CALLING IT A DAY/NIGHT/YEAR/LIFETIME

Well it’s been grand, and I was honored to take over the “Dirt Culture” moniker from its former print editor and turn it into this here wonderful blog back in 2008, but I’ve decided to move on to bigger and better things. No, I have not stopped writing, and I never, EVER will! I have joined forces with Forbidden Magazine (www.forbidden-magazine.com) an AWESOME print and webzine, and have never been happier. The other guys are all very dedicated, reputable, and know their stuff and we are also working on some releases, including the entire March Into The Sea discography on CD! I highly encourage all of you to check out Forbidden’s site at the URL above and also “Like” Forbidden Magazine on Facebook (oh come on, you’re on there 25 hours a day anyway!). So, in conclusion, I’m neither dead nor dying (yet), and if you want to add me on Facebook, it’s “Michael Mahyar Hojjatie” or my personal email is hailthehodge@gmail.com. Thanks, and have a great rest of 2010!

MIKE S.O.S IS GOD!

OLDE YORK
EMPIRE STATE
COUNTDOWN
Maintaining the classic NYHC sound and a no frills DIY mindset from the days of yore, Olde York comes barreling down the lane with an authentic 12-track tour de force entitled EMPIRE STATE. Embodying the spirit of hardcore’s CBGB Sunday matinee glory days while skillfully blending the styles of acts such as Cro Mags, Warzone, Sick of It All and Leeway (whose singer Eddie Sutton makes a cameo here) into one big gang chorus pile-on, this Big Apple quartet makes no bones about their roots or their allegiance to the underground by pumping out anthemic pit pleasers like “Five Year Plan” and “Still Believe”. Think hardcore died after CB’s shut its doors? Olde York will make you think twice. www.countdownrecords.com -Mike SOS

CANDLEMASS
DEATH MAGIC DOOM
NUCLEAR BLAST
Swedish doom metal pioneers Candlemass return with a refined sense of confidence with their latest offering, the eight-track DEATH MAGIC DOOM. Comfortably settling into yet another round of changes (most notably on the vocals), Leif Edling and company showcase that they are still able to conjure feelings of dread and despair straight from the Black Sabbath playbook (“Hammer of Doom”) with grace and respect but not without interspersing their own bells and whistles (as well as some kick ass solos) into the mix. This veteran unit maintains mid-paced mauling tempos for the most part, yet at times opt for the upbeat with success (“Dead Angel”) while the powerful tandem of killer vocals and memorable riffs propel tracks like “House of 1000 Voices” into the upper echelon of the slow, deep, and hard. Candlemass snaps back into fine form on their latest affair, exhibiting an unforeseen energy that boldly pushes their brand of doom metal into exhilarating new worlds. www.nuclearblastusa.com -Mike SOS

EMPIRE OF DUST
PROMO 2008
SELF-RELEASED
Modern metal mayhem comes courtesy of NYC’s Empire of Dust, whose four-song sampler displays a unit who sharpened its teeth on a steady stream of Slayer riffs and Swedish thrash with a discernible New York death metal influence. Logistically laying down a genuine sense of brutality in between setting off an array of pummeling grooves a la Lamb of God at their most seething (“2”), this band, which boasts ex-members of NYHC fixture Indecision as well as Entorturement, steamrolls over the opposition with a healthy dosage of metallic melody for the heavier-minded. www.myspace.com/empireofdust -Mike SOS

THE HUMAN QUENA ORCHESTRA
THE POLITICS OF THE IRREDEEMABLE
CRUCIAL BLAST
Patience is required to properly experience the latest offering from The Human Quena Orchestra, as this Bay Area drone duo upkeep a sordid and suspenseful atmosphere throughout the duration of THE POLITICS OF THE IRREDEEMABLE. Immersed in dark waves and dissonant swirls of industrial feedback, this six-track excursion’s calculated slow-crawl accentuates an overall foreboding tone, intensified when scattershot screams of terror and dread rise from the abyss. Yielding a vacuous apocalyptic din, this tandem successfully serve up a sluggish soundtrack to the final days of mankind. www.crucialblast.net -Mike SOS

EAST FOREST
THE EDUCATION OF THE INDIVIDUAL SOUL
AQUILO
East Forest is NYC by way of Pacific Northwest entity that provides a unique musical endeavor that melds field-recorded nature sounds, pulsating New Age beats, and meditative piano into its framework of THE EDUCATION OF THE INDIVIDUAL SOUL. Bolstered with a picturesque soundscape whose airy ivory tinklings and puffy bass lines radiate relaxing hues of transcendental light, this one-man project concocts an ambitious journey into the fragile human psyche, thwarting modern life’s static with a translucent barrage of calming music exposing the duality of the human existence. www.eastforest.org -Mike SOS

IGNOMINIOUS INCARCERATION
OF WINTER BORN
EARACHE
UK death metal mavens Ignominious Incarceration’s truncated technical torrents of dastardly death metal is bound to garner the quintet the well-deserved attention and accolades from those who appreciate bands who exercise the difficult task of balancing ferocity and brevity. Manning a full-on ambush with all of the expected death metal tactics and weaponry in tow, the path this neophytic unit follows seems a bit too well tread on the surface, but upon closer inspection this squad manages to expertly compose elements of old school devastation and beatdown deathcore together to coexist in utter disharmony (“In The Face of Absolution”), working in symbiosis in fighting the same battle to destroy at all costs. Explosive yet refined for such a young act, if you've ever pined for a cross between the brain-rattling dynamics of Suffocation and the warmongering malice of Amon Amarth (“Of Winter Born”, “Elusion of Mortality”), this band delivers. www.earache.com -Mike SOS

BLINDING EYE DOG
PROLOGUE
SELF-RELEASED
Maryland quintet Blinding Eye Dog exhibit a boisterous brand of punk on the troupe’s 18-track offering PROLOGUE. Fueled with an irreverent sense of humor (“Super Action Monster Man”, “Duck Duck Goose (In A)”) that matches the lo-fi high energy vibes (“Assassin”) and pervasive beer-swilling devil may care street punk attitude on cuts such as “Barbara” and “The Line”, this freewheeling act makes it pretty apparent that it doesn't take itself too seriously yet still pumps out a raucous strain of reckless rock (“Shame”). Definitely sounding best after a couple of pints while some of your more mischievous friends plot the ensuing evening’s shenanigans, Blinding Eye Dog reinforce the simple yet effective piss and vinegar punk rock straight from the back alley. www.myspace.com/blindingeyedog -Mike SOS

THINNING THE HERD
DEVIL MASK
SELF-RELEASED
Scraping the seedy underbelly of the Big Apple with enormous rock riffs,NYC trio Thinning the Herd return with another batch of stonerriffic hard rock chock full of grit and substance on the five-track DEVIL MASK. Bridging the gap between the heavier side of grunge and the groovier side of metal, tracks like “Kitchen Sink” summon a ‘90s power rock vibe kind of like Monster Magnet meeting up with Soundgarden while “Uninformed” strikes with the subtlety of a punch square in the gut and “Simple Job” rocks like the best song your favorite Swedish stoner rock band never wrote. If you enjoy in your face music with an exhilarating rock ‘n roll aura, Thinning the Herd is a bonafide choice for a hellacious good time. www.myspace.com/castrosbeard -Mike SOS

VANMAKT
AD LUCIFERI REGNUM
PULVERISED
Far from reinventing the wheel yet capable to drum up some scare with their competent yet common strand of evil blackened metal, nefarious Swedish troupe Vanmakt blast their way through nine-tracks of misanthropic misery on AD LUCIFERI REGNUM. Dispersing a maelstrom of tremolo-picked madness (“Reincarnation Hatred”, “The Ascension”), this band employs a large sum of tried and troo genre tactics and nuances to hammer its menacing message through unsuspecting skulls, yet it should be noted that if you already pledge allegiance to the most sadistic from the Nordic states, there’s nothing here you haven't experienced before. Nonetheless, Vanmakt does an acceptable job of conjuring the spirits of the underworld and should appeal to those who like a mix of symphonic death metal with a bit more bite. www.pulverised.net -Mike SOS

VARIOUS ARTISTS
DOOM (TRANSITIVE VERB)
SELF-RELEASED
A triple slab o’ doom oozes from your speakers courtesy of a three-way split disc from a caustic mix of bands rising up from the recesses of the deep sure to give little children nightmares and keep neighborhoods on lockdown. Up first is Evoken, a veteran New Jersey funeral doom troupe whose chilling offering “In Solitary Ruin” masterfully sets the bleak tone for this collection with a firm handle on down tempo despair. Oak take the reigns next with an understated touch of death metal sprouting up in between the detached devastating riffs heard on “Gates Are Open”. Rounding out the triad of tragic triad, Black Roller Crop Rotation takes the affair to a whole new level of grim thanks to “Prayers From the Rotten Soil”, featuring a bevy of experimental leanings forming a cacophony of undistinguishable vocal squeals, jet-propeller-esque swirls of dissonance, and hypnotic industrial noise. You've been warned. www.myspace.com/oakdoom -Mike SOS

CELAN
HALO
EXILE ON MAINSTREAM
Celan is a noise rock supergroup of sorts, featuring musicians from flu.ID, Unsane, Oxbow, and Einsturzende Neubauten collaborating to form a massive musical force which defies convention yet keeps an hand on the aggression throttle. This collective’s debut offering HALO melds acerbic abrasive noise rock, atmospheric ambience, bluesy melancholy, and clobbering hardcore into 11 engaging tracks custom made for those who demand post-hardcore explorations to plow deeper. With Chris Spencer’s trademark belligerent bark leading the charge, tracks like “All This and Everything” pack a familiar yet ferocious wallop while a judicial keyboard presence float in and out, allowing for an unpredictable array of shapeshifting moods to proliferate (“One Minute”, “Sinking”, “Washing Machine”). Ambitious without alienating its built-in audience, Celan boldly goes into new lands with all of the member’s strengths on full blast. www.mainstreamrecords.de -Mike SOS

