Into the Storm/Smooth Sailing-Split

Self-Release/Independent
2018

Seattle metal bands Into the Storm and Smooth Sailing have teamed up to release this simply-stellar split. Due for release tomorrow, the six-track recording features two tracks by Into The Storm and four tracks by Smooth Sailing. Starting off with the fittingly-named Into the Storm, tracks "Murder Murder Murder" and "So how do you explain all the dead unicorns?" showcase the noisy sounds of this stoner/sludgy modern metal band. Both tracks are epic in their own way, but it's the opening single "Murder Murder Murder" that really wrecks your mind and makes you want to hear what else this heavy-hitting band has up it's sleeves! Formed in 2010, Into the Storm has slowly but surely evolved into a truly-formidable outfit that needs to be heard to be fully appreciated!! Moving past these Seattle sludge warriors, Smooth Sailing might not have the most metallic moniker out there, but their music more than makes up for it! Armed with killer riffs and a beast-mode mentality, Smooth Sailing also flirts with stoner rock, sludge metal, and modern metal on their four tracks. Unlike Into the Storm, Smooth Sailing also tosses heavy (post) rock into the mix. Add in some progressive metal and a brief spot or two of space rock and you have this aggressive metal band that knows how to keep things interesting. It's for that reason that I actually prefer Smooth Sailing's tracks. That being said, Into the Storm is all kinds of awesome in their own right. When you combine these two extreme groups on a split like this the results speak for themselves. Available for pre-order by heading here here, this split release is proof positive that the Seattle metal scene is not only alive, but more menacing than ever!

Free Metal Monday: Insufferable/Rezeegtnuk-Split

Gore Art Productions
2016

Do you need some noisy grindcore in your life? If you answered "Hell yeah Andy!" then have I ever got the split for you! This four-track split was just released today(!) and it features two "songs" each from Insufferable and Rezeegtnuk. It's available for free by heading here and it's all but guaranteed to make your Monday all the more maniacal! Be sure to crank this shit up LOUD & PROUD friends!!

Free Metal Monday-Gojira/Kvelertak Split Live EP

While I have not had a chance to listen to this free 6-track EP for myself I still thought I would pass it on to you, our faithful readers. This free digital download features 3 live tracks from Roadrunner Records label-mates Gojira and Kvelertak and can be all yours for the taking. The track-listing for this free EP is:
 1. Gojira- "L’Enfant Sauvage"
 2. Gojira – "The Axe"
 3. Gojira – "The Gift Of Guilt"
 4. Kvelertak – "Kvelertak”
 5. Kvelertak – "Bruane Brenn"
 6. Kvelertak – "Evig Vandrar"

You can get the download for yourself by simply filling in a few lines right below.

http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/splitliveep

Palace of Worms/Mastery

Flenser Records
2012

In my eyes it is always better to give then to receive. With that in mind I present this free download from the fine folks over at Flenser Records. This 5-track split features two of San Francisco's best solo black metal bands. Palace of Worms offers 4-tracks of glorious, blackened filth while Mastery's lone track, the 8-minute plus "Egregorian Synapse", is black metal by way of crusty hardcore noise-rock. You can't go wrong with either act. The download link is presented below. You can also order this on cassette (remember those?) at their store here: store.





























http://theflenser.bandcamp.com/album/palace-of-worms-mastery

Ultimatum / Join The Dead-Promotional Sampler

Roxx Records
2012

As Metal Mark said yesterday " The promo links are piling up.". With that being said (and with the express understanding that I am still only typing with one hand so any/all reviews from me will be short and sweet) I am also going to try to knock a few more out of the way over the next several days. This particular promo sampler features two solid Christian thrash outfits. Ultimatum are a band I'm rather familiar with. Lead by
Scott Waters (of No Life 'til Metal blog site fame) the band plays old-school thrash that is heavy and hard-hitting. I've always thought they sounded like a cross between Exodus and Metallica. In both cases I'm talking the earlier (and better) of both of those bands. All around good thrash that will make you want to turn your living room into a mosh pit. Excuse a bit of the old "cut and paste" here, but (per the promo):

Tracks 1 through 5 were taken from the brand new Ultimatum Album titled 'Heart of Metal - 20 Years of Ultimatum'

1. Heart of Metal [Remix 2012]
2. Blood on a Thousand Hills [2012]
3. Scattered (Body Parts) [2012]
4. Hook, Line & Sinker [2012]
5. Rip 'n' Tear [2012]

Meanwhile, tracks 6 through 9 were taken from the debut self titled album by Join the Dead  which I am fairly certain is the same EP I covered once already:
http://metalmark.blogspot.com/search?q=Join+The+Dead-Join+The+Dead+


Anyway, they tack on four very cool thrash tracks:
6. Mask of Fear [2012]
7. Out of Breath [2012]
8. Self Inflicted Pain [2012]
9. Idol Faith [2012]

And finally, track 10 is an "Exclusive Bonus Track made available only to 'You' and only here on this promotional sampler.". OK, I  can dig that. Said "exclusive bonus track" is a cover of the the Deliverance number " What A Joke?" and features Michael Phillips of Join the Dead and Scott Waters of Ultimatum. Is it any good? Well, it's a cover track so let's just leave it at that. Incidentally I actually caught Deliverance live when they played in the basement (yes, the basement!) of the local library "down the road". This was back when I was still in high school. They played with fellow Christian band Sacrament and made me realize that Christian thrash wasn't as bad as I had been lead to believe. Of course these days "White Metal" isn't as much of an issue anymore as the fine line between Christian and secular has been thoroughly blurred. It's easy enough to enjoy bands like this even if you are not a Christian as the music is, at it's core, just good old-fashioned thrash.

Municipal Waste/Toxic Holocaust-Toxic Waste (split)

Tankcrimes
2012
Sometimes you get splits albums where you wonder why the two bands were paired up. This time around the two acts in questions have always fairly similar to me. Both Municipal Waste and Toxic Holocaust play retro-thrash, both have risen to the top of that scene, both have been around for just over a decade, both have released a crap load of material, both frequently have horror themes tossed in and both have seem to have a fondness for hazardous material as well. So what we get here is two tracks from each band. Municipal Waste contribute "Trapped in the sites" and "Mourning Sex". The first is rather typical for them as it's a Nuclear Assault style thrasher with two speeds but it has some decent thrash bits. The second track opens up a little more with the speed although it's fairly one dimensional track. They still call upon enough grinding old school thrash/crossover moments to make it worth while. Toxic Holocaust offer up "We bring 'em hell" and "Altar-ed States". The first is lead by some seared throat vocals and followed up with early thrash/death that just flies on and only slows down briefly. It's only around a minute and a half, but it still felt like the song was losing momentum before the end. The second track fares better as the energy is up a notch and they switch up the tempo some and the heaviness level helps a great deal. Overall this is both bands doing the same styles they have been doing. I admit if asked I have always much preferred Municipal Waste over Toxic Holocaust. Both follow old styles of thrash, but Municipal Waste follow a less tread upon style. I always wished that the prime of crossover had lasted longer. However at least I am not alone in that opinion as this band has embraced that sound. Fans of these bands will definitely enjoy this release. It will be released as a picture disc and on glow-in-the-dark vinyl. Also the kind people at Tankcrimes have a free download available now. Link for free download. http://downloads.tankcrimes.com/album/toxic-waste