There’s a hot metric shit-ton of vile gunk clogging the drain of metal right now, but I’m unreasonably excited about the genre in 2017 for a whole bunch of reasons, led by these two: (1) MOTHERFUCKING DISFEAR ARE COMING BACK, and (2) German thrash kings Kreator are releasing their first new LP since 2012, Gods Of Violence.

There’s not much to say about the former subject at the moment, except what Baroness’ John Baizley shared in the story linked above:

Disfear are playing Roadburn 2017. They are beginning a new chapter for their band, starting with this performance on April 22nd. I’m humbled by the fact that they see Roadburn as a suitable place to accomplish this. Prior to speaking with them a few months back regarding this show, I had become nervous that their ferocious brand of d-beat fury was forever silenced. I don’t know exactly what to expect from this re-emergence, but I’m sure it won’t be a gentle one. This should be a no-hold-barred, fists-in-the-air, mandatory-circle-pit set, and you better believe I’m not missing a minute of it.

YUP. Good fucking lord yes. Moving on, regarding the latter line item: I went long on Gods Of Violence’s Molotov cocktail lead single/title track in November’s Black Market; it probably woulda come in at #1 on my list of the top songs of 2016 if it hadn’t dropped on me so late in the year. Kreator are the best fucking band. They were my first favorite “extreme” metal band when I was 15, and today, they’re even better and more necessary than ever before. They’re headlining next year’s Decibel Magazine Tour, and to help get the word out, the band teamed up with the mag to share a new track that was (somehow) left off the LP proper.

The new song is called “Earth Under The Sword” and I am HERE FOR THIS. Kreator are absolute demolishers of all things authoritarian; they rip down false prophets, fraudulent opportunists, and fear-mongering scumbags. They give no fucks and take no prisoners. I love them so much. “Earth Under The Sword” is a fight song for the revolution; frontman Mille Petrozza roars lyrics like “Inhumane societies breed hate/ total hate” and “You are the victim/ casualty of system failure,” and then the band hits that arena-rocking chorus:

I HAVE COME TO DETHRONE THE EMPERORS!/ I HAVE COME TO CRUSH THEM ALL!

Man, I could punch through two feet of cement when I listen to this stuff. I gotta run five miles now or something. This is pure blue flames just immolating all the garbage in the world. Listen.

UPDATE: As I was writing this unnecessarily long post, Kreator apparently dropped another new song/video, “Satan Is Real,” and this one is included on the LP. Listening right now and IT CRUSHES. I can’t vouch for the video because I’m not in that tab at the moment and also, I try to stay away from metal videos because they have a tendency to detract from the music for me. But the song goes hard as hell. Check it:

Gods Of Violence is out 1/27 via Nuclear Blast, and if what we’ve heard already is any indication, it’s gonna be a beast. “Earth Under The Sword” is available on a flexi that comes with the new issue of Decibel, which you can cop here. (Pallbearer on the cover!) The other bands on the dB tour are Horrendous and Midnight, both of whom kick serious ass, and Florida heshers Obituary, who made two classic albums in 1989 and 1990, respectively. I’m gonna be there, and you should go, too. Details are here, or just peep the poster below.