Mercyful Fate | Don’t Break the Oath This one doesn’t hit quite the same as Melissa. First world metal problems. It’s kinda like saying I’ll take the lobster but I really wanted steak. King’s discography is treasure chest of vital metal tracks. #metalsky #nowspinning m.youtube.com/watch?v=gU0h...

Pleb | Grease Trap 2026 has bestowed upon us so many metal gifts, it defies comprehension in the best possible way. Found this under punk on Bandcamp. Not punk but absolutely fucking awesome. Filthy, grindy, deathy goodness. It’s name your price. #metalsky plebslow.bandcamp.com/album/grease...

GREASE TRAP, by Pleb

8 track album

plebslow.bandcamp.com

Testament | Live at Eindhoven Tracks from the Legacy performed live in 1987. These guys have just always sounded good and brought it live. Chuck Billy is the perfect thrash vocalist and no better guitar duo than Skolnick/Peterson. #metalsky #nowspinning m.youtube.com/watch?v=NLSB...

Death | Human Winding down the night with this familiar, warm blanket of perfect death metal. This album wasn’t simply a moment in time. If it were released today, it would be equally amazing. The songs, production and vibe remain immaculate. #metalsky #nowspinning m.youtube.com/watch?v=Ezvt...

Electric Hawk | II There’s something pure about instrumental metal like Pelican, Russian Circles, Animals as Leaders, etc. They use instrumentation alone to tell stories by means of feeling and tone. Electric Hawk is similarly adept. #metalsky #nowspinning electrichawk.bandcamp.com/album/electr...

Immolation | Descent 90’s style death metal. To quote Lloyd Christmas, “I like it a-lawt.” I’m struggling to keep track of all the excellent albums released this year. This is just a well-produced, incredibly solid piece of brutality. #metalsky #nowspinning immolation.bandcamp.com/album/descent

Overkill | I Hear Black Overkill might be the most consistently good thrash band. So many banging albums and no real clunkers. Many consider this their “worst” and it still jams. Bobby Blitz is a metal legend. They, like Kreator are ageless, live. #metalsky #nowspinning m.youtube.com/watch?v=12BA...

Metal and Beer: Noon Whistle, Lombard, IL | Gummypocalypse Hazy IPA An 8.2% gift from the gods. Gets you right shitcanned while not having that liquor taste so common in lesser high alcohol content IPAs. Enjoying with a Kreator album. Great brewery with beers for every palate.

The Casualties | Detonate 2026 has been one helluva year for heavy music. To quote Clark Griswold, this all has me whistling zip-a-dee-do-dah out my asshole. Detonate is quality heavy punk/hardcore well suited for metal fans. #punk #metalsky #nowspinning thecasualties.bandcamp.com/album/detonate

Pig Destroyer | Prowler in the Yard I hate when this happens. I should be listening to relaxing music, like Danzig, before bed. But, I start in on the grindcore. You know this one. It’s a classic that fucking rips from start to finish. #metalsky #nowspinning pigdestroyer.bandcamp.com/album/prowle...

Leng Tch’e | ManMadePredator This is pit-fuel grind. If you don’t like a song, give it a minute (literally) and there’s a new one to bash your skull in. The occasional movie clip lead-ins are a nice touch. Name your price on Bandcamp. #metalsky #nowspinning willowtip.bandcamp.com/album/manmad...

Surgikill/Violation Wound 7” Split The Surgikill track has the production vibes of Symphonies of Sickness-era Carcass. Violation Wound is Motörhead meets Pennywise from death metal legend, Chris Reifert, of all people. Fun stuff. #metalsky #nowspinning selfmadegod.bandcamp.com/album/split-19

Departed | No Redemption Hardcore from New Jersey. I love 7” records. They’re a short burst of music for when you just want to get a listening fix in. No frills here, just heavy, fist through drywall kinda songs - and that is a compliment. #metalsky #nowspinning m.youtube.com/watch?v=PfTO...

Nevermore | Self-Titled Warrel Dane and Jeff Loomis sound amazing, natch. Yet, this album still had an uphill battle. Much like Sanctuary played amidst a wave of thrash it didn’t fit with, this came at the end of a death metal wave. Still awesome. #metalsky #nowspinning m.youtube.com/watch?v=yBkt...

