Between surprise solo releases from two rock icons and an incredible new work from metal legends, the first weekend in October is great for new music.
Life will probably never be the same as it was before the COVID pandemic took the world by storm. Mourning the loss of the world we knew is normal, but it’s important to recognize all the good that continues to exist. Each new week brings us music that has the potential to change countless lives, and this week’s batch of new releases is no exception. There are too many good records for us to mention, but here are five we believe everyone should experience.
Laura Jane Grace – Stay Alive (Polyvinyl)
Punk icon and bestselling author Laura Jane Grace gave 2020 a much-needed dose of good news by surprising her fans earlier this week with Stay Alive, the singer/songwriter’s first solo album. Featuring fourteen tracks produced by Steve Albini in early July, the record perfectly depicts the swirling chaos of emotions that many have felt throughout 2020. It’s a record about wanting to be anywhere other than where you are, possibly in someone else’s skin, all while coming to terms with the ever-present need to love ourselves. It’s an album that is both aching for escape and basking in the often overlooked pleasures of being alone, which is to say, it’s a perfect summary of what most of us are dealing with right now. – JS
DevilDriver – Dealing With Demons I (Napalm Records)
Fans of DevilDriver will be happy to learn the metal legends remain at the top of their game. The aptly titled Dealing With Demons I, the first in a planned series of releases, finds Dez Fafara and crew sorting through the things that hold them back. It’s an album about recovery, trauma, and making sense of a world that often seems alien to those who inhabit it. The heaviness of the material is matched by the band’s crushing sound, which pours through your speakers and headphones with the ferocity of wild wolves on the hunt for fresh meat. Other bands in the group’s position could rest soundly with the knowledge they’ve given the world albums that listeners will spin for years to come, but DevilDriver has more to offer. They won’t stop until they drop, and that (hopefully) won’t be for a long time. – JS
Spiritbox – Holy Roller 7” (Rise Records)
Spiritbox is the best new band of this and any other year in recent memory. Formed in 2017 by husband and wife duo Courtney LaPlante and Michael Stringe, Spiritbox recently signed with Rise Records as part of a partnership between the influential label and Pale Chord. The first product of that deal is this 7”, which packages the group’s breakout single with a remix featuring Crystal Lake vocalist Ryo Kinoshita. The new track doesn’t add length to the song, but it does help make an already brutal song hit a bit harder. That should be enough fans champing at the bit for the band’s next release, which we hope arrives sooner than later. Until then, “Holy Roller” remains a strong contender for song of the year. – JS
Field Medic – Floral Prince (Run For Cover Records)
Blame it on COVID-19 or the isolation that came with it, but many artists are struggling to maintain the creativity they once felt. Kevin Patrick Sullivan may be an exception, and the proof of that lies in Field Medic’s inspiring new release, Floral Prince. Combining songs shared throughout the quarantine era through Sullivan’s Field Medic web series with previously unreleased material, the new record from the Bay Area musical chameleon does not disappoint. The energy on the material here is infectious, with each track benefitting from an undeniable sense of spontaneity. Listeners will not know what to expect from track to track, but they can bet whatever happens next will be just as exciting as what came before. Floral Prince explores love and life with a poetic wit that is destined to keep fans coming back for more. – JS
Greg Puciato – Child Soldier: Creator of God (Federal Prisoner)
The unexpected early release of Dillinger Escape Plan vocalist Greg Puciato’s debut solo album is as surprising as the material itself. Child Soldier: Creator of God is an aggressive, experimental adventure through the celebrated musician’s mind that never disappoints. The release is only available on Bandcamp for the time being, so head over there and check it out! – JS
Discover even more new music from Haulix clients by streaming our essential fall playlist on Spotify.
