OFF!
Wasted Years
(VICE)
Raw punky stuff with an old school sound, I had to make sure this wasn’t like some re-issue or something.  Apparently it was recorded live to an 8 track 1/2″ tape.  Probably pretty cool if you’re into this sort of thing.  Quick short songs.

CHIODOS
Devil
(Razor & Tie)
I’ve always thought this band was more of an emo-metalcore thing, thinkig, oh, maybe with an album called Devil, they’d get a bit more on the heavy side… and no.  All singy, emo-ey… and, yeah, all ready to just keep being that Warped Tour band (although they are not on it this year)  Maybe I’m just too old for this kinda stuff.

HELLYEAH
“Cross to Bier (Cradle of Bones)”
(Eleven Seven)
Been hearing how this new album is soooo awesome… so, now I get to hear a single.  And yeah, this is a bit heavier than their more recent stuff.  It’s a bit overproduced, but definitely catchy, heavy and in the right direction.

MERKABAH
Ubiquity (MMR017)
Maple Metal Records
A sort of epic prog/power metal with female vocals.  It actually reminds me of some early Ottoman Empire (Luna Mortis) but without the growls.

Black Label Society
Catacombs Of The Black Vatican
eOne
Well, what can I say, it sounds like BLS.  Zakk Wylde’s overprocessed voice, meaty catchy riffs and a solid hard rock, almost stoner metal vibe.

Gus G.
I Am The Fire
Century Media
Gus G…. Mr Firewind and Ozzy’s guitarist.  Well, this is a solo album with lots of guests.  Cool stuff, great guitar work and shredding.  Musically it’s a bit of a metal leaning melodic hard rock

Annette Olzon
Shine
Eagle Rock Entertainment
Some slower, hard rock type fe-metal.  Clean pleasant singy vox… music isn’t really even metal, it’s a bit folky

Trollfest
Kaptein Kaos
Napalm Records
heavier folk metal with a little epic feel.  Sometimes folk metal is either too folky and not enough metal… not these guys.  and they have a sense of humor here too.

Motorhead
Crying Shame
UDR Music
Just like the BLS above, and like, oh AC/DC… you know what you’re going to get with Motorhead.  This track though is a bit more laid back with a little blues feel.  Well, with what Lemmy’s been through in the last year, I can see a bit more bluesy feel!  Decent song, cool solos, just your basic hard rockin’ Motorhead tune.

EVILNIGHT
Stormhymns of Filth (TAPE)
Hells Headbangers
For being released on a “Tape” (we still get the digital download)  this is some pretty good heavy blackened thrashy stuff with a pinch of a punky hardcore edge.  Short, quick raw in your face songs.

KOLOSS
Empower the Monster
Argonauta Records
4 big long songs, doomy shoegaze type stuff.  (not my cup of tea)

DIFLEGER
Dreamcatcher
Argonauta Records
Sludgy, noisy and shoegazey stuff too.

POSEIDON
Infinity
Argonauta Records
I guess this would qualify as “post-metal” and not quite as shoegazy as the above two, this one has better production, songs are for the most part a normal lengthy… It’s got it moments, almost like Opeth (clean vox) in parts, others just some melodic metalcore, and others just atmospheric proggy hard rock.

Brutality Will Prevail
Suspension Of Consiousness
Siege of Amida
A heavy thrashy “metal” I guess there’s a hint of some death metal in the riffy goodness, but there’s also just some melodic stuff and a little clean shouted vox…

Septuagint
Negative Void Trinity MCD
Forever Plagued
And old school black metal thing, production is old school, you can tell it was recorded well, but then just seems like they threw an “old school black metal” filter on it. I think it’d be better with normal, decent production… but that’s just me.

Skogen
I Döden
Nordvis
Melodic black/death metal.  It has that raw black metal feel, but with some Opeth-like musical tendencies.

Ormgard
Ormblot CD
Forever Plagued
Again with some old school black metal.  This is a bit faster/heavier, with some keyboards to add to the creepy factor and the vocals are just screamed