Kult-Zilla’s – Essential New Metal Albums – Winter 2025

1. // Harakiri For The Sky – Scorched Earth (AOP Records)

Harakiri For The Sky are an Austrian Post-Black Metal band comprising of the extraordinarily talented multi-instrumentalist Matthias ‘MS’ Sollak, and vocalist Michael ‘JJ’ Kogler (also of the band Karg). Scorched Earth is the duo’s sixth LP since the release of their self-titled debut back in 2012, and follows Mære (2021) – a double record which achieved significant success, peaking at #4 on the German album charts. And while Scorched Earth may not deviate from the tried and tested sound that Harakiri For The Sky have become known for, their music remains of the very highest quality – deeply emotive, powerful yet melodic Black-Metal.

The record opens with the gorgeous ‘Heal Me’ featuring Tim Yatras (formally of Austere) and an intoxicating lead-hook which absolutely sets the tone for the rest of the album. The melodic and sweeping guitars contrast with the raw and tortured vocal style of JJ – this is a band who find the perfect balance between aggressive and uplifting music. They have an extraordinary way of captivating the listener, a hypnotic repetitive quality with subtle yet immensely powerful hooks, using a piano to lead ‘Keep Me Longing’ – which works as a beautiful alternative to the guitar. The track eventually explodes into a chasm of intoxicating Black-Metal goodness … pretty much summing up the record as a whole. KZ

2. // Killswitch Engage – The Consequence (Metal Blade Records)

Killswitch Engage are unquestionably one of the most successful American Metal-Core bands of the 21st Century, and one of the key players of the New Wave of American Heavy Metal. But they are band that you very much either love or hate, achieving success which has polarised some Metal fans. Perhaps distancing themselves from the purists, whilst clearly not giving a damn and continuing to do things their own way. They are also renowned for original vocalist Jesse Leach struggling to deal with their initial rising success. Leaving the band after their landmark and breakthrough second album Alive or Just Breathing (2012) – before returning to the fold a decade later to resume duties on their sixth album; Disarm the Descent (2013).

Leach has remained with Killswitch ever since, and This Consequence is album number nine – and their first since 2019s Atonement. A whole quarter of a century has passed since their self-titled debut dropped in 2000, and This Consequence is one of their very best. The record provides some of their heaviest material, opening with the ferocious and driving ‘Abandon Us,’ which eventually drops into the soaring clean singing of the chorus – perfectly highlighting the incredible vocal range and duel styles of Leach. This juxtaposition continues throughout on incredible songs including ‘Aftermath,’ Forever Aligned’ and the dark and experimental Slipknot-esq; ‘Broken Glass.’ The heavy bits just seem to really go for it this time around with a succession of punishing riffs, while the choruses, as ever … are made for the big rooms. KZ

3. // Wren – Black Rain Falls (Church Road Records)

Church Road Records are a label who fly the flag for the British underground Metal scene, and had a great year in 2024 with releases from the likes of Hidden Mothers, Copse, Blanket and Mountain Caller. And the label run by members of Employed To Serve appear to be rolling the quality of their output into 2025, with Black Rain Falls from Wren another fine addition to their catalogue. Hailing from London, Wren have been plying their trade for over a decade and this is their third full-length LP. In their own words; “The new record is a crystallisation of the conceptual voice-giving to natural collapse, humanity’s decline and the shadowed spectre that has imbued Wren since the beginning.” (www.churchroadrecords.com)

The album opens with a calm and atmospheric intro on ‘Flowers Of Earth,’ before dropping into a bog of slow and Doomy Post-Metal, with a delicious bottom heavy rhythm. The harsh vocals of guitarist Owen Jones compliment the meandering sludge perfectly, and this is a quality of Post-Metal that draws comparisons with the likes of Cult Of Luna, while joining a whole host of bands in a thriving Uk scene right now, including Hundred Year Old Man and Codespeaker. The record meanders through six songs and a drone interlude – slow, moody and melancholic with lots of bass heavy distortion, and calming moments of melodic respite scattered within. There are long instrumental sections, and a structure which ebbs and flows beautifully throughout. KZ

4. // Spiritbox – Tsunami Sea (Rise Records)

It’s been somewhat of a whirlwind for Spiritbox since the release of their debut album Eternal Blue in 2021. The Canadian natives, now based in LA, had a couple of hit singles namely ‘Circle With Me’ and ‘Holy Roller’ with its Midsommar inspired music video, that catapulted them into the conscious of the Metal scene, while helping them shift over 250,000 copies of the record. No mean feat in this day and age. They are a band whose ingredients gel together wonderfully to make them stand out in a crowded scene, and are built around the husband and wife duo of guitarist Mike Stringer and vocalist Courtney LaPlante. A charismatic focal point for the band, who can effortlessly shift from delivering beautifully soaring clean vocals, to spitting deadly harsh screams in an instant.

