This edition features lots of majestic epicness, crushing heaviness, tooth grinding, and more! To the metals…
Dream Theater – The Astonishing 
Genre: Progressive
Origin: Long Island, New York
Label: Roadrunner
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This is over thirty tracks of Dream Theater's trademark theatrical progressive metal being turned up to 11. Every one of their albums has a pretty similar feel and atmosphere, but everything really does seem more eclectic, more epic, more technical, more…Dream Theater-y. Imagine if the song "Six Degrees of Inner Turbulance" was two hours long. That's what this is like….and it's fucking amazing! Read Jeremy's full review here
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0yhFSTAyHWs[/youtube]
Avantasia – Ghostlights 
Genre: Symphonic Power Metal
Origin: Mainz, Germany
Label: Nuclear Blast
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Look to the sky on this day and you'll find the mighty Tobias Sammet returning from exile with a new storm of epicness to rain over us all. I don't fully get what he's talking about on some of these songs, but I feel empowered in my confusion.
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GH3kyXAEJHo[/youtube]
Black Tusk – Pillars Of Ash 
Genre: Sludge
Origin: Savannah, Georgia
Label: Relapse
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When I describe the Georgia sludge scene, this is exactly what I have in mind. Dirty, fuzzy, heavy, and groovy. Great record. Also, elephant in the room (no tusk pun intended), this album is the final album of bassist Jonathan Athon and it was pretty cool for the band to go ahead and put this out. I can't imagine it was an easy process emotionally for the band.
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-MKjbDgK2bY[/youtube]
Bury Tomorrow – Earthbound 
Genre: Metalcore
Origin: Southampton, Hampshire, England
Label: Nuclear Blast
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In a world where there was no band that combined As I Lay Dying's metalcore styling and the melodic emotional chorus delivery of Sevendust, Bury Tomorrow has found a niche. I can't really complain about this despite hitting on so many metalcore cliches. They hit you with the big breakdowns, swing wildly around with harmonized Swedish Melo-Death inspired guitar melodies, and the good ol' screamy verse/singy chorus formula, but for what it is, it's done well.
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5qtoKyBOoOo[/youtube]
Conan – Revengeance 
Genre: Stoner/Doom
Origin: Liverpool, England
Label: Napalm
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I'm always tempted to simply write my usual Invader Zim reference of "Doom" with a bunch of O's, but this band deserves more than that. Conan is quickly becoming one of the IT doom/stoner bands, and rightfully so. Their latest record will decimate you with unrelenting fuzzy heaviness. Said heaviness, isn't just lurching recycled Sabbath riffs that have been drop-tuned either, not that they're done that previously, just so many contemporaries do. The band brings a lot to the table of doom with some blast beats, galloping rhythms, and other nuggets that separate them from the others.
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KT143oJUUKU[/youtube]
Cult Of Luna / The Old Wind – Raangest Split EP 
Genre: Post metal
Origin: Umeå, Sweden/Luleå, Sweden
Label: Pelagic
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Just a little post-metal something something to shake up your day. Features an Amebix cover performed by Cult of Luna and, perhaps the more exciting side of the split, two new tracks by The Old Wind which features Tomas Hallbom (Breach/ex-Ocean).
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ynifMBsAkvk[/youtube]
Exumer – The Raging Tides 
Genre: Thrash
Origin: Frankfurt am Main, Germany
Label: Metal Blade
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I often have a pretty similar blurb holstered for a thrash band. It often says "circle pit," or mentions fast chugging on the low-E string or something. However, Exumer retains the typical thrash necessities while having an almost Gwar-like attitude and delivery. It gives them a little distinction, which is always nice.
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SrybyOEkzFc[/youtube]
Prong – X (No Absolutes) 
Genre: Post-Thrash/Harcore
Origin: New York City, New York
Label: SPV
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Last time I mentioned Prong people got pissy with me because I didn't mention Tommy Victor by name. Tommy Victor. Tommy Victor. Tommy Victor. There, I've said it three times in a row, now maybe he'll show up here or something like Candy Man. Anyway, this is a new record of kinda thrash, kinda hardcore, and very New York sounding metal by Tommy Victor and friends.
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_HboZDhXdek[/youtube]
Toothgrinder – Nocturnal Masquerade 
Genre: Progressive
Origin: Asbury Park, New Jersey
Label: Spinefarm
Buy now on Amazon.com
This band's Schizophrenic Jubilee EP had me very curious about what else this band had to offer. Finally I have been relieved of said curiosity. Their full-length expands on the groundwork that Jubilee laid. The result is an entirely unqiue experience that is rhythmic, heavy, melodic, awkward, and so much more. Great release.
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vuEIqN-c7_k[/youtube]
Also dropping today…
Abysmal Grief – Strange Rites Of Evil (Horror) – Doom
Axed Crown – Amnesty (Asunder) – Experimental post rock/stoner
Bombs Of Hades – Death Mask Replica (War Anthem) – Death metal/crust
Brimstone Coven – Black Magic (Metal Blade) – Occult rock/heavy metal
Chthe'ilist – Le Dernier Crepuscule (Profound Lore) – Death metal
Digitalife – Uroboros (Imminence) – Progressive/groove metal
Disquiet – The Condemnation (Soulseller) – Thrash
Eternal – Heaven's Gate (Black Lodge) – Power metal
Forndom – Dauora Dura (Nordvis) – Atmospheric
Friedemann – Wer Hören Will Muss Schweigen (Exile On Mainstream) – Folk rock
Hollow Earth – Parting Remains EP (Good Fight) – Progressive dooom
Iron Jawed Guru – Mata Hari (Grimoire) – Instrumental groove rock
Ketzer – Starless (Metal Blade) – Thrash/black metal
Lethal Steel – Legion Of The Night (High Roller) – Heavy metal
Motus Tenebrae – Deathrising (My Kingdom) – Gothic/Doom
Nordic Union – Nordic Union (Frontiers) – Rock
Nordjevel – Nordjevel (Osmose) – Black metal
Ovtrenoir – Eroded (Consouling Sounds) – Sludge
Primal Fear – Rulebreaker (Frontiers) – Heavy metal
Proll Guns – Horseflesh BBQ (Nrt) – "Thrash n roll"
Resurrection Kings – Resurrection Kings (Frontiers) – Heavy metal
Serenity – Codex Atlanticus (Napalm) – Progressive Power Metal
Serpents Lair – Circumambulating The Stillborn (Hellthrasher) – Black metal
Spektr – The Art To Disappear (Agonia) – Industrial/Ambient
Titaan – Kadingir (ATMF) – Black metal
The Veer Union – Decade (Pavement) – Rock
Vorkreist – Sacrifice EP (Agonia) – Black metal
Wildernessking – Mystical Future (Sick Man Getting Sick) – Black metal
