From ferocious new records by Atreyu and Red Fang to the early demos of Decapitated, there is something for everyone among this week’s new music releases.
The world is changing. After a year of forced isolation, artists and fans are finally starting to reconnect. Dozens of great albums are hitting shelves every week, and we know that nobody has time for everything. We want to help you find the can’t miss albums and keep you up-to-date on the records everyone will be talking about next week. We realize that documenting every new release would be virtually impossible, but here you will find several new albums from Haulix clients that we feel deserve your time and support. Check it out:
Atreyu – Baptize (Spinefarm)
Baptize marks the beginning of a new chapter for Atreyu. After two decades and numerous albums, the band is moving forward without longtime vocalist Alex Varkatzas. The resulting record is a hard rock juggernaut combining the heaviness that fans have come to expect from the group with a lyrical blend of optimistic melancholy. The men of Atreyu are no longer the angry young men who brought metalcore to the masses, and that’s a good thing. Nobody wants to hear grown men complain about childish struggles. If they do, then there is plenty of that to be found in music today. Instead, these lifelong road warriors who have witnessed the unbelievable heights and unfathomable lows of the music industry firsthand are speaking to the present. It’s about what is happening right now and how they’re handling it, both for better and worse. Baptize is a metal album for adults that tackles grown-up situations with maturity and ferocity unmatched in the genre. It may be the start of a new era, but the heart remains the same.
Rise Against – Nowhere Generation (BMG)
The world needs Rise Against. In a time of significant geopolitical turmoil where everything seems upside down and nobody can make progress without the risk of death or poverty, bands such as Rise Against are surprisingly hard to find. The group’s message about perseverance in the face of heartache and economic struggle has kept heavy hearts alive throughout the new millennium. Nowhere Generation is more of the same in the best possible way. The band may be writing about the same topics they’ve covered for years, but it feels like the world is starting to pay attention for once. There is an urgency to the music that hasn’t been present since the band’s early work, and it’s likely to inspire countless listeners to become more active in their communities. If you need a soundtrack to rebellion, look no further than this record. It will not disappoint.
Decapitated – The First Damned (Nuclear Blast)
It takes a lot for a re-issue to appear in this feature. Countless artists release music every week, so we rarely find a good reason to add an album that many have already heard. Decapitated is a rare exception. The First Damned, initially released in 2000, collects the band’s earliest material. The demos feature a glimpse at the origins of the world’s most influential metal bands. Despite the poor recording quality and less evolved skillset, the band’s ability to take their genre by storm is apparent on every second of this collection. It is hard to imagine anyone hearing this material and believing the group would become anything less than world-renowned sensations. The First Damned is absolutely riveting and should be considered essential listening for any fan of heavy music.
latewaves – Hell To Pay (Know Hope)
Do you know that frustrating feeling that pulses through your tired bones at the end of a long workday when nothing has gone as planned? As your head begins to ache, considering things that you still need to do, you reach for a snack or smoke or drink that will alleviate your worries, if only for a moment. As you bring your chosen vice to your lips, your body begins to flood with serotonin, and that sensation is the best way to describe what it’s like hearing latewaves’ debut album. Hell To Pay is a collection of blue-collar rock tracks that transforms all the rage and sadness flowing through the veins of countless humans walking the planet today into catchy, relatable music. It’s the kind of album you put on to feel less alone because it reminds you that we’re all in this together, even if it doesn’t seem like it. We are all doing whatever we can in hopes of waking to a better tomorrow, and when that day doesn’t come, we keep on keeping on. Most of us are doing everything we can to hold ourselves together, and this record captures that struggle as few albums can.
Red Fang – Arrows (Relapse)
Red Fang has been waiting for this moment. After shelving the release of their new album in 2020 due to the pandemic, the band is finally ready to share their best record to date with the world. Arrows is a sprawling and complex rock record that keeps listeners on their toes. From the unassuming introduction (“Take It Back”) to the blues-influenced “Funeral Coach,” everything about this record embodies Red Fang’s knack for finding groove-heavy goodness amid the calamity of hard rock. You will want to drink, fight, and drive as fast as your car will go a while this record unfolds. It’s the ultimate soundtrack for living recklessly, and while we do not encourage such behavior, we won’t blame you if Arrows makes you act a little crazy.
New Music Friday recommendations feature a collection of new releases from Haulix clients chosen by the company staff. Join Haulix today and gain immediate access to the industry’s leading digital promotional distribution platform: http://haulix.com/signup.