HA! I am unstoppable and I have caught up on newsletter needs before going on my honeymoon. Sure, technically I will owe you a best of October when I get back but I’m still listening to those albums so it doesn’t count as being late.
Anyways, September was light on metal but heavy on other good things. Everything featured here is good though, obviously. And even if you think otherwise you have to lie and agree with me because I get married on Sunday and you have to be nice to me, you also have to like and share this post - maybe even leave a comment if you’re feeling especially generous. I recommend viewing this in your browser, it’s apparently too long for email.
METAL ALBUMS
Razor - Cycle of Contempt
Thrash and speed metal are far from my favorite styles of metal, but every so often an album pulls off the styles with such joy and excitement that even I have to acknowledge it. This time around, Razor builds a ferociously political album with their classic sense of humor. I never knew that I needed a song calling people jabronis, but now that I have it I can’t look back. As you’d expect of longtime metal icons, everything on this album is supremely tight. The riffs catch your ear instantly, and the propulsive, pounding thrash-style drums keep the songs riding along in perfect time. This album is a joy, and the vocals are well worth the price of admission.
Mo’ynoq - A Place for Ash
Black metal became famous for unyielding brutality, and Mo’ynoq keeps that perception alive. As an American black metal band, they frequently update the formula that has made black metal so successful. Notably, they incorporate a slew of lower screams and deeper tones that help round out the high end. However, unlike many American black metal groups, who like to dip their toes into genre-fusion, Mo’ynoq keeps it rooted in classic black metal. The small tweaks they make to the formula do go a long way though. Every personal touch added creates exciting new dynamics and drags the black metal formula into a more dynamic and exciting space. I wouldn’t go so far as to say they’re the most exciting black metal band in America, but they’re one of the most exciting bands that’s still coloring within black metal’s lines.
Escuela Grind - Memory Theater
Powergrind is the type of thing that should get old fast, but its sheer disrespect for rules about music make it utterly compelling. Even still, it’s nice when a band comes through and has a fresh take on the genre. Escuela Grind is exactly that. Their style of grind is so propulsive that it clearly belongs in the genre but it has a shocking cleanliness to it. It compares better to something like Knocked Loose than it does to most other grind bands. But that cleanliness doesn’t cost the band any of their ferocity. If powergrind has struck you as too sloppy in the past, then this could be just the album to change your mind. And I can’t let you leave without pointing out how sick the merch for this band is - seriously take a look at it.
Honorable Mentions:
NON-METAL ALBUMS
Jockstrap - I Love You Jennifer B
Jockstrap jumped on most people’s radar’s in 2020 with their Wicked City EP, but their debut record I Love You Jennifer B is better in every possible way. The blend of indie pop, electronic, singer songwriter hits just right. It could have easily been a dour album, or too playful to have any impact. Impossibly, they walk the line right between the two. The resulting mixture ends up being an eternally listenable record that invites thoughtfulness and joy in equal measure.
The Mars Volta - The Mars Volta
I debated whether or not I should place this in metal, but I think what makes this album special even with The Mars Volta’s impressive discography is how it doesn’t fit in any one box. On this long awaited return, The Mars Volta manage to surprise even long time fans. Yes, the technicality is there, yes, the playfulness is as well. But the band focuses so much more on curating a lounge-y vibe than they do flashiness. The restraint displayed on the album makes the technically impressive moments all the more impactful. Make no mistake, this is maybe the best Omar Rodriguez-Lopez has ever been. Even as someone who has often found The Mars Volta to be overrated, I cannot deny the appeal of this record.
The Beths - Expert in a Dying Field
In August, Australia came for punk with a stellar record from The Chats, and this month New Zealand comes to take the pop punk/emo throne. I don’t know if Expert in a Dying Field grabs the crown, but it certainly takes a seat at the table. Every song captures that perfect combination of nostalgia, sadness and yearning that makes emo so compelling. At the same time, each track catches your ear instantaneously. The Beths have made a strong case for themselves as an exciting new entrant into the pop punk space, and more importantly, have made one of the year’s great road trip albums.
Alex G. - God Save the Animals
There are many times in one’s life where you’ve got to own up to being wrong. I was wrong about Alex G. In the past, his albums have struck me as interesting, but the universal praise they received seemed overkill. That’s not the case with God Save the Animals. It hooked me from the first song. The strange melancholic qualities of the record grabbed my heart and never let go. The musical choices Alex G. makes thrill me. Whether it comes in the form of children’s choirs, pitched vocals, soft piano passages or phenomenal guitar playing, it hardly matters. God Save the Animals is the crown jewel of this discography, it’s so good I can hardly even articulate why. You’ll just have to listen to it yourself.
The Soft Moon - Exister
Someone in The Soft Moon played Cyberpunk 2077. The album has a raw harshness that almost compelled me to put it in the metal category, but that risked obscuring the true appeal of this record. Each track sounds like it has been run through a compression filter, but tastefully. The synths rattle and hum, at a certain point it becomes nearly impossible to distinguish between distorted guitars and power electronics. The whole thing is very akin to HEALTH, but like if HEALTH were even bigger fans of KMFDM and Depeche Mode. This “throw it all at the wall” sonic approach makes for an occasionally harrowing, often thilling and intensely rewarding listening experience. If you come here for metal recs, make sure that you don’t skip this one.
Honorable Mentions: