Into Eternity
The Incurable Tragedy
Century Media
38:57 - 12 Tracks
It seems like these guys just put out an album, toured like 400 times on a bunch of different tours, and now here they are with a new album already! Apparently, they have a pseudo-studio in their RV/Bus and have been working on songs the whole time. Also, a lot of crappy stuff happened (friends/family dying, etc) to Tim Roth, the main force in this band over that same course of time which he transferred that into music and lyrics. This album has all of those catchy hooks, over the top screamy vocals mixed in with some super death metal growls… All of the elements that you expect from Into Eternity are here. The production is clean and songs are diverse, while still staying with that “Into Eternity” sound. Great stuff, you’ll hear this on the Mosh Pit!
Iced Earth
The Crucible of Man (Something Wicked Pt. 2)
SPV
59:15 - 15 Tracks
This album marks the return of Matt Barlow… and more in depth telling of “Something Wicked” I was hoping for a return to the heavier more concise metal stuff, but this album is more of one of those “epic masterpieces…” with all the symphonic/operatic stuff building up tracks. To me, it seems a little over produced with out much “raw-ness” to it that the older stuff had. I’m sure if I sat down with some lyric sheets and listened along this would be that masterpiece, but as a casual listener, you’d hear some good crunchy riffs every so often, but nothing that you haven’t already heard in other Iced Earth albums. I guess I’m a little biased when I write, I like the fast crunchy in-your-face Iced Earth stuff, and apparently that’s a thing of the past. Still a great album though…. Matt Barlow is the man!
Anima
The Daily Grind
Metal Blade
33:22 - 9 Tracks
Another metal-death-core band that draws the comparisons to Black Dahlia Murder… They appear to have the intense fast metal assault building up to a slower breakdown type thing in some songs, others have some melodic parts, not emo, but melodic catchy type stuff in the mix. Drumming is intense, vocals vary between screamy growls and death growls. I’d have to say it’s pretty brutal overall! You’ll hear this on the Mosh Pit!
All Shall Perish
Awaken The Dreamers
Nuclear Blast
35:55 - 12 Tracks
These guys put out an album that’s brutal, yet melodic and not so much “Core” I’d have to say it’s almost sounding like something from Sweden! Borrowing a word from their bio sheet which rings true… Diverse. Brutal, melodic, chunky, catchy, all sorts of cool metal things going on in this album. You’ll hear it on the Mosh Pit!
Stormlord
Mare Nostrum
Locomotive
46:55 - 9 Tracks
“Extreme Epic Metal” I’d say mix some Dream Theater or other prog-metal with black metal! These songs do have that “epic” sound to it, meaning a classical/symphonic feel. However, there are not screamy power metal vocals, it’s pretty much all black metal vocals. The songs stay pretty heavy and catchy too! You’ll hear this on the Mosh Pit!
Hackneyed
Death Prevails
Nuclear Blast
31:00 - 9 Tracks
Gimmick? No bands don’t need gimmicks… These guys are good on their own, okay, I’ll tell you what some may call a gimmick… 14-18 year olds from Bavaria! This is some good quality death metal. Brutal, catchy heavy and even melodic!. It’s fast, but nothing really too complicated… which is great, some stuff these days is just getting TOO over the top, these guys keep it to the basics. How kids this young can make stuff this cool is beyond me!
Nightwish
The Sound of Nightwish Reborn
Roadrunner
58:48 - 9 Tracks
Thisis a coolection of Demos and B-sides from Dark Passion Play (their album from 2007) It appears as though this is a release to promote their tour which started last week. Overall there isn’t much “metal” on here. Unless there’s overwhelming requests for this, I think it might be a pass.
Toxic Holocaust
An Overdose of Death
Relapse
13 Tracks
A blackened-thrash album here… Did I just term a new genre? Probably not, but it is generally thrash, but with some more abrasive vocals. Actually all vocals and instruments are performed by one guy! Joel Grind didn’t want to deal with the full time band thing, so just hires session folks for tours and stuff. The music is classic thrash sounding with a little bit of an edge, it’s quality stuff, and you will hear it on the Mosh Pit!
The Showdown
Back Breaker
SolidState
11 Tracks
Some melodic thrashy-core type stuff here, actually sounds kind of Shadows Fall-ish. There are some good chugga chugga guitars, a good mix of metal, thrash, and “core.” It’s a good solid metal album and you’ll probably hear something from it on the Mosh Pit!