IMPIETY
TERROREIGN
AGONIA
As brutal as a Singapore cane shot to the skull, Impiety does their homeland proud once again with another blistering blackened thrash release entitled TERROREIGN. Laden with a diabolical attitude which assists the impending decent into hell (“As Judea Burns”), this 10-track sojourn into the chasm of evil melds crass old school death metal ideologies a la Hellhammer and Morbid Angel with a genuine sense of hatred fueling the apocalyptic one-two vocal assault and divebomb friendly guitar combination (“Bestial to the Bone”). Maintaining a frantic pace throughout while summoning the minions of the underworld to rise and fight the light to the death (“Goatfather”), Impiety’s caustic delivery and over the top metal wares catapult this veteran unit back to the head of extreme metal’s most sadistic acts. www.agoniarecords.com -Mike SOS

SLOUGH FEG
APE UPRISING!
CRUZ DEL SUR
Veteran underground traditional metal outfit Slough Feg have been known to walk a bit on the wild side throughout the course of their twenty plus year proto-metal existence and this unit’s latest release bares no exception. Interspersing the squad’s patented eccentricities with a confident swagger straight out of 1978 for all to see, the triumphant and tumultuous eight-track endeavor APE UPRISING takes it back to a time when metal was still in its gestation stage, slugging it out with punk rock rebellion and glam rock excess. Customarily springing from an impenetrable foundation of Sabbath, Maiden, and Thin Lizzy, Slough Feg have comprised a sci-fi concept album based around a simian overtaking of the world to a pulsating old school metal soundtrack laden with the sort of killer vintage tones and stellar musicianship that marvelously melds the dazzling twin guitar and pounding rhythmic wares of UFO, Judas Priest, and other luminaries from the seminal NWOBHM days. Slough Feg’s most recent disc renders a durable and dependable lesson in metal with a smorgasbord of exhilarating twists and turns along the way. www.cruzdelsurmusic.com -Mike SOS

BURIAL HORDES
DEVOTION TO UNHOLY CREED
PULVERISED
Greek black metal merchants Burial Hordes employ the primitive approach on their evil eight track sojourn into the abyss titled DEVOTION TO UNHOLY CREED. Armed with raw production values for an authentic black metal in the basement feel (“Hellborn”), a slew of skewered guitar riffs that range from jarring to muddy, and an unearthly vocal presence that sounds as if it crawled out of the catacombs, tracks like “Infernal Necromancers” beguiles diabolical urges to come to fruition while “God’s Cutthroat” and “Abysmal Goatfeast” carry an impact to stand on their own, yet are forebodingly sandwiched in between a disturbing chant whose ominous tone solidifies each track’s morbid sense of dread and despair. Sinister and sinewy with a vicious bark and venomous bite, Burial Hordes have unleashed a vitriolic album that gives praise to its predecessors while unrepentantly damning the rest of society. www.pulverised.net Mike SOS

OCEANO
DEPTHS
EARACHE
Chicago-bred quintet Oceano stake a claim of being the most pissed-off band on the planet, and if you could decipher the cavernous musings of vocalist Adam Warren and what he was screaming and growling about, they may be right, as the viscous racket adorning cuts like the slow-churned "Disgust for Your Kind" and the frantic fury of "District of Misery" do work as evidence for a lively debate. Make no mistake, the vocals (despite hard to comprehend) are a strongpoint, solidifying this outfit's abrasive viciousness with a twist to rival peers like Emmure, Misery Signals, and All Shall Perish for the new heavy crown. The 13-track debut DEPTHS firmly stands its ground with a batch of rote yet bombastic low-end grooves, keeping things both excruciatingly bottom-heavy and brutal, yet resonate with an all too standard delivery within the deathcore paradigm. Luckily, Oceano picks up momentum as the album rolls along, managing to venture a bit off the threadbare path of palm-muted breakdown bliss in key spots to implement nuances such as symphonic black metal texture and crisp solos, yet ultimately fall flat in relying on prototypical old hat genre maneuvers that undoubtedly score big in a moshpit of dayglow shirts and bad haircuts yet yield overwrought results on disc. www.earache.com -Mike SOS

DEVILS WHOREHOUSE
BLOOD & ASHES
REGAIN
Devils Whorehouse unashamedly mimic virtually every significant nuance from the Danzig playbook, starting with the rebel punk of The Misfits, bridging into the experimental discord of Samhain before culminating with a hybrid of the multitude of sounds from Glenn's eponymous offerings through the years, so if you're looking for something original, you've been warned. If you want to hear worship and tribute done to perfection (by a band who were once a Misfits/Samahain cover band no less) however, this Swedish squad's admirable affection of the works of the Evil Elvis is spot-on, covering all eras faithfully while producing an uncanny vocal likeness that this lot (featuring members of Marduk) nail down with howling furies intact. In fairness, this crew conveys a bit more than blind Danzig homages, as their admirable death 'n roll packs a wallop here as well, but BLOOD & ASHES' most glaring point of reference precariously sits as its biggest strength and crippling weakness. www.regainrecords.com -Mike SOS

MOTHRA
DYES
SELFMADEGOD
Polish metalcore quartet Mothra present a succinct seven-track excursion on DYES. This offering blends a potpourri of extreme styles together to form a math-y, sludgy monster that channels death metal aggression and hardcore abrasiveness with hints of grindcore madness ("Squant") and dastardly dissonance for an extra bite ("Hooloovoo"). Creating a sonic atmosphere where brevity and brutality go hand in hand, this unit fuses a slew of off-kilter elements from all corners of the extreme metal paradigm forming a brash offshoot of band reminiscent of the likes of Poison the Well, Entombed, Gojira, and Botch, making this act essential for those who champion a heavy hybrid spirit. www.selfmadegod.com -Mike SOS

DESTROY DESTROY DESTROY
BATTLE SLUTS
BLACKMARKET ACTIVITIES
Destroy Destroy Destroy's sophomore effort showcases a multi-faceted metal attack that blends Viking metal might and symphonic black metal grandiosity with a perpetual classic metal vibe running throughout this unit's 12-track affair entitled BATTLE SLUTS. Meshing the styles of 3 Inches of Blood, Manowar, and Children of Bodom within the confines of a war-torn battlefield, this battle-hungry sextet bash out a histrionic blast of fantasy metal that goes perfect with a pair of 12-sided dice and a stack of Conan the Barbarian novels ("Agents of Hypocrisy"). Borrowing a chunk of their style from the epic and power metal fields (especially referenced via the atmospheric keyboard presence permeated throughout) while slaying with a convincing twin guitar battering ("Born of Thunder", "The Wretched Forrest"), those who enjoy metal with a medieval twist will have little problem tuning into this band of warrior's theatrical offering. www.blackmarketactivities.com -Mike SOS

ENSOPH
REX MUNDI X-IIE
CRUZ DEL SUR
Industrial Italian act Ensoph create a chaotic cybermetal experience on the 12-track REX MUNDI X-IIE, setting their apocalyptic visions to a frenetic soundtrack that chillingly juxtaposes harsh electronic noises, Gothic overtones and metallic aggression ("Shame on You!"). Tracks like "Dance High and Shine, Shiva!" shares as much in common with the eeriness of Marilyn Manson as it does the synthetic throb of KMFDM, while "Thir(s)ty Pieces of Silver" sounds like a Dream Theater track defiantly trapped in a Tron-like maze. Championing a futuristic tone chock full of Front Line Assembly-esque mechanical madness leading the charge, this sinister shapeshifting unit's presentation is far from fresh yet it yields enough intriguing moments (their cover of "Would" by Alice in Chains in particular) to keep the middling PVC-donned EBM and darkwave contingent content. www.cruzdelsurmusic.com -Mike SOS

ORCUSTUS
ORCUSTUS
SOUTHERN LORD
An authentic blast of malefic black metal arrives from the depths of depravity courtesy of Norwegian troupe Orcustus, whose eponymous full-length debut comes some seven years after this troupe's initial introduction. Serving a barrage of vintage buzzsaw riffs ("Jesus Christ Patricide") and hellacious vocal rasps that wouldn't sound out of place from lauded black metal affairs of yesteryear ("Of Sophistry, Obsession, and Paranoia"), this unit (who can't seem to keep a lineup intact) project grim ideals direct from the bowels of the abyss. Featuring ex-members of groundbreaking outfits Gorgoroth and Enslaved, this squad's display of volatility and viciousness renders a bleak and raw old school assault ("Conversion"), conjuring an ominous sense of hatred and dread with every drum blast and bombastic bass reverberation ("Death and Dissolution"). Perfect for those who flock to the darkness, Orcustus has made a simple yet effective album cloaked in chaos and evil to the bone. www.southernlord.com -Mike SOS

ARISE
THE RECKONING
REGAIN
Swedish death thrash outfit Arise provide 10-tracks of straight from the textbook Gothenburg-style metal on THE RECKONING. Despite this nimble quintet far from groundbreaking delivery, the spot-on fury ("No Memory of Light") and enormous arsenal of breakneck riffs and melodic breaks they employ are cleverly composed with a well-proportioned mix of familiar twists and meat and potatoes mashings which effortlessly fuses The Haunted and In Flames ("End of Days"). Exhibiting metalcore sensibilities with a reverence for the genre's pioneers in mind, the latest from Arise is a solid and satisfying affair whose unwavering by the numbers approach rings out with sinister sincerity. www.regainrecords.com -Mike SOS

DECEIVER
THRASHING HEAVY METAL
PULVERISED
There's nothing deceptive regarding the 10-track lean and mean high-grade meets lo fi old school assault Sweden's Deceiver lays on the ears, as this trio's tumultuous din captures the darker nuances of the golden age of thrash without sounding rehashed or forced. Whether it be the tortured vocals and primitive skin bashing tandem heard on "Dead to the World" and "Machinery of God" or the grimly grandiose feel emanating from "Graveyard Lover" and the instrumental "Legacy", even though THRASHING HEAVY METAL yields a strange sensation that you've heard this all before if you own a Priest, Entombed, or Mercyful Fate album or two, this squad's inspired interpretations rise above usual reference points to provide an enjoyable travel back through time. Tacking on a vicious streak laden in vitriolic vehemence, this unit's display of vintage metal will get the job done for fans of the rawer side of extreme metal's first wave. www.pulverised.net -Mike SOS

