Average Rating: 3.27 Rating Variance: 0.47 Objectivity Score: 83% (Well Balanced)
Sort by: Rating | Release Date | Rating Date | Name5.0 classicAnimals as Leaders Animals as LeadersThe benchmark for modern progressive metal which will probably never be beaten. Music that is as emotionally and melodically dense as anything I've ever discovered in realms of both metal and jazz. Fredrik Thordendal's Special Defects Sol Niger Within, Version 3.33Spawn of Possession Noctambulant4.5 superbAnomalous OhmnivalentAfter a handful of listens, Ohmnivalent sinks in and it's clear that this is one of those albums that is years ahead of its time. 5-10 years from now I can hope this gets the recognition it deserves. The amount of talent needed to create something like this is immense. While other 7/8 string bands do their generic djenting and lame clean sections with shit clean vocals, Anomalous says fuck you and creates a technical, progressive, melodic, and at times brutal sound that is suffocating and dense overall. The lead playing is extraordinary, easily some of the most chilling you will find in extreme metal. Arsis We Are the NightmareAugury Fragmentary EvidenceBlotted Science The Machinations Of DementiaCynic Traced in AirDeeds of Flesh Of What's to ComeHour of Penance The Vile ConceptionOne of, if not the best modern death metal album in existence. The epitome of unrelenting, The Vile Conception delivers a punishing album in every facet. Ikuinen Kaamos ClosureMirrorthrone Carriers of DustNecrophagist EpitaphNecrophagist Onset of PutrefactionThe Faceless AkeldamaThe Faceless Planetary DualityWintersun Wintersun4.0 excellent7 Horns 7 Eyes Throes Of AbsolutionA Loathing Requiem Psalms of MisanthropyBy-the-books technical death metal, as a stand-alone solo project there is nothing out of the ordinary here. Fast riffing, standard death growls, and over-the-top soloing. After more listens, this rules. So much depth, it's intially overwhelming to take in. But when you do, you'll find there's riffs everywhere, as well as soloing that remains melodic and an overall flow to the songwriting. Abigail Williams In the Shadow of a Thousand SunsAllegaeon AllegaeonArchspire All Shall AlignArcturus The Sham MirrorsArsis A Celebration of GuiltArsis A Diamond for DiseaseAssimilated Mind Phase Involuntary DeconstructionAside from an unneeded final track of ambiance, this is some of the best music I've ever heard in 2010. Tight rhythmic playing layered with relentlessly jaw-dropping lead guitar work. Progressive instrumental music for fans of Special Defects, Blotted Science, and Chimp Spanner. Available as a free download: http://ampmetal.bandcamp.com/album/involuntary-deconstruction At The Throne of Judgment The Arcanum OrderAugust Burns Red Thrill SeekerAurora Black And The Skies Dream Infinite SorrowA (for the most part) quality album that definitely draws similarities to old and new Abigail Williams. It contains 17 songs, over 75 minutes of faux-symphonic "epic" black metal. The first few songs utilize a mediocre growl as the main vocal style, but after that they give way to crisp and coherent black metal shrieks which are, in a word, amazing. There are an abundant amount of vocal hooks and an added echo-effect works to their favor. Disc 2 is where this album shines, showing the band at their best in every category. Aurora Black masks at times standard instrumentation with great atmospheres and soaring melodies. Becoming the Archetype Terminate DamnationBeneath the Massacre Marée NoireBeneath the Massacre IncongruousBlasphemer On the Inexistence of GodUUIUIUIUIUIUIUIUIUIUIUIUIUIUIU EEEEEEREEEEEEEEEEEEEEBlotted Science The Animation of EntomologyCompared to their LP, Blotted Science have (for better or worse) toned down the melody and upped the technicality level to more ridiculous levels. This is literally a barrage of notes following Jarzombek's 12 tone scale. The same problem remains, as the music itself builds and builds with little or no release. Carach Angren LammendamCarbonized Gnawing Mandible Harvested and DisposedHow to get everyone to give your album a 1: Troll them hard for 3 and a 1/2 years Chimp Spanner At the Dream's EdgeCynic FocusCynic Re-TracedDan Swano MoontowerDecrepit Birth Diminishing Between WorldsDirewolf Beyond the Lands of Human ExistenceEdge of Sanity