Torrent-Free Tuesdays: June 11th, 2013

Back in the days before the internet and album leaks, if you wanted to hear music you had to wait for its release day, at which point you went to your local Best Buy or other record store to pick up a cd or record.  In celebration of this physical media, Brutalitopia will be bringing you a weekly look at what’s coming out each Tuesday, with notes about some of the more notable releases (Editor’s Note: “Notable” is completely subjective and can and will mean whatever Durf wants it to mean on a week to week basis).  Find out what's happening this week after the jump.

Quite the big week in music this week; I’d actually argue for it being the biggest individual release date of the year thus far.  The biggest news this week has to be the first new BLACK SABBATH album with Ozzy on vocals in over thirty years, 13 (Vertigo, Universal).  I haven’t listened to any of this album yet, because I’m waiting to pick it up and spin the whole thing.  Honestly, I’m tepid at best; I saw Sabbath at Lollapalooza last year, and as awesome as it was to see them back together (and as fucking KILLER as Iommi and Butler were; Ozzy was ok) I’m not sure I need new music from them.  Hell, I was tepid when Alice in Chains started making new music, and they have maybe a third of the great songs Sabbath does.  It’s kind of hard to get excited about something new when you’ve grown up with “War Pigs,” “Children of the Grave,” and “Snowblind,” but maybe I’ll be wrong.  Tom will have a 13 sometime this week; be sure to join in on the discussion regarding new Black Sabbath in the comments.

Next up is the sophomore album from San Francisco black metallers Deafheaven, Sunbather.  You can check out Mick’s glowing review here; trust me when I say he’s not exaggerating.  I’ve already listened to Sunbather in its entirety 20+ times, and it’s easily one of the Top Five albums of the year so far.  Brilliantly toeing the line between oblivion and redemption, the lush atmospherics meeting the phenomenally bleak black metal on this album show that not only was Deafheaven’s debut Roads to Judah not a fluke, but that they could very well deserve to have their name thrown into the ring with bands like Alcest, Wolves in the Throne Room, and Altar of Plagues for the title of best shoegaze-y/atmospheric black metal band.  You know, in those imaginary March Madness-style brackets for bands that everyone makes to get through the eleven long months between the NCAA tournament.  Just me?  Whatever.

Scale the Summit’s new instrumental, ahem, “Odessey” The Migration also hits stores today.  I haven’t had a chance to listen to this one all the way through yet, but Mick did and he liked it.  I will say that one of the tracks released by the band, “Atlus Novus” is one of the most killer instrumental tracks I’ve heard; it makes me feel the same feelings I felt the first time I heard Explosions in the Sky’s “First Breath After Coma” or Pelican’s “Autumn Into Summer.”  It’s just one of those jams that explode with hope and energy and make you want to run out of your house naked and jump onto an ibex and ride that fucker up the giant mountain that appeared outside your door, and once you’ve scaled the summit (hee hee) you find a bear to wrestle with your bare hands because YOU JUST FEEL SO ALIVE!!! …so yeah, if the rest of The Migration stacks up to “Atlas Novus,” it’s going to be a real treat.  Also, as a little precursor, Mick and I will be interviewing StS’ Chris Letchford at their show in Chicago this Wednesday, so look for that to be up on the site sometime by the end of the week.  Also, they’re touring with Mouth of the Architect and Intronaut, so for Dio’s sake, go see that show when it comes to a town near you!

Finally, there are new releases from The Black Dahlia Murder and Children of Bodom, Everblack and Halo of Bood, respectively.  Truthfully, I haven’t followed these bands for quite some time, but you always hope that bands you used to enjoy will put out that next album to pull you back in, so maybe that will be the case here.

A full list of the albums released today is as follows; be sure to pick something up from a local record store near you to support your community’s businesses.

·         The Black Dahlia Murder – Everblack

·         Black Sabbath – 13

·         Children of Bodom – Halo of Blood

·         Deafheaven – Sunbather

·         Integrity – Suicide Black Snake

·         Jorn Lande – Traveller

·         My Ruin – The Sacred Mood

·         Scale the Summit – The Migration

What are you looking forward to picking up today?

- Durf