LANDING PROJECT
HERE GOES EVERYTHING
SELF-RELEASED
NYC poppy punk rock troupe Landing Project return with HERE GOES EVERYTHING, a solid seven-track excursion that exhibits the unit's versatile array of angsty anthems bursting with melody ("Yea, Exactly"). Taking cues from acts like Against Me, this quartet writes hook-laden tunes sizzling with barbed lyrical bite, opting to sing about more personal topics instead of social messages ("Turn Up Your Stereo"). Tapping into the sound of punk rock's bare essentials with a flair for dramatics ("Butterscotch"), Landing Project inject their simple yet effective approach with an honest heaping of soul, giving the slightly undercooked production with punchy delivery a raw emotional rush that copiously spills from the speakers. www.myspace.com/landingproject -Mike SOS

ENDSTILLE
VERFUHRER
REGAIN
Warmongering German black metal squad Endstille attack once again with VERFUHRER, a scathing and abrasive nine-track affair. Incessantly blasting your skull with pounding percussion and decaying your ears with blood-curdling vocal rasps, this maliciously militant outfit doles out diabolical doses of mid-paced malevolence ("Symptoms") whose razor sharp buzzsaw guitars cut to the bone ("Depressive/ Abstract/ Banished/ Despised"). Assuredly exhibiting a keen sense of dynamics by implementing slower waves of intensity to its arsenal ("Endstille") while maintaining the band's trademark penchant for administering skull-crushing barrages of monolithic crust-laden fury ("Hate Me...God?"), Endstille 's blackhearted single-minded approach conveys intense waves of blast beated and tremolo picked madness with just the right touches of innovation to shape this release's belligerent battlefield aura. www.regainrecords.com -Mike SOS

CAULDRON
CHAINED TO THE NITE
EARACHE
Canadian metal trio Cauldron provide a traditional slab of metal that conjures up a slew of intertwined influences on the nine-track CHAINED TO THE NITE. From the album's Spinal Tap-esque artwork depicting a naked woman bound in chains to the unit's darkened blend of 80's melodic metal and NWOBHM, Cauldron's points of reference are prickly and don't always gel well together, resulting in quite a few instances of clunky cheekiness whose waning flashes of power quickly fizzle out before they can attain any sense of momentum. While displaying moments of promise ("Midnite Hour"), this release takes a while to warm up to, ultimately rendering a confusing listening experience that radiates with an oddball sense of familiarity that keeps only the most ardent of metal purists intrigued. www.earache.com -Mike SOS

SAMAEL
ABOVE
NUCLEAR BLAST
Decisively leaning towards the black metal roots of their early endeavors, Swiss metal veterans Samael return with a pummeling 11-track offering entitled ABOVE. Toning down the industrial elements commandeering the band's more recent discs (although a protruding electronic drum trigger is seamlessly inescapable) while amping up the vitriolic black metal velocity to previously unheard levels ("God Snake", "Virtual War"), Samael's brazen assault is adorned with layers of symphonic keyboards and bludgeoning tremolo guitars ("Illumination") fortifying a listening experience laden in scorn. Realizing their sojourn back to the glories of their early days while carrying over a handful of the strongest nuances from their latter-day releases for a modern twist on old themes ("On the Top of it All"), by manipulating metal's darker side and embracing their past, Samael snaps back to a furious form that leads the quartet back into the depths of the abyss. www.nuclearblastusa.com -Mike SOS

EPHEL DUATH
THROUGH MY DOG'S EYES
EARACHE
Experimental Italian outfit Ephel Duath are renowned for developing collections of distinct metallic left turns, but this time this now-reduced down to a trio readily take on a different yet equally daunting task of conveying a canine's perspective of the world to music on their latest disc THROUGH MY DOG'S EYES. This ambitious nine-track excursion is chock full of dizzying riffs that part the seas between noisy jazz and avant garde metal ("Guardian") woven into a barrage of non-linear compositions stockpiled with heady interludes and juggernaut vocals ("Bella Morte") set to a warped array of odd-time signatures ("Bark Loud") . Despite the album's preposterous premise, Ephel Duath manage to keep the subject matter blunt and concise. turning out an provocative batch of progressive metal in the process. Challenging to novices, Ephel Duath continue to carve their own unique marks into the metal tree of life. www.earache.com -Mike SOS

PRONG
POWER OF THE DAMN MIXXXER
13TH PLANET
Tommy Victor turned the original mixes from Prong's latest disc POWER OF THE DAMAGER over to some of his technically-advanced musician friends to remix and POWER OF THE DAMN MIXXXER is the end result. This 13-track endeavor showcases the behind the boards prowess of metal peeps such as Jon Clayton (Pitchshifter) and Greg Puciato (Dillinger Escape Plan) whose cosmetic cleansings and synthesized twiddlings give tracks like "The Banishment" (a song covered by two different mixes here) a throbbing makeover that pulsates with a bastardized concoction of industrial metal heft and electronic bounce ("Changing Ending Troublng Times"). Providing a ton of opportunities to take the rage to the dance floor ("Looking for Them") while laying a virtual perfect soundtrack down to a dark and futuristic action-adventure flick, Prong's latest is not only is a show of respect from the artists who contributed their own spin to Prong's genuine rawness but supplies a great deal of industrial strength metal to take the party into the morning light. www.prongmusic.com -Mike SOS

I SEE STARS
3-D
SUMERIAN
Young Michigan troupe I See Stars have melded elements of modern hardcore and screamo with electronica on their debut 3-D to create a catchy but disheveled 11-track affair. Haphazardly cut and pasting modern dance synths into power punk rock songs, this quintet's ready for Warped Tour juxtaposition of styles comes off forced and even clumsy at times (especially during the heavier moments) yet renders momentary flashes of triumph when the vocoder-enhanced vocals meeting chugging choruses that alt rock radio crave come a knockin' ("3D", "The Big Bad Wolf"). Throw in a cameo from one of the rappers from Bones Thugs N Harmony and instant street cred gets applied, yet this troupe's tepid attempt to get to the top of the Hot Topic list falls flat, especially when redundant breakdown parts from screechy melodies rears its worn head. www.sumerianrecords.com -Mike SOS

CRESCENT SHIELD
THE STARS OF NEVER SEEN
CRUZ DEL SUR
California power metal unit Crescent Shield display a gallant galloping metal assault on their latest nine-track disc THE STARS OF NEVER SEEN. Championing a traditional metal style bursting with steel-plated melodies, this quartet's histrionic choruses are contagious ("Temple of the Empty"), rivaling those at the top of the power metal mountain ("The Bellman", "10,00 Midnights Ago") while the rampant guitar and soaring vocal combination elicits a much-warranted delight for headbangers of all ages to embrace ("The Grand Horizon"). This troupe exhibit the versatility to both shred and alter mood, shifting focus between rousing metal and pensive moments of reflection for a well-rounded all killer no filler feel. Seamlessly meshing the best of Blind Guardian, Iced Earth, and Queensryche while contorting elements from metal's pioneers such as Dio and Maiden, Crescent Shield's formidable flurry of aggression is fortified with an articulate attention to detail which ties their thunderous heavy metal roar with a supple dash of passion. www.cruzdelsurmusic.com -Mike SOS

EBENEZER
A TRIUMPH OF COLOSSAL ACHIEVEMENTS
SELF-RELEASED
Taking the DIY hands-on approach with their music to the extreme, Pennsylvania instrumental duo Ebenezer provide a well-measured blend of style and substance on their six-track offering A TRIUMPH OF COLOSSAL ACHIEVEMENTS. Besides teaming jaw-dropping flashes of virtuoso percussion and fretwork with a wise beyond their years sense of composition that channels everyone from Maiden to The Fucking Champs ("Warlock Owl"), this tandem's release comes inside of a hand-sewn fabric case, rendering an exquisite hearftfelt vibe that most run of the mill locals just can't match up to. If you have a hankering for vocal-less music with an eye opening showcase of balls and bite, look no further than Ebenezer's latest affair. www.myspace.com/epicebenezer -Mike SOS

THE BAKERTON GROUP
EL ROJO
WEATHERMAKER
Bonafide 21st Century bluesmen The Bakerton Group unleash their second experimental musical adventure the 10-track offering EL ROJO. Yielding a galactic listening experience chock full of heady jams and wicked instrumental breaks, this alter ego outfit of alt metal kingpins Clutch (with vocalist Neil Fallon trading in cunning lyrics and clever vocal deliveries for rhythm guitar) perfectly displays the sound of world class musicians collectively digging deeper, unearthing a smorgasbord of styles that implementing dub rock ("Work 'Em"), funk ("Chancellor"), and freewheeling jazz rock laden with '70s keyboard explosions (thanks to Opeth's Per Wiberg ), and alto sax flourishes. Taking their main band's patented left of center approach off to uncharted territory, The Bakerton Group's odyssey is undeniably constructed from Clutch's impenetrable foundation, yet EL ROJO independently stands as a next level triptastic delight for fans of groovy improvisational rock to imbibe and enjoy. www.weathermakerrecords.com -Mike SOS

"BREAKIN' THE LAW, BREAKIN' THE LAW!"

Judas Priest will take to the road again this summer to celebrate the 30th anniversary of their classic album "British Steel."

The summertime trek, which gets underway July 1 in St Charles, MO, has the metal icons co-headlining with Whitesnake on most of the dates. The outing wraps up Aug. 11 at Morrison, CO's Red Rocks Amphitheatre and comprises stops at festivals, fairs and outdoor venues across the nation, as well as a July 9 stop in Toronto. The full schedule is below.

Judas Priest has been a regular act on the summer concert circuit in recent years, including the Ozzfest and Metal Masters tours. This year's jaunt marks the upcoming anniversary of the group's 1980 release, "British Steel," and the band will commemorate the event by playing the classic album in its entirety at upcoming live shows--including hit singles "Breaking the Law" and "Living After Midnight"--as well as songs from other albums.

Remastered in 2001 and reissued with a few bonus tracks, the fresh version of the three-decade old album preceded the band's most recent release, 2008's "Nostradamus," which debuted at No. 11 on the Billboard 200, becoming their highest charting album ever.

THE END IS NIGH!

The Omega Mailorder at The End Records is having a 20% off sale on albums from Vendlus Records, Scarlet Records, Dragonheart, Think Tank Media, Northern Silence Productions, Old School Metal Records, Brutal Planet Distribution and Leviathan Records for a limited time. Check outwww.theendrecords.com and www.theomegaorder.com for more details. Groovy!

RE-TO-THE-VIEWS!

