New & Noteworthy, February 2nd, 2018: Order of New Releases

New & Noteworthy is a weekly column in which we highlight some of the newest rock and metal releases coming out each week. This week was a little slow, but we’ve got a new Saxon album. If you would like to check out the last New & Noteworthy, you can do so here, if you want to see last week’s sales numbers, check those out in Metal by Numbers. Also be sure to follow us on Spotify for weekly new music playlists!

Studio Releases

Saxon, Thunderbolt (Militia Guard)

Forty years in and still going strong, England’s Saxon has just released their 22nd studio album, Thunderbolt. Just like their previous two releases they recorded this one alongside Producer Andy Sneap (Judas Priest, Megadeth, Trivium). In December the band release a music video for the title track, and they gave their Motorhead tribute song “They Played Rock and Roll” a lyric video. Saxon will be embarking on a US tour in support of the album this March alongside Judas Priest and Black Star Riders. Thunderbolt is also available on vinyl and cassette.

Genocide Pact, Order Of Torment (Relapse)

Order of Torment is the second full length album from the Washington D.C. death metal group Genocide Pact. This is the band’s first release since signing to Relapse Records. They released a music video for the track “Pain Reprisal.” They have a couple shows coming up in Washington D.C. and Virginia, including the Maryland Deathfest Pre-Show this May in Baltimore. Their album is also available on Bandcamp.

King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard, Polygondwanaland (Blood Music)
Polygondwanaland is one of the albums that King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard released last year digitally as a part of a 5 album series they were doing for the year, now it is available on CD and vinyl. I love the artwork for this one, and enjoyed it the couple times I listened to it, so I figured it was worth including again. It’s not like it has not been a doorbuster week for releases.

Don Broco, Technology (SharpTone)
Expander, Endless Computer (Nuclear War Now)
Long Distance Calling – Boundless (InsideOut)
Maniganch, Machine Nation (XIII Bis)
Midnight, Sweet Death And Ecstasy (Hell’s Headbangers)
Revenge, Scum.Collapse.Eradication (Nuclear War Now)
Thaw, Grains (Agonia Records)
W.A.S.P. – Re-Idolized (The Soundtrack To The Crimson Idol) (Napalm)