Archspire - Too Fast To Die (2026)

I have mixed feelings with Archspire new album, Too Fast To Die, I just feel the songs are a bit less memorable and jaw-dropping, but I remember I was disapointed when Bleed The Future came out, and found it great when I listened to it the other day, so... I guess Archspire music is so dense you need time to "digest" it and get all its intricacies. Anyway I already enjoy Toos Fast To Die, no time needed to hear that Archspire intensity and musicianship is still really hard to match. At the same time brutal, technical and melodic (neoclassical style) death metal at its most over the top.

 

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Kandarivas - Rhythms of Obliteration (2026)

Kandarivas is an awesome grind band from Japan, they have been around for more than ten years now, but I only discovered them with their split with Durian released two years ago by Nerve Altar Records. So Rhythms of Obliteration is the first Kandarivas album I listen to. And it makes me regret not having discovered them earlier! The somewhat "tribal" feel of the japanese kaito drums they use is really something different and fresh to their grindcore, otherwise rooted into the old school. But the greatness of the album is definitely not limited to this "exotic" element, it's a nice touch, but what is more important is that the songs are powerfull! Rhythms of Obliteration is a strong candidate for best grind album of the year, don't sleep on it!

 

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Dälek - Brilliance of a Falling Moon (2026)

More Dälek can't be bad. I love their old-school, smart, heavy, dark and combative hip-hop. But I'm still being a bit disappointed by Brilliance of a Falling Moon. It's a good album, but won't be remembered as among their most inspired ones, sounding a bit too much more of the same. I feel they played it safe on this one. Their recent collab with Charles Hayward was more interesting and better. I hope they will challenge themselves more for their next one. That being said, a less memorable Dälek album is still better by far than almost any other hip-hop album.

 

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Kanine - Khaos (2026)

See that huge monster on the cover? See what's coming? Yes, definitely gonna be brutal. Absurdly over the top brutal. Kanine first album four years ago was already an excellent piece of slamming deathcore, Khaos is pushing it even more to the extreme. Bestial super angry vocals, massive bass drop, machine gun drumming, and of course slam and breakdowns at every corner. But they don't just do more of everything, they also are good at making it heavier and at the same time "catchy and fun", well, kind of :) you get the idea. I'm far from being a slamming deathcore specialist, but I think this album will be hard to beat for other bands doing that.

 

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New Age Doom featuring H.R. - Angels Against Angels (2026)

Angels Against Angels is another dub flavoured album from New Age Doom, this time teaming with Bad Brains singer H.R. And it's no less good than the awesome one they did with Lee Perry and Donny MacCaslin. But of course different. Again psych/jazz rock infused with a lot of dub, but this time with a rawer feel and a glorious punk assault in the middle of the album. And cool vocals by H.R.Truly addictive stuff. One of  my favourite album this year so far.

 

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The Shits - Diet of Worms (2026)

The Shits' music is often described as a very convincing mix of The Stooges and Brainbombs. That's definitely relevant and their new album Diet of Worms is another blatant proof. But we could also just say that they are among the very best at channeling the darkest energy of rock'n'roll (crafting riffs like these must imply some Robert Johnson kind of deal).

 

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Neurosis - An Undying Love For A Burning World (2026)

An Undying Love For A Burning World is the first Neurosis album in twelve years, and the first since Scott Kelly left the band, and first one with Aaron Turner. Is it still the Neurosis we know and love? Definitely yes. For sure, for a change of direction they would have chosen someone else than the main man in the Neurosis influenced post-metal scene. Neurosis is still a behemoth of deep, atmospheric and heavy music. And An Undying Love For A Burning World is a totally worthy addition to their awesome discography.

 

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Neural Indent - Thalassaeglean Unguents (2026)

Neural indent is one of the Matt Stephens one man noisegrind / free band (they can be checked on his Putrefactive Recordings bandcamp), Thalassaeglean Unguents is its new album, like in previous Neural Indent ones he combines digital goregrind with keys/piano with free jazz song structures. But this time the songs are longer and the keys (often dissonant) plays a bigger role. Challenging but rewarding for the curious and adventurous minds. If you like it I advise you check as well Gorenette Coleman, which is basically same concept but with sax instead of keys. Good stuff!

 

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Cryptworm - Infectious Pathological Waste (2026)

Do you love sweet melodies and pretty flowers? Would you kill for it? Do you love brutal death metal, goregrind, and Suffocation? If you do, The third Cryptoworm album Infectious Pathological Waste is exactly what you need. So sweet, groovy and putrid!

 

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Backengrillen - Backengrillen (2026)

I have mixed feelings about this one. Backengrillen has Dennis Lyxzén on vocals, two other ex-Refused members, Magnus Flagge on bass and David Sandström on drums and Mats Gustafsson on sax, and is released by Svart Records. So I had big expectations. It turns out I think it's a good album and I enjoy listening to it, but for the most part it sounds like doom metal with sax and Lyxzén singing, which is fine, but I expected something more exciting. Also, maybe it sounds a bit too much like long improvisations than songs, which it kinda is since the album has been done in three days. Anyway, the faster and more rocking, with a somewhat stoogian vibe, song in the middle of the album is great, and the songs all have some great sax playing, more melodic/lyrical than I expected from Gustafsson, but why not, when it's good it's good... 

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