Weekly Round-up: 10th July 2014

I have lost my way somewhat with the original idea behind these weekly updates. They are supposed to be for posting the best of the new music I have heard during the week, but as I still have a huge backlog of new music to listen to and haven't written a lot for a few weeks, I think it is OK to include some older songs here anyway. It will be this way for the next couple of weeks until I manage to catch up on said backlog.

Anti-Mortem

Southern Rock-infused Metal with more than a little bit of a Black Label Society meets SOiL vibe. There is nothing cutting edge about this, but if you like your Metal instilled with a bit of a groove, then you could do worse than Anti-Mortem.

Trap Them

While not quite as all-out vicious as previous release "Darker Handcraft", Trap Them's new album "Blissfucker" is nonetheless still a nasty, spiteful and nihilistic little bastard. Trap Them go straight for the jugular with high velocity riffing and harrowing shrieks, occasionally slowing the pace to lure you in,before spitting in your gullible face. This is not one for the faint of heart and I wouldn't recommend it if you want to start your day with some positive thoughts. If you like your music extreme, then Trap Them might just be for you.

Bury Tomorrow

Fairly straight forward and by the book Metalcore of the Swedish Melodeath-influenced variety, complete with elements of first generation American Metalcore bands such as Killswitch Engage and Enforsaken as well as European acts like Heaven Shall Burn. It's very unlikely to change your life, but if you a fan of the aforementioned bands with their (vaguely predictable) aggressive verse / melodic chorus style, then there may well be something for you to sink your teeth into here.  

Syconaut

Hailing from my hometown of Skövde, Swedens unsung heroes, Syconaut are poised to make their long-awaited return after a (frankly too long) break of 5 years and it's great to have them back. Noticeably heavier than previous releases, the band's Hardcore / Melodic Death Metal roots are still there, but this time are bolstered by an even more varied approach, with the slower, more brooding parts being balanced out perfectly with some Lamb Of God style groove and heaviness. I've only heard 2 songs from the new album, but it is already shaping up to be a monster and a definite contender for a place in my year-end best of list. I've been following these chaps since I saw them live at a local club way back in 2006 and have been a dedicated fan ever since. Here is a link to a couple of new songs from the album which is due to drop on July 14th.

https://soundcloud.com/syconautstream

Pre-order your digital copy here:

http://www.7digital.com/artist/syconaut/release/in-ruins

Vampire

Here we have another Swedish band, this time in the shape of  Gothenburg Death / Thrashers Vampire. For a debut, the band's self-titled album is a very confident and respectable release. Style wise, they have opted for a retro 'Bonded in Blood' meets 'Scream Bloody Gore' hybrid which is certain to please the older crowd / younger wannabes. While this album if far from being a classic, given a few more years to hone their craft and to gain all-important confidence and experience, Vampire really could be something very special indeed.