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]

Slipknot - “All Hope Is Gone” [Roadrunner] … fifth album from the Iowan 9-piece finds the band embracing styles beyond the Nü-Metal foundation they laid about a decade ago (check the near Black Metal riffing on 12) … it’s unsettling to hear all these clean vocals (3, 5, 6), the balladry of 11, and Corey Taylor tentatively venture into new vocal ranges on 8 (Stone Sour residue?), but this does show that they want to avoid stagnancy … standout tracks would be even stronger without so much repetition … FCC Clean Disc … Try 2, 9, 12 … 2008Aug26 01. .execute. [...read more]

Motörhead - “Motörizer” [SPV] … here’s some numbers for ya: this is the band’s 24th studio album since its inception 33 years ago and Lemmy, now 62, is truly an elder statesman by anyone’s account … mostly balls-out-and-I-don’t-give-a-fuck (1, 2, 4, 7, 8 ) vs. some sharp social criticism, especially about war (3, 9, 11) … what’s really outstanding is this BAND though, who has really solidified over the past 15 years … notably, their last two albums had the same producer, Cameron Webb, and Mikkey Dee’s drum tracks were recorded at Dave Grohl’s 606 Studio … FCC: 2, 3, 4 … [...read more]

Don Caballero - “Punkgasm” [Relapse] … Damon Che may be the only remaining original member, but I’ll be damned if this isn’t the perfect combination of the groovy, quirky power of For Respect with the expansive creativity of American Don (it’s certainly a favorite for Best of 2008) … notably the first album to properly include vox, which sound good and come off with a QOTSA vibe (5, 6, 9, 11, 14–Damon and Eugene also swap drums and guitar here) … the opening track is as consistently interesting and dynamic as any in their 15 year history and overall, they sound like they’re having a good [...read more]