The Agony Scene-Get Damned
(Century Media Records, 2007)

Few bands manage to progress these days in music, especially in the metalcore genre. The Agony Scene started out their career with a harsh and metallic album that was ahead of its time. The follow up was similar, but album three proves that third time is indeed the charm. Get Damned shows the band stripping their sound to the bone and reinventing the band in the process giving the band a new found ferocity and an original take on the genre.

The album isnt completely removed from what the band has done in the past, but there is a much stronger rock feel to a lot of the riffs here. It certainly is metallic but the riffing is very natural and throws in a lot of bends and grooves. It gives the music an entirely new dynamic and works wonderfully when the band combines in with their usually heavy attack. There is also a strong hardcore influence running throughout the album. The opening track Barnburner in particular feels like a cross between hardcore intensity and slightly thrash oriented guitar riffs. It starts the album off with a bang and really makes you want to dig into the rest of the album and see just what the rest of the songs have to offer.

While I cant say if it was intentional or not, the shift in the bands sound has made them a bit more accessible. There is certainly no shortage of heaviness but these are easily the catchiest songs the band has written and the feel of the album just makes it much easier to get into. The songs are more in your face and more intense while still being a bit more stripped down and natural sounding. This is an album that pretty much lays all of its cards out on the table right from the start. Its honest and you know exactly what to expect.

Without even having to second guess myself I could say that this is the best album to date from The Agony Scene. It brings with it the intensity of the first two albums but the band has definitely changed directions with this album and for the better. If you like music fast, heavy and passionate, The Agony Scene definitely nails all three with this album.

Throwdown-Venom & Tears
(Trustkill Records, 2007)

I think many people will be taken by surprise with the latest album from Venom & Tears. When I first heard the lead off track Holy Roller it knocked me on my ass and rumbled with a metallic fury the band had never had before. The rest of the album is of the same caliber and sure the album does seem to draw a lot from Pantera initially but with more listens you realize that this still sounds like Throwdown, albeit much different from what you might expect after Vendetta.

Basically if you took Vendetta and added ample doses of Vulgar Display of Power you would have Venom & Tears. Its a slightly slower album with groovier riffing and a Southern flair to both the riffing and the vocals at times. The songs are much more complicated and layered then the band has been in the past. The speed is still here but as a whole I would say that this is a slower album than Vendetta was. The faster riffs are a bit more complicated this time around as well. Fills are thrown in to make the riffs have a bit more substance and even the breakdown riffs have been beefed up and made much more powerful. There are some amazing riffs to be found in these songs and it is very easy to see that this is the best writing yet from the band.

Dave Peters really stepped up his game with this album. He has always had a powerful roar, but he has interjected a sense of melody and comes damn close to singing in some of these songs. I think the aspect of the album that is bringing the comparison around much more with the band now is the change in vocal approach. He does indeed sound similar to Phil Anselmo at times, but to my ears the parts where he sings sound much deeper then Panteras clean vocals. It actually reminds me of the vocals in Crowbar at time to be honest. Of course the trademark vocal style is still here, but this is the most dynamic Peters has been as a front man so far in the bands career.

I think this is what you would consider a transition album for Throwdown. It shows the band shaping their sound and stepping out on a limb. It harkens back to the days of Vulgar Display of Power, Chaos AD and Burn My Eyes which was quite the exciting time for metal. They certainly have changed a lot since Haymaker, but if you listen with an open mind this is quite the rewarding album.

Full Blown Chaos-Heavy Lies the Crown
(Ferret Music, 2007)

Armed with a raw production and seemingly boundless energy, Full Blown Chaos swing for the fences with their third album Heavy Lies the Crown, the first for Ferret Music. This is an album that doesnt try to be original; it is a barbaric exercise with fast thrash riffing and brutal rhythmic crunch.

The songs all follow similar paths. The band either starts off with a chugging riff to beat you senseless or start off fast right out of the gate. The slower more rhythmic moments do offer more in the way of dynamics although it is hard to ignore the energy on display during the fast moments which come often and seldom without warning. I find that the band does sound somewhat similar to 100 Demons at times, but I would say that Full Blown Chaos is more metallic and much rawer sounding.

The sound of the album is a nice surprise. It is much rawer then you would expect from a band of this nature these days. It has a live feel and hits with a lot of power. The guitar sound is powerful and has enough to grit to keep things heavy yet still have clarity. The overall sound of the album is a bit more trebly than some heavy albums, but it allows everything to be heard clearly and gives the album a unique edge production wise.

