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Canada’s filthiest and most fearlessly unwashed rock outfit, Sons of Butcher, are officially back in the shop. The band have announced a brand-new four-track EP titled Skids, set to drop on 27th March 2026. It marks a fresh, greasy chapter for the group after a decade-long hiatus, and they’ve kicked things off with a high-speed, … Continue reading Sons of Butcher fire up the grill with “Makin’ Bacon” video and new EP ‘Skids’

“Sleeping Giant” was always a standout song for me on Mastodon’s Blood Mountain. After two thrashy, pummeling tracks, “Sleeping Giant” slows the pace and ups the atmosphere, doling out chunky riffs and creepy leads. Its name aptly captures its role on Blood Mountain, feeling like the stirrings of an album (and a band) with gigantic aspirations. Speaking of slow risers, Iceland’s Sleeping Giant has finally roused for their first LP after forming in 2006.¹ It’s eminently plausible that this sludgy stoner-doom sextet derives their moniker from the Blood Mountain song, seeing as they cite early Mastodon as a sonic touchstone. Though it would be unfair to expect The Beauty of Obliteration to make as big a first impression as Remission, it’s more than fair to expect a debut with punishing riffs, gnarly vocals, and some curveballs.

The Beauty of Obliteration demonstrates some mighty fine riff-smithing. This may be because Sleeping Giant—expanding upon the maxim that ‘two heads are better than one’—is working with three heads. The guitar Cerberus of Finnbogi Jökull, Árni Björn Björnsson, and Guðmundur Eiríksson wield an arsenal of doomy dirges (“Conqueror”), stonery shuffles (“Abysmal Flame”), and thrashy assaults (“Venom Ripper, Gorgon Blaster”). Some of these riffs even go straight to the source, boasting a Sabbathy swagger (“The Monk”). Early Mastodon certainly resonates throughout, but the guitarwork makes it clear that these Icelanders also get High on Fire. Indeed, the recurring shifts between stoner-doom and thrash, coupled with the beefy guitar tones, summon the presence of latter-day Matt Pike. But Sleeping Giant aren’t just their three-headed guitar monster; drummer Ásmundur Jóhannsson and bassist Einar Darri Einarsson hold down the low end. Einarsson in particular shines, tastefully filling up negative space with bluesy runs (“Conqueror”).

Rounding out Sleeping Giant’s lineup is vocalist Oddur Freyr Þorsteinsson, who gives The Beauty of Obliteration a death metal edge. Thusly calling the band death-doom, though, wouldn’t be accurate—’necrotic stoner-doom’ is my best attempt at describing the band’s layering of an extreme aesthetic over a mostly traditional riffing style. Þorsteinsson possesses a powerful guttural, reminding me of the low registers of Travis Ryan and Randy Blythe. He even dips into some slimy gurgling on “The Monk” as it shifts into a faster, more melodic gear. Though these gurgles provide contrast, it’s a contrast that doesn’t necessarily add to or accentuate the part. This gurgling is a microcosm of how I feel about the vocals on The Beauty of Obliteration as a whole. They are performed well and don’t overtly clash with the instrumentation, and yet I’m not sure if they are doing anything other than marking Sleeping Giant as ‘extreme.’

As a unit, Sleeping Giant have molded a debut that roves between riff styles, for better or worse. “Conqueror” and “Mobilizer of Evil” map out the terrain the rest of the album explores, showing a band comfortable with both low and high BPMs. “The Monk” gets closest to the kind of unhinged glory of early Mastodon, though its shift from doom to thrash feels a bit redundant, even at this early juncture in the album. The biggest curveball on The Beauty of Obliteration is its penultimate track, “Venom Rippers, Gorgon Blaster.” A thrash ripper under three minutes, it’s an enlivening change of pace from tracks that otherwise hover between four and nine minutes. It’s also an effective transition between the orgiastic riff-fest of “Slay the King of Hell” (my favorite track) and the closer. “Abysmal Flame” starts strong with a chunky monkey that morphs into an almost melodeath-style earworm. The sparse, feedbacky ending, however, is an underwhelming sendoff.

Their namesake may create unrealistic expectations, but Sleeping Giant has delivered the goods with their long-awaited debut. At 6 tracks in 35 minutes, The Beauty of Obliteration is a tight, well-produced package with tons of hummable riffs. Though the songwriting is by no means bad, the riffs themselves feel more noteworthy than the songs they populate. The gutturals give Sleeping Giant a different vibe than typical stoner-doom, but I hope that future outings see the vocals actively serving the songs more. If you dig giant riffs, you won’t want to sleep on these Icelanders.

