Noise rock, extreme metal and post-punk have often gone hand-in-hand, with the genres overlapping sonically and often sharing fans. If you, dear reader, are one of those fans, then we have a treat for you today: a complete stream of Wax Donut Records‘ new compilation, New Wave Donut: A Raucous Tribute to the Birth of Post-Punk. An eight-track LP that collects noise rock, punk and metal bands that the label has worked with, as well as a crop of new bands discovered via the internet, artists were given free reign on the song they wanted to cover as long as it’s a ’70s or ’80s new wave or po ..read more

When musicians with considerable metal chops decide to head in another direction, the results are usually interesting and often riveting. Case in point: the post-punk duo Dreamwheel, featuring Evan Linger (Skeletonwitch, Cultist) and Julia Gaeta (Madrigal, ex-Albez Duz, ex-Restless Ghosts). The pair got together during the pandemic and bonded over their American roots and love of big ‘80s choruses, shoegaze, and indie rock. Decibel premiered the earliest material and is excited to share the debut video for their new song, “Redeemer,” from their pending eponymous EP.  The song is both sad ..read more

For a track heavy on the “un” theme, we can add “unexpected,” as in, this tune from members of sludge metal quartet Norska and YOB bassist Aaron Rieseberg, is in a different musical realm than the members’ other bands. Simple Forms are a Portland, Oregon quintet—Aaron Rieseberg (bass), Dustin Rieseberg (guitar), Ben Stoller (drums/synth), Rob Shaffer (guitar) and Jason Oswald (vocals/keyboards)—that dabbles in dark sounds, but not the usual metallic fare. “Unprecedented Uncertainty” harks back to Seattle circa 1991, with its rumbling Soundgarden/Gruntruck rhythms, Alice in Chains vocal harmoni ..read more

Let’s just say that in the last thirty years that vocalist Damien Moyal has been active in the the extreme music scene, he’s been pretty prolific. And not necessarily predictably so. Before we consider what he’s currently up to, a brief survey of his past work/discography shows stints in a host of hardcore/metallic hardcore/metalcore bands, including Morning Again, Shai Hulud, Culture, As Friends Rust, On Bodies and a whole bunch of other short-lived projects. More recently, Moyal has put his energies into Damien Done, a post-punk/goth outfit he’s dabbled in since the early ’00s. We’re premier ..read more

In the crazy, mixed-up music world of the early ’90s when bands like Unsane, Melvins and Helmet found their way onto major labels, the ugly monstrosity that is AmRep-style noise rock was suddenly given a mainstream platform. And it didn’t go well. The music was fine, but there was clearly no appetite for the it outside of the underground. But, if Louisville, Kentucky trio Bad Wires are any indication, the underground still embraces the chaos. These dudes—Corey Cottrell (bass/vocals), Conner Johnson (guitar/vocals), Jerry Wilcox (drums/vibes)—make no bones about their love of punchy, staccato r ..read more

Deck out your black hearse with neon headlights and turn up the radio. In an alternate reality, the new Widow Rings single “A Little Forever” would be blasting in new wave clubs in 1982. Picture the goth crowd rolling in after midnight as fog machines obscure the dance floor. While the Virginian post-punks are trapped in this unfortunate timeline, their song is a seductive singalong ear-worm no matter the decade. While the band reveres goth rock pioneers, this song isn’t a stiff reanimation of tired tropes. The momentum of the pulsing synth and bass inspires urgency. Later, the song reaches fe ..read more

Leeds post-punkers Blacklisters offer their own take on headbanging with their new single, “Why Deny It?” This isn’t about horns-in-the-air, neck-snapping headbanging, though. It’s more like banging your head against a wall in frustration, a la Charlie Brown. The abrasive/snarky quartet—Billy Mason-Wood (vocals), Steve Hodson (bass), Dan Beesley (guitar), Alistair Stobbart (drums)—have had it with everything, and are apparently just succumbing to the inevitable on this skronky, stilted noise fest. As Mason-Wood yelps, “I’m in a constant state of disappointment!” The track is angry, self-deprec ..read more

When someone asks me my favorite active bands, I always mention Wailin Storms. They do necessitate the Decibel disclaimer: they’re not an extreme metal band. But their music is heavy, their lyrics haunting, and their live show furious. They have constantly sharpened their Southern Gothic doom punk since 2012, when lead vocalist/guitarist Justin Storms unveiled the project’s cemetery blues with Bone Colored Moon. Over the decade since, Storms moved the project to North Carolina and has released knockout records at a steady clip averaging two years. Now I’m honored to share the new Wailin Storms ..read more

Fair warning: if you’re sensitive to strobe effects, the new video from noisy Portuguese sludgelords, Process of Guilt, may pose a problem. “Victims” is a simple video conceptually—the band playing in a circle in a dark room—shot in stark black and white, with bold stamps of lyrical text used for emphasis throughout. It also features a near constant flashing of various affected light sources that mimic the tension in the nearly seven minute song. “Victims” kicks off with a lively tribal rhythm that offers nods to both Helmet and Roots-era Sepultura, before it transitions into a noisy repetiti ..read more

Seattle industrial noise trio (previously just a duo), Haunted Horses, are not going to bother with melody or subtlety or generally playing nice. No, they wield their music like a harsh punishment meted out to promote behavior correction. Or just wreck eardrums. Whatever instruments the three musicians—Myke Pelly (drums), Colin Dawson (vocals/guitar/electronics), Brian McClelland (bass)—are utilizing on their new single, “The Garden,” it sounds as though they are all being routed through a stack of distortion pedals, with the final mix abraded by sandpaper. It’s dense, punchy, jagged and blown ..read more