A Day to Remember-For Those Who Have Heart
(Victory Records, 2007)

I was very impressed by Day to Remembers last disc. The combination of pop/punk and aggressive metal vocals stood out quite a bit and the execution made what could have been a jarring combination work smoothly. I can say without a moment of hesitation that this indeed a better album and one that is sure to make the band much more well known.

The first thing that really stood out was that the songwriting has improved quite a bit. The songs on the last album were great songs, but these songs are much more memorable and the vocal patterns really stand out. The heavier moments also seem a bit more organic this time around. They seem to work their way into the songs a bit more naturally this time around and dont always stand out as the metal part of the song. The heavier vocals are a bit smoothed out as well but still serve as a nice counterpoint to the clean vocals.

One of my qualms with the disc would be that some of the breakdowns are a bit common. Yet at the same time these are the type of breakdowns you usually hear in heavy hardcore bands, not a pop/punk band. Aside from that small complain each song brings in new ideas and the band even throws in a few faster songs to spice things up.

There is no doubt in my mind that this album is going to make A Day to Remember huge. This is a genre that has been stale for quite sometime now and this is an album that blows the dust off and has the genre purring like new once again.

Threshold-Dead Reckoning
(Nuclear Blast Records, 2007)

I had heard the bands previous album Subsurface, but to be honest there must have been far too many albums to hit my ears between that album and this album because I couldnt even remember what the band sounded like. Now that Ive heard this latest album I think Ill have to dig out the last album for a few spins as well.

Threshold exists in that grey area between metal and hard rock. The band has a progressive edge with no shortage of odd rhythms and fret burning solos, but the album doesnt come across as flashy. The songwriting tends to stay quite organic with memorable vocal lines during the verses and extremely catchy choruses. There are enough heavy moments to please Nevermore fans and enough extended instrumentation to please fans of Rush or possibly Dream Theater.

One aspect of this album that really sticks out to me are the background vocals provided by Dan Swano on a few songs. His distinctive roar really gives these songs an added dose of aggression and it sounds really cool mixed with the technical and melodic style of the band. It might be something that the band should look into using a bit more often as it really adds to the band in my opinion.

Its rare when an album can be both progressive and memorable but Threshold has struck a perfect balance with this latest album. Fans of everything from Rush to Dream Theater to Evergrey will enjoy Threshold. If you like heavy and interesting music this one is for you.

Nox-Ixaxaar
(Earache Records, 2007)

There are two simple reasons why this album kicks serious ass. The first is that the band channels early Morbid Angel and does it better then most. The second is that the band shares a similar style to Angel Corpse and a band hasnt come close to matching the violence and intensity of the first Angel Corpse album until now.

This album moves forward at a ridiculous pace bulldozing all in its path. Unlike a lot of newer death metal bands, this isnt hyper fast. It is fast and blasting, but the riffs have feeling and create an awesome dark sinister vibe. This isnt a band that is about being technical or showing off. The riffs are direct and to the point never throwing in filler or pointless experimentation. You get nine songs of violence and destruction, with no surprises.

There is a slight black metal edge that shines through occasionally. I wouldnt say it is a typical black metal sound though. They just seem to take their already dark approach and add ringing minor chords and it gives the riff a black metal feel.

This is an utterly savage metal album that really makes me miss the days when death metal was more about atmosphere then playing as fast as humanly possible. If Angel Corpse or early Morbid Angel is your idea of death metal perfection, this one is definitely for you.

Pantheon I-The Wanderer and His Shadow
(Candlelight Records, 2007)

Its quite rare to hear a black metal band that brings in original ideas but Pantheon I definitely have a unique take on the black metal genre. There is definitely a vicious side to the band yet at the same time they have a melancholic side that brings in some slower and quieter moments.

The fast minor chords, snarled vocals and blast beats typical of black metal are of course here, but the typical moments are definitely not all that common. Each song is filled with well written and unique ideas that draw from a black metal base but definitely expand the genre with unique ideas. Possibly saying that the sounds like a black metal based Opeth might not be a stretch, but there is no denying that Pantheon I have an original style.

The tempo of the album fluctuates quite a bit. The album has fast moments, but at the same time there are songs that travel at much slower speeds and have no blasting whatsoever. This is a band that is all about atmosphere and the melancholic atmosphere even rings through clearly during the fast moments. These arent typical tremolo picked black metal riffs or the usual simple minor chord riffs. They have elements of both but expand upon both and bring in some unique feels not common in black metal.

This is a black metal album that bridges the gap nicely between a classic style and a more original style. Dont go into this one expecting 40 minutes of blasting, because you will be disappointed. If you are looking for an original and diverse black metal album this is definitely it.

Dew-Scented-Incinerate
(Nuclear Blast Records, 2007)

What we have here is yet another energetic slab of thrashing death metal from Dew-Scented. The band has been consistently releasing annihilating metal albums and this latest album is no different.