Crimson IIExivious ExiviousFirst Fragment The Afterthought EcstasySee: A Loathing Requiem - Psalms of Misanthropy (but with neo-classical and clean guitar elements). Fleshgod Apocalypse OraclesFleshwrought Dementia/DyslexiaSome of most unique and memorable soloing in awhileGorod Leading VisionGuthrie Govan Erotic CakesHuman Mincer Degradation ParadoxHumanoid Remembering UniverseSoothing, relaxing, ambient, and progressive are all adjectives that come to mind when describing Remembering Universe. Humanoid is an instrumental band with an acoustic focus, blending in beautiful bass playing with light electric guitar and percussion elements, featuring members of Montreal metal bands Augury, Unexpect, and Neuraxis. One of the most overlooked albums of 2008. For fans of spacey progressive/ambient.Ikuinen Kaamos Fall of IconsFall of Icons is pretty much a sequel to the EP "Closure", it fleshes out ideas and is longer obviously, but at the same time lacks some of the catchiness and freshness. The guitar tone remains the best aspect of this band. Melodic riffs sound as if they are being wept from the instrument, and the music overall is full of bleak atmospheres and emotion. Ikuinen Kaamos do an excellent job of conveying these moods without boring the listener into submission as most music in this genre tends to do, especially the band they are accused of worshiping (Opeth). The leads, acoustic passages, and vocal variety keep the listener interested to which direction the music will be taken next. Illogicist The Insight EyeNon-wanky tech death. Filled to the brim with groove. Audible bass, vocals that aren't generic lows, impeccable drumming by Minnemann. In Lingua Mortua Bellowing Sea - Racked by TempestInherit Disease Visceral TranscendenceJeff Loomis Zero Order PhaseKurt Rosenwinkel The Next StepMirrorthrone GangreneNe Obliviscaris Portal of IPortal of I is full of experimentation - the range of influences presented work more often than not. Xenoflux nails their sound superbly; if a song gives you chills upon first listen you're doing something right. There are a few other moments like that on the album - just about as many as there are wtf moments, though. A few times the clean vocals sound completely superfluous and are atmosphere killers, a couple leads come in abruptly, and one time there's a long drawn out low growl that sounds like the dude is taking an immense shit in the toilet. Overall, Ne Obliviscaris is a great example of a band that is greater than the sum of its parts. All are skilled at what they do and they have created an album that was mostly worth the wait. There is a general flow to the album, however, it's a shame some songs are somewhat ruined by vocal or instrumental misplacement. 3.8/5 Obscura CosmogenesisOdious Mortem Cryptic ImplosionIf the middle of this album was as good as the first and last two songs, it would be a masterpiece of brutal/technical death metal. As it stands, this is still a highly recommend album for fans of the genre. The soloing in particular is blistering, a guest appearance by Ron Jarzombek seals an easy 4/5 rating. Panzerballett PanzerballettParkway Drive Killing With A SmilePutridity Degenerating Anthropophagical EuphoriaMakes you feel like your chest is being crushed by bricks. Ron Jarzombek Solitarily Speaking of Theoretical ConfinementAnyone who enjoys Blotted Science or Watchtower and has not heard this needs to asap. You will not be disappointed. Scrambled Defuncts Souls Despising The GodSophicide The Art of AtrocityWhile not exactly breaking any boundaries in the technical death metal genre, this one man project created by 20 year old Adam Laszlo still conjures up similarities between fellow German Muhammed Suicmez, because of his ability to create music with amazing flair (just don't expect the same level of soloing). The comparison between the two may be hasty and unwarranted, as this is only a 4 song ep with about 15 minutes of music, The Art of Atrocity nevertheless should be an addition for anyone who has been developing white hairs and wrinkles awaiting the new Necrophagist album. Especially since it's available as free legal download.Spastic Ink Ink CompleteSpawn of Possession IncursoIncuroso continues Spawn of Possession's legacy of being the titans in the technical death metal realm, with