Longships, Vocoders, and a Stacked Friday
I’m a stan for this week’s top pick, so Friday was never going to be quiet for me. The rest of the list holds its own: a Montreal tech-thrash band I’m just getting into, a prog supergroup, a metalcore crew trying keys, and a Finnish band covering Scooter. Good week.
#1 — Amon Amarth — The Allfather Awakens (Metal Blade) | Melodic Death Metal
I’m a stan, and I’m very excited for this one. Viking metal at its finest is what these guys do, and I really like them. This is album number 13, produced by Jacob Hansen, written and recorded one song at a time while the band was out touring, with Marshalls swapped in for 5150s to get a less modern tone. “Gjallarhorn” opens it as a classic Amon Amarth sprint, and “Upphaf” is their first acoustic song ever. That’s the one I’m curious about.
#2 — Dissimulator — Artifice Dissolves (20 Buck Spin) | Death/Thrash
I haven’t heard much Dissimulator, but what I’ve heard off this album has me very excited. It’s the second record from the Montreal trio, following 2024’s Lower Form Resistance, and it’s sci-fi death/thrash with vocoder vocals and singles like “Alloyed” and “Neon Metropolis.” One early review is already tossing around Vektor, Voivod, and Coroner. Those are big names to invite. I’m going in to find out if it earns them.
#3 — Temic — Ceiba (Season of Mist) | Progressive Metal
A prog supergroup with players from the Devin Townsend, Neal Morse Band, and Haken orbits, and the pedigree shows. Eleven tracks about loss, built around Mayan symbolism and the ceiba tree. They’re swinging big.
#4 — Miss May I — No Place For Me (Solid State) | Metalcore
Eighth album, two years in the making, and the first with keys in the mix since they became a four-piece. “Sanctuary” is the lead single. New guitarist, new textures, same band. I want to hear if the keys land.
#5 — Brymir — What We Leave Behind (Napalm) | Melodic Death Metal
Fifth album from the Finnish band, cinematic melodeath with orchestral weight. It also includes a metal cover of Scooter’s “How Much Is The Fish.” Yes, really.
That’s the list. Run it.