UNSIGNED AND UNHOLY: THE NO-PARTICULAR-THEME EDITION

• Mass Murder Messiah: Uber-groovy hardcore-meets-thrash. I’d describe their sound as “Danish metal” — you know, that hardcore tone and sensibility with a dash of Scandinavian death/thrash melody — except they’re actually from Montreal. I’m headbanging; you should headbang to their entire new album for free right here.
• Painted Rust: Members of Tombs, Dystrophy and Grimus fill the ranks of this Brooklyn outfit which specializes in the dirtiest, grindiest breed of death metal imaginable. Listening not advisable if you’re a germophobe.
• The Apocryphal Order: Uber-up-tempo death/thrash in the vein of a less technical Revocation from the Faroe Islands, whose 50,000 inhabitants are described by reader “Crucifier of Children” as ” the world’s grimmest, most frostbitten and whale-killing members of the human race.” Fair enough; their metal is pretty damn good too.

-VN