King Diamond | Abigail With Andy leaving the band I had to play this one tonight. Andy is an elite guitarist, not only in terms of skill, but by crafting leads that perfectly fit what’s going on around him. NGL - a big part of King Diamond is him on guitar. #metalsky #nowspinning

Sweet Cobra | Earth Somewhere between sludge, stoner metal and post-hardcore. This one was produced by Matt Talbott (Hum) and Kurt Ballou (for the uninitiated- guitarist of Converge and producer of a Mount Everest of excellent metal albums). #metalsky #nowspinning sweetcobra.bandcamp.com/album/earth

Running Wild |Under Jolly Roger Does power metal sometimes become a caricature of itself? Yes. That ain’t what this band or album is, though. It’s full of solid to great guitar work, vocals that would work for thrash and excellent songwriting. #metalsky #nowspinning m.youtube.com/watch?v=bJdN...

Left to Die | Initium Mortis Matt Harvey is insane. Last year, Gruesome released a masterpiece. Exhumed’s new album fucking rips. Now this? Early Mantas/Death songs fantastically brought back to life with flawless execution. #Metalsky #nowspinning lefttodiedeathmetal.bandcamp.com/album/initiu...

Russian Circles | Blood Year Counting the days until the new album drops. Existing stuff will have to do until then. This album is like all the others: top-notch songwriting, movement through variation - and fantastic overall sound. #metalsky #nowspinning russiancircles.bandcamp.com/album/blood-...

Poison Idea | War All the Time I will forever romanticize stuff like this and Animosity by COC. Those kinds of albums were the perfect encapsulation of thrash-leaning hardcore, skate culture and realizing the world is full of bullshit. #metalsky #nowspinning poisonidea.bandcamp.com/album/war-al...

Napalm Death | From Enslavement to Obliteration This line-up was nuts. Shane continued with ND and they’re unreal to this day. Lee and Cathedral are doom legends. Carcass is immortal. Harris influenced a generation of drummers. #metalsky #nowspinning napalmdeath.bandcamp.com/album/from-e...

Agressor | Satan’s Sodomy Hoping this doesn’t get flagged. French deathrash from before that was a thing. If you like early Destruction and Nasty Savage with a sprinkling of death metal, this is your bag. Raw, fast AF and heavy. #metalsky #nowspinning m.youtube.com/watch?v=0MTy...

Alice In Chains | Rainier Fog AIC isn’t grunge, they’re alt-metal. No knock against grunge. Forever listener of Mudhoney and other Sub-Pop bands, here. That said, this is the most 90’s album of AIC’s “new era” releases. Jar of Flies fans rejoice! #metalsky #nowspinning m.youtube.com/watch?v=lo2n...

Frozen Soul | No Place of Warmth Another great 2026 metal release. I’m way beyond a top 10 list for the year. At this pace, I’m gonna be busy in December writing about the trip round the sun that was. Gerard Way guest vox were 👍. #metalsky #nowspinning frozensoultx.bandcamp.com/album/no-pla...

Anthrax | Spreading the Disease. So many classic tracks on this album, despite the “NOT one hit single” sticker. I feel like Joey has become an even better singer over time - or maybe more dynamic is a better description. Either way, this shreds. #metalsky #nowspinning m.youtube.com/watch?v=nR_a...

Electric Hawk | Self-Titled Instrumental metal with tinges of Pelican and Leviathan-era Mastodon. The output and sound here is amazing for a 3-piece. I apparently have been asleep at the switch for missing out on these guys. #metalsky #nowspinning electrichawk.bandcamp.com/album/electr...

Cobra Fest 2026 | Tolono, IL Some pics from last night’s Cobra Fest. Cobra Fest is an annual music festival put on by Matt Talbott, lead singer of Hum at his bar/music venue, Loose Cobra. A fantastic showcase of bands of differing styles. Electric Hawk was a highlight for me. #metalsky #livemusic

Testament | The Ritual. Did this album show a decrease in raw heaviness compared to prior efforts? Yes. Did it produce several classic Testament songs? Also, yes. Time has spoken and this is still a metal classic, loaded with songs you all know. #metalsky #nowspinning m.youtube.com/watch?v=CjRx...

Morta Skuld | Nascency of the Prolific. This has two demos: Gory Departure and Prolong the Agony plus live material. These Milwaukee guys have a following across the border in Chicago. This stuff is true and pure early death metal. #metalsky #nowspinning mortaskulddeath.bandcamp.com/album/nascen...

Running Wild | Port Royal Anyone who reads my ramblings may have noticed I have a nostalgic soft spot for Noise Records releases. Here’s some fine pirate-inspired power metal from a band who definitely knows how to pull such a thing off. #metalsky #nowspinning m.youtube.com/watch?v=qAhG...