Look, we know we throw a lot of new music at you. We also know that not everyone who comes to this site has the time to be as involved with or informed about the local scene as maybe they’d like to be. So for those casual readers who either can’t or have no interest in keeping up with the parade of artists we try to cover, who may not know the difference between Bitter and Biters, we have created our TRIPLE THREAT feature. The premise is simple: every Friday our writers will put their heads together and come up with three tracks that grabbed our attention over that week. Then we tell you why the songs are great and worth listening to. That’s it. Maybe some weeks we’ll have a guest commentator come in and share their favorites, but the format will always remain the same: three songs, some words, and we out. Enjoy.
Cloak – “Beyond the Veil”
From the LP, To Venomous Depths
To Venomous Depths, the long-awaited debut LP from Cloak is finally here, and it showcases a band who have perfected the balance of atmosphere and narrative. “Beyond the Veil,” in particular, demonstrates the band’s ability to blend mystery with heavy riffs. Even the most aggressive shredding retreats into the darkness before the point of attack is realized, leaving the listener floating in the abyss until Cloak strikes again. The group’s emotionally resonant mix of black and traditional metal is the perfect foil for what is often considered Southern metal, but the new record proves the band have more interest in crafting their own mythology than defying stereotypes. – Russell Rockwell
To Venomous Depths is out now via Season of Mist.
Cloak will celebrate the release of To Venomous Depths on Sat., Nov. 18 at the Earl alongside All Hell, Ectovoid, and Dropout. Doors open at 8 p.m. Admission is $20. 21+ to enter.
More Info
Bandcamp: cloakatlanta.bandcamp.com
Facebook: @cloakofficial
Popstar Benny – “Blew Thru It” (feat. Mahalo and RobOlu)
From the upcoming Popstar Benny LP
At just over two minutes, the dreamy pop styles bubbling within producer Popstar Benny’s latest single, “Blew Thru It,” compelled fellow ATL artists Mahalo and RobOlu to meet his ambient aesthetic halfway. “It was two and a half weeks ago,” RobOlu recounts. “I recorded my whole verse holding a strap. The song was already being done. I pulled up to pick up Ian. When I got back, they only had a hook on it. It’s not as in line with the sound that’s on Bigger Than Reality. The aggression and vocal texture on the verse and the raw identity that is going to be on my next project, Bobby. Mahalo adds, “I was just thinking about myself and how much I blow through money. When you’re out and you might overspend. It’s just the taste of what’s to come. I think you get the sense of my voice as an instrument. I plan on bringing a lot more jams to the table, a lot more riding music.” – Mus Abubaker
More Info
Instagram: @popstarbenny
SoundCloud: @popstarbenny
Twitter: @popstarbenny
Fuiste – “Magnets Move Rocks”
From the upcoming LP, Iceman
There’s a joyful exuberance within Fuiste’s music that borders on giddiness. It’s nothing silly, mind you; it’s more of a wide-eyed enthusiasm and wonder. You can feel it coursing through the funhouse guitars and roller coaster rhythms of “Magnets Move Rocks,” the second single from the group’s upcoming Iceman LP. The two-minute cut is one of the trio’s most rollicking and relentlessly infectious cuts, blending math rock dexterity with zany hooks that dart and dash in all sorts of oddball directions. It’s easy to get lured in by Fuiste’s ample chops and energy, but it’s their natural curiosity and ingenuity that make you want to stick around. – Guillermo Castro
Iceman is out Nov. 18.
More Info
Bandcamp: fuiste.bandcamp.com
Facebook: @fuiste.atl
SoundCloud: @fuistepleasestay
Twitter: @fuiste_atl