This week’s new music recommendations offer something for everyone, from the technical prowess of rock icons to the surgical lyricism of a hip-hop legend.
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 from our clients that we believe everyone should experience.
Ice Nine Kills – I Heard They KILL Live (Fearless Records)
After riding a wave of critical and fan acclaim for their horror-themed record, The Silver Scream, Ice Nine Kills close the most important chapter in their history with a live record. I Heard They KILL Live, a reference to a NOFX live album from 1995, was recorded in INK’s hometown of Worcester, MA, during the last nationwide tour. The theatrics that served as hallmarks of the record and tour production translate well to a live recording, as the band brings 19 songs and frenetic energy to a hungry audience that is more than happy to sing every word at the top of their lungs.
In a year without concerts, I Heard They KILL Live plays like a soothing balm applied to an open wound that won’t heal until live music returns.
Puscifer – Existential Reckoning (Alchemy Recordings / BMG)
Of all Maynard James Keenan’s musical projects, Puscifer is perhaps the most consistently engaging and original. Without taking anything away from Tool or A Perfect Circle, which both thrive on pushing the boundaries of what rock and metal can be, Puscifer is a genre-less beast whose work is more unpredictable than any other group in music today. Existential Reckoning is a mesmerizing exploration of where we come from and what it means to be human. Each track has a unique identity, and they play like individual journeys that combine to create a sonic odyssey that listeners will want to explore over and over again. You cannot fully appreciate everything Puscifer is doing in a single listen, and that’s a good thing. Existential Reckoning is an album you can sink your teeth into, delivering one delicious bite of artistic expression after another until you’re too full to do anything else except surrender yourself to the noise.
Busta Rhymes – Extinction Level Event 2: The Wrath of God (EMPIRE)
Eleven long years have passed since Busta Rhymes dropped Back On My B.S. The world has changed several times over in the last decade, but nobody old or new has been able to fill the void left when Busta stopped releasing records. We can’t say why he stepped away, but if that’s what needed to happen for Extinction Level Event 2: The Wrath of God to come into existence, then it was worth the wait. Across twenty-two tracks adding up to nearly 80-minutes of music, the master of quick-tongued lyricism reminds everyone why he’s among the most outstanding artists ever to touch a microphone. The insights Busta offers on the state of the world, the chaos of being, and the state of hip-hop are what we need right now.
Mr. Bungle – The Raging Wrath of the Easter Bunny Demo (Ipecac Recordings)
After reforming for a series of concerts at the beginning of 2020, fans everywhere hoped Mike Patton’s band of rock icons and outcasts would have more to offer sooner than later. The group heard their cries and are now delivering The Raging Wrath of the Easter Bunny demo, a raucous batch of material that is sure to incite headbanging and mosh pits in places where such things typically do not occur. It’s a riot of a record, brash and relentless in its pursuit of something to shake you from the stupor of everyday existence. Mr. Bungle was never for everyone, but Wrath will be a welcomed addition to the band’s far too small catalog for those that get it.
I Prevail – Post Traumatic [Live/Deluxe] (Fearless)
It shook the alternative music community to learn I Prevail was nominated for a GRAMMY in the back-half of 2019. That disbelief was not a criticism of the band, who had the respect of their community, but a compliment. The Recording Academy’s recognition of their talent was a reminder that any artist can gain international attention and success if they write passionately about deeply personal topics. Post Traumatic is a celebration of what is possible when hard work, honesty, and determination collide. The bonus tracks will keep fans champing at the bit for more new music, but those songs take a deep backseat to the live material. Each live cut comes from a different performance where the energy was undeniable, and the group’s signature high-quality production harnesses that excitement into an equally satisfying personal listening experience.