riffs that leave you deprived of oxygen and solos that are seemingly inhuman. The closing track is The Apparition is a masterpiece, adding in symphonics to their already crushingly dense sound. Scrambled Defuncts - Souls Despising the God has a very similar feel, just without the big studio budget.Terminal Function Measuring the AbstractIf you can get past the vocals, which upon intial listen, will probably make you cringe, you're in for a gem of an album. Fans of any of Fredrick Thordendal's work will be right at home here. The rhythmic riffing and drumming fused with incredible jazz leads definitely draw Meshuggah and Special Defects similarities. Unlike those bands, however, Terminal Function incorporates well executed singing choruses and occasional synth to break up the pace. The Black Dahlia Murder DeflorateThe Breathing Process Odyssey (un)DeadTBP delivers on their potential and offers up a solid effort full of driving guitar and synth riffs, fitting and at-times epic vocals, and more importantly, they seem to have gotten rid of the majority of their -core sound. The title track definitely has an identity crisis, however, fluctuating between generic riffs you've heard a thousand times before, keys, and clean vocals. Skip that track (it breaks up the momentum) and focus on other songs like Leveler and Hordes. This album's first half is particularly strong, give it a listen if you're into bands like Abigail Williams or Aurora Black.Theory In Practice The Armageddon TheoriesUnexpect In a Flesh AquariumUnholy Matrimony Croire, DecroitreVale of Pnath Vale of PnathVeil of Maya The Common Man's CollapseWeeping Birth Anosognosic Industry of the IWoe Of Tyrants Kingdom of MightOut of left field comes a relentless melodic death/thrash album, Kingdom of Might becomes the first great album of 2009 with incessant riffs and soloing accompanied by a solid growl. Only cons are the band seems to run out of ideas by just spamming arpeggios at times, and it confusingly comes to an end with a brootal-ish breakdown (the only one on the album) which leaves a bad taste after a big meal. For fans of Exmortus and Brother Von Doom, if you like shred, you'll enjoy this.Wormed QuasineutralityWretched Beyond The Gate3.5 greatAbigail Williams LegendAfter the Burial RareformAlarum EventualityAll Shall Perish The Price Of ExistenceAmogh Symphony Abolishing the Obsolete SystemAntestor The ForsakenAnthelion Bloodshed RebefallenApotheosis Farthest from the SunArtefact RuinsAs Blood Runs Black AllegianceAssimilated Mind Phase OmegaDoesn't seem to have the same atmosphere as Involuntary Deconstruction. The tone remains great, Ron Jarzombek/Blotted Science listeners will be right at home. However, on initial listen it was underwhelming. It's free and more space-themed progressive metal, so I can't really complain. Astel Oscora EridanAugury ConcealedBe'lakor The Frail TideBecoming the Archetype The Physics Of FireBecoming the Archetype DichotomyBeneath the Massacre Mechanics of DysfunctionBetween the Buried and Me Alaska [Instrumental]Beyond Creation The AuraBloodbath Unblessing the PurityBloodbath The Fathomless MasteryBurning The Masses Volatile ExistenceBurning The Masses Mind ControlCarach Angren Death Came Through A Phantom ShipCenotaph Putrescent Infectious RabidityCentaurus-A Side Effects ExpectedSure to be one of the most over-looked death metal albums of 2009, the unfortunately named "Centaurus-A" have created a solid technical album with occasional melodic and groove elements. Great production, too. Everything sounds like it should. Chaos Divine AvalonChimp Spanner Imperium VoragoCloudkicker BeaconsDeadborn Stigma EternalDecimation Anthems of an Empyreal DominionDeivos Gospel of MaggotsAlbum in a nutshell: Brutal/technical death metal with modern production, wanky solos, and.... cowbell. For fans of Hour of Penance and Reciprocal Deny the Urge Blackbox Of Human SorrowDred A Path To ExtinctionEmbryonic Depravity Constrained by the Miscarriage of ConquestEssence Of Existence Terra MentisEvan Brewer AloneEver Forthright Ever ForthrightIt's easy to want to rate this album a 4-4.5 after listening to the first couple of tracks, they rule. However, once you get into the meat of this album, it becomes a bit stagnant/relies too much on experimentation. This band is really just a heavier