It seems like every month there’s one day where releases pile up into one glorious mountain of magical music mystery. For June, that day was yesterday. Of the twenty records listed below, five of them were officially released on Friday, so if you’re on the hunt for new jams to ignite your summer, you’ve come to the right place. Whether it’s Art School Jocks’ woke basement pop, or a mind-blowing blast of Art Contest’s so-called “probability and statistics” rock, or maybe some blistering old-school thrash courtesy of local metal titans Death of Kings, there’s plenty here to get fired up about.
And that’s just the beginning, of course. The remainder of the month comes equally stacked with new efforts that span a broad range of genres. Some of these are from tried and true veterans like the Coathangers, as well as a wide selection of acts we’ve hyped here in the past including the likes of pop explorers Tunabunny and Moon Diagrams, punk rockers King of Summer, and emerging rappers NEWMONEY and Wiley From Atlanta. And, as always, there’s plenty here we’ll be listening to for the first time, so make sure to stay tuned because you never know when yet another great local artist is going to emerge.
Death of Kings – Kneel Before None
Release Date: June 1
Label: Boris Records
Release Info
Metal fans in Atlanta and beyond have been rubbing their hands in anticipation of Death of Kings’ new LP for quite some time, so to finally have it out in the world is something like Christmas — if Christmas were celebrated via brutal riffs, pulverizing vocals, and malevolent shredding. The nine-track Kneel Before None is available now on CD and digital via Atlanta’s own Boris Records.
Tracklist
01. Shadow of the Reaper
02. Sojourn
03. Regicidal
04. Descent Into Madness
05. Hell Comes to Life
06. Knifehammer
07. Plague (Upon the World)
08. Too Fast For Blood
09. Revel in Blasphemy
More Info
Bandcamp: deathofkings.bandcamp.com
Facebook: @deathofkingsmetal
SoundCloud: @deathofkings
Twitter: @deathofkings
Art School Jocks – Art School Jocks
Release Date: June 2
Label: Father/Daughter Records
Release Info
Art School Jocks’ much anticipated debut on Father/Daughter Records is a murky, lo-fi affair with hooks to spare. But while the group’s effusive jams might want to make you close your eyes and dance the night away, their sharp lyrical exposés, targeting everything from rape culture and toxic masculinity to political apathy, are built to keep listeners challenged and informed.
Tracklist
01. Laundry In
02. Suffering Prom
03. Nina
04. Just A Gwen
05. Inside Joke
06. Catdog
07. Laundry Out
Art School Jocks will celebrate the release of their self-titled EP on Sat., June 3 at the Drunken Unicorn. Supporting them will be Shepherds, Shantih Shantih, and Small Reactions. Doors open at 9 p.m. Admission is $8-13. All ages.
More Info
Facebook: @artschooljocks
Instagram: @artschooljocks
SoundCloud: @artschooljocks
Art Contest – Two Songs
Release Date: June 2
Label: Post-Echo
Release Info
After a home invasion robbed Art Contest of critical equipment and some of their original recordings, there’s was no telling when Two Songs would be released. But here we are two years later and the group’s scintillating mélange of math rock, noise, jazz, and off-kilter pop seems no worse for wear.
Tracklist
01. Chico
02. Lentemen
03. Art Project
04. Sports 05:20
05. Ready Play
06. Wall Ball
07. Trophy Wife
08. RGB
09. Horror
10. Scissor Kick
11. Tokyo Megaplex
12. Breather
13. Seadoo
14. Two Songs
15. No More Thinking!!
16. Mortal Grind
17. Mixtape
Art Contest will celebrate the release of Two Songs on Thurs., June 8 at Mammal Gallery and Sat., June 10 at Caledonia Lounge. Supporting them at Mammal Gallery will be Floral Print, Fuiste, and We Roll Like Madmen (DJ set). Doors open at 8 p.m. Admission is $5. 18+ to enter. Supporting them at Caledonia Lounge will be Killick Erik Hinds, Nihilist Cheerleader, and Fuiste. Doors open at 9 p.m. 18+ to enter.
More Info
Bandcamp: artcontest.bandcamp.com
Facebook: @artcontestsc
Instagram: @artcontestsc
Twitter: @fArtContest
Injected – The Truth About You
Release Date: June 2
Label: Slush Fund Records
Release Info
After 15 years, local hard rock greats Injected return with a hard-charging new album featuring Kyle Spence (Harvey Milk, J. Mascis, Kurt Vile) on drums. If you’d like a taste, make sure to check out yesterday’s exclusive stream. Otherwise, the ten-track effort is available today on vinyl, CD, and digital.