JOHN WILKES BOOTH

SIC SEMPER TYRANNIS

BUKKAKE ORANGE

Long Island unit John Wilkes Booth create a mountainous yet delectable wall of sonic overload on their latest 15-track affair, the viscous SIC SEMPER TYRANNIS. Heavy and crushing yet never remiss to keep their excessive slabs of doom-laden boogie rock memorable ("The Inner Workings"), tracks like "Eye Rack" and "Hey Girl" simultaneously stomp you in the gut and stick in your head for days thanks to the infectious guitar hooks and unique vocal delivery over the dastardly rhythm section's voluminous exhibitions. This is an album chock full of desert rock dynamic shifts, stoner rock subtleties, and hard rock harangue with an attention to detail and a keen sense of musicianship steering the ship, as these titans of tinnitis take their self-professed style known as dirt rock for an unbridled journey through the timelines of underground metal's elite noise mongering squads. If you dig the likes of bands that still set the benchmark for left of center metal excellence such as Clutch, Kyuss, and Jesus Lizard, John Wilkes Booth will be your new favorite band. www.jwbooth.net -Mike SOS

THIS OR THE APOCALYPSE

MONUMENTS

LIFEFORCE

Pennsylvania metalcore troupe This or The Apocalypse transcend the genre's mundane monotonies with an abundance of nimble guitarwork and clever juxtapositions of brutality and melody on their 10-track debut MONUMENTS. This unit's lineage is easily traced to bands such as Misery Signals and fellow statesmen This Day Forward thanks to a common bond forged from similar composition devices and non-linear structural nuances, yet This or the Apocalypse manage to bring fresh perspectives to otherwise burly breakdowns ("Elegiac", "This is Debt"), slam with sinewy riffs and tech-like rhythmic patterns ("Two Wars") and even go so far as to include a calm and atmospheric feedback-laden jam in for added texture ("Memento Mori"). Some may complain that this squad follow the blueprint of August Burns Red a bit too closely, but if it's a kick in the ass from a stale style that you're looking for that takes enough chances and left turns without falling too far off the path, then this quintet is worth a spin. www.lifeforcerecords.com -Mike SOS

THE HEADIE BERRIE

MORNING TOAST

SELF-RELEASED

Taking rock 'n roll back to its blues-based smoky backroom roots, the Long Island quintet The Headie Berrie unfurl their colorful guitar rock flag on the quintet's four-song EP MORNING TOAST. This act's no-frills approach to the basics comes complete with a hard rock yowl yielding to tasty bits of harmonica strewn in for good measure and trippy bell-bottom musical jams infused with a bevy of wah-wah guitar bravado ("Blank Tablature"), melding the attitudes of arena rock heroes from the '70s through the grunge era "(Musician"). Capable of making their large than life retro rock sound convincing thanks to their monster chops and durable riffs ("Mushroom T"), this throwback troupe turns the burners up for a raucous ride bursting with badass boogie that folks who like to kick out the freedom rock will totally latch onto. www.myspace.com/theheadieberrie -Mike SOS

DEADLOCK

MANIFESTO

LIFEFORCE

Deadlock return with another dose of bludgeoning metalcore with dual male/ female vocal on MANIFESTO, this German outfit's latest offering. The 11-track affair maintains the crush employed by many of the new wave of European metal acts, yet this sextet continuously throws musical curveballs which definitely makes their music stand out, but not always for the right reasons. The thumping techno opener "The Moribund Choir vs. The Trumpets of Armageddon" and the over the top street hip-hop performance that winds down "Deathrace" are prime examples of some creative moments that most metal fans will write off as miscues, despite their dead-on accuracy and attention to detail. However, if you can deal with this eclectic band's unorthodox leanings, jittery creative flashes, and solid yet tired beauty and the beast call and response vocals, the sonic battering applied to cuts like the Children of Bodom-esque "Fire At Will" and "Seal Slayer" stand up alongside any of the current crop's most notable, making MANIFESTO an album that dares to take chances yet holds its ground to keep it heavy. www.lifeforcerecords.com -Mike SOS

THE MELVINS

NUDE WITH BOOTS

IPECAC

The Melvins are an iconic underground band by all accounts, constantly evolving despite chronic cases of band member fallout. Combining their wares once again with the duo Big Business (which gives the band 2 drummers in addition to a new bassist), The Melvins can now add swagger to their long list of attributes according to their latest 11-track disc NUDE WITH BOOTS. Melding a savage blend of Led Zeppelin and Nirvana into shards of ZZ Top-like boogie for a good portion of this veteran unit's most accessible work, this disc reveals yet another facet of this Bay Area band's vast musical repertoire. Longtime fans will be taken aback from the arena rock shake and the unusual strips of brightness permeating through the camaro-rock of the title cut, as well as the big rock sound employed on "The Kicking Machine" and "Suicide in Progress", but can rest easy knowing that there are trademark moments of menace and malice lurking through tracks like the spiraling "It Tastes Better Than The Truth", the drone interpretation of "Dies Iraea" and the wickedly sludgy kick of "The Smiling Cobra" to round out the overall experience. The Melvins never fail to push past the point of no return while teetering between the experimental and the brink of the mainstream, and NUDE WITH BOOTS displays this band acting as a fully intact entity while fully enjoying their well-earned right to perpetually bend the rules, even within their own context.

www.ipecac.com -Mike SOS

THE PSYKE PROJECT

APNEA

LIFEFORCE

Menacing Danish quintet The Psyke Project deconstruct the notions of modern hardcore into shards of blissful post-metal meltdown on APNEA, this unit's latest 10-track affair. With influences spanning Converge to Neurosis to Gojira to Refused all rearing their heads at some point across this disc, all bases are covered as this group throws down the debilitating sonic crush audible on the panoramic "Jugganata" or the viscous yet melodically pummeling "I Get Paralyzed". Chock full of challenging musical movements and complex switches keeping ears on constant alert , this group's hardcore depth is wrought with an abjectly off-kilter fervor, allowing their out of the box tendencies showcased on the multi-layered hypnotic vibe of "Creating Landscapes" to truly shine. Rest assured, this band stands out amongst the crowded pack thanks to the chilling and hardhearted batterings APNEA doles out. www.lifeforcerecords.com -Mike SOS

COPREMESIS

MUAY THAI LADYBOYS

PARAGON

NY goregrind collective Copremesis are an acquired taste for certain judging on their latest affair, MUAY THAI LADYBOYS. Employing vocals of the most guttural nature that come out sounding akin to the cacophony caused by a barnyard of sick animals while featuring, you guessed it, Muay Thai Ladyboys, to adorn their artwork in full transsexual splendor, this disc renders an unsettling feeling right from the onset. But that's where the shock wears off and the reality settles in of what this band is all about. Musically-speaking, you get what you'd expect from a band of this ilk: blast beats a plenty, signifying harmonic squeals, and sudden bursts of insanity all take turns on a demented tilt-a-ride through depravity, as songs like "Mustache", "Tetsuo", and "Zombie" take this unit's durable slabs of pornogrind through the meat grinder and beyond, complete with torturous explosiveness and at some points, a surprising sense of groove. If you can stomach the imagery and get past the vacuous and unintelligible vocals scraped from the pits of despair, then this troupe's brand of sick humor and technical prowess should suit you well. Word to the wise, though, keep this one away from the easily offended. www.paragonrecords.net -Mike SOS

SYNASTRY

BLIND EYES BLEED

YEAR OF THE SUN

Montreal-based metal maulers Synastry play a brutal yet groovy style of death metal with fringes of industrial that recall bands such as Fear Factory and Killing Joke with the savagery of acts like Kataklysm. While this quartet's sturdy formula of adding futuristic studio elements to accentuate their streamlined death metal chug has been done already, this band seems to have a firm handle on presenting the best parts of the movement without sounding overtly similar to any other particular group. Instead, songs like "As The Dust Settles" clings tight to the growling death metal barks as bleak electronic blips dispersed between the mid-tempo rhythmic crush add a well-roundedness to the entire affair. Imagine Static X colliding with Cannibal Corpse ("Precious Time Bomb") for an idea of mechanical malevolence this unit unveils on BLIND EYES BLEED. www.synastry.com -Mike SOS

DYNAMITE CLUB

FUSION ERA

CAMINANTE

Japan and New York team up for a noise rock jamboree courtesy of Dynamite Club and their latest 12-track sojourn FUSION ERA. Channeling a slew of System of a Down, Frank Zappa and Mike Patton's finest moments while blessed with the capacity to turn delightful pop melodies into near death metal experiences at the drop of a dime without sounding forced , FUSION ERA embraces the chaotic spirit of hardcore punk while remaining heavily steeped in the freewheeling nature of the theatre of the absurd. Lyrics such as the ones found on "Eye Like to Look" and "Besame My Love" are borderline disturbing when read, but add the calculated cacophony and disjointed delivery audible from such gems as "12 Questions for the Psychedelically Impaired" to the equation and the ridiculousness not only matches beautifully but actually begins to make sense. Those not inclined to take a trip to the more adventurous side will loathe this disc's entire 19:33 runtime, but for those in need for a quick fix of crazy, you can't go wrong with the madness associated with FUSION ERA. www.dynamiteclub.com -Mike SOS

SINALOA

OCEANS OF ISLANDS

LEVEL PLANE

DIY ethics and a true passion for the music that continues to be important to them drives the Massachusetts trio known as Sinaloa, gracefully shown on the unit's latest 10-track offering OCEANS OF ISLANDS. Post-hardcore and indie rock do battle within the confines of this act's rehearsal space often according to these songs, as this band is well-versed at whipping up noisy jolts of dissonance such as "Name Names". Sincere in their approach and refined in their delivery, tracks like "What We Could Not Move" exhibits the band's rousing output, boasting an unexpectedly intrusive shot of melody (complete with trumpet no less) while tasteful percussion propels "Ashes of Giants" and "No Bearing" captures this squad in full-on moody math rock mode, sounding like a cross between Snapcase and Rites of Spring. Everyone sings, everyone writes, and everyone pours their heart out here, making this band of buddies a bunch to behold as remainders of the early days when emo wasn't a maligned moniker but in fact still a groundbreaking form of music on the cusp on bigger things. www.level-plane.com -Mike SOS

