Curated by Monk
Well, here we are, at the turn of February and the start of another busy month here at ÜRHQ – and, indeed, across the Rock ‘n’f’n’ Roll Überverse as a whole. So, let’s cut all the waffle and jump straight into our latest playlist of tunes that have been burning our eardrums over the past week, to help set us up for the one ahead, shall we? Oh, OK then…
Aborted ‘The Pain, Will Be Exquisite’ (Nuclear Blast)
The horror-obsessed extreme metal trailblazers are currently slashing their way across North America and are set to do the same to Europe in April in support of last year’s ‘Vaults Of Horror’ album, the sessions from which this is a bonus standalone slice of infection:
Another Damn Disappointment ‘All’ (Disappointed Records)
There is nothing disappointing about this first taster of an album that has been more than eight years in the crafting, as these Sacramento punks have taken their time to deliver a tribute to their late founder and bassist, who was killed in a car crash shortly after completing the recording sessions away back in 2016:
Black Opal ‘Feel Free’ (Self-Released)
These Belfast indie revivalists deliver more than a nod to the classic sounds of the ’60s, ’70s and ’80s, the rock and alternative music scenes of their youth, the heavy sound of ’90s grunge and indie Britpop underlined by punk’s musical honesty and in your face, do it yourself appeal on this opening salvo from their upcoming second album:
Håndgemeng ‘The Cauldron Born’ (Ripple Music)
The Norwegian doom ‘n’ rollers will be unleashing a ‘Satanic Panic Attack’ when they release their new album in April, but in the meantime stir up this fiery concoction by way of an extremely tasty appetizer:
Komatsu ‘A Breakfast For Champions’ (Heavy Psych Sounds)
The Dutch stoners deliver more monstrous grooves as they serve up the title track of their upcoming fifth studio album, itself being plated and delivered on 11 April:
Limbonauts ‘I Wish It Would Dream’ (Self-Released)
These mysterious space-suited extraterrestrial alt-rockers continued their campaign of releasing a new single every month in the lead up to that of their debut album, ‘As Above So Below‘, which itself impacted just this past Friday:
Mob Wife ‘Thank God For Car Parks’ (Self-Released)
Taking its title from a Twitter thread, this sardonic slice of post-punk takes its inspiration from the massive changes in urban landscape in their native Belfast, which sees developers favouring overpriced student housing over venues, bars, restaurants and spaces where a community can thrive, filtered through a tongue in cheek narrative of a male urban land owner in a city including car parks who (aside from being sexually aroused by it) is thankful for his opportunity to make so much money off of the poor and needy. Oh, and it’s a bloody good tune too…
Museum Of Light ‘Undone’ (Spartan Records)
Once again highlight the trio’s blending of crushing, heavy swagger with ethereal, sparkling melodies, creating a dynamic, otherworldly atmosphere that combines raw intensity with haunting, operatic vocals and poetic, existential lyrics, this is the second taster of the band’s upcoming sophomore album, released next month.
Naxatras ‘Numenia’ (Evening Star Records)
These Greek psychedelics summon ancient alchemy and rites as they masterfully blend traditional instruments and miens with modern dynamics to summon up this latest sample from their latest album, being released at the end of the month:
Ocultum ‘Drugged Wizard Walks By’ (Heavy Psych Sounds)
The Chilean stoner doom dealers say everything you need to know with the title of this latest sample from their upcoming new album, on which they will be assuring we enjoy a ‘Buena Muerte’ when released at the end of this month.
Poison The Well ‘Trembling Level’ (SharpTone)
The metalcore pioneers return with their first new music in 15 years and also unveil their new line-up, with the promise of more to come in the year which sees them celebrate the 25th anniversary of their generic landmark debut album.
Pravitas ‘Defragment’ (Self-Released)
The Leeds tech metallers provide us with the first sample of both their new singer and their upcoming debut album, due at the end of March, which on this evidence will undoubtedly establish them as a serious force with which to be reckoned on the techcore scene:
Raging Speedhorn ‘Every Night’s Alright For Fighting’ (Spinefarm)
The masters of epic, melodic down-tuned sludge return in March with a stunning new album and what will undoubtedly be one of the “must-see” tours of the year, of which this tribute to the golden age of wrestling a suitably pugilistic sample:
Sharper Side ‘Lifeblood’ (Self-Released)
These north London pop punks return almost exactly a year after their debut EP with this new standalone offering which will appeal to those fans of the genre who prefer with a little more power than pop:
Silk ‘Faze’ (Self-Released)
This is the first fruits of the latest project from the singular hardest working man on the Belfast scene, Michael Smyth, who describes this debut heavy-gaze solo outing as an expression of how “I constantly feel like I am rushing towards the inevitable infinite oblivion, further exacerbated by the marking of years spent circling the sun. To that end, it’s important that I fill the time remaining with joyous, creative acts. The sharing of ideas is an essential part of that”:
Skye ‘What Am I’ (Self-Released)
These Manchester progressive alt-rockers draw from Alter Bridge as much as they do TesseracT and Tool to deliver a sound that is cinematic and expressive, with this latest standalone release featuring one of the most impressively hypnotic bass lines I have heard in a long time:
SOM ‘Chemicals’ (Pelagic Records)
The shoegazing ÜS doom pop proponets will ‘Let The Light In‘ on all our lives with the release of their new album, set for release on 14 March. In the meantime, they inject this angular latest taster straight into our aural memory banks:
SweetBeast ‘Plastic People’ (Humalien Records)
The Canadian stoners critique the the superficiality of modern society, and particularly the harmful effects of social media on mental health, on this second powerful sample from their forthcoming debut album, being released later this month:
The Fods ‘The Ineffectuals’/’Shopping’ (Self-Released)
These Manchester lo-fi garage rockers describe themselves as ” comprising of a rotating cast of collaborators, stretching back to long-standing writing partnerships from the ’90s right through to new cohorts found in the Wild West that is the internet”, something emphasized in this latest collaborative double A-side offering:
Tooth Gore ‘SO?’ (Self-Released)
Despite a name that conjures up a grindcore vibe, this surf punk solo project – who appropriately hails from Newquay – delivers bouncy, energetic doo-wop infused waves of playful joyousness:
Wythersake ‘At War With Their Divinity’ (Scarlet Records)
We started at the extreme end of the spectrum and it is there we finish as we round off with the challenging title track from the latest album by these ÜS blackened-death metal ministers, which will call upon us to walk our own paths when it is released in the second half of March:
So, there you have it, our latest dynamic and eclectic selection once again kickstarting the new week, and month, in fine fashion. Hopefully we’ve opened your ears to some new sounds, and pointed you in the direction of some fine tuneage to tickle your eardrums and inhabit your aural memory banks… So, all that remains is to say: until next time, remember: keep ‘er lit, keep ‘er between the hedges and keep on Über Rockin’ in the free world \m/
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