Welcome to another TRH – and today, it's a doozy. Lots of albums to check out, and we've assembled a, shall we say, eclectic (yeah, let's go with that) assortment to highlight for you today.

Ba bam!

Benson Boone – American Heart [Night Street, Warner]

Mark Zuckerberg's favorite singer returns with his second studio album only 14 months after his debut Fireworks & Rollerblades. On American Heart, Benson Boone strives to deepen his artistry by pulling from heartland rock. He signals a pivot away from the avenue of "Beautiful Things" and towards red-blooded pop. Inspirations like Bruce Springsteen come through on the rugged, working-class anthem "Mystical Magical". The other pre-release single "Momma Song" sticks with the American theme by recalling the cathedral balladry of Hozier. If you haven't heard any of these songs yet, give the TikTok wellness influencers a few weeks to cook. – Colin Dempsey

Cryptopsy – An Insatiable Violence [Season of Mist]

Following 2023's solid As Gomorrah Burns, the Canadian technical death metal giants return with their ninth studio record, and they're as sharp and energetic as a band with a quarter of their lifespan. An Insatiable Violence may not be Cryptopsy's most forward-thinking record, but it is immediately rewarding. For instance, "Malicious Needs" and "Until There's Nothing Left" thread the needle between impressive musicianship and near-instant gratification. If anything, An Insatiable Violence proves that technical death metal can be challenging yet friendly to new listeners without dipping into ridiculousness. – Colin Dempsey

Haim – I Quit [Columbia]

It's been five years since HAIM released their acclaimed third LP, Women In Music Pt. III, but the sisters are finally back to follow it up with I Quit. The record centers around aspects of the band's life that they've simply had enough of. Now all in their thirties, the HAIM sisters have begun to approach their life with an IDGAF attitude, and it makes for some of their most fun and carefree music yet. The band have once again tapped Rostam for production duties, fresh off recent work with Dora Jar and SASAMI. – Leah Weinstein

Hotline TNT – Raspberry Moon [Third Man]

Raspberry Moon is the first Hotline TNT record to be built collaboratively amongst the quartet. Filling in the gaps of frontman Will Anderson's writing, the band crafted a driving, enthralling shoegaze record to rival their 2023 breakthrough Cartwheel. In the year and a half between Cartwheel and Raspberry Moon, several health scares and tough decisions regarding touring allowed Anderson to cement the belief that's imbued on this record: Hotline TNT is a band, and this is that band. In what feels like an increasingly oversaturated genre, Anderson and co. have crafted guitar tones that teeter between classic fuzz and rich lyrics that are just as cathartic. – Leah Weinstein

Malevolence – Where Only The Truth Is Spoken [Nuclear Blast]

Sheffield natives Malevolence have made a name for themselves with their brand of shreddy, thrash-inspired metal meets mosh-ready hardcore. Their fourth LP, Where Only The Truth Is Spoken, sees them peeling back the layers a bit, bringing a new level of vulnerability to their anthemic, explosive sound. Vocalist Alex Taylor states that "It’s not all just about anger or aggression; there’s a lot of weight in the words across the whole album, whether that’s addressing personal struggles, the state of the world, or the highs and lows of life." But don't worry, there are still riffs and breakdowns galore in the midst of all that emotion. – Shaye Frenkel

Matmos – Metallic Life Review [Thrill Jockey]

Leave it to electronic wizards Matmos – the duo of husbands M. C. Schmidt and Daniel Drew – to keep finding new ways to innovate. After a long and storied career of records that focus mostly or entirely on sounds from strange sources (a washing machine, surgery equipment, etc.) they've now centered on metal. Metallic Life Review takes nearly every single one of its many sounds from metals or metallic objects, which were recorded before being layered, looped, arranged, affected, chopped, screwed, and the like. With only a few outlying non-metallic elements, Metallic Life Review is another intriguing, experimental release from the intriguing experimenters, and a sort of cousin to 2019's Plastic Anniversary, which found its sounds from – you guessed it – plastic things. Maybe next time they'll do paper? – Jeremy J. Fisette

S.G. Goodman – Planting by the Signs [Slough Water Records/Thirty Tigers]