Periphery with more going on (sax, leads, breakdowns, rapping, etc). The latter of the two being as wanted as aids on my mouth. Just like with countless albums in existence, this one starts off stellar, declines in the middle, and ends on a high note. Exist In MirrorsFallen Figure DevivalFallen Figure is more or less what As Blood Runs Black would sound like with much more talented guitarists. It is no coincidence this band is managed by ABRB's drummer and headed by a former merch guy. ANYWAYS, this is some solid melodic death metal with...breakdowns. Nothing original at all... but a fun listen, Devival keeps momentum throughout with surprisingly good energy and soloing.Fallujah The Harvest WombsBasically what Polarity by Decrepit Birth should've sounded like. Still would like a few more riffs. The Flames Surreal is a neat song. Fleshgod Apocalypse MafiaGorod NeurotripsicksGorod A Perfect AbsolutionGrave Declaration The Nightshift WorshiperGru CosmogenesisHidden In The Fog DamoklesHollenthon With Vilest of Worms to DwellHour of Penance ParadogmaHour of Penance SeditionIchor Benthic HorizonIf you enjoyed Hour of Penance - Paradogma, and to a lesser extent Lost Soul - Immerse in Infinity you should like this. A mix of chunky riffs, melodic mid-tempo groove (with obvious harmonic minor usage), and overall badassery. The vocals are just not as punishing, however. Think somewhere in-between Hour of Penance and Lost Soul's vocalists. A nice surprise of an album. In before Anthracks says this sounds nothing alike even though the influences are clear as the badly tuned snares in the brutal death he salivates over.Ikuinen Kaamos The ForlornIllogicist SubjectedImperanon StainedIn Vain The Latter RainJeff Loomis Plains of OblivionKalmah The Black WaltzKalmah They Will ReturnKalmah SwampsongKalmah For The RevolutionLevi/Werstler Avalanche of WormsLost Dreams End Of TimeDefinitely a guilty-pleasure of mine for awhile, Lost Dreams is straight forward melo-death with absolutely nothing going for it aside from being incredibly catchy. Almost every song title is involved in the lyrics. THE END OF TIIIIIIIME, THE END OF TIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIMELost Soul Immerse in InfinityStep 1: Listen to '216' Step 2: Shit pantsMartriden Martriden EPMartriden The Unsettling DarkMartriden Encounter The MonolithMiseration Your Demons ~ Their AngelsMisericordiam Unanimity and the Cessation of HostilityMonumental Torment Element of ChaosElement of Chaos maintains momentum throughout (despite a monotone vocalist who sounds exactly like Soreption's) to create one of the better brutal/tech albums in recent memory. Every song is riffcity, too bad it has sweeps though - let's give it a low rating because of that hurr durr!!! Edit: Not as good after repeated listens, check out the latter half for riffage Mors Principium Est Liberation = TerminationNe Obliviscaris The Aurora VeilNeuraxis Trilateral ProgressionNeuraxis The Thin Line BetweenNeuraxis AsylonDespite (clearly) being a guitar driven band/album, they are a tad overproduced and the vocals (and couple leads) are too low in the mix. Aside from the overly-glossy production and a few awkward groans/yelps, this album is just what you'd expect from Riffaxis...doesn't seem to have the vocal hooks of TLB after first listen, however. The album suffers from being top-heavy. Old Man's Child In Defiance of ExistenceOrder of Ennead Order of EnneadOrigin AntithesisOvid's Withering The Cloud GathererA lot of stuff going on in this album - Carach Angren overtones fuel this ep full of driving low string riffs (djent) and powerful death metal vocals. If you want a modern take on symphonic death metal check this out.Pandemonium WhispersPanzerballett Starke StückePersefone CoreProtest the Hero Fortress (Instrumental)Quo Vadis Defiant ImaginationRyashon The Stone of TriumphSeptic Flesh CommunionSevered Savior Servile InsurrectionSEZAAM Myths of the EastShade Empire SintheticShade Empire Zero NexusSigh Hangman's HymnSon of Aurelius The Farthest ReachesThis is not as good or bad as the reviews indicate. It is however, a pretty fun technical/melodic death album with hooks aplenty, akin to As Eden Burns. Yes, it is obvious this band borrows heavily from The Black Dahlia Murder, yes the vocals and songwriting are not great, but