The musings of Beanis

🎶 March 2026 Roundup

Well, you're either reading this on March 31st or April 2nd, cause I never post on April Fool's day. Been on the internet too long for that. 😉

Anyway, you might remember reading something about me trying out a different approach to these roundups which would make it easier for me to get them out on time? Yeah, I failed at that, I'm sorry. That's not to say the method isn't solid, I still feel like it's a much better way to work, I've just not had the self-discipline to do it consistently enough throughout the month so I need to work on making it part of my routine. I'll make another attempt in April, and see if I can also post another essential album before my next roundup drops.

No new games this month either, though I have been playing a touch of WoW Midnight. Then I hopped back into WoW Classic with my cousin and I haven't come out since. I've probably said this before but that's very much a comfort game for me.

But we have some music to get to! Interestingly, this was a very slow month for music for me personally, at least up until the very end of the month when suddenly a whole lot of great albums dropped all at once. Going on a easter holiday trip from the 31st of March to April 2nd didn't make this entry easier to get out the door in time either, that's for sure.

But, I digress. Let's get into it.



THE MUSIC


image

Hellripper - Coronach

Blackened Speed Metal, 2026

Let's face it, this was without a doubt the biggest and most impactful release of the month for the metal community at large, and for good reason! This project from Scotland made quite the splash with their previous record Warlocks Grim & Withered Hags in '23, and this follow-up has been highly expected ever since. It seems to have lived up to those expectations across the board as it's getting glowing reviews pretty much everywhere.

I'm going to add to those glowing reviews right here and say that this is probably one of the most metal records of the year, and that if you consider yourself a fan of heavy music, you shouldn't miss it. The vibe is perfect, the musicianship is stellar, and the songs are dynamic and powerful.

It's available to stream on Qobuz, and you can download it on Bandcamp.



image

The Gloom In The Corner - Royal Discordance

Vaudevillian Metalcore, 2026

You're probably thinking; "What the fuck is that genre tag, Beanis??" Well, if you listen to it, it might make sense.

Like I've said many times, it takes a lot to impress me on the metalcore front these days. This band manages to incorporate very creative instrumental and melodic choices across the whole record -- which makes it unpredictable enough to be interesting -- while still making musical sense, and ends up sounding good despite being very 'out there'.

A warm recommendation from me, especially for those of you out there that lean toward the poppier end of modern metal music.

This is unfortunately not available to buy on Bandcamp, but you can still stream and buy it on Qobuz.



image

Wielded Steel - Sins Of Your Domain

Crossover, 2026

One of the more cookie-cutter offerings on the roundup this month, but a very solid one. Everything about this just oozes quality, from the slightly fuzzy and harsh production to the fantastic breakdowns, heavy grooves, aggressive two-step sections, and chanty vocals. Short and sweet at only 21 minutes of runtime, and once it's all over you just wanna run it again.

This has been my go-to record this month for just straight up heaviness and aggression. Give it a listen on Qobuz and then buy it on Bandcamp.



image

Nocturnal Ceremony - Obsidian

Melodic Death Metal, 2026

Seems I have a new favorite Norwegian band.

This album is a killer! Huge soundscapes, thundering drums, thick heavy grooves and with aggression to spare. I have a slight issue with the production, which creates this noticeable white noise hiss from the cymbals of the drums specifically. But that truly is just a nitpick, 'cause other than that, this album is just absolutely epic. The songs are varied and dynamic, and they manage to complement the brutality with strings and choral vocals to add this layer of sophistication and scale to the music without overdoing it. And it's a full hour long, too!

I will however continue to criticize bands that use AI bullshit for their album covers, and this cover is about as shitty as they come. Thankfully, the music is quite good.

Just absolutely brutal shit that you definitely should listen to if you think bands like Orbit Culture are kind of cool but lean a bit too much into the stadium sound. It's available on both Qobuz and Bandcamp.



Before I sign off, I want to shout out a couple of releases that I found myself immediately enjoying, but didn't get the time to listen to properly:

Any one of these might have made this list for March if I'd been a little more consistent with my work, and you should give'em a listen. I'll try my best to improve my rhythm for April. See you in the next one! ✌️

#🎶