Albums of July 18 and July 25 2025

The most interesting releases from the past two weeks!

The Fine Line Between Heaven and Here is another step forward as Ba’al continues to churn through everyone in the underground. Released on Road to Masochist, The Fine Line Between Heaven and Here follows Ba’al‘s previous full-length and two EPs, all of which seemed to be wildly acclaimed by the 38 or so people who listened to them. I’m seeming more buzz about this release, and it’s deserved. Ba’al blend post metal and sludge in a way that brings to mind Cultes de Ghoules, sort of in the same manner that contrasting 2 colors can make you see a third color that isn’t there. There are also strong shades of Amenra. The album is breathtakingly expansive, with spoken word segments contrasting soaring, heavy post-metal climaxes. The melodies are memorable and captivating, while still being just pieces of fully fleshed-out songs.

Ba’al‘s ability to blend contrasts makes The Fine Line Between Heaven and Here stick out. Any individual melody sounds satisfying, but they are just bricks in a much larger, more intimidating music structure that leaves every moment fresh and interesting. The band blast their hearts out one moment and then drop to nothing the next. The different musical styles aren’t mixed so much as sewn together, with each moment flowing naturally and with no doubt that they belong. Despite the length and apparent inaccessibility of this album, the immediate, forceful emotions that Ba’al convey are what most sells the record. Anyone who doesn’t normally pay attention to these genre tags may want to give Ba’al a try.

You will not be shocked to learn that a member of Tomb Mold guested on Chasm of Immurement. Clairvoyance play old school death metal through and through. This release features plenty of the militant, relentless marching chugs that are so prominent in this style of music, only played effectively and with style. Chasm of Immurement was released on Carbonized Records.

The vocals are an immediate plus. Clairvoyance give a lower growl than many death metal bands, and it’s low enough in the mix to blend in with the instruments and make the band sound like a fully cohesive unit. From a songwriting perspective, Clairvoyance make every note count. While their riffs aren’t the most complex passages in the world, they do manage to do a lot with small changes.

Low Demon, released independently, is easily the most unlistenable record from these weeks. The album sounds like something Mizmor stepped on or that Sunn O))) would get sick from. Low Demon follows Stomach‘s last excellent full length, Parasite. The album contains long, dissonant droning, vocals that are more distorted than the guitars, and feedback in place of melody. I love it.

Drone/drone adjacent music draws from a similar well as spectral music, and so it’s not surprise that Low Demon is at its most interesting when playing around with guitar feedback. I’m pleasantly surprised by the range that Stomach got out of their vocals as well, which gave them another instrument to warp and distress. Bass and drums mainly serve to accent the changing tone of the guitars and vocals and often keep the album from growing stale. All of this isn’t to say that the melodies themselves don’t matter, as Stomach give the listener some quite satisfying resolutions that span several minutes and multiple notes, but they’re not what makes Low Demon really, really satisfying.

Haxprocess‘s second full-length was released on Transcending Obscurity Records. Any progressive death metal album with four 10-minute long songs is going to filter out a good chunk of the audience, but those who remain will find everything they’re looking for. The tracks themselves fully live by their progressive mantra, winding through many forms before reaching conclusions.

If you’ve formed an opinion on Beyond What Eyes Can See based on the label, artwork, and genre, that opinion is probably correct. I personally love this style. The extravagance and ambition result in songs and experiences that couldn’t exist in a more streamlined, less messy form. So while I do wish that the production was a little cleaner, and while not everything that the band tries hits (some middle sections in “The Confines of Flesh” do meander a bit), Beyond What Eyes Can See is an excellent album to just carry you away when you’re in the mood.

The Book of Hours, released on The Lasers Edge, is an instrumental prog rock debut that is as captivating as it is odd. Agropelter look backwards with their music. Instrumental choices dredge up memories of 70s and 80s prog rock, while the album’s structure makes me reminisce of even older music. But this isn’t some nostalgic trip. Agropelter have created a sound that’s wholly their own, with some of the most satisfying solos I’ve heard all year surrounded by song progressions that make me beg more bands to abandon the typical verse/chorus crutch and dig into their skillset further. Fans of Animals as Leaders will love Agropelter when they’re in a mood to chill out.