🎶🎮 April 2026 Roundup
Man, I was not prepared for how stacked this month would be. Thankfully, the new method I use to get through all the music I need to listen to worked better this time around, and I was able to include a whole bunch of stuff this month that I probably otherwise would have missed.
I'm a bit worried though, Q1 is now barely over and I feel like I've listened to a shitload of stuff already. I can only hope that I'll be able to keep up for the rest of the year.
And hey, I finally get to feature a video game again! Imagine that.
Let's get into it.
THE GAMES
Mouse: PI for Hire
FPS, 2026 (PC)
Finally, FINALLY, something that feels unique and original in the PC gaming space.
I feel like we've had a very long period now without any substantial landmarks in PC gaming. Sure, there've been good games, even good games that have done well. But how long has it been since we had something with an actual unique and interesting artstyle? Something with personality, instead of some generic Unreal Engine game that looks exactly like every other Unreal Engine game?
I adore this game, despite all the valid critiques that it has received (which I won't bother to repeat). It's just an absolute breath of fresh air, and a reminder of why I love gaming in the first place. It probably won't be my game of the year or anything, but I'm sure that I'll remember it as a gaming experience for the rest of my life. I can't say that about many other games that come out these days.
Caravan Palace also made this great song for the game's soundtrack!
Anyway, if--like me--you're kind of into old school shooters, and you have a soft spot for games with charm and flair, you should definitely check it out!
THE MUSIC
Angine de Poitrine - Vol. II
Microtonal Experimental Psych Rock, 2026
I mean, was there any doubt at all that this would be featured this month?
Like most of you, I came across this band on YouTube. I wasn't that into it at first, as the slightly dissonant microtonal nature of the melodies felt off-putting. Then my focus shifted towards the groove, and then there was no turning back. They hooked me too, damnit. It's wild, it's fascinating, it's groovy as hell, and has extremely impressive musicianship. What else could you possibly want?
It was featured on Qobuz (because of course it was), and you can get it on Bandcamp (which you should).
Archspire - Too Fast to Die
Technical Death Metal, 2026
The masters are back! My favorite tech death band have not only released what will probably be the most ferocious and blistering metal album of the year, but they're also finally coming to Norway! I've already secured tickets to their show in November, and I can tell you right now; I might not survive that show. I'll probably die from dehydration or something from sweating all night.
Anyway, this record sees the band take on a slightly more progressive slant, leaning a bit more into the atmosphere and grander soundscapes that they're known to break up their songs with. Like many others are saying, it feels like this album isn't as instantly appealing as their two previous offerings, but it's still hard to find fault with metal music that's this competently written and performed.
If you haven't heard Archspire yet, I certainly hope I can convince you to have a listen now. Start with the track Carrion Ladder. Trust me, it's an experience.
Check it out on Qobuz, or Bandcamp!
Resistor - Bite This!
Caveman Core, 2026
Sometimes you just wanna go full caveman. Leave all sense of pretense behind and just get stupid, with guitars tuned so low they might as well not be guitars anymore, breakdowns every other minute, and even DJ scratching to really put the cheesy cherry on top.
This scratches the same itch for me that Kublai Khan does, except whereas Kublai Khan comes off as genuinely badass, this is just fun. I find myself pulling the stank-face while trying to smile at the same time, and I can't help but love it.
While this album is available on Qobuz, it's nowhere to be found on Bandcamp. I guess you'll have to buy it on Qobuz or Apple Music instead.
Mire - Pale Reflection
Melodic Death Metal, 2026
There's been very few melodeath records that have caught my attention like this recently. It falls very much in line with those other "modern metal" bands like Orbit Culture and Bloodred Hourglass, but leans a bit more towards the traditional melodeath composing style. I kind of wanna say I'm getting Soilwork vibes too, but in a good way!
I'm also very impressed with the vocals here. They're pretty much perfect for the genre. I'd say they're what pushed it over into "recommended" territory; Not fantastic, but worth a listen.
Listen on Qobuz, buy it on Bandcamp.
