The obvious story this Friday is Devin Townsend. But The Moth isn’t the only thing dropping worth your attention. The Scalar Process (for fans of Rivers of Nihil and Fallujah) delivers a follow-up that demands to be taken seriously, Monolord does exactly what Monolord does, Sarcasm shows up with something built to last, and an underground pick rounds out one of the better Fridays we’ve had this year.
#1 — Devin Townsend — The Moth (InsideOut Music) | Progressive Metal
Devin Townsend has been hinting at a record like The Moth for years — a full orchestral statement, something cinematic in scope, built from everything he’s learned across a career that refuses to sit still. It’s massive without being indulgent, emotionally direct without being saccharine. Dev has earned the trust that makes you hand over ninety minutes of your Friday without needing a preview. This is that record.
#2 — The Scalar Process — Agnomysticism (Transcending Obscurity) | Progressive Technical Death Metal
Agnomysticism is the follow-up to Coagulative Matter, and it doesn’t ease up. Dissonant, structurally relentless, technically precise in a way that doesn’t feel like showing off — it feels like the only way these songs could work. Transcending Obscurity keeps signing bands a full cycle ahead of where the trend-chasers are looking, and The Scalar Process is exactly that kind of find. Pay attention to this one.
#3 — Monolord — Neverending (Relapse Records) | Stoner Doom Metal
The Swedes double down on everything that makes them Monolord — massive slow-churning riffs, a wall of fuzz, and absolutely zero interest in moving fast.
#4 — Sarcasm — Lifeforce Omnibound (Hammerheart Records) | Melodic Blackened Death Metal
Swedish melodic black/death veterans operating at full power — atmospheric riffs, blast beats, and a production that doesn’t sand the edges off.
#5 — Voidmaker — A Cold, Unyielding Universe (Witches Brew) | Blackened Death/Thrash
Blackened death/thrash with enough controlled chaos to keep it unpredictable — the kind of underground pick that rewards the dig.