This edition includes some doom, some madness, some nostalgia, and more. To the metals…
Amaranthe – Maximalism 
Genre: Power metal/metalcore
Origin: Gothenburg, Sweden
Label: Spinefarm
Buy now on Amazon.com
On the follow-up to their breakthrough album, Massive Addictive, this pop metal sextet is bringing more huge, catchy tracks for metal purists to hate. Deeper cuts are less of the pop-songs-with-guitars formula, so fans of power metal with male, female, and harsh vocals should give this a go. Also fun fact, this album finally gave the band more albums than singers.
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yR05g0Co7W4[/youtube]
Destrage – A Means To No End 
Genre: Progressive
Origin: Milan, Italy
Label: Metal Blade
Buy now on Amazon.com
These Italian weirdos twisted and turned their way into my heart with their third album Are You Kidding Me? No. and seeing them back so soon is a welcomed surprise. This record, like the last, is all over the place madness on a Dillinger Escape Plan level with a strong Protest The Hero influence. Certainly an adventure of an album.
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qc4vmOjf7Ps[/youtube]
Khemmis – Hunted 
Genre: Doom
Origin: Denver, Colorado
Label: 20 Buck Spin
Buy now on Amazon.com
This is the kind of doom I can really get behind. This is epic, devastatingly heavy, and pretty dynamic overall. This is the album, and band, for those waiting for the next Pallbearer. Although, I think I prefer Khemmis.
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6HXzPdshZKU[/youtube]
Korn – The Serenity Of Suffering 
Genre: Ne metal/alt metal
Origin: Bakersfield, California
Label: Roadrunner
Buy now on Amazon.com
What I've heard so far from this has the vibes of Korn at their peak. Even more so with an appearance from Corey Taylor and some DJ scratches give this a real 2003 sound. Fans waiting for the band to make another self-titled record, or Issues or something, will need to keep waiting. However, they're getting close on The Serenity of Suffering.
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0zXDys_gwHk[/youtube]
Obituary – Ten Thousand Ways To Die 
Genre: Death metal
Origin: Gibsonton, Florida
Label: Relapse
Buy now on Amazon.com
This is a pretty simple release. There are two new tracks and a bunch of old stuff live. I appreciate the band giving fans more than just a single with a b-side. While the new songs are pretty solid, I imagine most folks with just skip to the live shit.
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VI8gz54O-i8[/youtube]
The Pretty Reckless – Who You Selling For
Genre: Hard rock
Origin: New York City, New York
Label: Razor & Tie
Buy now on Amazon.com
Taylor Momsen and the rest have really grown as a band over the last seven years. Her voice has never sounded better than it does on this album, and while it isn't a metal album, its hard (for me) to be mad at. It's inoffensive blues based hard rock with an occasional nod to 70's rock. I await your neckbeard-fuled rage for including this at all.
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R4IBaMQEuuI[/youtube]
Riverside – Eye Of The Soundscape 
Genre: Progressive
Origin: Warsaw, Poland
Label: Inside Out
Buy now on Amazon.com
Riverside are a band known for expansive progressive rock songs. However, on Eye of the Soundscape, the band is taking the "expansive" side of their sound to a new level. This is mostly older songs retooled as ambient pieces with some new experimental songs added it. I was curious what their next step would be following the death of guitarist Piotr Grudziński, and I can't say I expected this. These are really interesting interpretations of older songs that I recommend to fans. This might be a weird start-point if you don't know the band though.
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tBTZJLXOptM[/youtube]
Omar Rodriguez-Lopez – Infinity Drips
Genre: Experimental
Origin: El Paso, Texas
Label: Ipecac
Buy now on Amazon.com
On album eight of this series, Omar once again brings Teri Gender Bender into the fold and the pair are dabbling with a Middle-Eastern sound. This is probably the furthest I've heard him wander from his At The Drive-In or Mars Volta stylings. This one is one of the more peculiar releases so far.
Sample here
Wovenwar – Honor Is Dead 
Genre: Metalcore/Alt metal
Origin: San Diego, California
Label: Metal Blade
Buy now on Amazon.com
I fully expected Wovenwar to be a one album project, so this album surprised me a bit. The As I Lay Dying fronted by the chap from Oh, Sleeper band have returned heavier than before, which is a good thing. I don't think those that are anti-metalcore (or whatever) will be won over with this, but those that are fans of the sub-genre that passed on this band last round will have more to enjoy here.
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6cpojuS_3KQ[/youtube]
Also dropping today…
Auroch – Mute Books (Profound Lore) – Blackened Death Metal
Church Tongue – Heart Failure (Blood & Ink) – Hardcore
Concepts – Misguided (Stay Sick) – Metalcore
Darke Complex – Point Oblivion (Spinefarm) – Nu meta;/metalcore
I Prevail – Lifelines (Fearless) – Post-hardcore
Kix – Can’t Stop The Show: The Return Of Kix DVD/CD (Loud & Proud) – Glam
The Last Ten Seconds Of Life – The Violent Sound (Siege) – Deathcore
Mithras – On Strange Loops (Willowtip) – Experimental death metal
Necromantix – A Symphony Of Wolf Tones & Ghost Notes (Hellcat) – Psychobilly
Planes Mistaken For Stars – Prey (Deathwish) – Post-hardcore
Sixty Miles Ahead – Insanity (Eclipse) – Alt metal
