Heavy Metal Music in 2022

Heavy metal music is an aggressive genre of rock characterized by fast drum beats, shredding guitar riffs and anti-establishment lyrics – made popular during the 80s by bands such as Metallica, Slayer and Anthrax.

2022 marked a return of heavy metal with several prominent bands releasing albums that demonstrated their modern sound. Here are some of the highlights.

Wormrot – Hiss

Wormrot of Singapore have released Hiss – their fourth record and follow up to 2016’s Voices – as their fourth full length offering of intense grindcore aggression. Featuring Arif (Vocals), Rasyid (Guitar) and Vijesh (Drums), Hiss showcases modern grindcore like no other work has before it. With Vijesh on drums as part of the core trio this album pushes genre boundaries even further than before.

This album begins with the serene flow of water, mirroring the beautiful imagery on its cover, but this serenity quickly dissipates when the band blasts into an unforgiving torrent of brutality – with relentless riffing and hideous vocals assaulting listeners without mercy or regard.

Though Hiss’ tracks move quickly, they feature plenty of variation within them. Breakneck tempos, blocky riffs and fierce vocals are present; yet this album also demonstrates an unexpected emotional depth which adds dimension to its harsh soundscape.

The album also explores new territory when it comes to songwriting. Unrecognizable, for example, features an explosive twelve-second burst of gurgling lows and shrieking highs over classic Wormrot drumming; Broken Maze offers a dark jazz groove through gloomy guitars and aggressive drumming; while Hatred Transcending provides a mosher riff and group vocals perfect for circle pit performances.

Hiss proves that the stripped-back approach to grind metal remains relevant today. Wormrot don’t shy away from exploring other genres either, without engaging in self-indulgent pretentiousness that would alienate fans looking for pure grind metal. Instead, the band adapts other styles to meet its own requirements and uses them effectively.

Doldrum – The Knocking

Doldrum – The Knocking is an engaging and captivating record despite its seemingly dull title. The band have an intuitive grasp of their sound, and are adept at using it in an organic manner without feeling forced. Not simply singing vocals over off-kilter blast beats; Doldrum creates its own world that draws listeners in with its dark yet wonderful narrative.

Doldrum have elements of avant-garde black metal bands such as Lugubrum and Ved Buens Ende, without going too far out with their style. Their music displays an expert handling of progressive black metal themes while simultaneously including post-black metal elements – it would easily make my list of favorite records of 2022!

“Yaotiacahuanetzli” and “Eltequi” showcase this ensemble’s powerful mix. Vocalists boast powerful growls that would rumble the earth while punchy hardcore influence adds punchy hardcore moments; what really stands out is the record’s emphasis on indigenous culture and pride; from lyrics to artwork this album serves as an impassioned declaration of pride and defiance.

At an impressive 24-tracks long, this record packs quite the wallop for a band that has never released a full-length. Not just rerecorded from their 2020 demo, this release serves up an entirely new piece that tells a fuller narrative than its predecessor. Truly impressive work from one of the most promising progressive black metal acts on the scene today!

Aveilut – Aveilut

Brendon Randall-Myers found Aveilut during a period of profound sorrow: his aunt and friend had both passed during COVID lockdown, coupled with an equally devastating breakup that brought new layers of hurt into his life. Running helped him cope, but writing more expressive music would also help. Together with Doug Moore (Pyrrhon), an accomplished vocalist capable of producing wide-ranging tirades, Brendon joined forces to compose five interlocking instrumentals into an emotionally upheaval suite called Aveilut.

Aveilut manages the impressive feat of creating an intense record about death that sounds life-affirming. Their album captures how loss actually feels, with moments of misery followed by flashes of hope and bouts of anger all bundled together into one chaotic mess that differs significantly from any clean Kubler-Ross progression.

Aveilut’s instrumentals are its strength. Resonant guitar harmonies and drumbeats wreak havoc, but every disconcerting shift reveals another musical trick to disorient listeners’ senses. “V” represents its harmonic peak: when too many guitars unite into an ascending riff reminiscent of SkyThala-lite music.

Lyrically, their album’s content is both profound and complex. “Mourning” in Hebrew refers to all aspects of death from loss of family to inability to accept own mortality; and also addresses how our death detaches us from those we’ve loved before – with Moore’s sinister screams serving as a powerful reminder. No other band could possibly approach these themes with as much depth and skill.

Heriot – Profound Morality

Heriot are an up and coming band in British heavy music scene who have only recently found their foothold. Already they’ve made waves at smaller UK festivals like Rolo Tomassi’s show as well as supporting Lamb Of God at one time before taking on Download Festival, Slam Dunk Festival and Standon Calling this summer – featuring their debut EP as they do so! Located out of Birmingham.

Profound Morality introduces us to Heriot as a group that’s unafraid of taking risks with their sound or music, daring us all with genre fusions that seem familiar yet still feel fresh and unique. Heriot showcase their versatility on their slow ‘n’ low title track where Debbie seduces us while wielding an enormous, heavy groove – truly crushing. There’s an art to being truly crushing; Heriot have perfected their craft on this release.

On this album there are nods to Heriot’s roots in Swindon and Birmingham – particularly Birmingham being known for being home of Black Sabbath and Napalm Death among many others – which can be heard through its sound with industrial, metalcore and post rock influences mixed together seamlessly to provide an engaging listen. Overall it provides Heriot with the opportunity to show they’re more than just another metalcore band.

Profound Morality marks an outstanding debut from Heriot, and will no doubt set them up well for an exciting summer of live performance. They will likely play to bigger crowds than they’re used to and hopefully that can push their music even further. If they continue delivering quality and energy like on this album then Heriot could easily become an international success!

Memory Theater – Memory Theater

Memory Theater takes us on an adventurous and captivating journey, where destiny remains open-ended, life is an act and magic can happen at any moment. Karin Tidbeck has created her most captivating and irresistible tale yet.

The story follows a group of children who are abducted from their own world and taken to another universe ruled by immortal aristocrats ruled by immoral principles; forced to serve them, these kids lead miserable lives until rescue arrives from somewhere beyond. One of the children, Thistle, decides to leave and try to reclaim his name and locate his family by heading towards an institution known as The Theatre of Memory. This Theater is a physical manifestation of Giulio Camillo Delminio’s “memory palace” concept from 16th century philosophy. Delminio theorized that anyone could create an immense “theater” which contained all knowledge available on earth – so much that anyone stepping inside it could experience all its knowledge at once!

Tidbeck’s apocalyptic epic tale, while sometimes delving into hermetic philosophy that may remind some readers of Tidbeck’s earlier works, remains an engaging read with moments of earthy humor, classic Shakespeare-cum-carny camaraderie, mature themes and vivid images while maintaining children’s story wonderment.

Thistle, Dora and Augusta all feel strongly connected to their home communities; thus the narrative threading throughout is designed to show their sense of belonging within it. In many ways this novel serves as a meditation on community as a whole as we discover more of ourselves and each other.