“I’ve been living like the sun don’t shine on the same dog’s ass every day,” sings S.G. Goodman on “Fire Sign”, the winning lead single from Planting by the Signs. That nugget of insight is just one of the many ways in which she approaches the album’s central theme of the natural seasons of life and the art of old storykeeping. Recorded in Sheffield, Alabama, Goodman’s third album reunites her with early collaborator Matt Rowan as well as Drew Vandenberg, who co-produced her 2022 breakthrough Teeth Marks. The result is 11 songs of atmospheric folk and Americana-flavored rock, delivered in the spirit of togetherness and with plenty of poetic detail to chew on. Her fellow Kentuckian Bonnie “Prince” Billy guests on “Nature’s Child”. – Alan Pedder

Skinhead – It's a Beautiful Day, What a Beautiful Day [Closed Casket Activities]

Take a trip back in time to when hardcore punk wasn't all just rip-off Slayer riffs, chuggy breakdowns, and tough guy vocals with Skinhead's new LP, It's a Beautiful Day, What a beautiful Day. Vivid storytelling immediately captures the intimate details of a life foreign to many of us, but that doesn't make it any less relatable. Find songs about violence, love, loss, and looking back at the reckless abandon of youth from a new perspective. – Shaye Frenkel

Tropical Fuck Storm – Fairyland Codex [Fire Records]

Australian rock outfit Tropical Fuck Storm return with their fourth LP, Fairyland Codex, out today. The album was recorded at the band’s own Dody Brothers Studio in Nagambie, Australia, and co-produced by Michael Beach, known for his solo work and collaborations with acts like Electric Jellyfish and Thigh Master. True to their genre-bending style — mixing rock, art rock, and noise — Fairyland Codex is, according to the band, an immersive experience that "plunges us into the chaos of a fateful landslide, picking out the characters that litter the impending collapse of society." – Ricky Adams

Tenebrae in Perpetuum – Vacuum Coeli [Avantgarde Music]

After years of what the press materials call "mystical solitude," Italian black metal duo Tenebrae in Perpetuum  — Latin for "Darkness Forever" — return with their fifth album, Vacuum Coeli, out today via Avantgarde Music. Mastered by Andrea Petucco (Ad Nauseam) and featuring evocative artwork by Vama Marga (Depths Above), the nine-track album stands as a cold, visceral chapter in the band’s evolving legacy. Carrying on the grim and frostbitten tradition of second-wave black metal, songs like "Carmen ad Noctem" and "Occhio Ardente, Dio Del Caos" revel in a fury established by genre forefathers Immortal and Darkthrone. Other songs, like "Inverno, è stato" and "Sole di Tenebra", are disharmonious and convey a kind of blasphemy reminiscent of Mayhem during the mid-aughts. Vacuum Coeli is best listened to alone in the woods. – Nic Huber

U.S. Girls – Scratch It [4AD]

On the ninth U.S. Girls album Scratch It, Toronto-based Meg Remy has ditched the long hours of tinkering with production software in favor of recording live off the floor with a band and mixing to two-inch tape, and she sounds all the more relaxed for it. Recorded in Nashville over a 10-day period last spring, these nine songs – peaking with the 12-minute cinematic feast of “Bookends” – find her reflecting on world and personal history and turmoil, touching on everything from James Brown and Patti Smith to alcohol issues and the Canadian gold rush. – Alan Pedder

Yaya Bey - do it afraid [drnk sm wtr]

In her sixth studio record, do it afraid, New York's Yaya Bey embraces joy, courage, and finding love in the face of suffering. Her introductory track and promotional single "wake up b*tch" sets up the premise of the album with an easygoing beat and candidly saying, "If you wanna be brave / First you gotta be afraid..." Her other single "raisins" channels her signature neo-soul flair as she learns to "let it be" in order to recognize all the dreams she has achieved. This pivot toward happiness and acceptance contrasts Yaya Bey's previous records that touched upon grief, loss, personal and political struggle. Perhaps a bit of introspection and optimism — coupled with the artist's bright, honeyed vocals celebrating the best parts of her life — could be a good mood-setter for the day. –Victoria Borlando