Scroll to the bottom of this article to listen to tracks from all of the new releases this week.
Here is the Cutting Edge Metal team’s roundup of this week’s essential new metal releases…
Burner - No One Is Coming to Save Us
Genre: Death Metal/Hardcore
About: Burner return with their second full-length, following 2023’s It All Returns to Nothing, expanding their aggressive sound with atmospheric and post-metal elements. The London band, formed in 2021, explore humanity’s cycles of violence, war and social collapse across the album. Released through Church Road Records, the record also features guest vocals from Matthew K. Heafy of Trivium, Josh Middleton of Sylosis and Anthony Lucero of Cult Leader. Listen on Spotify.
Zealot Cult - Psalms of Filth
Genre: Death Metal
About: Eight years after their debut Spiritual Sickness, Limerick’s Zealot Cult return with a second full-length rooted firmly in old-school death metal. Psalms of Filth broadens their approach with darker atmospheres, doom-laden passages, melodic guitar work and more expansive arrangements while retaining the band’s trademark brutality. The album arrives through Awakening Records. Listen on Spotify.
Critical Defiance - Rivers of Blood
Genre: Thrash Metal
About: Chilean thrash outfit Critical Defiance continue their progression with their fourth full-length, following Misconception, No Life Forms and The Search Won’t Fall. Formed in 2010 in the Valparaíso region, the band combine high-speed riffing and technical precision with darker, more aggressive songwriting on Rivers of Blood. The album is released through Dying Victims Productions, with the title track and “Valparaíso” highlighting the record’s themes of violence, memory and decay. Listen on Spotify.
Skumstrike - Flawless Intrigue from Hell
Genre: Black/Speed Metal/Punk
About: Montreal’s Skumstrike follow their 2022 debut Deadly Intrusions with a second full-length built around speed metal aggression, thrash and death-metal intensity. Flawless Intrigue from Hell was released through Dying Victims Productions and includes ten tracks, culminating in a cover of Abigail’s “Satanic Metal Fucking Hell.” The album continues the Canadian trio’s raw and relentlessly fast approach. Listen on Spotify.
Noctule - Extinguish Thy Flame
Genre: Atmospheric Black Metal
About: Serena Cherry’s Noctule project returns with its second full-length, following 2021’s Wretched Abyss, this time turning its attention from Skyrim to FromSoftware’s Elden Ring. Extinguish Thy Flame draws its entire lyrical and thematic concept from the game, with songs focusing on characters, locations and mythology including Malenia, Mohg, Miquella and the Omen King. The London-based solo project remains independently released, with Cherry handling all instruments, vocals, songwriting and lyrics. Listen on Spotify.
Brat - Manslayer
Genre: Grindcore/Powerviolence/Death Metal
About: New Orleans’ Brat push their abrasive “bimboviolence” style further on Manslayer, the follow-up to their 2024 debut Social Grace. The album combines primitive death metal, thrash and swamp-drenched hardcore, while its lyrics draw heavily on themes of female revenge and retaliation. Manslayer also features guest appearances from David Davidson and Candace Buckingham and was released through Prosthetic Records. Listen on Spotify.
Victims of Contagion - Egregore
Genre: Technical Death Metal
About: Pittsburgh technical death metal veterans Victims of Contagion return with Egregore, their second full-length following 2019’s Lamentations of the Flesh Bound. The band combine high-speed technical playing, neoclassical guitar work, polyrhythmic arrangements and progressive experimentation across the seven-track album. Egregore also features guest guitar from Chris Poland on “Forced March.” Listen on Spotify.
Profanation - Ultra-Noise Warfare
Genre: Death Metal/Grindcore
About: French deathgrind unit Profanation expand on their 2023 mini-album Skull Crushing Violence with their debut full-length, Ultra-Noise Warfare. The Paris-based band deliver a short, uncompromising assault that combines primitive death metal, grindcore and blackened extremity across nine tracks. The album is released through Iron Bonehead Productions. Listen on Spotify.
Contract Killer - You Hate I Hate
Genre: Thrash Metal/Crossover/Hardcore
About: Los Angeles crossover outfit Contract Killer follow their 2025 release Born of Hate with the four-track EP You Hate I Hate. Released through Maggot Stomp, the record continues the band’s blend of thrash metal, crossover and hardcore. With just over two minutes of music, the EP keeps its approach brief and direct. Listen on Spotify.
Barren - Verderf
Genre: Death Metal/Grindcore/Crust Punk
About: Belgian grind/death outfit Barren return with their second full-length, Verderf, following their debut I. Formed in 2017, the Flanders-based band have built their sound around a self-described “chainsaw grind” approach that combines the buzzsaw character of Swedish death metal with frantic grindcore. The album is released through Selfmadegod Records. Listen on Spotify.
Swinery - The Swine Machine
Genre: Deathcore
About: Iowa deathcore band Swinery return with The Swine Machine, their latest full-length following Swinery II. Formed in 2014, the band’s catalog has also included material from the Christian grindcore scene, while their current work is rooted in deathcore. The album is independently released and continues Swinery’s focus on Christianity and inner struggles. Listen on Spotify.
And the unearthed and on rotation underground bands this week include: Serpent Skies
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