Akimbo - “Jersey Shores” [Neurot] … drawing inspiration from the string of shark attacks that terrorized New Jersey in the summer of 1916, this Seattle trio goes to great lengths to expand their sonic palette on their sixth album (the first since leaving Alternative Tentacles) … they feel loose–even improvisational– hearkening back to early Black Sabbath, but with the noisy ferocious groove of homestate ilk like the Melvins … they may be as brutal and delicate as the waters that spawned these tales (even bookending the album with ocean sounds), as they ebb and flow through these haunting tracks … they best achieve [...read more]

  Abigail Williams – “In The Shadow of A Thousand Suns” [Candlelight] … after frequent lineup changes, the formerly-Phoenix/now-NY-based sextet has done many things right for their first full-length … first, they more deeply embrace Norwegian Symphonic Black Metal, and forego any Metalcore ties they had on the Legend EP, which felt forced when executed … second, prior to enlisting Samus on battery full time, they called on powerhouse Trym Torson (Emperor, Zyklon) for all but three tracks (3, 8, 9) … third, James Murphy (Testament, Dragonlord) is behind the production, mixing and mastering (plus a guest solo on [...read more]

  Enslaved - “Vertebrae” released October 21, 2009 on Nuclear Blast A blacker, grander execution with more progressive leanings when compared with most other Swedish death metal that invokes the Viking spirit, like the savage thrash of Unleashed or the gruff melodic hooks of Amon Amarth. What we do get from the 17-year veterans is an excellent choice of sonic textures throughout, with the vocals alternating between soothing tenors and venomous rasps, which altogether makes for an interesting and daring listening experience that would likely please Opeth fans. Check out the folky backbeat on 5.   FCC OK. Try 1, 2, 3, 5 [...read more]

Christ Inversion - “Christ Inversion” [Housecore] … the band was formed by Phil Anselmo (Down, Pantera) back in 1994, and recorded only two demos before disbanding … this is actually a re-release of the second batch of demos, rather than a new proper album … this is dark, dank, blasphemous Black Metal in the same vein as Venom, while also working in keyboards and sludgy grooves … it’s important for posterity’s sake, but this is nothing revolutionary and does wear thin, even at only 8 songs … FCC: 1, 4, 6, 7 … Try 2, 3 … 2008Oct14 01. Crucifucking the Possessed [...read more]

Pro-Pain - “No End In Sight” [Regain] … more melodic branches emerge from the Hardcore roots the NYC quartet planted nearly two decades ago … starts strong, and reaches into some interesting territory (3 is kinda “Oi! Oi!” and 4 is Power Metally), but the second half of the album, which includes the inflammatory tracks about war (10) and God (9) get tiresome … FCC: 1,6,10 … Try 2, 3, 4 … 2008Oct14 01. Let The Blood Run Through The Streets 02. Halo 03. Hour Of The Time 04. To Never Return 05. Where We Stand 06. Phoenix Rising 07. [...read more]

Unearth - “The March” [Metal Blade] … fourth album from one of the pillars of Massachusetts Metalcore, produced by Adam Dutkiewicz (a peer in Killswitch Engage) and mixed by Andy Sneap … the band is moving forward with more aggressive songs, a greater attention to guitar work and solos, and a defiant refusal towards clean vox … this is practically opposite to most of their ilk, and while I wish the songs and vox were less repetitive, it’s good to hear them distinguish from Shadows Fall and All That Remains … track 11 is an untitled bonus track, with a “bonus bonus” coming in at [...read more]

Don The Reader - “Humanesque” [Deathcote] … having carefully studied the Mathcore blueprint drawn up by Botch, Isis, and early Dillinger Escape Plan (to name a few), the South Bay quintet draws from this dense, dissonant palette and unleashes their full fury on their debut LP … good variety in terms of riffage, and the guitar dynamics are the band’s strongest suit, but they could stand to either mix up or clarify the throaty yelled vox a bit … FCC: 5, 9 … Try 2, 3, 4, 6, 8 … 2008Oct14 01. 328 02. Malfunction 03. Teethgrinder 04. Humanesque 05. Con-Sciolist 06. Hotwar 07. Pre-Self [...read more]

Exodus - “Let There Be Blood” [Zaentz] … this will certainly polarize whoever was on the fence on this latest incarnation of the Thrash legends: a re-recording of their seminal 1985 classic Bonded By Blood … nostalgia be damned, cuz this benefits greatly from Andy Sneap’s crystal clear modern production … new(er) vocalist Rob Dukes thankfully makes no attempt to mimic the late Paul Baloff, and the band is as tight as they come … it is a welcome homage, akin to Testament’s First Strike Still Deadly (also mastered by Sneap) … 10 is a new recording of an old unreleased song!  FCC: 7 … [...read more]

  Book Of Black Earth – “Horoskopus” [Prosthetic] … a dreary dose of Blackened Seattle Sludge that focuses on “hidden astrological elements of the Christian Church” (someone was watching Zeitgeist!) for their sophomore release … many factors are at work in order to create their sound, blending Death, Doom, and Melodic Black Metal with sparse atmospheric keyboards into a dense wall of sound, fronted by throaty growls that are fairly understandable … you’ll probably notice that the drums undeniably drive the album, arriving high in the mix (with an almost uncomfortably hollow snare) … it can be a bit [...read more]

Cradle Of Filth - “Godspeed On The Devil’s Thunder” [Roadrunner] … detractors be damned, these guys are recording excellent material these days … no stranger to concept albums about the world’s most nefarious figures, they now embrace Gilles de Rais (aka Bluebeard), the French noble who once fought aside Joan of Arc before succumbing to unfathomable depravity, the depths of which include the rape and murder of possibly hundreds of children … CoF’s blackened roots reach deep into the annals of history, with Dani’s famous vocal range spitting and howling his Gothic poetry about this fallen monster over their lush symphonic [...read more]