Misery Index - “Traitors” [Relapse] … sometimes I wonder if Death Metal can still shock and surprise you … then these guys come and release a new album, and it’s the heaviest material they’ve recorded … still TIGHT and very much percussively driven, their songwriting has become even more cohesive, and are as lyrically acerbic as ever … *5* is probably the best example of all this band has to offer, and I think is their finest song to date … RIYL: Dying Fetus, Suffocation … FCC: 2, 4, 6, 8, 9 … Try 3, *5*, 7, 11 … 2008Sept30 01. We Never [...read more]

Hollow Corp. - “Cloister of Radiance” [Prosthetic] … heavily drum and bass driven, with the forward-thinking ferocity of fellow Frenchmen, Gojira, and the expansive experimentation of Isis, this quintet’s North American debut is a challenging and rewarding journey that takes you through good old fashioned Satanic Doom (2) to more driving tracks (5), some with brilliant melodic, groovy breaks (*3*), and a ~12 min centerpiece (4) to showcase the band’s impressive range … and truthfully, I think they really takes it to the next level on the second half on the album, a mark of confidence for this daring group, who has [...read more]

Amon Amarth – “Twilight of the Thunder God” [Metal Blade] … those with a penchant for vehement Viking valor know to look to this Swedish quintet, who have hacked and slashed their way to become one of the most distinguished names in Metal … their ninth album plays out much like their last: a trio of barnburners, a couple of okay tracks, a great centerpiece, and at least one more standout before the album closes (this is 9, which also features some cello by Apocalyptica) … also listen for a solo by Roope Latvala (Children of Bodom) on *1* [...read more]

Burst - “Lazarus Bird” [Relapse] … their most consistent and obvious comparison is to Mastodon, but unlike most of the bandwagon jumpers, they go beyond shamelessly aping to remind us that it’s not simply about which notes are played; syntax, timing, and interrelation are critical … there is as much delicacy and attention to detail as there is feral exuberance & exhortations of the id, and rarely is it out of balance … very good control of their instruments, much akin to Intronaut… bookending tracks (1, 8 ) can get ponderous, but are never lame … FCC OK … Try 2, 5 [...read more]

Trivium – “Shogun” [Roadrunner] … sounds like Ascendancy and The Crusade got together and had a baby (a good thing) … the album starts with a couple of barnburners that showcase a more confident Matt Heafy behind the main mic, and a stronger presence from bassist Paolo Gregoletto’s backup vox … I think this is the first Black Metal guitar we hear from them as well (1, 2) … while some tracks are shamelessly anthematic (3, 4, 7), when the guitar work takes center stage, they’re among the best songwriters today … produced by Nick Raskulinecz (Foo Fighters, Stone Sour) …  FCC [...read more]

Metallica – “Death Magnetic” [Warner Bros] … simply put, this is the logical musical progression from …And Justice For All and some of their best original material in two decades … at ~75 min, it could benefit from editing, but Hetfield’s meditations on death are welcome compared with the introspective St. Anger and to again hear Kirk Hammet’s inimitable guitar work is beyond comforting … Rob Trujillo is clearly capable of beefing up the low end (check out 5!) and could just be that missing piece they need for the future … 9 is an instrumental … FCC OK … Try [...read more]

All That Remains - “Overcome” [Prosthetic] … their fourth album finds the Springfield, MA quintet keeping pace with their tradition of Metalcore infused with Gothenburg Thrash and (now) more Pop than ever … this works on some tracks (1, 3, 5, 9), but others sound carbon copied (6, 7, 8 ) and honestly, “Two Weeks” smacks of Linkin Park … they accepted a daunting task covering Nevermore (11) but it was a safe bet that turned out bland … new drummer Jason Costa (Diecast) replaces Shannon Lucas, who is now in The Black Dahlia Murder … FCC OK … 2008Sept09 1. Before The Damned 2. [...read more]

Into Eternity - “The Incurable Tragedy” [Century Media]: just as main songwriter Tim Roth found inspiration for 2006’s The Scattering of Ashes from his mother’s death, this album grew from the loss of his best friends and father … the Extreme Prog Canadians can be delicate, technical, kinetic, and catchy all in the same song … plus the vocals are amongst the best in extreme music, from bellowing growls to soaring mids and piercing falsettos … strong 5th album from a strong band … FCC OK … Try 2, 5, 10 … 2008Sept02 01. Prelude to Woe 02. Tides of Blood 03. [...read more]

Iced Earth - “The Crucible of Man – Something Wicked Part 2” [SPV] … the second installment of Jon Schaffer’s high concept Power Metal saga features some changes, incl. 25% fewer tracks, less instrumentals (1, 7, 15)), and most importantly marks the return of principal vocalist, Matt Barlow …  it can be thematically heavy-handed, but the musicianship is top notch (listen to those sweet drums in 2, 8 ) … FCC OK … Try 2, 3, 6, 8, 13 … 2008Sept02 01. In Sacred Flames 02. Behold the Wicked Child 03. Minions of the Watch 04. The Revealing 05. A [...read more]

All Shall Perish - “Awaken the Dreamers” [Nuclear Blast] … rarely does the Metal community have a band that tries to be all things to all people; rarer still is a band that succeeds at doing so … you can’t call these guys Deathcore, at least not anymore … new vocalist Hernan “Eddie” Hermida abandons pig grunts and ventures into falsetto land (*2*), there are mellow moments (6), instrumentals that are quieter (4) and heavier (10), and the last track where they have fun and do crazy name drops/allusions (Carcass, Dillinger Escape Plan, Opeth and more!) … FCC: 1, 3, 7, 8 … [...read more]