(A belated) Metal in July: Wormed, Bushwhacker, Brache

After a bit of a summer lull in June, this month brings a steady flow of releases. Today’s selection covers a variety of subgenres with a concept album I never knew I needed at its center. Meanwhile, the next few months promise to close out the year with big releases. But that’s for another time.

Wormed – Metaportal

Spanish tech. death leaders Wormed return with a bite-sized offering in the form of their new Metaportal EP. Metaportal advances both the narrative the band began on 2016’s Krighsu as well as the bands approach to their songwriting. Wormed takes it up another notch on this EP by tuning back the technicality in favor of a more structured approach. Technical death metal is infamous for convoluted compositions so the “songwriting first” approach many bands are currently taking is an important step towards advancing the genre. Better yet, Wormed prove that both brutality and technicality do not suffer in a more organized environment. Angular riffs that wind around themselves, blasts of brutal death bludgeonings and alien rhythms are abundant on these four new tracks.

Bushwhacker – A Fistful of Poison

Continuing on we have the aforementioned concept album A Fistful of Poison by canadian Bushwhacker. This is my first encounter with their music even though they have been around for almost a decade. Presenting a setting of “wild west meets Egyptian mythology”, the album tells a story of outlaws, ancient gods and greed. Though vague at times, the evocative lyrics convey a cohesive narrative. The backdrop for the story is a clash of progressive guitar melodies and moody sludge segments that recall peers such as Mastodon and Baroness. Do not pass this one up, it is well worth your time.

Brache – Sprengverdichtung | Kahlschlag

Last but not least for this selection is an offering from the german underground. On their new Sprengverdichtung | Kahlschlag EP, Brache deliver wistful and feral anarcho black metal with a melodic core in the vein of UNRU and Thurm. Though short in its duration, Sprengverdichtung | Kahlschlag sees Brache advance their style as they come into their own on these three new tracks.

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