Despised Icon – Montreal Assault DVD (Century Media Records)
Notoriously delayed, Montreal Assault suffered from a litany of problems on the manufacturing side of things, causing its released to be pushed back from a proposed fall of 2008 release to now. Nevertheless, it’s an all-encompassing...
Burning Human – Resurrection Through Fire (E1 Music)
The new/old/but now side-project band of Shadows Fall drummer Jason Bittner, Burning Human takes a couple pages and then some from the creative wasteland that was mid-90’s American death metal. Bittner once again proves...
Hellsaw – Cold (Napalm Records)
The name “Hellsaw” won’t strike fear into anyone and with song titles like “Psycho Pastor” and “I Saw Hell,” one could almost write this off as slap-stick black metal. Yet it’s not and Cold is more...
Sirenia – The 13th Floor (Nuclear Blast Records)
Methinks Sirenia will take quite the tomato tossing for The 13th Floor from some less-than forgiving members of the metal press, but you gotta hand it to these Nords: the bulk of these songs are sticky-sweet, loaded with...
Mono – Hymn To the Immortal Wind (Conspiracy Records)
The first thing you’ll notice about the latest Mono album, their fifth, is the packaging - the booklet and artwork tying into the story of the music, giving a further dimension to this stunning...
The Boy Will Drown – Fetish (Earache Records)
Earache Records have a brand new fetish and it comes in the form of The Boy Will Drown. Get beyond the clunky name and you’ll soon find yourself elbow deep in dirty, filthy, jazzy...
Lord Mantis – Spawning the Nephilim (Seventh Rule Recordings)
Featuring ex members of Nachtmystium and current members of Indian, one approached Spawning the Nephilim with a degree of hopeful trepidation, if that makes sense. You see, Nachtmystium are great and probably the best metal band...
Mastodon – Crack the Skye (Reprise/Sire)
Lots of derision around this one; Crack the Skye is not the bruiser people were expecting to it be, but if it’s anything, it’s more rich, wide, and built-out than 2006’s Blood Mountain. Those in search of...
Wolf – Ravenous (Century Media Records)
Wolf is not the first band mentioned when discussion opens on retro metal, but by golly, they’re probably the best throwback metal band going. Starting with 2002’s signpost Black Wings, the Swedes have taken proto...
Heaven and Hell – The Devil You Know (Rhino Records)
Heaven And Hell, Black Sabbath, Dio and the boys. Whatever you want to call it, there’s been high anticipation for this release - a tour which absolutely blew away everyone who caught them live,...
Altar of Plagues – White Tomb (Profound Lore Records)
At times, White Tomb just floors you. Just like Isis did circa Panopticon or Cult of Luna when they’re not fucking around. Yeah, it drifts into metalgaze territory more than once and that’s fine, but that black metal smear gives...
October Tide – Rain Without End (Reissue) (Vic Records/Candlelight)
The final missing piece in the vaunted Katatonia-related side project catalog, the reissue of October Tide’s Rain Without End is an absolute must-have. Recorded in 1995 when singer/drummer Jonas Renske and guitarist Fred Normann became estranged from...
Hatesphere – To the Nines (Napalm Records)
Some major turnover going on in the Hatesphere camp, with longtime throat Jacob Bredahl leaving the Danish thrashers in late 2007. Hardly a death-knell, the band has regrouped with razor-lunged Jonathan Albrecthsen and a...
Saros – Acrid Plains (Profound Lore Records)
We’ll forego any silly metaphors in regards to Acrid Plains and how unbelievably awesome its opening title track is and how the rest of the album pales in comparison. Guess that’s what an opening track is...
Therapy? – Crooked Timber (DR2 Records)
Twelve albums in (if you include EP’s Babyteeth and Pleasure Death) and Northern Ireland rockers Therapy? are still going strong. Better than ever actually when you get down to it and really start to feel comfortable with Crooked...