FRESH MEAT FRIDAY - March 12th, 2021, Feat. Underking, Rise To The Sky, Necropanther, and WitchTit

On (regrettably infrequent) Fridays, a wagon arrives at the Sleeping Village’s crumbling gates, stuffed to the brim with our sustenance for the following week. Today is the day we must offload all this week's new and noteworthy music, and so, in the process, we thought it would be worthwhile to share some of our choice picks from this veritable mass of fresh meat. This is what we’ll be--and have been--listening to this week at the Village HQ. We hope you join us in doing so! 

Note: All of today's releases are independently released, which is a direction we're increasingly trying to move with this column. Show 'em some support!

​On the docket for today, March 12th, 2021:
 Underking, Rise To The Sky, Necropanther, and WitchTit

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Underking - Red Sun Rises (Single)

Look, if you're sick of me talking about the majesty that is one-man act Underking, you're just gonna have to get over it. His forthcoming album At Hell's Gate is already one of my most-listened-to albums o' the year, and the track before ye is one of many reasons why. "Red Sun Rises" presents some really nicely paced trad metal, accompanied by the same killer vocals we've come to expect. In classic Underking fashion, this one is inspired by Théoden's speech at Pelennor fields. In other words, it is practically imbued with that sweet, sweet Rohirrim gallop. Bottom line: if you enjoy deep of heavy metal as a general rule, you owe it to yerself to check out this absolute banger of a track. 

Find it on bandcamp here!

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Rise To The Sky - Let Me Drown With You

I mentioned this over on the ol' Twitter last night, but it bears repeating. Back in January, when we premiered a track from this beast of an album, I was pretty impressed. But after weeks of listening, I can comfortably say that this is one of the best death-doom albums I've heard in a very long time. It's moody, and dense, and emotional, and remarkably intense. I spent last night sitting in the back yard doing the 1000-yard stare with this album cranked to 11, and the experience predictably delivered the perfect blend of thoughtful melancholy and subtle glimmer of triumph that this album is founded upon. Rise To The Sky is the real deal. Let there be no doubt of that.

​Find it on bandcamp here!

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Necropanther - In Depths We Sleep

For Necropanther--CO's multifaceted genre chameleons-- every new release feels like a bit of a revelation. This is due to the fact that their sound is intrinsically flexible; each band member takes a turn at the songwriting helm, resulting in a widely varied palate. In this case, a newfound underwater aesthetic is brought to us by guitarist Paul Anop. While not completely abandoning their blackened elements of yore, ​the 4-track In Depths We Sleep leans into the doom, featuring a prominent melodic bent and a bleakly atmospheric angle.

​Another swing, another hit. This crew demonstrates yet again that they are are masters when it comes to delivering consistently innovative metal.

​Find it on bandcamp here!

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WitchTit - Intoxicating Lethargy

And now for a band that we haven't, y'know, already talked about in the past! On their debut full-length, Raleigh's WitchTit combines the trve-doom atmosphere of, of, say, Candlemass, with the proto-doom expressiveness of Coven. However, not content to get bogged down in the low 'n' slow, WitchTit do branch into NWOBHM territory on occasion. Despite some production choices that sound distinctly modern, there is very much a vintage vibe contained herein, and the result is an album that feels simultaneously like an ode and an effort to bring said sound into the present. As a whole, Intoxicating Lethargy is a little loose and rough 'round the edges--but that, frankly, is part of the appeal. If you're fan of doom in the olde style, give this one a listen.

​Find it on Bandcamp here!

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