| 4 excellent |
| Arch Enemy Doomsday Machine |
| Arsis A Celebration of Guilt |
| Arsis A Diamond for Disease |
| Audioslave Audioslave |
| Becoming the Archetype Terminate Damnation |
Becoming the Archetype are a Christian technical metalcore/death metal band. Typical lyrics include:
[QUOTE=Becoming the Archetype: The Epigone]
Yet you are ever worthy of adoration
So how can I for a moment cease to lift my heart in praise?
Your name is glory
My song is victory
And I will keep on singing [/QUOTE]
These lyrics, however, are delivered in a particularly brutal variation on the metalcore scream/growl, backed up by heavy, chugging guitars and some very impressive drumming. Song structures are often unorthodox, with much of the typical Becoming the Archetype song being instrumental with short vocal breaks, in the style of Isis. This band has found the 'epic' button and pressed it pretty damn hard, making good use of harmony and soaring, technical guitar solos to mix the overall sound up a little.
Becoming the Archetype demonstrate their willingness to diversify in Night's Sorrow, a three and a half minute classical guitar piece that is stunning in its beauty. The three part Elegy showcases the progressive elements of the band, featuring a piano solo and a hell of a lot of instrumental sections, which can get tiring at times but nonetheless indicate a promising future for this little-known band. |
| Between The Buried And Me The Silent Circus |
| Dream Theater Images and Words |
| Dream Theater Metropolis Part 2: Scenes From a Memory |
| Isis Panopticon |
| Jaga Jazzist What We Must |
| Lostprophets Start Something |
| Metallica Load |
| Pain Of Salvation 12:5 |
| This is a different and interesting release from Pain of Salvation. 12:5 is an acoustic release with a difference; the band reworks their material for an acoustic presentation, rather than just 'unplugging' and playing the songs straight. Beginning and ending the album are medleys of about five songs called 'Brickwork' parts 1 and 2, where the songs flow perfectly into each other. Sandwiched between the Brickwork parts are six complete tracks from various albums. The best song on the disc is the rendition of 'Ashes' which is played in a major key. Pain of Salvation display a mastery of their own material by 'going acoustic', and the songs are different enough from their originals, and solid in their own right, to merit a 4 from me. |
| Pain Of Salvation Be |
| Pain Of Salvation BE Live (DVD) |
| Porcupine Tree Deadwing |
| Rage Against the Machine Rage Against the Machine |
| Sigur Ros Ágætis Byrjun |
| The Mars Volta De-Loused in the Comatorium |
