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Deadguy - Near-Death Travel Services 2025 - Relapse Records 12” - Pinwheel with Splatter (and Glitter) It’s 2025 and I am holding and repeatedly listening to a new Deadguy album. It’s so good, arguably their best. I could not be happier. @relapserecords @deadguyrocks

Sumac witb Moor Mother - The Film 2025 - Thrill Jockey 2x12” - Blue Swirl This ended up sounding exactly as I expected it would, which is awesome (there are even a few pleasant surprises). Love how forward thinking the artists are with this release. @sumacbandofficial @thrilljockey

Intensive Care and The Body 2025 - Closed Casket Activities 12” - Clear w/ Splatter One of those records you know you’ve been waiting for your whole life the second you hear it. The pairing of IC and The Body is just too perfect and now I’m screaming for more. #intensivecare #thebody #intensivecareandthebody #wasigoodenough #closedcasketactivities #sludgemetal #experimentalmusic #intensivecarevinyl #thebodyvinyl #vinyl #vinylrecord #vinylcollection #vinylcollectors @christsredeemers @intensivecareto @wolfagram @closedcasketactivities

Idle Heirs - Life Is Violence 2025 - Relapse Records I don’t share a whole lot anymore - I’ve been busy, but I wanted to spotlight this record which has blown my pants off. I know the record wasn’t made for me, but Idle Heirs’ debut feels like it was. That’s how powerful this thing is. Sean Ingram (Coalesce) and multi-instrumentalist/producer Josh Barber have made what might end up being my favorite album this year (and it’s already been a strong year). This thing hits so hard on an emotional level. Sonically, it reminds me most of Cult of Luna (and I say that with the utmost respect). Go listen to this record. #idleheirs #relapserecords #postmetal #lifeisviolence #idleheirsmusic #vinyl #vinylcollection #vinylvollector @idleheirs @relapserecords

Cave In - Jupiter (25th Anniversary) 3x12” - Black Ice/Sea Blue w/ Splatter 2025 - Relapse Records Yoooooo Relapse did it again! Look at this beautiful release. There’s nothing more I could possibly add the conversation regarding Jupiter (or Cave In for that matter), but the love and attention to detail with this set is incredible: the full album remastered (which it was in dire need of), a full live set from 2000, and a set of 4-track demos. The digital version of this did get some extra goodies, so that’s absolutely worth checking out. Cave In rules. @cave_in_boston @relapserecords

Frontierer - The Skull Burned Wearing Hell Like A Life Vest As The Night Wept 2024 - Self-released 7” - Clear w/ Splatter Always stoked for new Frontierer, even more stoked I don’t have to sell a kidney to afford it. I don’t think this EP changes much in terms of the projects sound, that is it’s still intense, suffocatingly oppressive and awe-inducing. Great stuff. @frontiererband

Lamb of God - Wrath 2009/2024 - Epic Records 12” - Metallic Marble This record has always been a personal favorite for me and is probably the one I revisit the most, specifically because of the song In Your Words. At around 5 and a half minutes, the band covers so much ground on this song but the “epic rocking” back half of the song is where things truly shine. After a tasty breakdown, the song drills straight ahead to one of the best bridge sections that feels huge and grand. In a way, it reminds me of something the Deftones did on Korea (White Pony): this dense, layers bridge sections, with soaring vocals over top and a sick guitar riff. The first time I heard it, I got goosebumps, and now for the millionth time I’ve heard it (as I type this), I’m still getting goosebumps. My only complaint with this reissue is the bonus cuts (We Die Alone, Shoulder of Your God, and Condemn the Hive) are absent. A new pressing would have been a great opportunity to give these three cuts new life but for now they’re relegated to the USB key that came with the original boxset or the Hourglass CD set. @lambofgod @epicrecords

Lamb of God - As the Palaces Burn 2003/2013/2024 - Razor & Tie/Craft Records 12” - Orange Rust So stoked to finally have a copy of the 2013 remix/remaster on wax. Ever since hearing this record, I’ve loved it (the title track being the first song I was exposed to), but the record definitely had some faults sonically. It just sounded really thin. The band recognized this too and on its tenth anniversary (we’re now 20+ years past its initial release), the band had it expertly remixed and remastered by Josh Wilbur and Brad Blackwood. It sounds HUGE now. The songs were already there and they already ruled, but now you could really feel them like a kick in the teeth. This record is great. @lambofgod @revolvermag @craftrecordings

Norma Jean - Wrongdoers 2013/2024 - Razor & Tie/Craft Records 12” - Orange w/ Black Splatter Originally released in August of 2013, I was still existing in a numbed cloud of despair and confusion. Two months prior, my entire world had flipped upside down. While I had been a fan of past NJ albums, I didn’t consider myself a “big fan.” They were good, but I’m not writing home about it - then I heard Wrongdoers. Combining elements of progressive, sludge, metalcore, and straight up chaos, this record hit me like a ton of bricks. Opener Hive Minds is not only one of my favorite NJ songs, but it’s one of my favorite songs period. I like music that takes me on a journey; it could be a short trip to the other side of the room, or it might be an hours walk, but the journey is still relayed through the music. Hive Minds feels like a dizzying and frenetic car ride with brief moments of clarity - like you’re traveling down a dusty gravel road that twists and turns, spitting up rocks behind you as you accelerate, while you think about the choices you’ve made that led you there. The timing of this release couldn’t have been more appropriate. The production across the album is great - nice and thick with each instrument comfortably occupying its place. Vocally, Brandan sounds on top of his game, mixing his throaty screams with some of his best clean sung melodies. There’s a sense of urgency to this record that I like to hear from musicians - the songs have purpose and aren’t there just to excuse more touring. My only criticism of this particular vinyl pressing is how low the volume is - I’m not sure if that was intentional or not, but I do have to adjust some EQ settings as well crank the volume knob to get this record blasting at an appropriately loud volume. @normajeanband @craftrecordings

Candy - Flipping 2024 - Triple B Records 12” - Clear w/ Blue/Red Twist Candy already dropped a strong contender for my AOTY with It’s Inside You (Relapse Records), so a follow up released this soon was a nice bonus. This band rules. As an aside - is anyone else getting GTA Vice City vibes from this album cover??? @candygonnadie @triplebrecords

Cyborg Octopus - Bottom Feeder 2024 - Silent Pendulum Records 12” - /25 “One off” variant This took a little while to get here (the actual album was released at the end of August/beginning of September- I think) but man am I stoked this is here and I can spin it. The new album from Cyborg Octopus was one of my favorite releases this year - each track is fun/memorable and the overall presentation of this physical piece is A+. This band just gets better and better with each release. Also, saxophone. @cyborgoctopusband @silent_pendulum_records

Full of Hell x Andrew Nolan - Scraping the Divine 2024 - Closed Casket Activities 12” - Yellow w/ Smoke I really love and enjoy listening to anything (everything) Andrew Nolan has his hands in. Dude just knows how to craft excellent music, whether it’s his solo electronic stuff, the industrial hardcore of Intensive Care, or his hip hop production under Wolfagram. I really love and enjoy listening to Full of Hell. They just nail that grindy hardcore itch that I find so compelling. They’re also quite adept at changing up their sound just enough where each records sounds (and feels) distinct. So, imagine how stoked I was to hear these two were combing forces? Very. This isn’t the first time they’ve grouped up but it feels like the most crucial. This is one of the most cohesive sounding collaborations from them - Full of Hell is a little more spacey here, Nolan meshing in beautifully. This record is exactly what I wanted, but not even close to what I expected. Bravo. @fullofhell @wolfagram @closedcasketactivities