Armed with energy and power, Full Blown Chaos has recorded an album that seems tailor made to be played at foundation cracking volumes. If you enjoy your metal fast and laced with chugging, this one is definitely for you.

The Accursed-Seasons of the Scythe
(Locomotive Records, 2007)

I remember enjoying the demo CD these guys released but Im having a hell of a time getting into this album. In all honesty the production of the album is quite strange and messy sounding. The songwriting itself seems pretty good with catchy riffs and an energetic performance but the sound however pretty much smashes any chance the band has at getting the point across. To my ears the band just doesnt sound tight enough and if you are playing grindcore you can get away with being sloppy but this is melodic metal so it stands out even more. The guitar solos suffer from the production values and as a result tend to sound either overly harsh or slightly out of tune. The clean vocals dont fare much better either. The performance doesnt sound quite up to snuff but in reality it would have been bearable if there wasnt like four layers of vocals that dont really match up during the clean moments. The band certainly has potential but isnt quite there yet in delivery with certain aspects of their sound. Although given that Ive seen live clips of the band that sound much better than the album does, the problem may be with the production of the album not doing the band any favors. If the band scrapped the clean vocals and upped the production values they would be a force to be reckoned with. I enjoy the fast riffing and the harsh vocals the band utilizes and the guitar leads that dont suffer from the production have an old school metal feel that adds greatly to the music. If the entire album connected with the same intensity as Slaughter of the Gods this would be one hell of an album, but unfortunately some of the songs just dont seem as together as they should be. Like I said earlier this is a band with potential. If they work out the production issues Im sure the next album will be quite the scorcher.

Evile-Enter the Grave
(Earache Records, 2007)

With so many bands trying their hardest to sound like vintage thrash Evile have basically taken it a step further and brought in Flemming Rasmussen to produce their debut album. The name doesnt ring a bell? Well he was the producer behind the boards for both Ride the Lightning and Master of Puppets. So the album certainly has a vintage thrash metal sound but how does the band fare? Surprisingly well as this is a fast and well written trip down memory lane that manages to have an old school flair but doesnt ape any band in particular.

The lightning quick riffing and solos are a solid combination of Bay Area intensity and the lighting quick speed of German thrash. Hints of Metallica, Exodus, and Kreator run throughout the entire disc and vocally the band somewhat reminds me of vintage Slayer but the lyrics are nowhere near as evil. The lyrics are slightly more tongue in cheek and cover a range of topics from Rambo to moshing, to a song that seems to be about Jaws. It is a nice throwback to vintage thrash as the band always had some humor mixed in with serious themes. There is nothing funny about the music though as this is fast and furious and means business.

Like I mentioned earlier this was produced by the man responsible for two of Metallicas best albums, so you know that this is pretty much an amazing sounding album. The guitars are tight and forceful with a dry sound that allows the energy to come across crystal clear. The guitar leads cut through the mix perfectly and have a powerful yet biting sound. The drums have a natural ring to them and the performance is quite energetic giving the album a sense of urgency. Simply put this is one of the best sounding metal albums I have heard in a long time and it is a shame that more people dont employ the mans services. The guy fucking produced Master of Puppets after all.

If you like thrash youll love this album. There is really no getting around it, this is a killer thrash metal album that does all of the classics of the genre justice.

Bring Me the Horizon-This Is What the Edge of Your Seat is Made For
(Earache Records, 2007)

I was a big fan of the debut album from this band but the follow up EP just doesnt seem to be connecting as much with my ears. The four songs on display here arent as hard hitting as the songs from the debut and seem to somewhat meander and lose focus. These songs are also much slower and are completely devoid of the fast and melodic thrash that littered the debut album. It seems to me that maybe the band was trying to explore the slower more rhythmic side of the band with this album and for me I have to say that I miss the speed. As a whole this EP seems a bit more experimental and just not as together as the tunes from the debut. The songs are not without their moments but when compared to the songwriting on display with the debut album these seem like throwaway songs that do very little to further the bands sound. If you enjoyed the debut you may enjoy this but to me these songs arent quite up to snuff with what the band had to offer on Count Your Blessings. Hopefully these are mainly just left over songs from the sessions and not a glimpse of what is to come in the future with their next album.