4 minute read
THE SHORTLIST
DON'T SLEEP ON THESE SPLITS, EPS, & REISSUES BY HUTCH
KOOL KEITH X THETAN: SPACE GORETEX:
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ANTI-CORPOR ATE RECORDS After joining together to release a single in 2019, Nashville duo Thetan reunite with legendary rapper Kool Keith to forge a fulllength, Space Goretex, out on April 10, 2020. Thetan’s Chad L’Plattenier and Dan Emery once again provide a slow, dark foundation of bass, drums, theremin, and synth for the Ultramagnetic MC, a stark difference from the band’s powerviolence and crusty, hardcore roots. Space Goretex features guest appearances from the likes of Casey Orr of Gwar/X-Cops, Gangsta Boo of Three 6 Mafia, and Blag Dahlia of Dwarves. Additionally, Ethan Lee McCarthy of Primitive Man created the grisly, collage cover art. The album can also claim the bragging rights of being the first time all of Kool Keith’s primary personas—Dr. Octagon, Dr. Dooom, and Black Elvis—have performed on one album.
DEATH PROMISE: GATES OF HELL Sweden’s Gravebreaker and Australia’s Road Warrior beckon the depths of Hell with this 7”, released on February 21, 2020. Gravebreaker provide slashing metal in the vein of Angel Witch and Judas Priest, with an unreleased track, “Death Promise,” which recounts the kung-fu thriller by the same name, and blazes in the tradition of spiked leather bracelet brilliance. Road Warrior’s “Death in Heels on Wheels” channels progressive metal with a sinister twist a la King Diamond and Fates Warning. The band are known for the brute force displayed on their album Power, but here, Road Warrior branch out to tease their fans with some new sonic exploration, in anticipation of their imminent LP release.
POWERWOLF: BEST OF THE BLESSED:
NAPALM RECORDS Superb titans of modern metal Powerwolf celebrate their 15th year with a compilation of 16 tracks—seven of them re-recorded in 2020. Lauded for their dominant live set, Powerwolf also append this June release with 14 live tracks, with four more included in the special-edition LP box set. These German legends prove once again why they have hit number one on their country’s charts multiple times. Powerwolf start a month-long South American tour at the end of February with a European tour planned for the summer.
AGNOSTIC FRONT: THE ELIMINATOR:
NUCLEAR BLAST Following 2019’s Get Loud!, Nuclear Blast give the most die-hard fans of Agnostic Front a treat on March 13, 2020. “The Eliminator” is a set favorite from the NYHC legends’ 1986 release Cause for Alarm. “The Eliminator” and “Toxic Shock” were re-recorded for this 7” release during the Get Loud! sessions featuring the powerhouse Pokey behind the kit, Craig Silverman on guitars. and Mike Gallo on bass, and completed by the destined duo who have been bonded since 1983: Vinnie Stigma and Roger Miret. This limited edition 7” will be bundled with an action figure based on an illustration by esteemed NYHC artist Sean Taggart. Just 1,500 copies will be made available worldwide, and as Nuclear Blast proclaim: “The audio will be available in this physical format only!”
MAGGOT BRAIN: PRINT MAGAZINE:
THIRD MAN RECORDS With a moniker that nods to Eddie Hazell and Uncle George, Jack White’s humble label will produce four issues of the print magazine Maggot Brain in 2020. A bold move in the current digiscape, but White loves his analog audio and now breaches music journalism. The inaugural edition boasts pieces on an eclectic spectrum, including Alice Coltrane, Mia Zapata, J Dilla’s Donuts, and non-musical articles such as “Malls Across America” and “Vibrant Detroit Sign Painting.” Maggot Brain truly exhibits a pulsating thread of DIY culture and a general love of fervent art and music fans.
AMERICAN NIGHTMARE:
LIFE SUPPORT: DEATHWISH INC. A resurrected American Nightmare had fans swooning with reunion shows and a staggering full-length in 2018. Well, in 2020, they bless us with a new 7” EP, Life Support. The release, sardonically released on Valentine’s Day, is comprised of two tracks. The melancholic-but-charged, post-punk title track is paired with a cover of The Lemonheads’ “Left for Dead.” The vinyl is available in light blue, light grey, and black, and the band begin a month-long U.S. tour with Ceremony in February.
THE ARCHAEAS: ROCK N ROLL:
TOTAL PUNK RECORDS Louisville, Kentucky trio The Archaeas, released a two-song EP in February simply titled Rock N Roll. Low-fi and dirty—but infectious— the record combines a driven, thundering, low-end bass and jangly guitars. The songs are unfiltered and caustic and lie somewhere between the Louisville aesthetic (Black Cross, Coliseum), killer guitar leads, and a Billy Childish appreciation. RIYL: Complaints, Regulations, Cerebral Ballzy, Armitage Shanks.