Tracklist
01. Lie & Defy
02. Death Ray
03. Dig Me Out
04. On Fire
05. Stars
06. The Truth About You
07. Gene Genie
08. Misunderstood
09. Ruby
10. Nothing Stays the Same
More Info
Web: injectedfans.com
Facebook: @injectedband
Dee Belvedere – Denim Demos
Release Date: June 2
Label: VLSC Records
Release Info
Dee Belvedere is the new moniker of electronic artist Dylan Banks, aka Skybison. His debut EP, Denim Demos, is five songs of exploratory house and techno, available for streaming and download via Bandcamp.
Tracklist
01. Scrolla
02. Keep it Tiite
03. Conventional Times
04. Sittin On The Sun (feat. Paige Williams & Quinn Mason)
05. thx 4 tha luv
More Info
Bandcamp: deebelvedere.bandcamp.com
Facebook: @deebelvedere
Degradations – Graves
Release Date: June 2
Label: Self-released
Release Info
Metal five-piece Degradations return with what is sure to be another ferocious EP of cavernous riffs and bludgeoning hardcore intensity. The eight-song effort is available now via Bandcamp.
Tracklist
01. Sine Metu
02. Only The Dead…
03. Jordan
04. The Descent
05. Blood Tongue
06. Condemned
07. Worthless (feat. Tim Jones of Harvester)
08. The Cave
More Info
Bandcamp: degradations.bandcamp.com
Facebook: @degradations
Instagram: @degradations_band
Twitter: @DegradationsAtl
Michael Potter – Garden Portal Almanac
Release Date: June 9
Label: Already Dead
Release Info
The experimental madman behind psychedelic drone project the Electric Nature and the boutique cassette label \\NULL|ZØNE// is preparing the release of a new EP to be released on Brooklyn imprint Already Dead. The five-song effort will be out June 9. Re-orders are available here.
Tracklist
01. What Makes You Happy?
02. Can One Make Two
03. Garden Portal Lullaby
04. Sleepwalker
05. Days Go Fast
06. Get Out
More Info
Bandcamp: nullzone.bandcamp.com
Facebook: @NullZoneTapes
The Coathangers – Parasite
Release Date: June 16
Label: Suicide Squeeze Records
Release Info
The new EP from ATL garage rock mainstays the Coathangers has been available for streaming for almost a month now, but since technically the record isn’t officially out until June 16 when the vinyl ships, we’ve decided to include it here. In any case, Parasite rips, so make sure to snag a copy before they disappear.
Tracklist
01. Parasite
02. Wipe Out
03. Captain’s Dead
04. Down Down (alternate version)
05. Drifter
More Info
Web: thecoathangers.com
Bandcamp: thecoathangers.bandcamp.com
Facebook: @TheCoathangersATL
Instagram: @thecoathangers
Twitter: @TheCoathangers
Things Amazing – Demos 2016-2017
Release Date: June 16
Label: Self-released
Release Info
You might expect more than three songs on a collection of demos spanning a year-and-a-half, but what Things Amazing lack in quantity they make up for with wildly intricate songs that manage to wow you with both their complexity and a surprising knack for melody that helps temper the group’s jaw-dropping eruptions. Definitely a band to watch out for.
Tracklist
01. No Traction
02. Ten Minutes Ago
03. Transference
More Info
Bandcamp: thingsamazing.bandcamp.com
Facebook: @thingsamazingband/
Zero Beach – Six Guns
Release Date: June 16
Label: Laser Brains
Release Info
If you’re a fan of big guitars and full-throttle rock songs with a decidedly pop sheen, then Zero Beach is definitely for you. The group’s three-song debut is out June 16 via Athens label Laser Brains.
Tracklist
01. Six Guns
02. Archimedes
03. Afterburn
Zero Beach will celebrate the release of Six Guns on Sat., June 17 at the Laser Brains 2017 Summer Showcase at the Family Dog. Also performing will be Cowboy Curtys, Blue Blood, Palace Doctor, Drew Beskin, and the Artisanals. Doors open at 8 p.m. Admission is $10.
More Info
Web: zerobeachband.com
Facebook: @zerobeachband
Instagram: @zerobeachband