Greetings, Decibel readers!
This week’s new releases bring a lot of though-provoking songs to the weekend. In particular, there’s two masters of weaving doom into their styles and creating remarkable and memorable sonic passages. There’s also the latest from a 2000s mathcore heavyweight and one of the best melodic black metal bands in the game. But if you want something with no frills and all kills, scroll to the bottom.
—
It feels odd to characterize Fires in the Distance as simply a “melodic death metal band” or an “extreme doom metal band,” as the CT-based powerhouse is so much more than that. Although the band’s sound bears notable echoes of Draconian-style melancholy, Amorphis-style exploration, and the gloomy determination of early Katatonia and Empyrium, they’ve taken all of this in to construct something truly their own. Circadian Promise embodies a true sense of possibility for metal like this — epic and cinematic, but never overblown or self-indulgent. The blending of harsh and clean vocals follows the natural profile of each song, the sweep picking hits at just the right moments, and the songs build and descend in a way that gives the listener a feeling of being on a long and introspective voyage. I suggest we follow Fires in the Distance and see where they might take us next.
Stream: Apple Music
—
Imagine if Trent Reznor or Al Jorgensen got really into mathcore, and you’d have a pretty good idea of what this album sounds like. Genghis Tron‘s latest shows the band, characteristically, going off in many directions, from post-punk to industrial and many other odd places in-between. But one constant is the engaging songwriting and strong riff work. And don’t worry, the band still rages out on songs like “Born Prey.”
Stream: Apple Music
—
One of the masters of modern doom-laden heavy metal, Khemmis will always be a giant Decibel favorite. And to be honest, I might like this album the most out of anything I’ve heard from the band. The songwriting, especially the vocal melodies and swirling guitars, just pops off on this self-titled triumph.
Stream: Apple Music
—
I wonder if any of the guys from Stormkeep ever have nightmares where they’re about to play a gig and then, to their horror, realize they accidentally packed the Wayfarer frontier gear instead. Anyway, I’m a giant fan of this project and am glad we get another righteous offering of mid-90s blue-cover black metal (and much else besides) to enjoy for all time.
Stream: Apple Music
—
But nevermind all that. Maybe you just want to listen to some death metal. Here is some really good, HM-2-style death metal straight from the crypts. Yes, this style has been done to pieces many times over, but there’s a good reason it keeps reassembling and reanimating itself. All the proof you need is in these four tracks.
The post Five For Friday: June 12, 2026 appeared first on Decibel Magazine.