Much has happened to the band since the release of Eternal Blue, sold-out tours, festivals, stadium shows, magazine covers … the band are one of the hottest in Metal right now – and Tsunami Sea is a fine follow up that is sure to keep the momentum rolling. It goes heavy when it needs to, while it appeases the crossover potential Spiritbox also have – creating an engaging blend throughout. It kicks off with ‘Fata Morgana,’ which is down-tuned and as heavy as anything we have heard from them, before flowing into the equally aggressive ‘Black Rainbow.’ There’s more of an Industrial influences from Spiritbox this time around, and a production which really accentuates every crunching. riff, and every technical drum pattern to its fullest. While LaPlante’s vocals have really never sounded better. KZ

5. // Architects – The Sky, The Earth And All Between (Epitaph)

Brighton based Architects have been flying the flag for Metal-Core in the Uk since their inception back in 2004 , when they were formed by twin brothers guitarist Tom and drummer Dan Searle. Starting as a very technical band with elements of Math-Core, their lineup as we know it today was completed with the addition of vocalist Sam Carter, who joined prior to second album Ruin in 2007. The band recorded a string of critically acclaimed records including Hollow Crown (2009), Lost Forever // Lost Together (2014) and All Our Gods Have Abandoned Us (2016), before tragedy struck when Tom Searle sadly passed away at the age of 28. It could have been easy for that to have been the end, but Architects bounced back with Holy Hell in 2018 – and have very much been experiencing a renaissance in this latter part of their career.

There has been a distinct shift in style with their subsequent albums; For Those That Wish to Exist (2021) and The Classic Symptoms of a Broken Spirit (2022). Both taking a slightly more commercial direction than their earlier work. And while The Sky, the Earth & All Between does absolutely follow suit, there are also some pretty damn heavy moments within. Carter’s clean singing has developed and become a far more integral part of Architects sound, but he also shows he can still rage with the best of them on cuts like ‘Elegy,’ ‘Brain Dead’ and ‘Whiplash,’ which all feature devastatingly heavy verses – with Carter asking on the latter; “Is the world done fucking around?” The production is spot on throughout, often with an Industrial sounding influence to the music. And there is real variety in styles, as the band appear keen to please the differing factions of their fanbase. KZ

6. // Scour – Gold (Nuclear Blast Records)

It’s been a busy few years for Phil Anselmo, reforming Pantera with bassist Rex Brown and touring relentlessly with guitarist Zakk Wylde (Ozzy) and drummer Charlie Benante (Anthrax) in place of Dimebag Darryl and Vinnie Paul. In fact, it’s been a pretty busy career for Anselmo full stop since he first exploded into the metal scene with Pantera at the end of the eighties. While also fronting the Stoner-Doom supergroup Down, running his label Housecore Records, and indulging in all manner of musical and specifically Extreme-Metal projects. Most notably Superjoint Ritual, Philip H. Anselmo & The Illegals, and his Black-Metal project; Scour. Anselmo formed Scour in 2016 with members of Pig Destroyer and Cattle Decapitation, and to date they had released three Eps of six tracks each; (666).

Gold is the bands first full length LP, and it is a brutal representation of the Black-Metal genre. Taking inspiration from the heaviest end of the spectrum, with Anselmo once again changing his vocal style and slipping effortlessly into a higher-pitched Blackened-sound for the project. Gold is aggressive and fast throughout, with just a few moments of respite to allow the listener to catch their breath. The lyrics are dark and evil – “Give your body to Satan!” – as Anselmo pays homage to the Norwegian 2nd Black-Metal wave of the Nineties, along with the Blacker Death-Metal bands such as Deicide on tracks including ‘Cross,’ ‘Devil,’ ‘Hell,’ and ‘Serve.’ Scour may well also have been listening to the recent work of Belgium’s Wiegedood when writing this one. All good stuff when your in the mood to go hard! KZ

Words by Abstrakt_Soul