Not too many big releases this week, but there is certainly a diverse batch of records dropping. This week's edition of THE WEEKLY INJECTION includes top hats, Paladins, and everything in between. To the metals…
Bigelf – Into The Maelstrom 
Genre: Prog
Origin: Los Angeles, California
Label: InsideOut
Buy now on Amazon.com
The world champions of Hammond Organ infused progressive heavy metal have returned after way too fucking long with another lovely batch of nerdy tunes. This time, however, Mike Portnoy (current/former drummer over every band) is handling drum duties. These guys have been pretty good at doing similar things with each record and being able to pull it off, Into The Maelstrom is no different. It is Bigelf being Bigelf. Watch for this one on North American shores this April.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YShfPzht-mc[/youtube]
Carnifex – Die Without Hope 
Genre: Deathcore
Origin: Fallbrook/San Diego, California
Label: Nuclear Blast
Buy now on Amazon.com
It has been three years since Carnifex's last uplifting album, Until I Feel Nothing, and they're back with another jaunty record with Die Without Hope. Prime example, "This is a world where I am loved, only by death." These tracks will soon take the place of Survivor's "Eye of the Tiger," just you wait and see. Anyway, expect a chugga-chugga here, and some guttural piggy vox there. An all around good deathcore time.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b1hafyakGXE[/youtube]
Cremetory – Antiserum 
Genre: Gothic Industrial
Origin: Mannheim, Germany
Label: SPV
Buy now on Amazon.com
Back in 2008, Crematory dropped Pray, an album I remember digging quite a bit, although I cannot recall why exactly. I can imagine that long time fans haven't dug much the band has done since at least that point as they are listed around the interwebs as a former Death Metal band. Those fans probably won't be on board for this record either. This one is for goth raver kids to dance and smoke cigarettes to.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oFPj6SKNXag[/youtube]
Earth Crisis – Salvation Of Innocents
Genre: Metalcore
Origin: Syracuse, New York
Label: Candlelight
Buy now on Amazon.com
One of New York's long-running hardcore/metal crossover bands is celebrating their quarter centennial with a bang. Much like their post-reformation albums, Salvation of Innocents is aggressive, mosh-worthy, and kinda Hatebreed-y. This one will hit North American soils in a few weeks. Read James's full review here.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BmnaIouCUO8[/youtube]
Freedom Call – Beyond 
Genre: Power Metal
Origin: Nuremberg, Germany
Label: SPV
Buy now on Amazon.com
Songs of triumph! Songs of war! Songs of Paladins! There is a song on this album called "Paladin" on this album, that's how epic it really is. I imagine this band is what DragonForce would sound like if they didn't speed up their songs (allegedly). Side note: The video for their lead single is one of the best things I've ever seen.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a8N58–6blA[/youtube]
Hirax – Immortal Legacy
Genre: Thrash
Origin: Buena Park, California
Label: SPV
Buy now on Amazon.com
I've said on here before, and was ridiculed for it, but most thrash simply bored me. Lots of bands can play an open E string really fast, occasionally harmonize and give a whammy bar a once-over, and frankly A LOT do. It can be rather Thrash by numbers (to loosely paraphrase Brian Posehn) However, this is pretty cool. The thirty plus year-old band was never close to being in the big-four, but they still have plenty of OG Thrash band cred. There is experience and finesse behind this album.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BdwBzh541w0[/youtube]
I Am Heresy – Thy Will 
Genre: Metalcore-ish
Origin: Delaware/New Jersey
Label: Century Media
Buy now on Amazon.com
It could be easy to write this band off as some left over second or third wave metalcore band like say, Still Remains or something, but this band manages to infuse an almost post rock-like atmosphere to their emotive and melodic metal. "March of the Black Earth" is pretty huge sounding and features a pretty solid and unique guitar style not often emphasized in this genre. They're a new twist on something most of our readers claim to hate.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6J6Sz5TF52o[/youtube]
Morbus Chron – Sweven 
Genre: Progressive Death Metal
Origin: Stockholm, Sweden
Label: Century Media
Buy now on Amazon.com
This album is what would happen is a modern stoner band attempted to cover an early death metal record, or vice-versa. More lurching than their last release. A rather fascinating listen overall as it wasn't what I was expecting at all. I could see these guys catching on more since they have developed a much more unique sound.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rZB9jkP2ROU[/youtube]
Nothing – Guilty Of Everything 
Genre: Shoegaze Metal
Origin: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Label: Relapse
Buy now on Amazon.com
Perhaps Relapse are trying to find that next Deafheaven with the echoy heavy collective known as Nothing. This nearly un-Google-able band have elements of the aforementioned post black metal heroes as well as Deftones, Sigur Ros, and Foo Fighters (if you listen just right). A rather interesting get for Relapse, but I've grown curious for their full catalog. I can't imagine seeing these guys on a Summer Slaughter tour, but they're certainly room in our world for them.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H9UIdlXhrBQ[/youtube]
Wolves Like Us – Black Soul Choir 
Genre: Eclectic Hard Rock
Origin: Oslo, Norway
Label: Prosthetic
Buy now on Amazon.com
Imagine Kvelertak if they were more sing-songy and had a larger affinity for stoner rock. You'd then have Wolves Like Us. Much like their Norwegian countrymen, WLU have a tendency to jump around within the greater rock/metal genre and remain catchy as fuck. This record is certainly on par with their previous release Late Love, which I adored.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=71nPzm87oBg[/youtube]
Also dropping today…
Acheron – Kult des Hasses (Listenable)
Agiel – Dark Pantheons EP (Deepsend)
Anarchos – Descent Into The Maelstrom (Vic)
Battleaxe – Heavy Metal Sanctuary (SPV)
Bleeding Fist – Deaths Old Stench (Moribund)
Cholera – Plagiarised Hope (COF/Holy Ground)
Colossus – Lobotocracy (Klonosphere)
Comeback Kid – Die Knowing (Victory)
Destrage – Are You Kidding Me? No. (Metal Blade)
Ektomorf – Retribution (AFM)
Fossils – Flesh Hammer (Indisciplinarian)
Frail Grounds – The Fields Of Trauma (Hostile)
Hammercult – Steelcrusher (SPV)
Kayser – Read Your Enemy (Listenable)
Kuolemanlaakso – Tulijoutsen (Svart)
Mount Salem – Endless EP Re-Release (Metal Blade)
The Overseer – Rest And Let Go (Solid State)
Portal – For All That Is Damned To Vanish (Vic)
Prizehog – Re-Unvent the Whool (Eolian Empire)
Profezia – Oracolo Suicida (Moribund)
Ready, Set, Fall – Memento (Lifeforce)
Ribspreader – Meathymns (Vic)
Scars Divide – Scars Divide EP (Tenacity)
The Strigas – A Poisoned Kiss To Reality (Southern Brigade)
Suffer In Silence – Behind The Truth (Sliptrick)
Vanishing Point – Distant Is The Sun (AFM)
Wild Throne – Blood Maker EP (Brutal Panda)
