All CD reviews
Trivium’s latest triumph, The Crusade, drops October 10th through Roadrunner Records and is an album that blows away many new releases in metal’s current stable of bands. Crusade follows their radically successful release of Ascendancy and is an impressive follow-up for Trivium who we saw recently as one of the headliners at this year’s Download…
From the first screeching howl of “I’ll Go Until My Heart Stops” this new effort by Alaska natives 36 Crazyfists stands out above all the albums I have heard this year. With a raw melodic edge and a furious delivery, this band, newly signed to the DRT label, are poised to make genre-breaking history. Undeniably…
Clean and clear isn’t supposed to be dirty, but The Nameless has done exactly that with their debut EP Driven. From first to last, each song is flawlessly recorded and timed to create a sleek machine that is The Nameless. Yet, don’t be deceived into thinking you’re not going to feel a bit of that…
Apocalypse Head is one of those bands that when playing live always guarantees there is going to be bloodshed before the end of their set. In fact, they encourage it! Recorded at Smegma Recording studio in Portland, Oregon, the first thing that strikes you about this band is the brutally abrasive vocals. Once you have…
Livid Minds is a Portland based metal quartet that is known for their hard work promoting shows and their energetic live performances. After three years playing locally and still boasting their same four original members, the band releases The Know which is eight tracks of rock flavored metal goodness. The first track “Drive” is aptly…
Aftermind offers up a three-song demo for my listening pleasure and I have to admit I was impressed from the first note to the last. With a heavy rock edge, and a healthy dose of metal and hardcore thrown in, it is more than listenable, it’s downright amazing. There is a melodic approach to the…
You would think it would be hard to get a feel for a band in only four tracks, but Portland, Oregon metalers Vintegaas prove this theory wrong as the opening track “Hardway” finds its way into my head with its crushing breakdowns and head banging prowess. I love the dose of old school this band…
Come What(ever) May is one of the most significant albums of 2006. I would begin by comparing this new effort by Stone Sour to my sophomore year in high school, an adolescent year filled with sex, drugs, sports and rock n’ roll. Freshman year wasn’t much fun, but my sophomore year was brilliant, which is…
Blazing power metal based on fantasy themes is an acquired taste, but DragonForce creates an art form out of it by turning up all their instruments and ripping your heart out with super-catchy melodies, riffs and solos. Their newest album, Inhuman Rampage raises the bar for instrumental talent like never before. The CD kicks off…
After nearly three years of relentless touring Hatebreed is back more determined and stronger than ever with Supremacy, which is comprised of 13 bone crushing anthems that will motivate anyone to fight for what they believe in. “Defeatist” opens things off with a full assault and “Horrors of Self’ and ‘Mind Over All’ are positive…
The South has been known to produce some of the best rock ever released, and Kentucky can be proud to claim Black Stone Cherry as their own. This modern Southern rock band has a place amongst the greats and knowing that not one of them is over 23 years old only leads to the belief…
Slayer is back! The pioneers of speed/thrash metal release Christ Illusion, their first new studio album in five years. Slayer welcomes back Dave Lombardo on drums to reunite their original lineup for the first time in fourteen years. Rick Rubin signing on as executive producer completes the original recording team. With a newly rekindled passion…
If havoc is wreaked on your eardrums or speakers this summer then you can blame Canada. On what is their fifth and most ambitious album to date since 1997’s City, the Canucks in Strapping Young Lad show they are one of the most eclectic and innovative bands in all of heavy music today. The New…
Just because Jane’s Addiction no longer exists doesn’t mean that the creative juices have stopped flowing. Out of the ashes of that once notable and revered group of talent rises a new band that holds the same power and impact but delivers it in a revamped package. The Panic Channel brings the experimental styling of…
Dirty…beautiful….Southern trash metal. All words I would use to describe this new effort from Black Label Society. The legendary voice of Ozzy guitarist Zakk Wylde is now widely known as he has become one of the greatest and most influential guitar players in metal history. Black Label has an underground alliance of fans who are…
After the successful release of The Oncoming Storm in 2004, Unearth returns with a more aggressive and intense assault. With legendary producer Terry Date (Pantera, Deftones) at the helm, Unearth strive to push their sound toward an even heavier direction than their previous releases. “This Glorious Nightmare” opens things off with intense riffing and in…
As the follow-up to Lamb of God’s smash record Ashes of the Wake, their latest effort Sacrament could be the prime example of taking elements from a previous album and sticking to your guns. The band has decided to bust into a more mainstream sound and it’s a formidable force in a highly defining year…
