Darkness can leave room for a joke, and heavy music can still move. On "Rustbelt Rejects", Akron artist Zmack puts that relationship to work through abrasive textures, grooves and odd humour. His original album brings hip-hop into contact with Memphis trap, Horrorcore, industrial, funk-metal and phonk. Yet the aim is not genre display. The range accommodates memory, loss, anger, pride, relationships and Irish-American identity. It gives...

The Australian electro-rock veterans "Caligula" return after 25 years with a charged album full of gothic groove, heavy feeling, and late-night replay value. Caligula are back, and "Bloodlines" does not tiptoe into the room. It flicks on the red light, turns the bass up, and lets the shadows start moving. That matters because this is not a quick nostalgia check-in. "Bloodlines", is the ARIA-nominated Australian electro-rock...