Incoming: 6 Must-Hear November 2016 Releases

Follow us on Spotify for more playlists.

Metallica – Hardwired…to Self-Destruct

With 2016 already shaping up as one of the most vibrant years in thrash metal since its 1986 pinnacle, with quality releases from a number of significant bands, the icing on the cake is sure to be the long awaited new album from Metallica. Although 2008’s ‘Death Magnetic’ marked a return to a thrashier sound, there was still a certain metallicaness missing, something which appears to have been rectified on the two tracks to have dropped prior to the release of Hard Wired…To Self Destruct’ on November 18th.

‘Hardwired’ itself plays like a trailer with a raging three minutes of metal thrashing fury, while ‘Moth Into Flame’ is stacked with signature riffs, stops and fills and features the finest Kirk Hammett solo in years. It appears that they might just have found the balance between their commercial aspirations and thrash roots that’s been eluding them since ‘The Black Album’. Could this finally be the Metallica record we’ve been waiting 25 years for? (EL)

‘Hardwired…to Self-Destruct’ by Metallica is released on November 18th on Blackened Recordings.

Metallica links: Website|Facebook|Twitter

Waterparks – Double Dare

Texan next-gen punks Waterparks have steadily risen to prominence during 2016 following release of third EP ‘Cluster’ at the end of last year, and now a full-length debut is imminent. The pop-infused elation of tasters ‘Stupid For You’, ‘Royal’ and ‘Hawaii (Stay Awake)’ promises a collection of songs certain to entice fans of With Confidence, As It Is, and All Time Low. Having worked with Benji Madden and Courtney Ballard (State Champs, 5 Seconds Of Summer) on ‘Cluster’, their sound grows ever more polished and refined.

Recent high profile slots at Slam Dunk and Reading & Leeds, not to mention as support on Good Charlotte’s European dates, did no harm to the three-piece on this side of the pond – a fresh take on a genre lacking in true variation is what many seek. Guitars, keyboards and blue hair aplenty, this might just be pop-punk for generation Snapchat. With ‘Double Dare’, Waterparks will dare to dream. (PS)

‘Double Dare’ by Waterparks is released on November 4th on Easy Life (UK) / Equal Vision Records (US).

Waterparks links: Facebook|Twitter

Animals As Leaders – The Madness Of Many

Consistently achieving the rare feat of splicing virtuosic musicianship with strong, innovative songwriting, Tosin Abasi and his merry men will return this month with a brand new full-length entitled ‘The Madness of Many’.

Having released their most acclaimed and most popular record to date in 2013’s ‘The Joy Of Motion’, one might have expected the band to stick with the almost pop structures that dominated the album. Earlier in the year however, the band hinted at a return to a more progressive sound – a statement evidenced by the album’s initial singles ‘Arithmophobia’ and ’The Brain Dance’. Elements of ‘The Joy Of Motion’ can still be heard in the melodies here, but are far more rhythmically complex and expansive, hinting at a more challenging LP to come.

Animals As Leaders have always had a penchant for expanding and honing their sound, but this record will mark be the band’s first to be written solely by the band. Previous releases have seen the Washington D.C. trio collaborate heavily with the likes of Periphery’s Misha Mansoor as well as former drummer Navene K, but with all three of the band’s members firing on all cylinders, now seems like a perfect time to make what could well be their definitive statement. (JG)

‘The Madness Of Many’ by Animals As Leaders is released on November 11th on Sumerian Records.

Animals As Leaders links: Website|Facebook|Twitter

Fossil Youth – A Glimpse of Self Joy

Refusing to shy away from challenging topics, Oklahoma’s Fossil Youth look set to build on their breakout success by delivering an uncompromising look at a toxic relationship on ‘A Glimpse of Self Joy’.

The follow-up to last year’s ‘Intertwined With You’, ‘A Glimpse of Self-Joy’, is sure to catapult the quartet into the indie-rock big league, showing you can combine weighty lyrical topics and progressive and intelligent indie-rock/emo to make powerful and uncompromising music. (RM)

’A Glimpse of Self Joy’ by Fossil Youth is released on November 4th on Take This To Heart Records.

Fossil Youth links: Facebook|Twitter|Bandcamp

Sibling – Miserable Love

When Berkshire’s Hindsights called it quits late last year, it was a sad day for British DIY music. But it was unlikely vocalist Benio Baumgart was going to stay quiet for long, and here he’s back with a new project and heading in a new direction.

Silver by Sibling

Completed by guitarist Sam Correa and drummer Lewis Pickering, Sibling have already teased us with a couple of new songs – the contagious ‘Silver’ and progressive ‘Circles’ – both of which point to a poppier direction for Baumgart. Yet to play a show, there’s significant interest around Sibling – and that’s sure to hit fever pitch once ‘Miserable Love’ reaches its audience. (RM)

’Miserable Love’ by Sibling is released on November 30th on Little Rocket.

Sibling links: Facebook|Twitter|Bandcamp

Young Legionnaire – Zero Worship

After the demise of the much loved alternative rock band, Yourcodenameis:Milo way back in 2007, Paul Mullen (Vocals/Guitars) has spread his talent across many musical genres. From a brief dalliance with pop-rock outfit, The Automatic to playing with a more electronic based rock group called Losers, Mullen seems to be constantly creating.
In comes Young Legionnaire. Completed by Bloc Party’s ex-bassist, Gordon Moakes and drumming powerhouse, Dean Pearson you have a trio of accomplished musicians who feel the need to just make banging rock music.

It’s by no means a full-time venture so, Young Legionnaire sparsely release new music and living as far apart as they all do, barely tour either. During a short run a few months ago, the band showcased bits of the new record that sounded much bigger than the venues they were playing in.

Young Legionnaire specialise in making really noisy rock music with off-kilter structures, huge stomping riffs and hooks for days. With just as much substance as style, ‘Zero Worship’ is another masterclass in how to make a big rock record and with a bit of luck it will find the audience that this band have deserved from day one. (SS)

‘Zero Worship’ by Young Legionnaire is released on November 25th on Superstar Destroyer Records.

Words by Edward Layland (EL), Peter Stewart (PS), Josh Graham (JG), Rob Mair (RM) and Shane Sanderson (SS).