Kongh - Sole Creation

Post Neurosis rock that is heavy and steady without being abrasive. Not overly slick, but fitting production. Dark heavy rock that satisfies. Four song 45 minute album that moves along like a locomotive at 3/4 speed.

Benea Reach - Possession

2013

The big fancy production makes this listenable. The Metal Core type vocals make it un-listenable. If I have it on in the background it just sounds like a blob of parts. Sounds like a mathy Deftones gone Metal Core.

-Turns out this style of music falls into the category of Djent. I've only heard of one other Djent type band and that would be Meshuggah, who does not really sound like these guys.

Stryper - Second Coming

2013

14 Re-recorded songs and two new ones. Whatever dude. When I was in high school I was a Stryper fan. I always thought they rocked harder than most all of the "hair bands" back then. I even saw them a couple times, unfortunately I never did get one of those bibles they were throwing out into the crowd. These re-recorded songs sound fine, but I'll stick to the originals that I never listen to anyway. 

Sacred Steel - The Bloodshed Summoning

2013

Speedy Thrash Metal with a tinge of Power Metal as opposed to having a tinge of punk or something. I like this record quite a bit. I've heard people complain that this is generic, but I think that the singer (who sort of has a Geoff Tate jr. thing going on) pushes these guys above the average Thrash bands and the songs are catchy. Who cares if it's generic if you just want to bang your head? It's not generic anyway. It's German Thrash!

Blood Tsunami - For Faen!

2013

Thrash that seems very much inspired by the early speedy German thrashers like Destruction. The vocals remind me of an angry person.

W.E.T. - Rise Up

2013

If you liked Bon Jovi's weakest stuff you'll really dig this.

-It just goes on and on. I can't believe I listened to the whole thing.

Heavy Rotation - March 2013

• Manilla Road - Mysterium (2013)
• Tribulation - The Formulas of Death (2013)
• Saxon - Sacrifice (2013)
• Destruction - The Antichrist (2001)
• Sacred Steel - The Bloodshed Summoning (2013)

Destruction - Spiritual Genocide

2012

Destruction are legendary. This album is not

Tomahawk - Oddfellows

2013

I'd say this is pretty understated rock album. Especially considering the band members who play on here. I don't think it's all that great, but I do keep returning to it...trying to figure out if I'm missing something here. Pretty good. Too diverse to just label it 90's alt rock or whatever, half the time it could hardly be considered rock.

Cyanic - Litanies Of Lust Unholy

2012

Some pretty awesome Blackened Death Grinding going on here.

Lord - Digital Lies

2013

This is Metal and everything, but the vocals and melodies and backing vocals are all really whimpy. Singer sounds a bit like Geoff Tate...this is not really my thing.

- The weakest Metal you could imagine.

Mayhem - Deathcrush (ep)

1987

It's all about the energy here. The attitude. It's the real deal from the gut. Inspiring.

Pig Destroyer - Book Burner

2012

 Like Ben says, "I'll always be a Prowler In The Yard kinda guy", but you know what this is my favorite release from 2012. Instant gratification. If Slayer became the greatest Grindcore band in the world they would be Pig Destroyer.

Neurosis - Honor Found In Decay

 2012

When Souls At Zero came out it was a game changer.

Ash Borer - Bloodlands

2013

Atmospheric Black Metal. This one I'm sure I'll revisit. Bloodlands will probably strike you differently depending on the mood you're in.

-Good stuff today! Long Atmospheric scary dark soundtrack interspersed with Black Metal blast.

Saxon - Sacrifice

2013

This sounds pretty much what I thought it might except it's good! I don't think I've ever heard a Saxon record that's not 30 years old. They popped up along with Iron Maiden, around the same time. They've got a similar thing going on here. Sometimes they start to veer off towards AC/DC territory. It never go's too far that way until the last song. They're keeping it retro with modern production. Not bad at all...after one listen anyway. Might as well bust out the old stuff if you want to listen to Saxon. This one is beefier than the old stuff though. Who wants to listen to a new AC/DC album? You know what I'm saying?

Enslaved - RIITIIR

2012

Progressive Black Metal. I'm pretty sure Enslaved is as good as it gets when it comes to this stuff. Excellent album. Again.

Om - Advaitic Songs

Probably my favorite album of Middle Eastern music. Top 3 release for 2012.

Tribulation - The Formulas Of Death

2013

They say Tribulation is a Death Metal band. This is a really long album because of these atmospheric/extended instrumental parts they've got going on all over the place, but never overly long just a lot of stretched out parts. Black Metal touches here and there. The Formulas Of Death pummels. I would call this Black for Death Metal, but what do I know? Maybe equal parts of both.

The Black Heart Rebellion - Har Nevo

2013

The best elements of the first Adam and the Ants record meets Post rock. Starts out pretty strong...the vocals are more that 80's low Nick Cave...Leonard Cohen type of thing.

Portal - Vexovoid

2013

Like a 20 story jackhammer pounding away in your head while you're smothered by a swarm of bees during an alien invasion. There are points during this album where it gets so crushing and so heavy and so bludgeoning that it's almost unbelievable. Like a monstrous machine but undeniably human. 

Terra Tenebrosa - The Purging

2013

Atmospheric Black Metal, but it's pretty abrasive. Sorta background music but not so relaxing.