is a new project from two Chicago-based avant garde musicians, Emily Rach Beisel and Bill Harris. This first track, "Rilles," demonstrates the heavy jazz/drone vibe we should expect from the full album. This track is short but left me wanting more so badly that I listened to it three times in a row. 

Wolves in the Throne Room are back with "Ghosts Among The Obelisks," the first track from their upcoming album Estuary. This new track is majestic, dark, and heavy - just like you'd expect from WITTR. 

I'll be honest and say that I'm not sure the new Chelsea Wolfe album The Dark (a little on the nose there, Chelsea) fully works for me. I've seen a few people complaining online that she's "gone mainstream," and I certainly understand where they're coming from. That said, she gets the benefit of the doubt from me, as she's always explored different sounds from album to album, and some of her other records grew on my over time. Besides, "Turn the Key" sounds like a Hiss Spun-era track, so that's a plus.

Here's the bio for the band Fen with their primary genre removed. See if you can guess:

"Formed in 2006 as a studio project by Grungyn, Theutus and The Watcher, and inspired by the windswept, desolate landscape of England’s Fen region, the band set out to fuse the cold rage of XXXXX with more reflective influences, creating a deeply intense and atmospheric sound which speaks of loss and melancholic yearning."

You don't need me to tell you that this is a black metal album. It could only be black metal. Fortunately, it's really good black metal!

Finally, let's close with some noise rock. A Cheapened Crown is the debut album by Portland's Hiss. This one clicked for me immediately - I have always loved the formula of submerging the vocals a bit in the mix and bringing big, punchy, noisy guitars and bass to the front. This is loud, fuzzy, catchy, and raucous. I bet these guys are a blast live. If they ever come to Minneapolis, I will definitely find out!

Have a good weekend, all.