the guitarists and production shine. Facing the Gorgon is the best song on here, it's pretty awesome. Spastic Ink Ink CompatibleSpawn of Possession CabinetStill Remains Of Love And LunacySuspyre When Time FadesThe Black Dahlia Murder NocturnalThe Black Dahlia Murder RitualThe Elysian Fields We...The EnlightenedThe Elysian Fields 12 AblazeThe Elysian Fields Suffering G.O.D. AlmightyThe Last Felony Too Many HumansSounds like a mix of Beneath the Massacre's last two albumsThe Monolith Deathcult TriumvirateThis or the Apocalypse MonumentsTorchbearer WarnamentsTranscending Bizarre? The Serpent's ManifoldsTrepalium Alchemik Clockwork of DisorderTvangeste FireStormUnexpect _We, InvadersUnholy Matrimony Love and DeathUpheaval Incubate The WastelandVeil of Maya [id]Viatrophy ChroniclesVomit the Soul Apostles of InexpressionWithin the Ruins InvadeThrill-Seeker era August Burns Red mixed with After the Burial and Veil of Maya. Wretched The Exodus of AutonomyXenolith Obscure ReflectionsVery surprising prog death metal, akin to a more experimental Ikuinen Kaamos. Xerath Xerath IDefinitely can be described as Symphonic Meshuggah. The band tends to play it safe in general with the orchestral arrangements and pretty much every other department. Vocals are just there (like Meshuggah) but with a little more variety (some shrieking and/or singing on a couple songs). All in all, nothing amazing, but executed well. 3.0 goodA Breath Before Surfacing Death Is Swallowed In VictoryAdagio DominateAegaeon DissensionSumerian-core that isn't actually on Sumerian. Aeternam Disciples of the UnseenAfter the Burial Rareform (Re-release)The band has still not had a competent vocalist, the guy on this one is completely flat and just doesn't have any redeemable qualities to his voice, he does not fit this band's sound at all either. On the instrumental side, it's definitely a more natural sounding album. The hooks in Berserker and Cursing Akhenaten remain highlights, also the lead in Aspiration rules.All Shall Perish Awaken The DreamersAllegaeon Fragments Of Form And FunctionAfter a surprisingly great self-titled ep (get it instead of this), Allegaeon's first full length starts off just as strong before shortcomings become apparent. This is one of those cases where it sounds like a label seems in control of a band's overall sound. Accessibility is the key word here, the album has its share of standard melo-death fare, a litany of mid-tempo riffs, arpeggiated solos, and monotone growls. All-in-all it sounds like if Arsis wrote their newest album about mechanization of humans instead of thrashinzation of rocking outAmogh Symphony The Quantum Hack CodeGet story-lines the hell out of my music. I'm not listening to some sterile, try-hard female voice blabbering about some sci-fi non-sense in each song before actual music plays. The content is definitely decent, and at times great, but it suffers from in-one-ear-out-the-other syndrome. I don't think I used enough hyphens in this sound-off. Animals as Leaders WeightlessAfter first listen, completely underwhelming. The incredible build-ups found on the s/t are lacking here. As much as I think Bulb's music is boring and sterile (not unlike some of the material on Weightless) it seems more and more apparent that his production (but especially) his help with arrangements made Tosin Abasi's music what it was on the s/t. Take that away and you have you this - a very disorganized and underwhelming experience. Archons The Consequences of SilenceArsis Starve for the DevilArsis gets more accessable, Arsis becomes thrashier, Arsis likes to shred, Arsis uses old song titles in their lyrics. I'd say Arsis is a pretty cool guy but We Are the Nightmare this is not. Malone remains awesome, but without Cesca and Knight, this album falls short of being memorable and will probably get lost in the sea of future 2010 metal albums sure to rule.As I Lay Dying Frail Words CollapseAs I Lay Dying Shadows Are SecurityAs I Lay Dying An Ocean Between UsAvenged Sevenfold Waking the FallenBeloved Failure OnBelphegor Pestapokalypse VIBeneath the Massacre DystopiaBeneath The Sky What Demons Do To SaintsBorn of Osiris The New ReignBorn of Osiris A Higher PlaceIt's like a game of find the melodic lead in the polyrhythm chugs and monotonous vocals. The groovy harmonic and melodic