(Our Denver-based writer Gonzo has returned to reviewing and recommending albums for us on a monthly basis, and here he recommends five of them released in September.)
These days, I’m trying to look past the infinite well of bullshit that we’re all constantly forced to stare into. Music has a way of distracting me from staring too long into that well, lest it stare back.
As we start wrapping up 2026, I’m constantly impressed at the level of sheer creativity that’s being harnessed in heavy music. It’s cathartic, and right now, that catharsis is nothing short of therapeutic. Bands are taking more risks, expanding their sounds, and exploring uncharted territory with fearless impunity. I had a feeling this timeline would produce some of the most powerful sounds I’ve heard in a while, and I wasn’t wrong.
Here are five albums that made the past month a lot easier for me.
DREADNOUGHT, WARS OF SPIRIT // WARDS OF LIGHT
It seems like an eternity since some of my favorite Denver locals in Dreadnought released The Endless in 2022. That album was a journey into wildly ambitious territory, expertly blending post-black metal and prog into a sound that’s thoroughly and exclusively their own. It was my favorite record from the band—until now.
Wars of Spirit // Wards of Light is not only the next evolution of this band’s vaunted back catalog, but to my ears, it’s their finest work to date. Its six songs are as memorable as they are complex, soaring through multiple subgenres with ease. Opener “Tiamat’s Gate” by itself is a borderline masterclass in genre-bending, with Kelly Schilling’s beautiful siren call serving as the yin to the yang of Ryan Sims’ ferocious growl. The pair’s vocal duality continues majestically into “The Archive” and “Colors of Our Broken Hearts”, and with its industrial overtones, album highlight “Aeonwar” breaches even more new ground for the band.
Creatively, I can’t say enough about how far Dreadnought can stretch aural heaviness into another version of itself. They’ve pulled this off multiple times, through lineup changes and other commitments, and Wars of Spirit // Wards of Light is a stunning testament to their hard work and dedication. The Denver scene continues to be an explosive breeding ground for heavy music, and Dreadnought has ascended into one of this city’s best examples of that.
https://dreadnoughtdenver.bandcamp.com/album/wars-of-spirit-wards-of-light
https://www.facebook.com/dreadnoughtband/
COLD DECAY, WHAT SKIN HOLDS
Americans could take more than a few cues from the French: Socially, politically, culturally, and maybe most unexpectedly, in the world of hardcore. And much like a violent skirmish with police over the government’s proposal to raise the retirement age, Paris five-piece Cold Decay aren’t here to fuck around.
What Skin Holds is a collection of nine songs that waste zero time, get right to the point, and would pair perfectly with the sound of a flying brick shattering a Louis Vuitton store window. It’s the kind of ’90s-inspired hardcore that I don’t hear enough of anymore, even with the genre’s fiery resurgence. The rumbly, bass-heavy production makes it feel like you’re listening to mid-’90s Madball with some touches of Stampin’ Ground thrown in for good measure. “Doubt Fortress” throws its haphazard weight around like an oversized dude in a Harm’s Way hoodie, while “Same Rope” layers on the riffs with unpredictable stop-start time changes.
With their sophomore release, Cold Decay is a name to watch in the up-and-coming circuit of hardcore bands that continue to smash their way to the top.
https://colddecayhc.bandcamp.com/album/what-skin-holds
BURNER, NO ONE IS COMING TO SAVE US
London’s Burner caught my attention with their 2023 debut album It All Returns to Nothing, but they’ve since fallen off my radar. That’s no fault of their own—I’ve just had my ears glued to other music. Lots of other music.
They’re also not the only band dipping their fists in the molten hybrid of death metal/hardcore. It’s a pairing that captures the intense rage we’re all feeling at present, as we’re all but powerless to stand and watch more “unprecedented” events dominate the 24/7 news cycle. Burner’s lyrical themes aren’t shy about their stance on that, and for good reason. Tracks like “The Agony of Peace” and “Wish Granter” all but call for an armed revolution, while Sylosis lends their rage (and frets) on “What Will You Give?” with satisfying results.
