THE WEEKLY INJECTION: New Releases From METALLICA, MEGADETH, DREAM THEATER, and More Out Today – 9/24

Can't think anything other than "Holy shit, I've seeing Shining Thursday with Cormorant." What should I wear to a "blackjazz" show? Corpse paint? Fancy suit? Both?

To the metals…

Dream Theater – Dream Theater

Genre: Progressive
Origin: Boston, Massachusetts
Label: Roadrunner

Buy now on Amazon.com

I really, really want to accuse Dream Theater of releasing the same album over and over, but I can't. Technically, each record adapts a few new elements to their sound. Each musician of the band is incredibly proficient at their respective instrument, and they all take a chance to shine in a new way with each record. However, I can't help but get the feeling that I've heard all of these songs before. That doesn't take anything away from the listening experience other than that feeling that a band you adore is releasing a new album. Instead, I feel like I've relistening to songs I've heard and love already. It's a very bittersweet feeling. [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RoVAUUFjl0I[/youtube]

Jesu – Every Day I Get Closer To The Light From Which I Came

Genre: Drone/Showgaze
Origin: Birmingham, England
Label: Avalanche Recordings

Buy now on Amazon.com

This is a beautiful album. Drone/shoegaze/post-rock/whatever-bullshit-label-you-need-to-give-it at its best. So easy to get lost in and enjoy. [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nBhUsKK-228[/youtube]

Megadeth – Countdown to Extinction: Live

Genre: Thrash
Origin: Los Angeles, California
Label: Capitol

Buy now on Amazon.com

What do you mean Metallica is also releasing a live album of all their best material today too? I'm not sure if this is an attempt to win people back after Super Collider or not, but I can get behind this. It has all the Megadeth songs that made me like the band…that is until Dave Mustaine made it so fucking hard to like them. The entire Countdown album is present, but other goodies are mixed in.

[youtube]http://youtu.be/fDOAIWZumJ4[/youtube]

Metallica – Through The Never Soundtrack

Genre: Thrash
Origin: San Francisco, California
Label: Blackened

Buy now on Amazon.com

At this moment I cannot speak for the film itself, but what we have here is a collection of live recordings of all the Metallica standards. Die hard fans will probably want this for the sake of being a completist, casual fans may want all their favorite radio-'tallica in a live setting in one cd set, but those looking for deeper cuts or anything other than the same stuff (and "Orion") they've put out on every live recording since S&M should probably just listen to Français Pour Une Nuit or Live Shit again. The movie seems worth seeing though [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kV-2Q8QtCY4[/youtube]

Touche Amore – Is Survived By

Genre: Post-Hardcore
Origin: Los Angeles, California
Label: Deathwish Inc.

Buy now on Amazon.com

Somewhere between math rock and proper post-hardcore is Touche Amore. Musically, I get it. I enjoy it in fact. Vocally though, I can't hang. Singer Jeremy Bolm is really into this scream, talk, talk fast, scream a word, pattern that is really off putting. If these guys had more of a focused vocal approach they'd probably be pretty good.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IJ5yfreafAw[/youtube]

Also dropping today…

Akris – Akris (Domestic Genocide)
Angrenost – Planet Muscaria (Code 666)
Another End – Whispers From… EP (Mulligore)
Black Label Society – Unblackened CD/DVD (eOne/Eagle Rock)
Cold Feet Control – Tales Of The Brokenhearted: Part II (Inverse)
Coldspell – Frozen Paradise (Escape)
Dark Age – A Matter of Trust (AFM)
Dawn Of Tears – Act III: The Dying Years (Inverse)
Daylight Misery – The Great Absence (I For An I)
Empyrium – Into The Pantheon (Prophecy)
Fyrnask – Eldir Nótt (Temple of Torturous)
Glamour Of The Kill – Savages (eOne)
Harem Scarem – Mood Swings II (Frontiers)
Invsn – Invsn (Razor & Tie)
Lustre – Wonder (Nordvis)
Magna Vice – Serpent Of Wisdom (Inverse)
Obelyskkh – Hymn To Pan (Exile On Mainstream)
Onslaught – VI (AFM)
Pyhä Kuolema – Kevättuulisormi (Svart)
Sarke – Aruagint (Indie)
Temple Nightside – Condemnation (Dark Descent)
Toiling Midgets – Live at the Old Waldorf, July 21, 1982 (Ektro)
TRC – Nation (No Sleep)
Vàli – Skogslandskap (Prophecy)
Vom Fetisch der Unbeirrtheit – Vertilger (Temple of Torturous)
Vorna – Ajastaika (Inverse)
WolfPakk – Cry Wolf (AFM)