New & Noteworthy is a weekly column in which we highlight some of the newest rock and metal releases coming out each week. This week features a new EP from Nine in Nails, as well as Wintersun’s long awaited “Winter Sessions” and an album from In This Moment. If you would like to check out last week’s New & Noteworthy, you can do so here, and the week’s sales numbers are also available in Metal by Numbers. Metallica is back in the top 20 and Decapitated had the highest metal debut at #50! Here, have a Spotify playlist. The first one is on the house.

Nine Inch Nails, Add Violence (The Null Corporation)     

Add Violence is the newest EP from Trent Reznor’s Nine Inch Nails. The release follows up on their 2016 EP Not the Actual Events, and on top of that we can be expecting a third EP in the trilogy to be coming in the next 6-8 months. Like all of the band’s releases, this too was produced by the band’s own Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, as well as producer Alan Moulder (Foo Fighters, Marilyn Manson, A Perfect Circle, Puscifer). They have released two music videos leading up to the release of the album, one for the first single “Less Than,” and a very minimalist one for “This Isn’t the Place.” It is currently available exclusively on the NIN website in the digital format, but it will be available in the physical form in August. You have a few opportunities to catch Nine Inch Nails this year, but the only shows they have scheduled come in the form of large festivals.

Oh look, an excuse to share their appearance on Twin Peaks!

In This Moment, Ritual (Atlantic/Roadrunner Records)  

Ritual is the sixth studio album from the Los Angeles, CA metal band In This Moment. Not looking to mess with a good thing, the band continues to work with longtime producer Kevin Churko (Ozzy, Disturbed, 5FDP, Slash), who has produced all of the band’s work aside from their debut album. They have released a music video for the song “Oh Lord,” as well as lyric videos for “Roots” and their cover of “In the Air Tonight,” originally by Phil Collins. They even released a video of the band performing “Oh Lord” live at Carolina Rebellion earlier this year. To clarify that last sentence, the video is from them performing live but the audio is from the studio recording. This is also the first release to feature drummer Kent Diimmel. In This Moment will be hitting the road in support of the album this September for their U.S. tour with Of Mice & Men and Avatar.

Wintersun, The Forest Seasons (Nuclear Blast)

Five years since their last release, Finland’s progressive metal band Wintersun has released their third studio album, The Forest Seasons. While it may not be the illusive Time II, the band was still able to crowdfund an impressive 464,000 Euros for the release on IndieGoGo, setting the bar for the largest sum crowdfunded by a metal band. The Forest Seasons was recorded at Sonic Pump Studios in Helsinki, Finland, and produced by the band’s own Jari Mäenpää, like all of their albums to date. The band will be touring throughout the rest of the year, but given that the only dates announced are in Europe I wouldn’t exactly get my hopes up just yet for a U.S. leg. The Forest Seasons will be available on vinyl next month 

Mr. Big, Defying Gravity (Frontiers)

Defying Gravity is the ninth studio album from the American rock supergroup Mr. Big. The group released two music videos leading up to the release, “Everybody Needs a Little Trouble” and “Defying Gravity,” as well as a small “Making of” video as well. Due to his unfortunate diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease in 2015, drummer Pat Torpey was not able to play on this record, but in stead worked with a drum programmer. Like with their previous tour, the role will be filled by Matt Starr (Ace Frehley, Bang Tango). However, for the videos they released, Pat and Matt can both be seen drumming together with the band. Between August to November the band will be touring throughout South America and Europe, but no U.S. dates have been announced yet. The album will be available on vinyl next month.

Cytotoxin, Gammageddon (Unique Leader)       
Also available on vinyl.
Death Card, Damage Swing (Innerstrength Records)      
Death Worship, Extermination Mass (Nuclear War Now) 
Will be available on vinyl next month.
Decrepit Birth, Axis Mundi (Nuclear Blast)          
Also available on vinyl. 
Gateway To Hell, Clovers (Unholy Anarchy)      
INTRCPTR, I (Magic Bullet)          
Nucleus / Macabra, Fragmented Self (Metalhit.com)     
Pathology, Pathology (Comatose Music)              
Projected, Ignite My Insanity (Rat Pak Records)
Prospekt, The Illuminated Sky (The Laser’s Edge)             
Shattered Sun, The Evolution Of Anger (Victory Records)    
Soul Remnants, Ouroboros (eOne Music/Lifeblood Inc.)              
Sun Of The Sleepless, To The Elements (Prophecy Productions)               
Also available on vinyl.
Tau Cross, Pillar Of Fire  (Relapse)            
Also available on vinyl.
The Kindred, Weight (Digital) (Sumerian)        
To Speak Of Wolves, Dead In The Shadow (Solid State)      
Trapped Under Ice, Heatwave (Pop Wig Records)
Also available on vinyl and cassette.          
Undergang, Misantropologi (Dark Descent)        
Vanish, From Sheep To Wolves (Outerloop Records)     

Vinyl Releases

Porcupine Tree, Up The Downstair (Kscope)        
It appears that we’re getting another vinyl reissue this week from Britian’s prog rock Porcupine Tree. A lot of their discography has been re-released this year, including Signify, The Sky Moves Sideways, Voyage 34, On the Sunday of Life, and now their sophomore album Up the Downstair. 

Demoncy, Within The Sylvan Realms Of Frost (Nuclear War Now)       
Hull, The Legend Of The Swamp Goat (7″) (Iron Orchestra Works LLC)   
Rites Of Thy Degringolade, Arch Spatial (Nuclear War Now)        
Substratum/Skelator, Split (Unholy Anarchy Records)