There is so much heavy, extreme, and beautiful metal music being conjured all around the world that it can be overwhelming. Fortunately, Metal Has No Borders has curated the best of the best released this month, from Israel and Ukraine to Poland and Brazil, as well as everything in between.
Enjoy our hand-picked favorite albums, singles, and videos for May 2023 below. Enjoy and share which bands you were headbanging to this past month in the comment section!
Album of the Month (Gold Tier)
Neolia – Neolia
Self-Released
Israel
Not only should one expect the unexpected when entering the listening space of Neolia‘s self-titled debut, but one should also embrace the unexpected. African rhythms, Latin guitar licks, and jazz interludes are a few of the left-field highlights from the quintessential progressive rock / metal excursion. Bereft of mere stylistic dabble in other genres, this album feels instead like a cultural hub, with bridges spanning across all global regions to respectfully include and fuse their musical efforts. Although such a breaking of barriers can be overwhelming at times (and it doesn’t exactly help that this experimentation pokes and prods the listener for over seventy minutes), the journey is beyond worth the pilgrimage. Amidst the overt, unorthodox musicalities are empowering melodies, a dense conceptual story, and a multitude of brilliant musicianship.
Neolia by Neolia is awarded Best Album of the Month (Gold Tier) for May 2023
Favorite Songs: “Rise and Fall,” “Your Prophecy,” “Carried Away“
FFO: Karnivool, The Mars Volta, Subterranean Masquerade
Album of the Month (Silver Tier)
Godslut – Procreation of God
Released via Selfmadegod Records
Poland
Within the span of their single-decade career, Death perfected the subgenre in which they created; and while they gradually evolved towards a technical, progressive sound in later records, there is an endearing and unwavering novelty stuck to their raw early releases. Such genuine vigor is revived on the debut release from Godslut, a project boasting Paweł “Pavulon” Jaroszewicz (Antigama, Decapitated, Hate, etc.) behind the percussion throne. Groove and thrash influences shove Procreation of God to a more modern space than pioneering releases Scream Bloody Gore or Leprosy, however an effort to harken heaviness back to death metal’s roots are acknowledged (the clear, yet respectful nod in similarities between Godslut and Death‘s logo is also noted). All in all, this new project is a much-desired return to form in near pure death metal.
Procreation of God by Godslut is awarded Album of the Month (Silver Tier) for May 2023
Favorite Songs: “Procreation of God,” “Paid Absolution,” “Against“
FFO: Suffocation, Death, Revocation
Album of the Month (Bronze Tier)
Umbilichaos – Mourning Carnivals from Now On
Released via Time to Kill Records
Brazil
Like a curb-stomp on painkillers or a gunshot in your sleep, Umbilichaos exudes unheard pain. This one-woman act is masterminded by Anna C. Chaos, who loosely holds the reigns on a truly unhinged four-track exploration of sludgy industrial hardcore indulgences for Mourning Carnivals from Now On. As riffs hit harder than metal on concrete, it is the blood on the back of her throat that truly compels this record forward. For those who enjoy dissonance and fingering wounds unhealed, you will find solace here.
Mourning Carnivals from Now On by Umbilichaos is awarded Album of the Month (Bronze Tier) for May 2023
Favorite Songs: “Burden of a New Dawn,” “Resumption Through Impossibility,” “And Fear Brought Autumn”
FFO: Godflesh, Neurosis, Author & Punisher
Album of the Month (Honorable Mentions)
Shodan – None Shall Prevail
Poland
Although it seemed the progressive death metal subgenre was previously perfected by the likes of The Faceless or Gojira, it’s reassuring to hear acts such as Shodan continue to expand the depths and heights of heaviness even today.
Listen to “Tamed in Unison“
Dhishti – Life is Suffering
Sri Lanka
Depressive black metal can be a daunting subgenre to consume, especially with an album titled “Life is Suffering.” Nonetheless, Dhishti‘s grasp on dynamics and expulsion of emotion creates for a deeply impactful listen.
Listen to “අක්ෂිධාරා (Akshidhara)“
Dusk – Rethrenody
Costa Rica
Like the adrenaline-churns from Mick Gordon‘s Doom score or dystopian atmospheres of Trent Reznor, Dusk innovates new dark sounds in the industrial atmospheric black metal realm.
Listen to “Rethrenody“
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Single / Video of the Month
0%Mercury – “2000 Rockets” ft. Andrew Herman (Johnny Booth)
Ukraine
“How many missiles must hit before people no longer remain indifferent to what is happening in Ukraine? How many more missiles must the aggressor launch into our cities before people stop tolerating and supporting the murderers who have came to our land? How much more…?” With previous singles, 0%Mercury have been beyond adept at fusing hardcore, alt-metal, and mathcore, but in this recent track, the intentions behind their chaotic aggression is clear. Anger, frustration, and apathy are harnessed in this brief pleading, catapulted further by guest vocalist Andrew Herman of Johnny Booth. After the well-crafted animation of the video fades, Russian invasion statistics emerge, revealing the sheer amount of missiles that Ukrainian people have unnecessarily endured.
“2000 Rockets” by 0%Mercury is awarded Best Single / Video of the Month for May 2023
Single / Video of the Month (Honorable Mentions)
Soulharbour – “Split”
Hungary
I believe the metal community has finally reached a point where djent can be considered a genre (despite Periphery‘s new album title); this new single by Soulharbour modernizes the After the Burial groove approach to great satisfaction; listen here
Belle Morte – “Blame Me” ft. Lernik Khachatrian
Belarus
Recent singles by this dynamic symphonic / progressive project showed a focus on regional influences from the Ukrainian-Polish tinged “Krew” to Mongolian stylizations in “Exorcism;” now the band harness a taste of Armenia considering the feature of duduk-player Lernik Khachatrian for this Scardust and Enemy of Reality-esque piece; listen here
Skøv – “Above the Earth”
Poland
With a polished blackened punk identity, Skøv would fit perfectly sharing the stage with other energetic, dark acts such as Wolf King or Oathbreaker; listen here
Gutslit – “Matriarch”
India
Grabbing attention with 2017’s brutal deathgrind release, Amputheatre, Gutslit return with a more refined sound alike the recent evolution of Cattle Decapitation; listen here