DAWN OF DEMISE

HATE TAKES ITS FORM

DEEPSEND

Danish death metal mavens Dawn of Demise unleash a sinister assault on your senses with the release of the 10-track affair titled HATE TAKES IT S FORM. Spawned from a template of acts ranging from Suffocation to Cannibal Corpse, this quintet pounds you into submission with a bevy of tortured growls, thunderous drums, and machine gun turret guitarwork on cuts like "...And Blood Will Flow" and the blistering "Impurity". Injecting a modern edge to their sturdy old school foundation only adds to this squad's general sense of malice, as cuts like "Beyond Murder" and the undeniable death groove on "Intent to Kill" display studio enhancements which assist this troupe's malevolent mid-paced chunk to really pack a punch. Sporting death metal that respectfully demonstrates the genre's core values with a decisive modern slant, Dawn of Demise will appeal to all death metal mongers looking for another carcass to feast on. www.deepsend.com -Mike SOS

METAL CHURCH

THIS PRESENT WASTELAND

SPV

The latest installment from Metal Church is the 10-track THIS PRESENT WASTELAND. Retaining the group's traditional metal sounds, don't expect anything new or different from these scene vets, but do expect some powerful and killer vocals courtesy of latest throat Ronny Munroe ("Deeds of a Dead Soul") in addition to a smattering of mid-paced metal assaults such as "Breathe Again" and "A War Never Won". If you dig the band's early days and also like the works of Savatage and Iced Earth, there's enough classic metal goodness and solid straight-ahead metal available from the latest incarnation of this metal giant's affair to spark the senses. www.spvusa.com -Mike SOS

MOUTH OF THE ARCHITECT

QUIETLY

TRANSLATION LOSS

The latest endeavor by Ohio's Mouth of the Architect marks a continuation of this unit's post-hardcore sludgy sojourn, as QUIETLY runs just shy of an hour within an eight-track span. Dense rhythms and suffocating guitars immerse your eardrums in a tantalizing go-round of sound on the oppressive menace "A Beautiful Corpse" and the undulating "Rocking Chairs and Shotguns" while "Guilt and the Like" and "Hate and Heartache" surpass typecast loud-soft dynamic shifts with bursts of bombastic guitars and distressed vocal roars while constructing an impenetrable wall of sound courtesy of a cavernous bottom end heard across the duration of the disc. Emitting a creepy tension throughout not unlike Isis or Neurosis, this beautiful yet discordant affair contains a barrage of burly buildups and constantly changing rhythmic patterns which do the service of paying homage to genre leaders while carving out MOTA's very own spot on the avant garde metal totem pole. www.translationlossrecords.com -Mike SOS

36 CRAZYFISTS

THE TIDE AND ITS TAKERS

FERRET

36 Crazyfists has been a mainstay in the metalcore genre for over a decade with good reason, as this Alaskan outfit manages to perpetually release quality music that illuminates both their heavy and harmonic side . The latest 11-track endeavor THE TIDE AND ITS TAKERS is no exception, continuing this venerable squad's soaring melodic metal style with solid results. Armed with a versatile vocalist in Brock Lindow who can go from clean singing to jugular-grabbing screaming at the drop of a dime and led by the grossly underrated guitar assault of Steve Holt, songs like the ferocious opener "The All Night Lights" and the jagged "Clear The Coast" (with guest vocals by Twelve Tribes' Adam Jackson) set moshpits ablaze with bludgeoning force while the airtight low end bassline locking in with the flurry of fearless drums and perfectly aligned guitar fills and rhythms on "Northern November" display the group's superb chops and the haunting "The Back Harlow Road" and "When Distance is the Closest Reminder" render the wicked infectious hooks and crushing groove melding this unit specializes in. Transcending metalcore limitations with clever compositions and expert musicianship (especially guitar-wise), 36 Crazyfists come through yet again with a powerful combination of grace and savagery fully intact and polished to a shine. www.ferretstyle.com -Mike SOS

CANVAS SOLARIS

THE ATOMIZED DREAM

SENSORY

Georgia-based Canvas Solaris ditch one member, pick up 3(!) more and take their instrumental interludes to another level in the process according to the findings audible on THE ATOMIZED DREAM. This eight-track offering still remains steeped with progressive metal grandeur, yet thanks to a larger quantity of quieter moments such as "Photovoltaic", this disc just as well relishes in its grace. While it takes more than a few listens to truly wrap your head around the arduously audacious affair, fans from the far-reaching metal sect will surely embrace the new sounds of the group's multi-layered musicianship thanks to the new blood injected into complex soundscapes such as "Solar Droid". www.lasersedgegroup.com -Mike SOS

RAUNCHY

WASTELAND DISCOTHEQUE

LIFEFORCE

Raunchy stretch the modern sounds of Euro-metal to their limits on the 12-track WASTELAND DISCOTHEQUE. Spitting out nuances from In Flames and Soilwork to Scar Symmetry in succession with traces of Rammstein weaving in and out of the upbeat tempos, there's a sufficient amount of poppy death metal present to keep the head bobbing for a while, but don't count on this disc for staying power, as the entire entity blurs into one giant metallic gallop with predictably placed Mr. Potatohead musical parts to stifle the masses. www.lifeforce-america.com -Mike SOS

SCAR SYMMETRY

HOLOGRAPHIC UNIVERSE

NUCLEAR BLAST

Following in the fine tradition of the multitude of Swedish metal bands that came before them, Scar Symmetry's third release HOLOGRAPHIC UNIVERSE pays homage to the heroes of the Gothenburg sound yet at the same time helps this quintet establish its own identity. While it's easy pickings to point out the In Flames chorus or the Dark Tranquility breakdown, the arrangements are what keep this band high amongst the new crop of emerging metal artists, not to mention the twin guitar tandem whose crushing riff into sweet solo formula lifts tracks like "Artificial Sun Projection" and the coarse "The Three-Dimensional Shadow" to the next level. While the pristinely polished production job may render a sterile listen to some, those who love all things Swedish metal will have no qualms with the latest from this expansive metal squad. www.nuclearblastusa.com -Mike SOS

THE UNSTOPPABLE DEATH MACHINES

THE UNSTOPPABLE DEATH MACHINES

SELF-RELEASED

NYC hipster noise rockers The Unstoppable Death Machines take the listener on a robotic rock 'n roll joyride on their eponymous four-track affair. Distorted guitars meet dance rock rhythms with a slew of industrial overtones with a strangely constructed pop sense is the style this trio employs on cuts like "Body Bop" and the body-moving "Not So Ninja", opting many times throughout the duration of this EP to replace traditional sounds with electronic blips and bleeps with walls of feedback to give off the vibe of being locked inside the dark realm of a video game as a pervasive post-grunge rock point of view propels their version of the Williamsburg world tour. www.myspace.com/theunstoppabledeathmachines -Mike SOS

TAUK

TAUK

POPCORE

Long Island rock troupe Tauk take their advanced college rock sensibilities and dress them up with a mature platter of jazz and funk on their five-track self-titled offering. Referencing everything from Steely Dan to Phish on cuts like "Roll With the Punches", this band's assassin-like solid chops, expert musical interplay between instruments and wonderfully composed songs such as the rousing "All Ears" evoke a deeper shade of soul than the usual tie-dyed contingent can muster. Tauk produces timeless music that truly containing something that virtually everyone who can call themselves a fan of rock music can dig into and groove with. www.taukrocks.com -Mike SOS

OUTLAW ORDER

DRAGGING DOWN THE ENFORCER

SEASON OF MIST

Made up entirely from past members of underground metal stalwarts Eyehategod and formed while all were on probation for various crimes, expect a sinewy and sinister sludgefest courtesy of the NOLA quintet Outlaw Order and their 13-track full-length debut DRAGGING DOWN THE ENFORCER. Pummeling your speakers with a sometimes lethargic but always lethal low end crunch, cuts like the blunt "Double Barrel Solves Everything" and the bluesy "Alcohol Tobacco Firearms" truly encompass the uniqueness when quicksand grooves meet snarling anarchistic rants while molten rhythms chug in odd times ("Siege Mentality", "Walking Papers"). Make no mistake, this is New Orleans metal at its most volatile, sounding like a culmination of the city's fury that still struggles with post-Katrina wreckage long after impact was initiated. www.season-of-mist.com -Mike SOS

THE ACACIA STRAIN

CONTINENT

PROSTHETIC

Perennially pissed off Massachusetts quartet The Acacia Strain returns with a crippling shot to the throat on the devastating CONTINENT. This 11-track collection is punishingly heavy from end to end, and is relentless in the pursuit to level anything standing in this unmistakably vitriolic outfit's way. Brazen with hate-filled heft, despite the barrage of cliche tough guy posturings and profane revenge lyrical topics dumbing down the entire affair, everything else heard from the left of center breakdowns to the brutal vocals on this jaded juggernaut oozes angst in ways that make songs such as "Baby Buster" and "Dr. Doom" perfect aggressive anthems for disenchanted youth to go insane to. And stick around for the album's closer, the atmospheric instrumental "The Behemoth" for a different side to this frothing beast's dastardly delivery . www.prostheticrecords.com -Mike SOS

DEICIDE

TILL DEATH DO US PART

EARACHE

Glen Benton and company return with another brutal blast of blasphemy on TILL DEATH DO US PART, the Florida squad's latest installment of malicious metal. This 10-track offering picks up where THE STENCH OF REDEMPTION left off, with the guitar tandem of Ralph Santolla and Jack Owens returning to shred their way to Satan and back with unforeseen imminence. "Horror in the Halls of Stone" takes the non-linear Nile-esque approach to death metal while "Not As Long As We Both Shall Live" contains some of the most hate-filled and personal lyrics Benton has ever spat out. The road taken by this controversial band has always been intriguing, and this album yields no exception, showcasing the group's returning to old school form with blistering drumbeats, gruesome growls, and fearsome fretwork all in tow. www.earache.com -Mike SOS

INHALE/EXHALE

I SWEAR...