minor leads are the only reason this isn't 2.5 or lower. Everything else is standard.Born of Osiris The DiscoveryDefinitely not the train-wreck the new After the Burial was, but then again - the expectations were higher for In Dreams. By now you should know what BOO does well (ripping off Meshuggah, borderline awesome leads) and what they suck ass at (riffs, writing a complete song). Tracks worth listening to: Follow the Signs, Recreate, Automatic Motion, Behold Additional notes: The keyboardist has more vocal lines than previous albums (for better or worse), A Solution is a Linkin Park song, fuck Dubstep, and I'm almost positive Ali Ladhani gets paid by Sumerian in some way. Brain Drill Apocalyptic FeastingBurning The Masses Offspring of TimeCarnifex Dead In My ArmsCircle Of Contempt Artifacts In MotionCloudkicker Let Yourself Be HugeCynic Carbon-Based AnatomyAdd this to the collection of 2011 releases that fail to meet expectations. The atmospheres presented don't do anything to conjure emotion (maybe I'm just not under the influence of enough magical potions), and the music (for the most part) is unremarkable - from the solos to the lack of riffs to Masvidal's forgettable chorus lines. A sympathy 3 just because it's CYNIC. Darkest Hour Deliver UsDefeated Sanity Chapters of RepugnanceDefeated Sanity may very well make some of the most BRUTAL music on the planet, but for those who actually like music with a point, this is nothing more than a mindless listen, in one ear out the other. Frivolous intro? Check. Awful mix (drums too loud, guitars too quiet)? Check. Lame torture/screaming samples? Check. SICK SLAMS? Check. Chapters is basically a finely tuned brutal death metal album with a niche audience, most will love it or hate it. Disfiguring the Goddess Disfiguring the GoddessDisfiguring the Goddess Circle of NineNot a bad album from a guy who vlogs every single day of his life. There's absolutely better brutal death out there, but this is good for a quick listen if you're in the mood for: slams, polyrythms, and occasional synth. More consistent than previous work, but not much memorability and lacks riffs. Not really important, but the cover art is pretty damn boring.Diskreet Engage the MechanicalityAnother band with a slight identity crisis, Diskreet are in the same sentence as The Breathing Process and Burning the Masses. They occupy a niche market comprised of fans who are probably transitioning from deathcore to technical death metal. This is late 2000's sounding death metal you've heard before, but it definitely has its moments and is worth a listen.Element Aeons PastEnfold Darkness Our Cursed RaptureA technical/melodic album in vein of Black Dahlia Murder, Arsis, and to a lesser extent old Abigail Williams. The vocals are grating, the riffing is nothing original, neither is the drumming, but the soloing is pretty awesome at times and the songwriting seems to be decent. Not a bad first release, this band definitely has potential written all over them. Sidenote: if you're going to have a great bassist, you might as well be able to actually hear him. Eternal Lord Blessed Be This NightmareEternal Tears of Sorrow Chaotic BeautyEternal Tears of Sorrow Before the Bleeding SunEternal Tears of Sorrow A Virgin and A WhoreEternal Tears of Sorrow Children of the Dark WatersExmortus In Hatred's FlameFairytale Abuse The Spirit TowerFlesh Consumed Ecliptic Dimensions Of SufferingThe driving riffs carry the album. Too much filler (intro, three interludes, outro). Forever Chained is just embarrassing. Overall it's pretty much Of What's to Come jr. Fleshgod Apocalypse AgonyFrom A Second Story Window DelendaGorod Process of a New DeclineGory Blister Graveyard of AngelsHollenthon Opus MagnumIgnominious Incarceration Of Winter BornIllnath Cast Into Fields of Evil PleasureImmortal Souls WintereichKeith Merrow The ArrivalKnights Of The Abyss ShadesLyfthrasyr The Recent ForesightMalak MalakMan Must Die No Tolerance For ImperfectionMiseration The Mirroring ShadowMors Principium Est The UnbornObscura OmniviumOmnivium is a prime example of being great musicians not equating to a great album; combined by being hampered by a bad vocalist. Yes, he's the same from Cosmogenesis, but his shortcomings are highlighted even more on this album. He can't sing, he can't growl, and