Kalmah – For the Revolution (Spikefarm)
One of the true underrated gems of this decade has to be Kalmah’s 2002 effort, They Will Return, a delicious slab of hyper-Bodom melodic death metal, amplified with seismic hooks, scorching leads, and gorgeous guitar...
Motorhead – Motorizer (SPV Records)
Christ, album #24 for Lemmy and co. Pretty impressive on all fronts, especially in terms of quality, as there really isn't a dud Motorhead album that everyone dislikes ala Turbo or Load. Their first proper release for SPV, Motorizer is a...
Hammerfall – Masterpieces (Nuclear Blast Records)
It’s only fitting that Hammerfall would add to the multi-band pile-on that is all covers albums. After all, the Swedes have zero gauge on their perception as phony trad metal torchbearers, but in the...
Vader – XXV (Regain Records)
Old Vader albums have become scarce, the product of their ill-timed deals with Earache (why the label ever dropped these guys is one of the biggest mysteries of the 20th century) and Pavement Records. Following in...
Krallice – Krallice (Profound Lore Records)
A kewl, kinda neato combo here: the combined instrumental talents of Mick Barr (Ocrilm, Orthelem) and Colin Marston (Behold…the Arctopus, Dysrhythmia) collide in a primal BM venture that is part homage to genre’s glory...
Neuraxis – The Thin Line Between (Prosthetic Records)
After years of slugging it out in smaller, to mid-sized indie labels, Montreal’s Neuraxis are no doubt going to benefit from the larger exposure a label like Prosthetic can bring. Those in the underground...
Týr – Land (Napalm Records)
It probably won’t happen this year or next, but when the time comes to ultimately separate the wheat from the chaff for the now very swollen pagan/folk metal scene, one has to think Týr...
Novembers Doom – The Novella Vosselaar DVD (The End Records)
Now at their arguable peak, Chicago doom merchants Novembers Doom are now getting the live DVD treatment in the form of The Novella Voselaar: Live in Belgium. Professionally shot (but hardly reminiscent of the Metal Mind series), The...
Scar Symmetry – Holographic Universe (Nuclear Blast Records)
The stage for saccharine melodic death metal was set when In Flames unleashed the unabashedly catchy and fun “Only For the Weak” in 2000. Said song put the bounce and pop into melodic death metal, a...
Reverend Bizarre – Crush the Insects Reissue (Spinefarm)
To launch the UK branch of their record label, Spinefarm have delved into the vaults and dug out a couple of reissues, the first of which is from Finish doom legends Reverend Bizarre. Originally...