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Rating: 3.0/5.0
DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: V4 OR ~316 kb/s VBR mp3
Label: Octopus Rising (sub-label of Argonauta Records)
Websites: Bandcamp | Facebook | Instagram
Releases Worldwide: February 6th, 2026

The post Sleeping Giant – The Beauty of Obliteration Review appeared first on Angry Metal Guy.

To celebrate Tomas “Tompa” Lindberg’s legacy, At The Gates will release their final studio album with him on vocals. Entitled The Ghost Of A Future Dead, it comes out on the 24th of April 2026 via Century Media Records. The first single, “The Fever Mask”, is available for streaming together with an official music video.
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Death metal outfit Varrim premiere their new single Carnography, a crushing track that dives into themes of carnage, obsession and the corruption of flesh. Driven by serrated riffs, oppressive atmosphere and an unapologetic intensity. The song delivers the band’s most focused and violent material to date. Carnography showcases Varrim refining their sound into something heavier, […]

This summer, Elder will be touring around Europe performing at several festivals as wells as a string of headline club shows. Check out the tour flyer below.
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Essex-born folk troubadour Beans on Toast is hitting the road with his full band next month to celebrate his latest record, Kill Them With Kindness. Released back in December on his birthday, as is tradition, the album is a proper deep dive into the state of the world – tackling everything from the rise of … Continue reading Beans on Toast announces full band tour for March 2026

Earlier today, another batch of bands slated to play this year’s Fire In The Mountains festival were announced by organizers. And given the inclusions, it’s hard to imagine a world where folks would willingly decide not to head out to this thing.

When the festival takes place this July, it will be host to Agalloch performing an Ashes Against The Grain set, Amigo The Devil, and a performance of Between Two Worlds by Abbath, Ice Dale, and Armagedda. That last one is a special treat, since it’s an extremely rare occurrence.

With today’s additions, the festival’s bill is as follows:

• Special Guest Headliner [to be announced]
• 16 Horsepower
• Enslaved
• Between Two Worlds
• Baroness
• Amigo the Devil
• Borknagar (U.S. exclusive)
• Agalloch
• Yob (presented by Firekeeper Alliance)
• The Ruins of Beverast (U.S. exclusive)
• SubRosa
• Full of Hell (presented by Firekeeper Alliance)
• Gallowbraid (U.S. exclusive)
• Sigh
• Wayfarer
• Old Man Gloom
• Raven Chacon & Iggor Cavalera
• Midwife
• Dreadnought
• Phobophilic
• Tarantella
• Yaotl Mictlan
• Savage Oath
• Galvanist
• Nocturne
• El Welk

Billed as an “immersive, open-air music and cultural event that merges heavy music with natural landscapes and Indigenous cultural experiences,” Fire In The Mountains works extensively to ensure the event adheres to the Blackfoot Nation’s values. As such, it should be noted that since the festival is taking place on Blackfeet Nation land, the festival is a completely dry event. That means no booze, drugs, or any other intoxicants, since organizers want the festival to focus on tackling the scourge of suicide, which plagues the indigenous population here in the U.S.

Check out the various packages on offer over on the festival website. Festival tickets, VIP, all camping types, BBQ, and parking packages are all currently available and some may be more suited for you and your group than others.

So if the idea of camping out and listening to crushing metal music in the majestic American wilderness without any intoxicants intruigues you, then head over to get your tickets right now and book your trip.

The post Agalloch, Between Two Worlds, and More Announced for Fire In The Mountains appeared first on MetalSucks.

One of which is a makeup date.

The post Greyhaven Announce Two March Headlining Shows appeared first on Theprp.com.

Every week the Stereogum staff chooses the five best new songs of the week. The eligibility period begins and ends Thursdays right before midnight. You can hear this week’s picks below and on Stereogum’s Favorite New Music Spotify playlist, which is updated weekly. (An expanded playlist of our new music picks is available to members on Spotify and Apple Music, updated throughout the week.)

The post The 5 Best Songs Of The Week appeared first on Stereogum.

Gus G. is ready to deliver his fifth solo album, Steel Burner, on April 24th. The 10-piece outing was mixed and mastered by Dennis Ward. To taste a first piece of the new music, give a spin to the single titled “Steel Burner”.
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