the vocoder-ed parts don't possess the light and airy quality they did on the aforementioned album. If you love flashy instrumental playing and technicality out the ass, you'll love this. The consistency from song-to-song is too sub-par to warrant a higher rating, however. Old Man's Child VerminOmnium Gatherum The RedshiftOrder of Ennead An Examination of BeingPainted in Exile RevitalizedThis must have slipped through the cracks for me - another band who throws a bunch of different genres into a mess of chugs, horrible clean vocals, jazz interludes, and overall btbam worship. Sound familar? Why yes, this is pretty much The Contortionist without the space theme. I would say this band does has some awesome parts though - the driving riff and high screaming vocals passages are really damn great. The leads are blistering as well, but GODDAMN ALL THREE SONGS HAVE THE MOST SHITTY INTROS EVER. Periphery PeripheryLooks like Spuntik has found a new band to worship. In between moments of memorability and groove, Periphery shows how to baffle the listener with un-originality, both in the vocal and guitar department. The juxtaposition of clean (sometimes annoyingly over-poppy) vocals and crunching 8-string guitars mesh well at times while others it feels like a chore to listen to. Boring, standard, and generic growling doesn't help matters either. Inspired and un-inspired moments litter the album, sometimes from song-to-song, sometimes within a song. If you can't tell by now I'm saying this album is inconsistent. Bottom line: Cut out the fluff and the album would be much better at 45-50 minutes instead of an overbearing 73 minutes. Periphery has been overrated on this site into the next hemisphere by fanboys. Powerglove Metal Kombat for the Mortal ManProstitute Disfigurement Descendants of DepravityProtest the Hero FortressReciprocal ReciprocalRevocation Empire of the ObsceneSavagery VolatileNot bad, just a poor man's Deeds of Flesh/Spawn of Possession. Vocalist carries the band. Scrambled Defuncts Hackled In GoreShade Empire Intoxicate O.S.Sky Eats Airplane Everything Perfect on the Wrong DaySoreption Illuminate the ExcessiveStill Remains The SerpentSuicide Silence The CleansingSylosis The Supreme OppressorThe Analyst Summoning the WretchedThe Breathing Process In Waking: DivinityThe Faceless AutotheismAutotheism in a nutshell: Song sounds great... song continues to sound great **********CLEAN VOCALS RUINING ANY AND ALL MOMENTUM********** **********CHECK OUT HOW "PROGRESSIVE" THIS IS*********** repeat that for 40 minutes and there you have it. You're a fucking awful singer, Keene Oh, and check this out http://youtu.be/MKa8QZLNpC0The Red Shore UnconsecratedTheory In Practice Colonizing The SunThrice The Illusion Of SafetyThy Art Is Murder The AdversaryTorchbearer Death MeditationsTrivium AscendancyTurbid North OrogenyImagine if Black Dahlia could flesh out their ideas into songs that didn't follow a strict commercialized song structure, add in some more decent technical melodic death flair and you have Turbid North. A little too much to digest here, but overall nothing that resonates after two listens. I'll stick to Ritual. 3.3/5 Vale of Pnath The Prodigal EmpireNot bad, just not as good as their self-titled ep. This basically sounds like Allegaeon with less hooks.Veil of Maya EclipseVesania God the LuxVesania Distractive KillusionsWe Are The Illusion The Podium of LiesCircle of Contempt with more melody and a touch of progWeeping Birth A Painting of Raven and RapeWinds Of Plague Decimate The WeakWinterhorde UnderwatermoonWintersun Time IWithin the Ruins OmenWoe Of Tyrants ThrenodyThis is not an improvement at all, the tone is flat, and overall it sounds like Kingdom of Might B-sidesWrath and Rapture Wrath and RaptureWretched Son of PerditionThis album makes you appreciate how goddamn great Beyond the Gate is. Xerath IIHave you ever thought - MAN, XERATH IS COOL, BUT YOU KNOW WHAT WOULD MAKE THEM EVEN COOLER?!?! HOW ABOUT WAKING THE FALLEN-ERA AVENGED SEVENFOLD GROWLS. That's right, not a single god-damn person. Aside from an all-around obnoxious vocal performance, everything else is an upgrade from I. Unless an instrumental version of II is released (yeah, right), I have no reason to listen again.Zonaria The Cancer Empire2.5 averageAbigail Williams AghartaPretty