How about that Puppy Bowl? Amirite!?!?!? New releases from sightless protectors, the death metal project of Andre 3000 and Big Boi, some rad sludge and more! To the metals…
Blind Guardian – Beyond the Red Mirror 
Genre: Power metal
Origin: Krefeld, Germany
Label: Nuclear Blast
Buy now on Amazon.com
I had no idea that this band was almost thirty years old. Holy shit. Can you imagine having to remain epic for so long? I would've given up about four years in. Not these fellas. They're still soaring, shredding, and shining on. Fantastic ridiculousness.
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ep1B_aIFPDE[/youtube]
Callisto – Secret Youth 
Genre: Atmospheric metal
Origin: Turku, Findland
Label: Svart
Buy now on Amazon.com
Back in the day when I got really, really into post-metal, Callisto was my favorite band I came across. These days I'd find it harder to put them in the same catagory as Cult of Luna, Isis, or the likes, but they're still pretty awesome. Heaviness remains, as does atmosphere, but the guys are experimenting a bit more these days and the result is closer to later Thrice, which isn't a bad thing.
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zkIYn6OmF1w[/youtube]
Hellish Outcast – Stay of Execution 
Genre: Death metal
Origin: Bergen, Norway
Label: Listenable
Buy now on Amazon.com
I could see this album becoming the sleeper hit of 2015 like Black Crown Initiate was last year. This is a rather adventurous sophomore effort that is based in death metal, but has moments of black metal, groove, thrash, progressive and even some Insomnium-like gothic influence.
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BJhoKa_lax8[/youtube]
Sumac – The Deal 
Genre: Sludge
Origin: Los Angeles, California/Vancouver, BC
Label: Profound Lore
Buy now on Amazon.com
Part Isis, part Baptists, and part Russian Circles (on the recording anyway). Sounds like this is the sludge supergroup of the year. Tons of potential here. As of this writing I've only heard two tracks here and there and now I excitedly await the full length of this lurching beast.
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dT3yPKfH86s[/youtube]
Also dropping today…
Abscession – Grave Offerings (Final Gate) – death metal
Agos – Irkalla Transcendence (Ill Damnation) – black metal
Armageddon – Captivity & Devourment (Listenable) – death metal probably
Atomicide – Chaos Abomination (Iron Bonehead) – death metal
Black Cilice – Mysterious (Iron Bonehead) – "raw" black metal
Chip Z'Nuff – Strange Time (Deadline) – Z'nuff rock
The Clan Destined – In The Big Ending Re-Release (Hammerheart) – folk metal
Daemon Pyre – Daemon Pyre (New Justice) – tech death metal
Dead In The Manger – Cessation (20 Buck Spin) -grindy business
Deathbreed – New World Order (Rogue) – death metal
Devilish Impressions – Adventvs (Hammerheart) -symohinic black metal
Dodsfall – Kaosmakt (Osmose) – black metal
Fulgora – Stratagem (Housecore) – grindcore
Gnaw Their Tongues – Collected Atrocities 2005-2008 (Crucial Blast) – a compilation of people gnawing their tongues
Goryl – Father of Witches/Father of Evil Witches (Medusa Crush) – blackened drone
Hic Iacet – The Cosmic Trance Into The Void (Iron Bonehead) – black metal
Iron Lamb – Fool's Gold (High Roller) – rock
Keeper/Sea Bastard – Split (Medusa Crush) – Sludge
Leah – Kings & Queens (Inner Wound) – power metal
A Life Of Torment – Fracture/Conscious (Blasphemour) – I'm guessing black metal
Melanchoholics – Solar Cafe (Eibon) – noise/post-____
Orden Ogan – Ravenhead (AFM) – power metal
Orghanon – Figures In Slow Motion (Eibon) – slow motion rock
Shadowspawn – Ashes Of Sorrow EP (HPGD) – death metal
Spiralism – Chakras (Inverse) – weird, but cool shit
A Swarm of the Sun – The Rifts (Version Studio) – post rock
U.D.O. – Decadent (AFM) – heavy metal
Ululate – Back To Cannibal World (Xtreem) – "raw" black metal
Various Artists – (We've Got) Fiends In Low Place: Heavy Vibes Internationale (Eolian Empire) – various
Winterage – The Harmonic Passage (Nadir) – winter rock
Yesterday's Saints – Generation of Vipers (Draconum) – viper pop
Zex – Fight For Yourself (Magic Bullet) – throwback rock
