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Three New Metal Albums You Need to Hear This Week
February 20, 2026 delivered three heavy metal releases in a single day. Here are the highlights – plus a live opportunity for NRW fans.
Exhumed – "Red Asphalt" (Relapse Records)
Exhumed deliver another chapter of their uncompromising gore metal universe with "Red Asphalt." The Californian death metal/grindcore veterans stay true to form: fast, brutal, no mercy. NRW fans take note – Exhumed are coming to the Pitcher in Düsseldorf on April 14, together with death metal comrades Gruesome. Do not miss the chance to experience the new material live.
👉 Order Red Asphalt: CD at EMP | LP at EMP | CD at Impericon | Vinyl at Impericon
Sylosis – "The New Flesh" (Nuclear Blast)
Sylosis return with "The New Flesh" – and it hits hard. The Brits blend melodic thrash with modern metal and crank up the heaviness compared to their predecessor. Produced by frontman Josh Middleton and mastered by Adam "Nolly" Getgood (Periphery), this might be the strongest Sylosis release to date.
👉 Order The New Flesh: CD at EMP | LP at EMP | CD at Impericon | Vinyl at Impericon
Abstracted – "Hiraeth" (M-Theory Audio)
Brazilian six-piece Abstracted present "Hiraeth," progressive extreme metal at the highest level. Complex arrangements meet technical brilliance – fans of Opeth, Vildhjarta, or Between the Buried and Me should absolutely check this out. Released on M-Theory Audio, the album cements Abstracted as one of the most exciting prog-death bands in the scene.
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Three albums, three facets of metal. And with Exhumed playing in April, NRW gets a live treat on top.