SOLID STATE

Ohio Christian metalcore troupe Inhale/Exhale exhibit an admirable strain of Underoath meets tough guy hardcore on their latest 11-track disc I SWEAR.... Tracks like "The Impatient Will Suffer" benefits from a smorgasbord of strong guitar parts even though the hook is blatant and generic, "I Live the Bad Life" keeps a menacing pace that wouldn't sound out of place on a Terror album before throwing in melodic singing and an Unearth-like gallop while"The Words We Have Chosen" comes across as Thrice when heavy before token angsty metalcore choruses overcome. While this unit has undergone a flurry of lineup changes, they've managed to step up their musical prowess and still can wield the explosiveness necessary for songs like "I Needed A Spaceship" to make knees buckle, yet ultimately fall prey to relying on the genre's basics too much, hampering Inhale/Exhale in their quest to resonate (sans a few great moments) with anything that you haven't heard before. www.solidstaterecords.com -Mike SOS

EVERGREY

TORN

SPV

Swedish melodic metal machine Evergrey re-emerge with TORN, a solid 11-track affair that finds the group rediscovering their progressive roots while keeping subtle hints from the mainstream metal style found on their last few offerings intact. Tracks like "When Kingdoms Fall" and the In Flames-esque "Nothing is Erased" showcases this squad's prowess to nimbly straddle the line between genres without irking the diehards, while "Numb" and "Fail" showcase this unit's ability to create tracks that are perfectly balanced between brooding and heavy . While the amount of truly memorable songs found here is a bit low, the superior quality of the songwriting, the sterling musicianship displayed across the board, and the rekindling of their early sound makes TORN a surefooted step in the right direction for Evergrey. www.spv.de -Mike SOS

CYNIC

TRACED IN AIR

SEASON OF MIST

After a 15-year layover, the seminal Florida metal troupe Cynic have triumphantly returned with TRACED IN AIR. This stunning eight-track endeavor picks up where the cult outfit's 1993 release FOCUS left off, as this disc reassures that Cynic's mindblowingly technical assault is not only firmly intact but sounding fresher than ever ("The Space For This", "Integral Birth"). Remaining at the forefront of the progressive end of the metal spectrum, whirlwind time signature switches, jazzy fretwork, complex percussion, and bevy of vocoder-laden vocals (with a good portion of death metal growls strewn in) are conscientiously woven together to create a rich musical tapestry which truly embodies fusion metal at its finest, rendering a welcomed comeback for Cynic. www.season-of-mist.com -Mike SOS

THE CLASSIC STRUGGLE

BRING BACK THE GLORY

IRONCLAD

South Carolina metalcore crew The Classic Struggle merge Euro thrash, hardcore, and metal for a blistering 10-track offering in the form of BRING BACK THE GLORY. While this unit's infernal heft is sure to leave quite the impression, tactics like implementing the sludgy breakdown before the beatdown on "Beyond the Walls" and the dramatic tempo drop-off from "Wish Me Hell" keep this band in the thick of things, even though tracks such as "You've Got to Die of Something" redundantly tread traditional metalcore waters. Solid yet unspectacular, The Classic Struggle provides the skull-bashing good time which stays the course with a sledgehammered delivery that is bound to appease throngs of shirtless pit-goers everywhere. www.ironcladrecordings.com -Mike SOS

RUDIMENTARY PENI

NO MORE PAIN

SOUTHERN

Enigmatic UK anarcho punk rock veterans Rudimetary Peni have made a lasting mark on the punk rock genre with their no holds barred and intense music and their latest release NO MORE PAIN furthers the unit's underground legacy. Buzzing guitars, sneering vocals, punchy basslines and bashing drums all collide with the fervor of a '77 punk rock riot on cuts like "Eyes of the Dead" and "Sublime Fantasy No. 1", while this trio's steadfast musical style gives off realistic vibes of discord without sounding rehashed for a second. Crusty and raw throughout its entire 20-minute span, this short and sharp offering proudly exudes the true spirit of punk rock . www.southern.net -Mike SOS

THE HUMAN ABSTRACT

MIDHEAVEN

HOPELESS

The Human Abstract return with their sophomore effort, the conceptual 10-track release titled MIDHEAVEN. Chock full of prog-rock excess, poppy hooks, and flashy instrumental flourishes, this California outfit, now a quintet thanks to the addition of an omnipresent keyboardist, merge screamy Warped Tour punk rock pretense with odd-metered time signatures and spots of metallic musical chaos filtered in for a scattershot listening experience. Tracks like "Calm in the Chaos" could have come from old school Dream Theater archives, while cuts like the schizophrenic "Breathing Life Into Devices" and "Metanoia" showcases glimpses of this group's past direction rounded out with a mainstream sound that could have come from bands such as Avenged Sevenfold or Between the Buried and Me. Despite parts of this disc shining (especially guitar-wise), the overall vibe radiated by this slipshod affair seems a bit too self-absorbed and muddled to make a lasting impression, as the band's lineup changes and stylistic shiftings seemingly still need some time to sink in. www.hopelessrecords.com -Mike SOS

A KISS FOR JERSEY

VICTIMS

TRAGIC HERO

Christian rock troupe A Kiss for Jersey hail from North Carolina, not the Garden State as you'd assume by their moniker. On this quintet's latest 11-track excursion, a familiar strain of screamo, post-hardcore, and tech metal is served, kind of like an amalgamation of Saosin, Chiodos, Coheed and Cambria, and Protest the Hero. Progressive to a degree but never enough to allow a chance for the strong display of vocal histrionics to pass by ("Believe", "The Evidence"), this unit succeeds at exuding passion through their songs, yet much of their sound runs a bit too close to their influences in order for this group to make a dent in the oversaturated genre they are associated with. Nonetheless, VICTIMS is a cut above the rest when it comes to delivering a solid slab of emotionally-charged guitar driven music such as "Devices" and "Parallels". www.tragicherorecords.com -Mike SOS

EMBRYONIC DEVOURMENT

FEAR OF REALITY EXCEEDS FANTASY

DEEP SEND

Overpowering and blisteringly brutal yet masterfully musical, California death metal squad Embryonic Devourment release a ferocious blend of technical prowess and unadulterated goregrind goodness on their 10-track debut FEAR OF REALITY EXCEEDS FANTASY. Fortified with massive rounds of explosive percussion yielding incessant double bass and dizzying tempos, relentless guitar assaults ranging from dastardly death metal runs to eerie interludes ,and grotesque lyrical content that keeps them amongst the most vile in the realm ("Self-Inflicted Cesarean"), this explorative unit pushes the envelope to the max on this endeavor with a strong sense of purpose and volatility leading the charge. If you dig Morbid Angel and Hate Eternal, this will be an album you need to acquire, as Embryonic Devourment really do a fine job of exhibiting crippling extreme metal at its finest. www.deepsend.com -Mike SOS

DAGOBA

FACE THE COLOSSUS

SEASON OF MIST

French modern metal outfit Dagoba incorporate a smorgasbord of sounds into their brand of metal ranging from In Flames-esque riffs to industrial-tinged keyboards to a wealth of melodic death metal nuances on their latest release, the 11-track FACE THE COLOSSUS. Despite everything but the kitchen sink being thrown at you courtesy of this overzealous act, the overall aura given off by this a bit too slick for its own good affair is exhaustive and radiates a heard it all before feel that is devoid of any real sense of cohesion, almost as if haphazardly slapping numerous influences together for the sake of being different. If you've heard any European metal in the last five years, there's no need to check out Dagoba, as they basically combine all of the elements together to develop their bland blend of metal. www.season-of-mist.com -Mike SOS

MOVING INTO THE NEW YEAR.

Okay, I've been slacking, and I know it. The second half of 2008 was emotionally devastating for me, and while it's no excuse, reality is reality. But I shall press on, my resolve has never been stronger, and quite frankly, I came out "victorious" and will continue to do so. Please don't inquire about it, and that will just make me think about it. Understand that I'm here, I'm moving forward with the blog, I've got some great contributors, and we're going to press on!

Thanks for understanding.

-FA

THE HITS JUST KEEP ON COMING!

THE BRIGGS
COME ALL YOU MADMEN
SIDEONEDUMMY
There's a wistful quality stamped on the latest 12-track endeavor by The Briggs usually reserved for the upper-echelon of the punk rock hierarchy. Whether it be the Social Distortion-like everyman lyrical approach or the Hot Water Music-esque choral glory heard on cuts such as "This is L.A." or "Not Alone", The Briggs manage to nail it every time, sometime even going so far to tap into the pub crawl melodies of Flogging Molly on cuts like the stomping "Mad Men". Whether you swinging a beer mug or getting down on the dancefloor, The Briggs bring enough firepower for everyone at the party to get their groove on the right way with an authentic punk rock punch that fits nicely alongside your Against Me and Bad Religion collection.
www. sideonedummy. com -Mike SOS

KNIGHTS OF THE ABYSS
SHADES
FERRET

Using the maligned deathcore template as a foundation for their melodic death metal with tinges of Unearth-esque metalcore strewn in concoction ("Behold the Frigid Realm of Div"), Arizona quintet Knights of the Abyss return with a serviceable if unspectacular 12-track follow-up to JUGGERNAUT. SHADES continue along the same path with similarly sweeping Swedish metal guitar runs and venomous vocal vitriol buzzing through tracks like "Don't Feed the Heathens", "The Penalty of the Tyrant", and the Black Dahlia Murder-influenced "Dis Unveiled". While falling prey to a saturated market, Knights of the Abyss don't stand out as much as they survive the wreckage thanks to an impressive slash and burn start-stop thrash attack and their solid yet done to death majestic take on the deathcore style they choose to follow. www. ferretstyle. com -Mike SOS

ALGHAZANTH
WREATH OF THEVETAT
WOODCUT

Symphonic black metal merchants Alghazanth come blasting out of the gate with regal synth work and blistering guitar and drum interlockings on their eight-track WREATH OF THEVETAT. This Finnish corpsepainted crew channel the evil into swirling movements of melodic death metal majesty on cuts such as the eerie "The Kings to Come", "Twice-Born" and the grab you by the throat immediacy heard on "The Phosphorescent". While their style is unashamedly ripped from the clutches of Emperor and Dimmu Borgir, this quintet's dead-on display of symphonic black metal emits an epic vibe those entrenched in the darkside willl undoubtedly embrace. www. woodcutrecords. com -Mike SOS

