It's a big week here at Both Kinds of Heavy. I was able to review one of my most anticipated albums of the year and another release that clicked with me much more than I was expecting. Throw in a third album review and a column, and it was a jam-packed few days. But wait, we're not done yet! I've got several more exciting releases to recommend today, including a live EP that I'm incredibly hot on, a new album from a band I recently decided that I love, some good prog rock, and much more. You know what to do. 

I was incredibly excited to release my review of the new Chat Pile album earlier this week, and now I'm excited to hear what you all think about it. Tell me why I'm a dumbass and why my opinions are wrong in the comments below!

While I was already hyped on the new Chat Pile, the new Devil Master was a complete surprise. I had heard of this band but had never checked them out, and this black metal/punk/folk/general crazy shit album turned out to be a lot more fun than I was expecting. Read my review here. 

This one actually came out last week, but I didn't catch it until long after my column had published on Friday. Pōnōkǎ is a Native doom band that played the first day of Fire in the Mountains, and they absolutely blew my mind. I later spoke to drummer Robert Hall, and he told me that it was their first show ever, and that they didn't know if they'd be continuing as a project. I told them they absolutely should continue, for the record. Their entire 20-minute set from FITM has been released as a "name your price" EP on Bandcamp. It's a great recording and captures what made their live set so impactful. Go check it out right now. That's right, go. We'll still be here when you get back.

Speaking of Fire in the Mountains, another band that absolutely blew me away there was Japan's Sigh. I am actually wearing the Sigh shirt I bought at the fest while I write this. Their new album Go-Ka is out today, and oh man, it's a journey. You get traditional Japanese flutes and drums, chanting vocals, guitar pyrotechnics, death metal drumming, and psychedelic keyboards - and that's just on the first song! Every track on this one is loaded with unpected twists and turns. It absolutely rules. 

Get your prog on! SEK is a Berlin-based jazz/prog band featuring members of bands like Elder, Gaffa Ghandi, and Gavial, and their debut album Wallensteins Garage drops October 30. I really like this first single and am excited to hear more. 

Like Devil Master above, Polymoon is a new-to-me band that's been around a few years. Mariposa Magic! is their third album, and it fits nicely into the psychedelic rock/prog groove we've got going on at the moment. I'll need a few more spins to see if this one stays in rotation, but I am digging the retro keyboards and deep-space vibe. 

Great Falls just announced a new album, The Bite That Grows Up, which will be out in October. The first single, "Nicotine In The Spine," delivers on the anguished hardcore/sludge combo that I expect from this band. I'm only going to complain a little bit that they're not coming to Minneapolis on their upcoming fall tour. 

Frequent KMFDM collaborator and industrial sleaze merchant Pig released a new album back in May, Hurt People Hurt. He's back today with a new companion EP, Dirt Box. There are four new songs here, along with a remix of each of those tracks. As with all Pig releases, there's not a huge difference in sound between this and any other Pig release, but if you're in the market for music that sounds like it should have been on the soundtrack of the movie Se7en, then here you go. 

And that will do it for this week! I've got a bunch of new albums to consider for review, and some other fun things in the works. Until next time!