Just because it's the Fourth of July weekend, doesn't mean there isn't metal to be had. To the metals…

3Teeth – Metawar Advertisement. Scroll to continue reading.

Genre: Industrial

Origin: Los Angeles, California

Label: Red

If you're looking for some driving industrial to keep your energy up as you work off all of that fourth of July barbecue, get on 3Teeth. This industrial outfit sounds a bit like Ministry, but with the vibe of an S&M club that spilled into a recording studio. Also, they're about as political as they are aggressive, so the perfect American day comedown.

Abbath – Outstrider

Genre: Black metal

Origin: Bergen, Norway

Label: Season Of Mist

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Everyone's favorite corpse painted hero has returned. Much like Abbath's previous solo album, this unsurprisingly sounds like the now mid-era of Immortal (or whatever you'd call Sons of Northern Darkness or All Shall Fall era). So, it's grim, it's icy, and yet oddly catchy. The perfect summer record. J. Andrew has a full review here.

Brand Of Sacrifice – God Hand

Genre: Brutal death metal

Origin: Toronto/Manhattan

Label: Unique Leader

Now for a quick pummeling. This album is low-tuned guitars, breakdowns, guttural vocals, epic synth passages, and noisy guitar theatrics. They very much sound like a Unique Leader band, and I might say this is the most Unique Leader album that has been released in quite some time.

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Drown This City – Alpha // Survivor

Genre: Post-hardcore/melodic death metal

Origin: Melbourne, Australia

Label: UNFD

Drown This City pair oddly well with Brand Of Sacrifice. This band also features some soaring atmospheric elements coupled with erratic musicianship. However, rather than guttural vocals throughout, you're getting the duality of vocalist Alex Reade. Reade can turn their voice from that of a demon to pop-esque melody on a dime.

Immortal Bird – Thrive On Neglect Advertisement. Scroll to continue reading.

Genre: Sludge/blackened metal

Origin: Chicago, Illinois

Label: 20 Buck Spin

This album sounds nasty. Thrive On Neglect has the vibe of a grindcore infused sludge record, but it lots of blast beats so it's also kinda black metal. It's a wild ride that's hard to describe. Aaron has a more in depth dive on the record here.

Nightmare Scenario – Beyond What Is Real

Genre: Experimental

Origin: North Carolina

Label: Self-released

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Buy now from Bandcamp

Dan Briggs will probably always be known most for his bass playing with Between The Buried And Me. Outside the band he's the most active member with his work in Orbs, Trioscapes, and Nova Collective. Now he can add this solo project to his growing resume. Nightmare Scenario might be the most experimental thing he's had a hand in. It's part free jazz, part Cynic, and part Peter Gabriel.

Sample it on the bandcamp link above.

Turilli / Lione Rhapsody – Zero Gravity Rebirth And Evolution Advertisement. Scroll to continue reading.

Genre: Power metal

Origin: Trieste/Pisa, Italy

Label: Nuclear Blast

So wait, how many bands have there been called something to the effect of Rhapsody (of Fire) now? Well this one is a new one that includes ex-guitarist of both Rhapsody of Fire and Luca Turilli's Rhapsody Luca Turilli and the ex-vocalist of Rhapsody of Fire Fabio Lione (who also fronts Angra). Fans of the original era of Rhapsody will probably be excited to hear these two working together again. Like their original band with a similar name, this one is epic power metal and guitar shredding. Really, this is ideal for fans, because they're getting more of this whole….thing.

Also dropping today…

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Bullet – Live (SPV/Steamhammer) – Hard rock/heavy metal

Chemtrail – Collider (Good Fight) – Post-rock/instrumental

False – Portent (Gilead) – Black metal

An Isolated Mind – I'm Losing Myself (I, Voidhanger) – Experimental

The Take – The Take (Demons Run Amok) – Punk/Hardcore

Tovarish – If The War Comes Tomorrow(Argonauta Records) – Experimental/doom