Reflecting on things like change, transformation, and death can bring up all sorts of conflicting emotions, namely those of fear and doubt. In 1989 by Fiona’s Spiral speaks to the neverending repeating nature of things, however this EP is refreshing in its loving, hopeful approach to change.

It’s our last Metal Roundup of the 2023, where we listen to all of the underground metal that comes out every week and pick my favorite records. Even with all of the holiday excitement there were some killer releases this week.

A wild assembly of instruments including brass and piano pulls off these grand arrangements, augmenting the powerful personality of the singer to create a homespun yet intricate sound.

I’m busy with getting ready to travel for the holidays, so this one’s going to be pretty quick. Here’s our metal roundup nonetheless!

In crafting such a wildly inconsistent voice, Gamboa reveals the impacts of a scattered and unreadable identity, a social-media-fueled condition that I’m actively contributing to right now.

Despair claws its way to the surface with Clark’s incredible emo-tinged vocals, all while disorienting and dissonant orchestral arrangements push us further down this dark path.

The new album ATROPHY by Midwestern Roadkill is a raw look into what a depressive episode can actually be like. Characterized by fuzzy, hazy production, this skramz-pop release carries with it a sense of isolation and impermeability. It’s the sound of not leaving your bed for 3 days straight, the blinds drawn shut and air stale with halitosis.

Each musical idea establishes itself prominently and confidently before being thrown to the side, this energetic approach leading to an extremely satisfying listen as Pudgel explores a huge array of sounds in its 20-ish minutes.

Each track brings remarkable levels of variety, at times even reaching into free jazz territory as an assembly of auxiliary instruments establish melodies on top of familiar droning guitars.

We find comfort in stagnation, but in the end we join in Void Eon’s desperate chants, begging ourselves and our worlds for change, for anything to rekindle our flame.

Touchingly straightforward lyrics about the struggles of being a teacher or the slow degradation of friendships give us the feeling that we’re just having a one-on-one conversation with the singer.

Evil Empath by Everlastingness is timeless atmospheric industrial music that overturns your expectations for modern experimental electronics, going back to the basics of early industrial in a way that’s refreshing. Think echoing percussion, icy synths, and a spaciousness that adds value when placed alongside heavier, more intense moments.

Our metal roundup finds some violence every week, but this week seems especially dark, raw, and unapologetically heavy.

Immensely underrated in the noise rock scene, we only hope that this release brings Imelda Marcos more much-deserved attention for their unique sound and undeniable talent.

Opening up into segments of wider instrumentation and ear-splitting noise, these tracks meander through a misty pathway defined by different shades of anguish, through alternate expressions of the same fundamental image of lashing out at a mirror.

The artist sits with their father on the last days of his life, the two looking out into the world and their pasts together with new eyes as time screeches to a halt.

Ov Pain wraps their music in circles, slowly descending further into their cave, incrementally adding elements and building tension before allowing the music to disappear into the far distance.

Fatou’s range is impressive, from her smooth jazzy vocals on “The other side”, to her energetic triplet flow on the title track “Adaeh”.

Stress Positions feels wholly unsatisfied not only by the injustice and strife they name outright, but also by the feelings of monotony and hopelessness that come with accepting the status quo laid before them. They are absolutely fed up with the stagnation, perfectly encapsulating our deepest unsettlement with the world, Harsh Reality provides a moment to feel the weight of everything around you.

As electroacoustic, classical, and experimental electronic worlds collide on the collaborative album I by Musique Infinie, a rich, intricate, yet fundamentally minimalist style crystalizes.