January, often the longest feeling period of the year, started very slowly. Many artists chose to release their albums or EPs, which they all worked very hard on, a bit later in the month to grab as much attention as possible, while many of us were still in a deep holiday hibernation. In the end, we closed it with fantastic new music from countless bands and solo artists; however, the ones below, in my humble opinion, deserve special attention. Don’t let them slip your mind as we move through the rest of the year.
Searows – Death in the Business of Whaling
Genre: Indie Folk
Country: US
Release Date: 23rd January
Musings for the times when waves of sadness wash over your mind. It’s an album perfect for those grey, foggy mornings where everything blurs into one. It forces you to confront its narratives and overwhelming melancholy. It is the perfect soundtrack for the never-ending month, gentle on the ears as you listen to delicate guitars, the strings gently picked and accompanied by beautifully sung poetry.
Bödel – Dödsbringaren
Genre: Crust / Hardcore
Country: Sweden
Release Date: 31st January
What do you do with your time living in a collapsing city in the middle of the Swedish vastness? You start a hardcore band, and you scream at the top of your lungs about it. This is an ode to living in a decaying landscape, abandoned, yet still miraculously alive. It is kept alive by the blooming voices of a younger generation that has simply had enough of the bullshit from those in power who let it all happen.
Dagger Threat – bleed///reboot
Genre: Metalcore / Hardcore
Country: Germany
Release Date: 23rd January
The band has been raging within the European metalcore and hardcore scene for the last ten years. To celebrate this milestone, they’ve released their third album, a record packed with enough aggression and intensity to mangle you in the mosh pit. Sound-wise, if you’re a fan of Slipknot, the influence really shines through, and if you loved last year’s release from Paleface Swiss, you will 100% enjoy this. I’ll even dare to say they go even harder than the predecessors.
Feels Like Heaven – Within Dreams
Genre: Melodic Hardcore
Country: Sweden
Release Date: 1st January
This debut album will hit you right in your feels with its emo spells and high-speed sound. If you’re a fan of Speedway, who released a fantastic punk record last year, you won’t want to miss this, as the same people are behind the wheel of both projects. It seems there is a lot of incredible music coming out of Scandinavia this year, and we only just ended January.
Hällas – Panorama
Genre: Adventure Rock
Country: Sweden
Release Date: 30th January
It’s a fantasy world that is packed into the synth-laden, danceable fourth studio album. It’s feel-good classic rock that will instantly put you in a great mood. If you’re a fan of long, winding songs, the opening track is a 23-minute epic, perfect for hooking you right into this tale of adventure. Their realm is glowing and bloody. Chant with me: “Face of an angel with the devil’s blood.” They play around with the very best of ’70s and ’80s progressive rock has to offer.
Gylt – In 1000 Agonies, I Exist
Genre: Hardcore Punk
Country: US
Release Date: 16th January
If you only have twelve minutes to spare, this short but absolutely not sweet EP will take you on a rollercoaster of thrashy, fast-paced, harrowing, and punk-drenched hymns. This ode to pain and suffering feels like the scream we all want to let out from time to time. In situations where we can’t let the lungs rip from our throats, this short offering from Gylt will more than enough.
Stabbing – Eon Of Obscenity
Genre: Death Metal
Country: US
Release Date: 30th January
Thirty minutes of pure torment: that is Eon of Obscenity, the sophomore brutal death metal offering from Stabbing. It is harrowing and uncomfortable in the most vile of ways, and that’s a compliment. The gutturals by vocalist Bridget Lynch are insane, carrying you through fast tempos and rounds of rapid-fire, punching drums and drilling riffs. It’s a solid, brutal slam offering that will keep you going through these unruly times.
Hot Face – Automated Response
Genre: Psych-Punk
Country: UK
Release Date: 23rd January
Another “free-range” debut, this time from the UK misfits Hot Milk. Recorded in a single take at Abbey Road in front of a rowdy audience, it’s fun and gritty in all the right places. It makes you feel slightly feverish during whatever quest you’re undertaking as it blasts through your headphones. This one is meant to be heard at full volume, a must-listen for any punk lover.
Backengrillen – Backengrillen
Genre: Death-Jazz
Country: Sweden
Release Date: 23rd January
This record took only four days to materialise, and its insanity of sounds, inspirations, and genre-bending, fueled by a lifetime of musical experience and plain silliness in the studio, put the biggest smile on my face. I think it might just do the same for you. If you’re a fan of completely unhinged music with a little bit (or a lot) of pure jazz suave in the mix, this record is for you. Death-Jazz from ex-members of Refused? Yes, please! An anti-fascist, anti-racist premise? Hell fucking yes!
Main Era – IV of Wands
Genre: Indie / Post-Hardcore
Country: US
Release Date: 23rd January
What happens when a band decides to move in together? Main Era created this record as a living, breathing documentary of that grounded, intuitive chapter of their collective lives. Recorded in a DIY studio, you can practically feel the sound bouncing off the walls, soaked in their memories and energy. These four songs break down barriers, taking you on a wonderful journey of the creative freedom they found within the safety of their own home.
Westside Cowboy – So Much Country ‘Till We Get There
Genre: Alternative Rock
Country: UK
Release Date: 16th January
Westside Cowboy has created a very special new genre of alternative music, self-proclaimed “Britainicana.” Coming from a generation that grew up under the constant shadow of American cultural influence, with movies and music ever-present in our lives, they have broken free from “the dumb American dream” to create something new and more connected to our own part of the world. This little EP is hopeful, gentle, and honest. For these newcomers to the alt scene, it is a confirmation of their ever-growing talent. Watch them blow up in the next few years!
Blackwater Holylight – Not Here Not Gone
Genre: Doom / Indie
Country: US
Release Date: 30th January
This fourth record makes you “shoegaze” through the entire album’s length. Filled with siren-like angelic vocals and chunky riffs, it strikes a perfect balance between the delicate and the powerful. This juxtaposition of vulnerability and pure raging power is what keeps you hooked until the very end. You can hear the maturity of the band. These songs had time to breathe before being recorded, making the album feel authentic and intentional. This is a must-listen from the January releases and a definite contender for the top ten at the end of the year.