KING 810
Memoirs of a Murderer
(Roadrunner)
A lot of hype around this band about how much of troublemakers they are and whatever. Either way, this album/band has a bit of a Slipknot vibe, heavy, catchy, a little raw, yet polished. They seem to have that thing where metal fans and fringe “solid rock” metal fans could both like it.
PALLBEARER
Foundations of Burden
Profound Lore
A throwback doom type thing. Some cool melodies, creepy ozzy-like vocals, big monster meaty stoner doom riffs. Not completely boring like a lot of doom stuff can be.
FALLUJAH
The Flesh Prevails
(Unique Leader)
I’ve heard a lot about this band, but not actually heard them til now. and whoa, they are upset about something. LOL This sounds like pissed off brutal metal, but with a bit of melodic guitar flowing throughout. Then just gets all brutalprog Yeah, that’s my new word. Brutal all over the place, but yet, still does some crazy prog stuff too. The sheet music for this must look like a big blob of notes all over. Great stuff. It’s almost like Cynic met up with Behemoth or something.
OPETH
Pale Communion
(Roadrunner)
The death metal Opeth days are officially gone. Not a big surprise, but two albums in a row with no more death vox. See, for most bands that’d kinda suck, when a band kinda turns into almost a totally different genre, usually it’s not a good thing. While yes, I do miss the growly stuff, I still do have a large catalog of old Opeth to revisit… They have been progressing towards this sound for a while and now I think they’ve honed this proggy 70’s themed heavy metal hard rock type stuff to a science. The last album was pretty decent, but now this is the 2nd album of full on progressive hard rock stuff. There are some slower spots on here which tend to drag a bit, but the more rockin parts are just so catchy, proggy and heavy in their own way. good stuff.
Dictated
The Deceived
Metal Blade Records
Brutal heavy death metal. A classic death metal sound with a little hint of modern tech death stuff. (and no, no djent) And what’s the extra cool thing about this band? They’re Dutch and both guitarists are female.
Ace Frehley
Space Invader
eOne Entertainment
Straightforward classic hard rockin’ type stuff.
Neopera
Destined Ways
Eagle Rock Entertainment
German symphonic metal, also a side project of the bassist from Gamma Ray. Operatic male and female vocals, but with a decent metal backing and, yeah some growls here and there. Actually overall it’s a pretty dynamic album.
Halcyon Way
Conquer
Nightmare Records
First found out about these guys when they opened for Udo a year or so ago, and was immediately a fan. At that point they were more like Nevermore than anything. Technical proggy heavy metal. This album is a bit more straightforward heavy metal with a bit of a prog, clean, almost power metal sounding vox, with an occasional background growl. I think the songs with the growls and clean vox are a bit cooler, as it’s a bit more dimensional. Overall, I like this of course.
Accept
Blind Rage
Nuclear Blast USA
Solid german metal… heck, these guys are pretty much synonymous with “German Heavy Metal” Second album with their “new” singer and it’s just another great album. Musically (guitars!!), vocally and just all around. There’s no pissing on the Accept legacy here, they are keeping it up very well.
Black Trip
Goin’ Under
Prosthetic Records
Old school 70’s metal sounding stuff. Even the production has a throwback feel. Very raw, basic but yet still pretty cool.
Morgoth
God Is Evil (digital single/7″)
Century Media
Just 2 songs so far, but it’s good stuff. Some of the originators of Death Metal, this is the first new studio stuff since 1996! Has a throwback old school death metal feel, but it’s great stuff.
TWILIGHTFALL
The Energy of Soul
Svarga Music
Kind of proggy, a bit death metal, and a lil thrash too. A pretty neat mix of genres… and They’re from Ukraine.
The Paramedic
Diary Of My Demons
Bullet Tooth
Metalcore, pretty heavy and stuff, but it has that electronic keyboard and wall of sound, almost overprocessed thing going on, which makes me think that there might be some autotuned emo vocals coming up… and yup, there they are. I’ve said it before… I think I’m just too old. It’s just so cool, heavy, brutal, then that chorus, and a drum machine too? c’mon now. I mean, there’s some really cool melodic death parts in here, but then it gets ruined by pop metal garbage.
STUDFAUST
Where The Underdogs Bark
Soulseller Records
A raw thrashy punk with some melody.
Khtoniik Cerviiks
Heptaedrone TAPE
Iron Bonehead
Raw chaotic black metal, not quite that kind that sounds like it’s a 400 generation cassette tape dub recorded from AM radio, just some basic, not so technical black metal with a lil bit of thrashy undertone going on.
Trioscapes
Digital Dream Sequence
Metal Blade Records
Jazzy fusioney metal stuff. Saxophones and crazy musicianship… side project of the bassist from BTBAM
Principality of Hell
Fire & Brimstone
W.T.C.Productions
Some heavied up thrash, just about blackened thrash, there’s a throwback to old Venom or Celtic Frost going on in here too. Pretty cool throwback, but still being all new and evil too.
DEADLOCK
The Re-Arrival
Lifeforce
Female fronted melodic death… mostly fe-metal clean vox
Empire Auriga
Ascending the Solar Throne
Moribund
Ambient black metal… yikes, this one does sound almost like it’s a 400th generation cassette dub. Just drony guitars, doomy, depressing and black metal screamy stuff. (one man band) Gonna have to pass on this one.
Cardinals Folly
Our Cult Continues!
Shadow Kingdom Records
Doomy stoner metal from Finland… a bit on the slower drony side, but still rockin’ enough to keep it interesting.
Provocator
Antikristus
Moribund
Some really lo-fi black metal. another one man band project, this is just really evil raw black metal. I can hear potential and actually wish it sounded better, as this
Six String Slaughter
Born Unspoiled
Horror Pain Gore Death
First off, sweet band name! Second… this is some good meat and potatoes catchy death metal. Some catchy brutal riffs, big time fast drumming and great classic cookie monster vox. A bit of a thrash thing to keep the circle pit going at a good pace too!
MIDNIGHT
No Mercy for Mayhem
This band has been around for a while… thrashy with a dark, evil feel, maybe a pinch of some black metal
CHILDREN OF TECHNOLOGY
Future Decay (CD, LP)
Hells Headbangers
Basic Thrash with a punk feel.