Minnesota remains in the midst of a crisis orchestrated and perpetrated by a hostile and malevolent federal government. We continue to resist, and we continue to find release and joy in music and art. Below are some new releases giving me strength. 

In A House of Heartbeats is a cinematic instrumental trio from the UK that combines elements of post-metal, doom, and shoegaze, plus some little seasonings of goth and alternative rock. As with all bands of this genre, there's the question of "Should I listen to this when Russian Circles exists?" Fortunately, In A House of Heatbeats' debut album Divination of Dreams passes that test. While I certainly got Russian Circles vibes at some points (never a bad thing!), their flirtation with various genres keeps it feeling fresh enough to stand on its own. 

Speaking of Chicago-based instrumental bands, Pelican is back with a new EP, Ascending. I saw Pelican open for Russian Circles on their last tour, which really showcased the similarities and differences between the two bands. In general and on this EP in particular, Pelican comes off as more instrumental rock compared to Russian Circle's instrumental metal, although this EP still packs plenty of fuzzy riffs. And then there's the second track, which features some blackened vocals from from Geoff Rickly. Good stuff. ​

And now for something completely different. Sampled Wares, Vol. 1 from label Bumpy Records is definitely not metal. Heck, some of the stuff on there is hard to even classify as music in a traditional sense. It's all very experimental, although there are still some fun, poppy jams on this compilation. I'm including it because Bumpy is a Minneapolis-based label, and 100% of the sales from this release go to the Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Committee. Listen to some weird shit for a good cause. 

 Colossal Rains is a band out of Philly, and their debut album Feral Sorrow was categorized as post-punk/hardcore on my go-to new release list. I definitely get the post-punk tag, although the hardcore label doesn't make as much sense to me. That description also undersells how goth-y this album is. It reminds me of the heavier stuff from Christian Death or even Bauhaus, although the lead singer has much more gravel in his voice than the vocalists from either of those bands. It's heavy, moody, and atmospheric, making it perfect for a dangerously cold day like today. 

Miracle Drug by LA-based band Draag opens with some scuzzy, blackened vocals before transitioning to a more post-punk/shoegaze sound. There are some Wire-influenced guitar licks and pretty, submerged female vocals. It's a pretty short EP and I would like to hear more from this band like the opening track. I'm curious to see where they go from here.

Finally, let's close things out with some classic doom. New Mexican Doom Cult are, confusingly, from Sweden, and their new album Ziggurat delivers some Sabbath-style jams with a singer that reminds me of Wino from the Obsessed. Fun stuff.

Stay safe out there, y'all. Fight the power.