Welcome to Sonic
Selections (((o))): March Edition — my monthly recap of the records that
shaped my listening throughout March, defined the mood of the weeks gone by,
and carved out their own space in the noise. This curated list is drawn from my
listening habits, based on the key releases that became my ultimate earworm.
Across this rotation, I
clocked 2,100 plays, up from 1,562 in February. I pulled from 99 new artists
(up from 87), 111 new albums (up from 88), and 493 new tracks (up from 347).
Altogether, that amounted to six days and nine hours of total listening time —
a full day more than February. Average plays per day rose 22% to 68, with a
weekly peak of 150 plays on March 29th, a 29% jump.
March was, even by my listening
habits, a massive month for new music. What follows is the collection of albums
that held my attention the most — the ones that shaped my sonic landscape and
defined the emotional and aesthetic contours of the month. (Note: albums are
rated based on individual track streams alone.)
1) Rob Zombie – “The Great Satan” (107)
For me, the return of classic
Zombie and his best record since “Hellbilly
Deluxe 2”, and whilst I accept not everyone is a fan, (fuck the haters) “The
Great Satan” is a super addictive chrome‑plated inferno of industrial
sleaze, Zombie drags you through a carnival of rust, gasoline,
and bad intentions. Every riff stomps like a steel‑capped boot to the ribs,
every synth flickers like a dying neon sign, and his voice — that gravel‑throated
snarl — feels like a sermon delivered from the wrong side of the grave. It’s
grotesque, swaggering, and gloriously unhinged.
2) Pipe Bomb – “Hell Hole” (102)
“Hell Hole” is
a self‑recorded, self‑released burst of volatility, a release whose foundation
is built from concise, zero bullshit tracks that snap with jagged riffs and
sudden rhythmic collapse. The raw production gives the guitars a savage metal
edge and the vocals, a raw live immediacy, keeping everything sharp,
punchy and abrasive. Despite the chaos within, there’s also a surprising
structural clarity and addictive quality to the record, each song (at
times) shifting direction but keeping the listeners interest piqued at all
times and without falling into the genre trappings of unlistenable harsh
excess. “Hell Hole” a compact, hostile record that channels
the essence of hardcore’s aggression into something sharp, intentional, and
relentlessly compelling.
3) Chamber – “This Is Goodbye..”(98)
Admittedly, mathcore can
be hit or miss, but the new record from Chamber delivers the right amount of chaos without
descending into an unlistenable mess. “This Is Goodbye..” continues
their weaponised, incendiary hardcore — a pressure cooker of jagged rhythms,
panic‑attack pacing, and riffs that feel like they’re collapsing in on
themselves, yet somehow remains wholly accessible and addictive. Yes, every track can disorientate, with
lurching guitars, drums detonating beneath you, and vocals clawing their way
into your psyche. And yet, beneath all that violence is a frightening level of
control. After revisiting their full discography, “This Is Goodbye..” is
unequivocally their most focused, volatile, and emotionally engaging work to
date.
4) Neurosis – “Un Undying Love for
a Dying World”(98)
Neurosis return
a decade after "Fires Within Fires" with a new lineup
and, arguably, another genre‑shaping opus. Reshaped and retooled around the
talents of Aaron Turner, the record carries that sense of obvious upheaval, yet
none of the band’s core DNA is lost. "An Undying Love for a Burning
World" keeps their slow, tectonic pacing but adds new layers —
drones, synths, and keys widening the space around some of their most
monolithic riffs. Themes of isolation, ecological collapse, and psychological
strain run through the album, giving their first release in an age a heavy,
lived‑in weight. It’s a monumental return, the sound of a band rebuilding from
the ground up. The title mirrors a world collapsing around us, and it’s hard
not to feel an undying pull toward a record with this kind of emotional gravity.
5) Varials – “Where The Light
Leaves”(97)
This is the sound of a
soul cracking under its own weight. Varials weaponise despair, turning
breakdowns into blunt‑force trauma and vocals into open wounds. The record
feels like being trapped in a collapsing room — walls closing in, air thinning,
every moment a fight to stay conscious. It’s metalcore stripped of pretense and
left bleeding on the floor.
6) Lamb of God – “Into Oblivion”(79)
Lamb of God sound
sharp and assured, leaning into the mechanics that have always driven their
best work. The riffs snap with purpose, the rhythms stay locked, and the pacing
never drifts from its forward pull. It’s not a reinvention, but a tightening of
the screws. A confident, momentum‑driven statement from a band that knows its
footing.
7) Moloch – “Bend.Break.Kneel.Crawl”(79)
Moloch’s new
record moves with the slow certainty of something collapsing under its own
weight, every track grinding forward with deadened resolve. There’s no lift or
shift in momentum, just pressure tightening until it becomes the whole
experience. The album feels like being pinned beneath the same thought until it
loses shape. Bleak, disciplined, and completely unwilling to offer relief.
8) Great Falls – “Conscription”(78)
First of all, I fucking
love Great Falls — so when news dropped of
a new release in the form of Conscription, my excitement spiked immediately.
These purveyors of abrasion are among the best in the business. It’s not a
traditional record so much as a collection of splits, EPs, and singles, yet as
expected the tracks grind, gallop, and disorientate. Conscription is a short,
punishing lesson in suffocating density, with riffs that psychologically erode
your aural synapses.
9) Bound in Fear – “A Mind Too Sick To
Heal” (73)
Bound in Fear deliver
a series of controlled, violent impacts, each track built around blunt
repetition and suffocating weight. The band strip everything down to pure
force, letting the heaviness speak without theatrics or buildup. It’s hostile
in a way that feels intentional rather than chaotic. A record designed to
bruise more than impress.
10) Crouch – “Breaking The
Catatonic State” (71)
Crouch’s debut full‑length marks a decisive
shift from their earlier sludge roots, embracing angular rhythms, sharp pivots,
and a more confrontational vocal presence. The trio’s background in Wiegedood, Oathbreaker, and Ventilateur shows in the
precision of the playing and the confidence of the arrangements. The production
is stark and unembellished, letting every jagged shift and sudden rupture land
with full force. It’s a volatile, inventive record that captures a band in the
middle of a deliberate transformation
🩸 Top 10 Artists (minutes played):
1). Neurosis (725)
2). GROWTH (424)
3). Chained To The
Bottom of the Ocean (404)
4). Chamber (345)
5). Lamb of God (309)
6). Crouch (300)
7). Cryptic Shift (297)
8). Phasma (205)
9). Dwellnought (268)
10). Rob Zombie (267)
⚔️ Top Tracks (most played)
1). Portrayal of
Guilt –
“Human Terror” (20)
2). Portrayal of
Guilt –
“Ecstasy” (18)
3). Chained To The
Bottom of the Ocean
– “Execution” (16)
4). Chained To The
Bottom of the Ocean –
“An Abundancy of Mercy” (15)
5). Neurosis – “Blind” (15)
6). Chained
To The Bottom of the Ocean – “An Adornment of Light” (14)
7). Chained To The
Bottom of the Ocean – “Upheaval” (14)
8). Neurosis – “First Red Rays”
(13)
9). Neurosis –
“Seething and Scattered” (12)
10). Neurosis – “Mirror Deep” (12)
⚔️🩸 Sonic Selections (((o))): March
Edition (50 biggest tracks of the month)
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