-Hot Mulligan

We are two weeks into May, and great new music continues to roll out. This week we’ve got death metal, hip-hop, and a Woody Guthrie inspired album, just to name a few. What are you spinning this weekend while planting your vegetable gardens and firing up the grill for Mother’s Day?

The Acacia Strain–Step Into The Light

Twelve albums in, the band continues to be as brutal as ever. The Acacia Strain lean heavily into the “core” element of deathcore on Step Into The Light, mixing in fast sections and blast beats with breakdowns just meant for pit dancing. If you’ve already been a fan of The Acacia Strain, then Step Into The Light is a no brainer. Stream the new album HERE.

Chuck Strangers–Boys & Girls EP

29-year-old Brooklyn rapper Chuck Strangers sounds fully in his element on his newest project, Boys & Girls EP. Though the album contains ten tracks, it clocks in at just over 21 minutes long (those are hardcore record numbers), technically making it an EP. The beats are moody and vibey, with light touches of jazz. He seems inspired by fellow Brooklynite Skyzoo both in delivery and tone. Boys and Girls features guest spots from underground heavies Navy Blue, Fly Anakin, and Pink Siifu. Chuck is not stranger to the game, but hopefully this excellent project will make him a name in indie-rap circles. Stream it HERE.

Cattle Decapitation–Terrasite

Cattle Decapitation, everyone’s favorite animal-loving, vegan, progressive death metal band is back. 2019’s Death Atlas was a masterstroke in the genre, proving that Cattle Decapitation can step outside of thematic restrictions which paint a pretty disgusting picture of humans being treated like animals meant to compel people towards their particular soapbox. Terrasite seems to be a return to form, boasting cover art of a skinned human-grasshopper hybrid that is sure to turn even the most iron of stomachs. The music and vocals are brutal and epic, par for the course for the band, which is nothing if not consistent.

If you’ve ever been interested in death metal but have been uncomfortable with the focus on serial killers and extreme violence, Cattle Decapitation is a band to check out. Their concern for environmental issues means the violent nature of the imagery and lyrics has a purpose. And the purpose really can’t be overstated, as we experienced an extremely warm winter, continue to witness the ways that wildfires devastate parts of the planet every year, and turn a blind eye to the fact that there is a giant island of plastic floating around in the ocean. Stream Terrasite HERE.

Dropkick Murphys–Okemah Rising

The Irish Punk stalwarts most associated with drinking and the movie The Departed have released their secon album that came out of an acoustic session in Tulsa. Okemah Rising is a set of original music compositions set to the lyrics of Woody Guthrie. It features a guest spot from folk punk pioneers The Violent Femmes. If you’ve never listened to the genius of Woody Guthrie beyond being forced to sing “This Land Is Your Land” in elementary music class, this is a great introduction to his writing. Stream Okemah Rising HERE.

Hot Mulligan–Why Would I Watch

If you were really into early 2000’s pop-punk/emo bands in the vein of Say Anything and The Early November, purchased anything released on Fueled by Ramen Records, or were a regular at the Warped Tour, then you will love Why Would I Watch. Hot Mulligan continues the pop-punk/emo revival on their fourth album. Everything about it feels pleasant and familiar, which is not a bad thing at all. Track titles like “This Song Is Called What It’s Called” and “Cock Party 2” are all pretty funny, bringing back the practice of cheeky track naming. Stream it HERE.