blatant cash-grab by Abigail Williams, who cares about demos. Abigail Williams In the Absence of LightAugust Burns Red MessengersAugust Burns Red ConstellationsAugust Burns Red LevelerAurora Black Burial in the SeaBelay My Last The DownfallCarnifex The Diseased and PoisonedConducting From the Grave When Legends Become DustDarkest Hour The Eternal ReturnDecrepit Birth PolarityDecrepit Birrrrrrrrrrth's 3rd studio album comes as a continuation of Diminishing Between Worlds. The production is meatier, the riffs are samey, as are the vocals, drumming, and some of the leads sound familar as well. Speaking of, the leads are very hit or miss, at times they sound try-hard and unfitting, while other times they blend well. Time will tell if Polarity has the resonance (pun unintended) DBW had, but that is doubtful. Album overall is way too inconsistent to warrant anything higher than a 3/5. Too many boring riffs and wank.Destroy The Runner SaintsElement The EnergyEvery Bridge Burned Aun AprendoFrom A Second Story Window ConversationsGiant Squid The IchthyologistGwynbleidd NostalgiaImpending Doom Nailed. Dead. RisenIn Vain MantraJob for a Cowboy GenesisKnights Of The Abyss The Culling of WolvesMirror of Dead Faces LamentationNorma Jean O' God The AftermathOrigin EntityUninspired entry-level tech death with no stand-out tracks. Sea of Treachery At Dagger's DawnSee You Next Tuesday ParasiteSee You Next Tuesday IntervalsSeptic Flesh Sumerian DaemonsSeptic Flesh The Great Mass Most of what made Communion great is lacking here. Sorry, Septic Flesh, you're a one record wonder. This is incredibly average, and even annoying to listen to at times. I'll stick to listening to Scrambled Defuncts if I'm in the mood for orchestral arrangements. Souls Despising the God had a fraction of the budget (no real orchestra, no pretentious trailers) but actually has riffs. The Great Mass is like every movie sequel ever - a bigger budget to make up for it's shortcomings in recreating something better than the original. Soreption Deterioration of MindsThrice The Artist In The AmbulanceViatrophy ViatrophyWar of Ages Pride of the Wicked2.0 poorABACABB SurvivalistAfter the Burial In DreamsAnyone who thinks this is better than Rareform has got be to kidding themselves, this is a great example of a band regressing. Maybe if this was released in 2004 it would sound pretty fresh. You know, the days of Unearth, As I Lay Dying, It Dies Today, shit like that. The only difference with this album is the occasional djenting. In other words, In Dreams mixes old trends with new. Gone are the majestic leads, for godsake, the first track has a non-sped up Dragonforce solo in it. But hey! Who needs awesome melodies when there's clean vocal choruses!! This album is generic garbage, potential wasted. Austrian Death Machine Total BrutalBecoming the Archetype Celestial CompletionI've been a fan of this band for years, they've released 3 albums which have all been solid with a slightly different but familiar sound. This one has familiar elements, but also dabs into experimental territory. The finished product is a complete mess with an identity crisis. Yes, this band has always had one, but it's never been more apparent than now. Celestial Completion wants to be progressive and experimental, but at the same time there's so many metalcore cliches (clean vocal choruses, breakdowns, half-assed riffs) within the songs that make them unlistenable at times. To repeat - this album is A MESS. You know it's bad when the best riff is ripped off from Born of Osiris. sidenote: this is BTA's third lead guitarist, and he is probably the most stereotypical metal guitarist I've ever heard. Dry Cell Dry CellKnights Of The Abyss JuggernautNorma Jean RedeemerNorma Jean The Anti MotherParkway Drive HorizonsThe Contortionist ExoplanetThrice Identity CrisisWhitechapel This Is Exile1.5 very poorDemon Hunter Storm The Gates Of HellDragonForce Ultra BeatdownHiroshima Will Burn To The Weight Of All ThingsSky Eats Airplane Sky Eats AirplaneTrivium The Crusade1.0 awfulAttack Attack! Someday Came SuddenlyAvenged Sevenfold City of EvilAvenged Sevenfold Avenged SevenfoldFall Out Boy Infinity On HighHanson Middle of NowhereLinkin Park Minutes To MidnightOur Last Night The Ghosts Among Us
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