TRINACRIA
TRAVEL NOW JOURNEY INFINITELY
SEASON OF MIST

Featuring three members of Enslaved, the septet known as Trinacria can definitely be lumped into the experimental category, as their molten metal menagerie is sprinkled with dollops of oddball noise rock and avant-garde aggression. Originally commissioned for a one-off concert series, these musicians developed a strong bond and decided to forge ahead and make this a running project. Tracks like "The Silence" break in and out of contorted shards of white noise before settling on a rickety tremolo guitar and pounding drum combo while the title track merges haunting female singing with a pervasive percussive heartbeat, culminating into a frantic display of chaos both musically and vocally. Definitely leaning on the progressive side of the spectrum, approach Trinacria with the same freewheeling nature you would a Neurosis or Cult of Luna release for maximum enjoyment. www. season-of-mist. com -Mike SOS

KAMELOT
GHOST OPERA: THE SECOND COMING
SPV

For those that didn't get enough the first time around, prog metal masters Kamelot have repackaged their disc GHOST OPERA with some bonus material, including videos, four new studio cuts, and 10 live tracks recorded from a very loud crowd in Serbia, calling the reissue GHOST OPERA: THE SECOND COMING. While the bonus material is a nice touch, is it really necessary to re-release an album 10 months after its initial release with added footage? That, record buyers and fans of stately metal acts such as this one, is for you to decide. www. spv. de -Mike SOS

TOWARDS DARKNESS
SOLEMN
TWILIGHT FOUNDATION

Canadian doom metal mavens Towards Darkness were once called The Mass, who put out an album called TOWARDS DARKNESS. Confused? Allow the slow crawl of "Continuity Errror" to seep through your pores long enough, and your befuddlement will be whisked away by the foreboding sonic heft brought on by this outfit. Strong keyboard work and well-measured tempos give this six-track affair a truly chilling effect, and when the roaring Isis-like vocals kick in, best brace yourself for a maelstrom to crush your soul. Funeral-like in its approach with shards of atmospheric post-hardcore thrown in for good measure ("Despair"), this 63-minute excursion pounds and plods its way through with all of the sloth-like nuances to make for a convincing slab of doom metal. www. twilightfoundation. com -Mike SOS

SECRET DAKOTA RING
CANTARELL
SERIOUS BUSINESS
Bursting with pop music pomp, the latest nine-track endeavor by Secret Dakota Ring finds mainman (and OK Go guitarist) Andy Ross and friends dabbling in giddy '60s rock motifs complete with Burt Bacharach-like compositions and instrumentations, rich vocal harmonies, well-placed string arrangements, and delicate melodies. CANTARELL is a lighthearted affair that wouldn't sound out of place coming through the speakers of an upscale boutique's soundsystem, as cuts like "I Blew Myself Up Over You" and the cosmic "Sell Us A Spaceship" merge a whole lot of The Beatles, the quieter material of Smashing Pumpkins and Big Star to comprise a bevy of naturally sweet pop music treats easily digested and memorable long after the last organ note from the slightly melancholic shuffle of "Still Awake" is played.

www. seriousbusinessrecords. com -Mike SOS

REFLECTION
WHEN SHADOWS FALL
CRUZ DEL SUR

Greek troupe Reflection present a classic metal release with WHEN SHADOWS FALL. Keyboard heavy and operatic, this 12-track's disc's tone falls somewhere between the epic strokes Blind Guardian uses and the sonic bombast of Fates Warning, even going so far to include a full-on orchestral version of "Mistress of Sea" complete with symphonic instrumentation. Calling themselves "Hellenic epic/doom metal" is pretty close to the mark, as this veteran act straddles the line between grandiose arrangements and crushing riffs with the righteous might necessary to get these songs off the ground. www. cruzdelsurmusic. com -Mike SOS

DIVE INDEX
MID/AIR
NEUTRAL

Compiling a chilled-out composite of songs from an array of electronica artists from across the globe, Will Thomas presents his latest project Dive Index with the 11-track release MID/AIR. Recommended for spinning at the lounge or for a quiet evening at home, this soothing mix of shifting vocal viewpoints, smooth digital beats, and electronically subdued rhythms is the proper wind-down music after a tough work week or as a soundtrack to the breakfast after an all-night dance club soiree. www. neutralmusic. com -Mike SOS

THIRD DEGREE
PUNK SUGAR
SELFMADEGOD

Calling the latest offering by Polish powerhouse quartet Third Degree just a grindcore album is a bit misleading despite the vicious velocity of tracks like the Napalm Death-esque "Thoughts", as many other underground metal sub-genres play a large role in making PUNK SUGAR such an enraged and misanthropic monster. Adorned with hearty helpings of crust punk and death metal, songs like the crunchy "Surrounded by Victims" and the sinewy "Dead Will" are twisted into strange yet hulking forms whose sonic heft and snarling delivery provide for an unsettling experience no matter how you classify it. www. selfmadegod. com -Mike SOS

LEMURIA
GET BETTER
ASIAN MAN

Buffalo, NY trio Lemuria play a type of female lead male response vocal rock that takes its cues from '90s indie rock. GET BETTER is a 12-track offering laden with a slight guitar crunch that rocks hard on "Mechanical" and follows the sticky sweet little girl melody on "Get Some Sleep", helping this band shed its innocuous nature just enough to give the group an edge. While at times Lemuria succumbs to Warped Tour-esque pandering reserved for the likes of Paramore ("Dogs"), there's enough of the Sunny Day Real Estate and Jawbreaker vibe permeating through cuts like "Wardrobe" and "Dog" for those who want to rekindle past glories. www. asianmanrecords. com -Mike SOS

THE METHOD TO MY MEDIUM
THE SINCERITIES EP
THRIVING

White bread pop punk from five dudes from Indiana best describes THE SINCERITIES EP from The Method to My Medium. This Indiana quintet sure know their New Found Glory and Starting Line catalog, as they regurgitate it back up across this annoyingly electronically manipulated 10-track affair whose vocoder-enhanced vocals and glitched beats come off as a desperate attempt to be different. There's little here to cheer about, especially if whiny guys singing heartfelt rock songs with the structures you've heard a million times at the mall truly sticks under your craw. www. thrivingrecords. com -Mike SOS

END THE CENTURY
HAMMER AND THE ANVIL
SELF RELEASED

Orange County metalcore quintet, how redundant, huh? Add End the Century's name into the bingo cage of bands whose feral screaming sounds like a rabid animal's revenge, as the six-track HAMMER AND THE ANVIL presents a band full of fire but seriously lacking the compelling compositions to properly get their power across. Tinny guitars, stock arrangements, and overwrought devices are milked to excess here, making this disc a frustrating listen from start to finish. www. blacklodgepr. com -Mike SOS

TED ROSEDALE
HOME
NESTEGG
There's a certain '90s slacker rock quality audible on HOME that would remind you of J. Mascis or Rivers Cuomo at their most acerbic, as the latest endeavor by Ted Rosedale celebrates crunch-ridden malaise on cuts like "Green" and "619" quite a bit on this album. But for all the tasty guitar licks emulating everyone from David Gilmour to Tom Petty to Kurt Cobain to John Mayer ("Alright", "Ice Cream Man #5"), it's the 11-track outing's sharp and smart lyrical wistfulness, served with a shuffle on "Unforgettable", a barrage of nastiness on "619" and with swirling Beatle-esque melody on "Don't Be Long", that sets this disc miles apart from the sea of American Idol-influenced exercise in vanity solo records flooding the market.

www. tedrosedale. com -Mike SOS

ANOTHER BIG MACHINE
ABM
RISING STORM
Louisiana quartet Another Big Machine take the well paved pop-rock route of Nickelback and Daughtry and mix it with dollops of country twang and Warped Tour edge on their latest offering ABM. Successfully soaring with lush instrumentation a la sellout-era Aerosmith should garnish a slew of pop-rock interest for this unit, but there's a side to them that can confidently cruise down the Sunset Strip displayed here as well, showing the band's rock versatility. And even though many will find ABM a bit on the sappy end of the spectrum, to the throngs of people who need a buffer between Goo Goo Dolls and Matchbox 20 (and a few Kleenex), here's your go-to band.
www. myspace. com/anotherbigmachine -Mike SOS

THE JOHN SULLIVAN BRIGADE
A SOUND OPPORTUNITY FOR YOUR LAST MUSIC PURCHASE
SOUTH TENTH
It's no surprise that Long Island native John Sullivan takes quite a few cues from a certain famous Long Island piano man on the 12-track album A SOUND OPPORTUNITY FOR YOUR LAST MUSIC PURCHASE. However, the five piece The John Sullivan Brigade rounds out the obvious influence with a slew of other classic rock luminaries such as George Thorogood and Jackson Browne on cuts like the wistful "In Control" and the saxophone and guitar driven barroom rock of "Dead End", even going so far as laying down a ballad worthy for a Happy Days sock hop on "Praying For" and taking snippets of "19th Nervous Breakdown" to comprise the cool faded-out "Reflection #203". No frills rock 'n roll played without pretense best describes this unit whose latest offering fits snugly in between your Springsteen and Rolling Stones collection.
www. johnsullivanbrigade. com -Mike SOS

GIDEON SMITH AND THE DIXIE DAMNED
SOUTH SIDE OF THE MOON
SMALL STONE

Southern space rock? Hell yes, courtesy of Gideon Smith, whose swampy swagger goes galactic on SOUTH SIDE OF THE MOON, this ecelctic artist's latest 13 track endeavor . Meshing down south jukin' with the trippy acumen of Hawkwind sounds daunting, yet Smith and his backing band, The Dixie Damned (consisting of members of Novadriver and Big Chief) get it right, tossing in some '60s psychedelia on tracks like "Shimmering Rain" for added texture. While this one time roadie for Antiseen's voice makes for an acquired taste (think Jim Morrison duking it out with David Allan Coe), the doom-laden blues jamming heard on "Black Cat Road" and the star-saoked Skynyrd gone skyward shuffle of "Feather's Shadow" fit the bill for a fun and futuristic boogie rock rocket ride. www. smallstone. com -Mike SOS

SUIDAKRA
13 YEARS OF CELTIC WARTUNES
WACKEN

The German troupe Suidakara sound as if they could obliterate the whole cast of Riverdance in one fell swoop judging by the title of their latest disc. This clan's collection of songs is a compilation stemming from this veteran act's releases through the years, demonstrating the unit's blend of traditional folk on "An Dudlachd" and brazen melodic death metal on "Morrigan" and the vicious "A Vision's Demise". Meshing their pagan roots with meaty melodic death metal, if you're down for a frolic in the forest with some kick, then this disc delivers. www. wackenrecords. de -Mike SOS