I’m not sure why Matt Heafy appears on “Sunrise, Parabellum,” as the song would’ve been just as solid without his vocals in the mix. Cult Leader’s Anthony Lucero lends his throaty roar to “Kurtz” towards the end of the album, and the track works much better. I suppose not all collabs are meant to be, but at least Burner deliver the goods through the majority of their sophomore effort.
Overall, despite some odd decisions on the record, No One Is Coming to Save Us is a raw, unrelenting slab of hardcore-in-a-death-metal-longsleeve for a tumultuous timeline. Its booming production, throat-scraping screams, and galvanizing lyrics are sure to earn them more attention.
https://burnermetal.bandcamp.com/album/no-one-is-coming-to-save-us
https://www.facebook.com/burnermetal
DEATHCHANT, KOVA
LA’s Deathchant are, by all accounts, just a really fucking fun band to listen to. They’re often toeing the line between blues and sludge, sounding not too far from Mastodon jamming with All Them Witches at times. And KOVA is another fine notch in their belts.
Inventive riffs, whisky-dipped vocals, and driving tempos power most of the songs here. “Red Sun” alternates from a bluesy saloon dirge to a heavy riff banger in just under four minutes, while “Funeral Pyre” and “Worshipper” bear some similarities to New Orleans sludge in places. It’s not like Deathchant has an identity problem, though. They’re equally comfortable writing upbeat, head-nodding grooves as they are dwelling into deeply sentimental territory. The latter is exemplified nicely on “KOVA/CRAWL.”
Hell, even the album title is named after a gone-too-soon friend of theirs, Davey Kova. “It’s a send-off worthy of a viking,” quips a portion of their Bandcamp profile. And while the music itself is a far cry from what you’d hear on an Einherjer record, it’s safe to say that Kova himself would’ve agreed with their description. KOVA is a fun, free-wheeling album that manages to kick ass, be heartfelt, and not take itself too seriously.
https://deathchantnoise.bandcamp.com/album/kova
THE OCEAN, SOLARIS
Germany’s The Ocean Collective, or more commonly The Ocean, has been unleashing some of the most creatively heavy music imaginable for just over two decades. I imagine most of you reading this won’t need me to dive too far into their origin story or discography, but they’re the kind of band that reinvents itself a little more with each release without losing the plot.
Solaris is new territory for this band, though. As of 2025, they’ve shuffled the lineup with five new members (!!), leaving guitarist Robin Staps and bassist Mattias Hagerstrand as the only two veterans with prior recording experience with the group. The drastic shift would probably mean a marked departure in sound, at least on paper, but Solaris shines regardless.
First single “Light Pollution” feels at first like a moody cut lamenting a failed romance, right until new vocalist Nrehk starts roaring about ICBMs. Many of the songs on Solaris follow the same formula: atmospheric proggy intros, and later uncoiling into something heavier. There’s clearly been plenty of thought that went into each of these songs, as “Simulcara,” “Belligerence,” and “Ultima Esperanza” are all (mercifully) broken into smaller, more digestible motifs instead of the hulking, less accessible 12-minute+ single slabs they’d otherwise be. And at a total run time of just under 70 minutes, Solaris offers no shortage of music in which to immerse yourself.
The layers of complexity are already enough to make this album a repeat listen, and that’s not even including “Milk of My Dreams,” which features some seriously cool effects from Tangerine Dream’s Thorsten Quaeschning. There’s a lot to unpack, as expected from any The Ocean album, but it’s a journey that’s absolutely worth taking.
https://theocean.bandcamp.com/album/solaris
http://www.facebook.com/theoceancollective
If you like what you’ve heard, be sure to follow my best-of-2026 playlist, updated regularly:
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7zWqE685GVpuB5M3qRDvog?si=b125edcda17d45cc