As with any other year 2014 is now coming to a close, having a great years in metal we now look to the future. But in order to truly understand the future we must first look to the past. Before I get all X-Men Days Of Future Past on you we must look to some of what has been announced for 2015!
Sylosis – Teras
Whetting metal heads appetite all over with their teaser for new album Dormant Heart, we waited with baited breath to see what the rising stars would come up with. Having heard two singles so far “Mercy” and “Leech” we begin to get an idea that perhaps Dormant Heart might see the band move to a slightly more experimental angle. With both singles changing up their sound slightly to the “She Wolf“esque riffing of “Mercy” to the melodic brooding of “Leech” it seems that their new release will indeed be a sight to behold. Nevertheless their classic “Teras” from the first release Conclusion Of An Age, a firm fan favourite and sure to win over new audiences the world over.
Expected release date : 12th March via Nuclear Blast Records
Napalm Death – On The Brink Of Extinction
Arguably being one of my favourite Napalm Death albums, having had a slight bone to pick with the previous production of their masterpiece Scum. Time Waits For No Slave is exactly the Napalm Death that we have come to know, with their new album Apex Predator – Easy Meat arriving in January first single “Cesspits” returns to the ferocity that I was first exhibited to on their fierce 2009 output. Don’t get me wrong Utilitarian was a good album but wasn’t quite on the same level as the tyrannical TWFNS. Definitely one to look out for this January. If like me you can’t wait, you can preorder the album here!
Expected release date : 26th January via Century Media Records
Between The Buried & Me – White Walls
Yet another fantastic band is rumoured to be in the studio at the moment to begin their latest masterpiece. After releasing 2012’s ambitious The Parallax II : Future Sequence the band had arguably topped their previous progressive output, not necessarily in sound however. In sheer grandiose, the magnitude of their concept album about aliens in space taking over the human race was their most extreme yet. Righting their path back from the slightly lack lustre The Great Misdirect it’s safe to say that there are a lot of people waiting with baited breath for the new record. Although not as big of an idea previous album Colors is one of absolute genius, one of the best progressive metal albums of all time in my opinion and its shining highlight is the cresendo of final track “White Walls“. A snapshot of just what this band are capable of.
Expected release date : Spring 2015
Periphery – Zyglrox
Actually the first ever song that I heard from Periphery truly reminds you the ingenuity this band was birthed with, pioneers of the new and now dirty advent movement, the boys crafted some of the most intriguing music to have come out of metal in a long time. Combining various futuristic elements in our more digital of ages the band were the perfect soundtrack and inspired countless other copycat bands that never quite shared their panache. Returning not only with one album but with a brand new double album in January the concept album is their most ambitious yet. Set to reflect both sides, one good , the other evil the album is sure to blow us all away once again. But for now jam with me to the insanity that is from their self titled effort.
Expected release date : January 26th via Century Media Records
Gojira – Remembrance
With The Link now being twelve years old it is truly amazing to see just how far the French act has come. Choosing to visit their earliest work, we see the birth of the unique attribute that the band have. Being very much rhythmically based throughout their career it all started with The Link. Now hunkered down to write their latest effort to be unleashed upon the masses, Gojira have the potential to truly sky rocket, with their previous release L’Enfant Sauvage seeing the band employ slightly simpler melodies yet always retaining their identifiable mantra-like state of consciousness, it will be very interesting to see just what the French bunch get up to, will they decide to go for a more straight for ward approach, refine their sound slightly? Whatever they choose, it’s sure to be earth shatteringly heavy.
Expected release date : Summer 2015
Enslaved – Ethica Odini
After first discovering Enslaved on their 2008 Vertebrae album I was awakened to progressive black metal genius this band possess. With vocals that wouldn’t go amiss our beloved Immortal yet a beautiful sense of progression through the thought provoking chords. Seasoned with some fanatic lead work burying the melody in your head, Enslaved truly have a winning combination. After their 2012 effort was released Riitiir we now see the emergence of new material. Scheduled for a March release date Enslaved will indeed be unleashing In Times and rewriting their discography once again. A fantastic influential band, a chameleon of many genres and most definitely one to watch out for.
Expected release date : 9th March via Nuclear Blast Records
Steven Wilson – Luminol
Remaining on our progressive tangent, progressive Renaissance man Steven Wilson will be releasing his follow up to 2012’s absolutely fantastic The Raven That Refused To Sing And Other Stories. Having recently remastered King Crimson‘s prominent albums along with being pals and producing the latest fantastic Opeth effort Pale Communion.
Entitled Hand. Cannot. Erase. The album tells the story of a normal woman dying and no one realising after three years go by. An intriguing concept, although previous album still holds a special place in my heart. Composed of six songs varying from the mad prog rock twelve minute opener “Luminol“. The running theme of previous album The Raven was that of ghost stories, some spookier than others this particular tale was based around a busker that Wilson saw. No one paid any sort of notice to the man, yet every single day he was in the same spot, whatever the weather, giving Wilson the idea to write about someone that was at once a ghost in the material realm as well as the spectral. What makes up the song is an absolutely beautiful soundscape moved through effortlessly by the man and his band.
Although Hand. Cannot. Erase. Will not exactly be identical, with songs that are shorter and almost more pop oriented it’s sure to expose another strand of genius that we have yet to experience from these most talented of musicians and song writers.
Expected release date : March 2nd via Kscope
This is just a small taster of what is to come over the year. Sure for more bands to be announcing various different albums 2015 set to be an interesting year indeed!