Onchocerciasis Esophagogastroduodenoscopy - Fugue Gnawed from the Scabbed God Cerebrum
Brutal Death Metal / Slam / Deathgrind, 2026
... aaand we're back to stupid!
Well, not really. In fact, not at all... Once you get past how ridiculously heavy and grimy and silly this music is on its face, you start to notice that it's actually good. Like really good. The production on it is a cut above the others in the genre, for one, but there's also a level of technicality to the music itself which suggests that this band very much know what they're doing.
There's a somber and very serious tone to this album, and compared to more "traditional" slam, there are several pensive progressive sections which help break up the absolute batshit brutality on display throughout the record.
This may very well be way too niche for it to end up on many AOTY year lists come December, but I actually wouldn't be too surprised if it did.
If you can stomach it, you can have a listen on Qobuz, then buy it on Bandcamp if you were as impressed as I was.
Immolation - Descent
Old-School Death Metal, 2026
This one grabs the OSDM prize this month due to the simple fact that the music on this album sounds so incredibly vibrant, menacing, and purposeful, despite the band being 40 years old at this point. Yes, you read that right! The amount of talent and musicianship it takes to put out music this good way after your best years should be behind you is genuinely mind-boggling to me as a music fan. If I didn't already know that the band has been around since 1988, I really don't think I would've been able to tell.
Hell, it might even be the best metal album released in April, period. Considering how stacked this month was, that's saying something! I suspect this will be on a lot of year-end lists come December. And the album cover is also one of the most striking I've seen in a long while.
You can listen to it on Qobuz, and buy it on Bandcamp. Better yet, get the fucking vinyl 'cause, I mean, just look at that beauty!
Pilori - Sans Adieu
Blackened Sludge / Crust, 2026
Man, what a headbanger of a record this is. I've never heard of this band before even though they've been around for more than 20 years, and they pretty much blew me away with this one.
The band has a very distinct approach to writing riffs, which keeps the songs interesting and varied, and they dip into some extremely heavy sections that induce some serious stankface. The vocals are a bit one-note, but serve the music very well, and the medium tempos ensure that grooves are plentiful.
I was very pleasantly surprised by this. Have a listen on Qobuz, and then maybe buy it on Bandcamp.
Bill Callahan - My Days of 58
Singer-songwriter, 2026
This Texan folk artist has eluded me up until now, but I'm glad his music finally reached me. Very laid back, straight forward, and blunt in both its sound and lyricism. A simple affair with warm and cozy instrumentation, and a satisfyingly deep male voice that keeps the album very grounded and real. Some very vulnerable lyrics as well.
Quite an easy listen, and its one hour runtime flies by.
Have a listen on Qobus, then get it on Bandcamp.
And of course, we have some honorable mentions this month as well:
- Delirious Compulsion - Erratum of Dysphoria :: Brutal technical death metal of the more serious kind. Slightly more progressive than Archspire, and I'd say equally technically impressive. Great bass tone too!
- The Last Ten Seconds of Life - The Dead Ones :: The only deathcore release I came across this month which managed to make an impression. Crisp and heavy, with more focus on the 'core'. That means slower tempos, and plenty of groove.
- Melechesh - Sentinels of Samash :: We haven't heard from Melechesh in a long time. Unfortunately it's just an EP this time around, but this is a band which I very much appreciate for its unique sound (and the EP is still good), so they're getting a mention.
- Spirit Adrift - Infinite Illumination :: Some blackened heavy metal that truly made the rounds this month. I've seen it mentioned almost everywhere. It didn't seem to impress me as much as it did the rest of the community, but I did enjoy it.
- Jessie Ware - Superbloom :: The queen of modern disco is back with a velvety smooth, classy, and aurally rich record which is getting heaps of praise all around. I'm not sure whether I like it as much as her previous offering, but it's still very good.
That's one more month down! Thanks to my new way of working with these roundups I feel ready to take on May (taaake meee ooon) already. I hope I can finish the next Landmark Album post this month as well. Time will tell, I guess.
Thanks for reading. As always, I hope you discovered something cool. See you in the next one! ✌️