The album actually shows the band changing just a bit. The album is a bit less death metal in nature and a bit more trash influenced. The band is utilizing more dynamics and the vocals seem a bit clearer this time around with a throatier approach. The riffs are razor sharp and this is the most energetic the band ever sounded.

I mentioned earlier that this album is much more dynamic. The tempos change quite a lot and the band is experimenting more with slower and more rhythmic sections. The guitar solos also seem to stand out a bit more this time around and they also seem to be a bit more common. The songs are also very to the point with most of the songs being between the three and four minute mark.

This is a blistering album that propels Dew-Scented to the front of the pack when it comes to thrash influenced extreme metal albums. The last album that sounded this energetic and vital was the debut album from The Haunted. Dew-Scented may be the new kings of thrash.

3 Mile Scream-A Prelude to Our Demise
(Corporate Punishment Records, 2006)

This is an album that just isnt clicking with me. Which is strange as there really isnt anything wrong with the band per say. I guess you could say that the band plays a modern form of metal that draws from both metalcore and death metal. To my ears the band sounds like a combination of Killswitch Engage, God Forbid and Lamb of God. The main problem that I have is that the songs dont seem to make any impact on me. The riffs are fairly typical and the songs themselves dont seem to flow as smoothly as they should. There is no problem with the execution really though. The band is good at what they do; it just comes across as being done before to me. If you cut your teeth on some of the newer heavier bands and enjoy the rhythmic Swedish influenced style of metalcore you might be able to get into this more then I did. There is no denying that the band has talent, this just failed to make any sort of impact with me.

Total Fucking Destruction-Zen and the Art of Total Fucking Destruction (Translation Loss Records, 2007)

When Total Fucking Destruction was releasing their initial CDR demos I was always impressed by the unique slant the band had on violent grindcore. With this latest album however the band has really upped the intensity and songwriting as these are some of the best songs yet from the band.

The music is still fast and violent with the bands trademark quirky dissonance, yet there is much more to the songs here. Almost black metal like riffs are included in a few songs and some slower doom inspired passages really help flesh out the songs and make the album much more then just speed driven grindcore.

The production is typically raw, which if youve heard any of the previous releases youd know is what works best for the band. This is probably the clearest sound yet for the band but it is still dirty enough to match the intensity of the band perfectly.

Also included are acoustic versions of some of the bands older songs. They give the songs an almost lounge overhaul with works surprisingly well and offers a nice change of pace from the rest of the disc. Apparently there are videos included on the album as well, but for the life of me I couldnt find them on the disc.

This is an album that fans of previous releases of the band will definitely want to pick up. It shows the band expanding upon their sound but keeping all of the intensity and noise that the band is known for. If you havent checked them band out yet, this would be the perfect album to start with.

Arch Enemy-Black Earth
(Regain Records, 2007)

In my opinion the first three Arch Enemy albums are still the best albums the band has written. The songs were urgent, filled with melody and I think that Johan Liivas vocals were a better match for the style of the band.

Black Earth was the bands debut album and one of the first albums to really explore melody in an extreme metal context. The band was still very much a Swedish death metal band at this point in time with a strong thrash influence and some of the best guitar solos the genre had seen since Heartwork.

There was no denying that Arch Enemy was onto something with this album and it really is a shame that the newer albums dont really live up to this album. This was a dark and intense album that used melody with great effect. The current sound of the band isnt quite as intense as this and seems to be a bit too streamlined at times. I also like the vocals a great deal more as they have a powerful roar that matches the music perfectly and helps make this album a classic album of Swedish death metal.

The sad thing is that a lot of people dont even know that the band has albums before Wages of Sin. Slap a blonde woman on the front of magazines and people start to take notice, which is a shame as the albums before Wage of Sin are much better in my opinion. If you havent heard Black Earth yet, do yourself a favor and pick it up. It is arguably the best album Arch Enemy has ever released. It has been out of print for quite sometime now, so thankfully Regain Records has made it readily available again.

Marduk-Dark Endless
(Regain Records, 2007)

While I know it is quite the clich to say that you like a bands debut album the most, there is no denying the fact that Dark Endless is one hell of an album and in my opinion the bands best album.

There is just something about the darkly simplistic guitar lines, snarled vocals and simple yet effective drumming. I also always liked the fact that the lyrics were very dark but also very personal. I think the vast majority of the album is actually about death or suicide and it appeals much more to me then the typical satanic lyrics that black metal is known for.

I think with this album the band was almost more of a blackened death metal band. The vast majority of the riffs were tremolo picked runs and slower yet mammothly heavy doom riffs. Of course the darker minor chord passages are here but the entire songs werent built around the style. I think these are also some of the catchiest songs the band has ever written. The constant blasting of some of the newer albums didnt really allow for much in the way of memorable moments.

The artwork has been changed for this re-release and also included are 5 live songs as a bonus. Truth be told the live songs are quite raw and sound pretty bad. The band also seemed to be a bit loose in a live setting at that point in time and really showed their age.

If you are a Marduk fan and you havent heard this album yet you need to pick this re-release up right away. This is where is all started and to this day it still remains one of the best albums the genre has ever seen.