GEVOLT
SIDUR
RENAISSANCE

Yiddish folk metal meets Rammstein on SIDUR, the latest offering from Gevolt. This Sephardic septet's 11-track excursion meshes traditional styles of Israel with an industrial strain of metal chock full of effected keyboards that ultimately leaves an unearthly Gothic aftertaste on cuts like "Liturgia" and the sinewy "Na More". Providing a dose of klezmer with dark intentions, Gevolt's latest release is laden with a dynamic drama that fans of Moonspell and Type O Negative can latch onto despite the language barrier. www. gevolt. com -Mike SOS

THE BLACK GHOSTS
THE BLACK GHOSTS
IAMSOUND

UK electronic rock duo The Black Ghosts truly embody the spirit of the digital age, as these former members of Simian and Wiseguys initially met via the Internet and have only recently met face to face. Nonetheless, they put their best foot forward to place your booty on the dance floor with their hodgepodge eponymous 11-track release. Tracks like "It's Your Touch" and "Something New" take the sunshine '70s pop rock vibe radiated from bands like America and Bread and deck them out for today's hipster crowd while "Some Way Through This" busts out a big beat that wouldn't sound out of place on a hip-hop album. Nevertheless, this British tandem go for the gold with the nuances of projects like Hot Chip firmly intact, demonstrating their ability to rock the clubs. www. iamsoundrecords. com -Mike SOS

TRANSISTOR TRANSISTOR
RUINED LIVES
LEVEL PLANE
New Hampshire quartet Transistor Transistor return with a stirring one-two punch of angular hardcore and menacing punk rock with RUINED LIVES. Armed with jagged riffs, malicious yowls, and debilitating rhythms that give bands like The Bronx and Every Time I Die a run for their money, this unit's motive to emote their innermost sensitivities never gets in the way of the like of slash and burn hardcore presentations such as "Pilar of Salt". Taking the avant-garde route paved by such bands as Poison the Well on the twangy "The Ghost Hand", emulating a bastardized hybrid of Snapcase and Modern Life is War on cuts such as "Diet of Worms" and crustily scraping through an abrasive "Celluoid Rats", this squad's latest bundle of sonic explosions grab you by the throat and scream for vengeance. Summoning up the finest elements from hardcore punk's elite while maintaining their own identity, RUINED LIVES and the chaotic yet cathartic atmosphere running throughout renders this disc a modern hardcore classic.

www. level-plane. com

MOONSPELL
NIGHT ETERNAL
SPV

Thanks in part to an exceptional production by metal guru Tue Madsen, Portuguese metal giants Moonspell have struck the perfect balance of clarity and brutality on their latest endeavor NIGHT ETERNAL. This nine-track descent into darkness yields an intense ride chock full of dastardly black metal chord progressions, ethreal Gothic rock passages, and the authentic warmongering spirit of bands ranging from Celtic Frost to Dimmu Borgir on tracks such as "First Light" and "Shadow Sun". Add in the trademark venomous vocal delivery, whose scornful array of evil highlighted on tracks such as "Moon in Her Mercury" fits beautifully with the blackened melodies, and this veteran act's latest metallic maelstrom is a must have for those entrenched in the catacombs of despair. www. spv. de -Mike SOS

RUBY Q
FASHION FEVER MUSIC PITCH
RENAISSANCE

Most bands wait until they make it big before they start their own clothing line, but don't tell the shape-shifting quintet Ruby Q, as they've jumped the step and coincide their latest release with a line of new clothes.They also walk the musical tightrope with the grace necessary on the catwalk, letting everything hang loose on the 11-track FASHION FEVER MUSIC PITCH. Changing styles from track to track with a bold-faced cheekiness that makes it hard to tell if this collective is in on the joke or not, regardless how serious you take this shining example of hodgepodge, there's no denying how talented this unit is. From the lifted crunchy guitars and booming bass from QOTSA heard on "Fever Pitch" to a rebellious "Fuck 'N Roll" that single handedly offends every rock fan with its vitriolic lyrical roll call of rock 'n roll royalty and the piano and chanteuse-like vocals cooing on "Chocolate", this slickly-produced journey through pop music 101 has enough musical money moments to help this band go beyond the boutique circuit and into a subset as sizable as their grandiose musical output. www. myspace. com/rubyqmusic -Mike SOS

TRAGIC ORANGE
TRAGIC ORANGE
SELF-RELEASED

Long Island alternative metal troupe Tragic Orange remember the time when melodic hard rock bands didn't deprive the music of its balls by watering down their output with sappy ballads. Firing on all cylinders while implementing the old school attitude into their modern metal paradigm, this unit isn't just another MTV-fed mall rock band despite prominently showcasing those influences. Coming off as a mixture of Our Lady Peace, Taproot and Chevelle, this unit's eponymous debut showcases a band whose sweeping choruses and hard as nails hard rock histrionics sound ready for extreme sports soundtracks and WWE pay per views on cuts like "Pure and Simple". Yet the durability of the band's powerhouse rhythm section, who smoothly steer the disc through trouble spots while accentuating the album overall with a sparkling array of deep bass grooves and lush yet driving percussion, sets Tragic Orange in a good position to jump onto the radar somewhere between Staind and A Perfect Circle. www. tragicorange. com -Mike SOS

ALL SHALL PERISH
AWAKEN THE DREAMERS
NUCLEAR BLAST

Spreading beyond the confines of the deathcore genre, California's All Shall Perish return with AWAKEN THE DREAMERS. This 12-track release demonstrates the merging of the quintet's savage brutality with a bevy of surprises which renders this offering as a well-textured entity that can still provide its share of crushing moshpit moments. While ardent supporters of the group will be relieved that the breakdown-heavy death metal style on scorchers like "Stabbing to Purge Dissimulation" and "Never...Again" is still a major part of the outfit's arsenal, tracks like the melodic instrumental "Until the End", the traditional metal-esque shred and scream tactics on "Black Gold Reign" and the melancholic Opeth-like "Memories of a Glass Sanctuary" display All Shall Perish's penchant for bold experimentation and disdain for complacency without compromising a shred of their dignity. Retaining their bludgeoning foundation while showcasing a slew of progressive tendencies, All Shall Perish have morphed into a monstrous metal hybrid geared for forward thinking fans of modern heavy music. www. nuclearblastusa. com -Mike SOS

GRAVE
DOMINION VIII
REGAIN

Veteran Swedish band Grave returns with another installment of sinewy death metal that blends high-speed velocity and doom-laden crunch on the nine-track DOMINION VIII. This devastating affair demonstrates the band's ability to go from slow crawl to rapid-fire pace in the blink of an eye ("Annihilated Christ") in addition to displaying Grave's unwavering attachment to the darker side of the spectrum on cuts like "Stained By Hate". 20 years in and still as extreme as their early days, this truculent crew returns in fine fighting form, ready to go into metal combat with the vitriolic virtue and fortified firepower that has rendered them one of Swedish elite death metal's forces. www. regainrecords. com -Mike SOS

HEAD ON COLLISION
RITUAL SACRIFICE
BEER CITY

Personifying a true thrash metal throwback, Missouri outfit Head On Collision channel the early periods of heavyweights such as Kreator, Nuclear Assault, Exodus, and first few Slayer records for influence on the 11-track RITUAL SACRIFICE. These dudes are pretty well-versed in doling out hyper-speed riffs and blistering solos ("The Flames of Aggression") and while there's nary a sign of originality apparent (is that riff from the title cut lifted from Slayer or what?), the band's stone-faced delivery, spot-on precision (especially on the drums) and brash bravado propel tracks like the chuggingly good "Electrocutioner" and "Retaliate" away from the pack and into territories reserved for newer retro acts such as Municipal Waste. If you're a thrash enthusiast, picking this disc up is essential. www. beercity. com -Mike SOS

MOTORHEAD
MOTORIZER
SPV

Motorhead is not just a band anymore, they are an institution of all things rock. Unlike many bands in their direct peer group, Lemmy and company can still can kick your ass with explosive and raucous rock 'n roll, as their latest 11-track release MOTORIZER reassures in the usual pounding fashion we'd expect from this venerable trio. From the super-catchy "English Rose" to the grindhouse blues of "One Short Life" to the all guns blazing delivery of "Rock Out", Motorhead proudly present another fine slab of their patented tongue in cheek balls to the wall hard as nails rock, showing no signs of relenting. Long live Motorhead! www. spv. de -Mike SOS

NEVEREVEN
NEVEREVEN
SELF-RELEASED
NYC quartet Nevereven strike an intriguing middle ground between pop-punk, hard rock, and progressive rock on their eponymous seven-track offering. The dextrous and crunchy guitar work ("Dreamcatcher", "Midnight") really stands out, as their Coheed and Cambria meets Incubus mix goes down smooth yet manages to pack a kind of unassuming yet welcomed punch to the head. Thanks to solid chops and ears to the ground for the last 15 years of rock music, this band is able to take meaningful musical breaks containing the crisp solos and passionate twists found on "Naive Crush" and "Cloud Nine" without sounding overblown or unskilled. Nevereven's genuine delivery and impressive songwriting prowess bolsters this unit's uniquely slanted rock amalgamation enough to warrant repeated listens and rounds of air guitar playing.

www. myspace. com/nevereven -Mike SOS

DEADBIRD
TWILIGHT RITUAL
AT A LOSS
Creepy and doomy, the sophomore six-track sojourn from Arkansas sludge metal quartet Deadbird is a viscous Southern-fried delight whose massive rhythmic rumblings give the band the sheer heft to properly obliterate all in their wake. From the menacing slow-churned intro on "Into the Clearing", this oppressive unit takes you through a grueling 47:23 journey steeped in sonic excess and draped with eerie vocal harmonies and dazzling acoustic interludes ("The Riverbed"), descending down through the deepest recesses to unearth the sleeping Southern rock giant ("Feral Flame") to unleash thick waves of metallic lava for tortured souls to bask in. If you dig Mastodon and love Crowbar, prepare to meet your new favorite band.

www. atalossrecordings. com -Mike SOS