Nile-Ithyphallic
(Nuclear Blast, 2007)

Nile has crafted a death metal sound that is like no other. Scorching sped meets with exotic melody for a sound that is extreme yet still concise. Few bands can be as downright powerful yet as memorable as Nile. With this album in particular the band has crafted songs that are as vicious as anything the band has ever done yet there is much more staying power with these songs. This is the Nile you are expecting, just simply put, better.

The album keeps the Egyptian styled instruments to a minimum and is a straight ahead ass kicking death metal record. The exotic melody is still used for the guitar riffs and the serpentine like riffs are almost unparalleled in death metal. Nile has one of the most distinct sounds guitar wise to ever grace the death metal genre and these are some of the best riffs the band has ever written. I like how the riffs incorporate a lot of bends and slides in a genre mainly known for tremolo picking and power chord rhythmic crunch. If you enjoy Nile because of the guitar attack be prepared to be blown away.

George Kollias is a fucking monster behind the drum kit on this album. He continues to prove that he is one of the best drummers in the metal genre with each new album. What stands out about his playing is that even though he can play ridiculously fast he plays with dynamics and serves the songs first and foremost. If he wanted to he could turn the songs into one lengthy drum fill but unlike many death metal drummers these days he knows when to sit back and play something a bit more reserved. Don't worry though, the blast beats are ridiculously fast and clean and this album features some of the fastest double bass I have ever heard.

Vocally this is an album that shows death metal done right. The vocals are extremely powerful but also very clear. The vocal patterns are all extremely well put together and match the music perfectly. This also features some of the fastest vocals I have ever heard on a death metal album.

With any extreme metal band fans always debate what they consider to be the bands finest hour. While I do enjoy the early albums of Nile, there is no denying that this is an album that displays the band reaching a new creative peak. This is the Nile sound perfected.

http://www.myspace.com/nilecatacombs

Brainstorm-Downburst
(Metal Blade, 2008)

One of the few remaining good old fashioned metal bands left on the Metal Blade roster, Brainstorm is not only one of the best bands the label has to offer but also one of the best bands around right now in metal period. Downburst is a melodic album but there is a lot of thump in the riffing creating a sound that dips into heavy metal, power metal, a bit of thrash and even good old rock n roll. While the sound isn't groundbreaking by any means, the chops and songwriting prowess help Brainstorm be much more than just another heavy metal band.

The album succeeds by the sheer catchiness of the material. While it is never simple, the band has a knack for writing heavy yet memorable riffs that hit with a similar feel to old school metal at times. It doesn't sound dated though as there is definitely a modern sheen to the band. You won't hear much in the way of modern influences creeping in aside from a few melodic thrash styled riffs, but it is quite easy to hear that the album was released in 2008.

Leaving lyrics about dragons and knights at the door, this is a much more personal take on the genre. The vocal lines are unforgettable and don't even get my started on the choruses. These are some of the best choruses Brainstorm has ever written and some of the best the genre has seen in quite a long time. There is absolutely nothing cheesy about the album lyrically to lessen the effect either. The vocal performance is solid and surprisingly varied utilizing a dynamic sound that uses a range of timbers and volumes. The vocals tend to shift into a slightly higher register during the choruses which definitely adds to the memorable feel of those parts, If you enjoy metal for strong vocal performances this album does not disappoint.

While some similar bands tend to deal in excess, Brainstorm keeps the music concise and accessible. They certainly aren't slouches on their instruments but this is an album that is more about songs than showing technical ability, If you are a long time fan of the band or are new to Brainstorm, this is a highly enjoyable slab of well written modern heavy metal that I highly recommend.

http://www.myspace.com/officialbrainstorm

The Arcane Order-In the Wake of Collision
(Metal Blade, 2008)

While The Arcane Order is a band that you might not have heard of yet, once word about this album begins to spread this is a band sure to make quite the impact. With a blistering style of blackened cyber metal, The Arcane Order does indeed draw influence from the black metal genre, but this is certainly not typical in any way shape or form. Imagine if Devin Townsend started a black metal project but left in the quirky characteristics of Strapping Young Lad. In the Wake of Collision is a quick moving and energetic beast with interesting ideas and seemingly endless energy,

In essence if you mixed the blackened death metal sound of a band like Crionics with Strapping Young Lad or possibly Scarve and then added a progressive feel you'd have The Arcane Order. It's a fast and diverse approach that makes pretty much every subgenre of extreme metal fair game. The odd sense of discordant melody the band employs certainly adds a different feel to the songs. That said at the end of the day this does sound a lot like a more extreme version of Strapping Young Lad.

One standout aspect of the album is the excellent lead guitar work. It almost comes out of nowhere but the solos wouldnt sound out of place on a progressive metal album. They are fast and clean but played with a lot of feeling. The solos are a welcome addition to the bands already varied approach.

Of note is the fact that his album is a digital only release from Metal Blade. You won't find this album in any stores in North America and while it might seem like an odd move, the current musical climate has many people who download album and never pick up a hard copy of the album. Regardless of how you feel about digital only releases, if you are a fan of extreme metal this is worth your time to track down anyway possible. If you enjoy Crionics, Strapping Young Lad and Scarve, this should be right up your alley.

http://www.myspace.com/thearcaneorder

Braindrill-Apocalyptic Feasting
(Metal Blade, 2008)

The technical side of death metal is more explored these days than it has ever been. Combining the intensity of grindcore with technical and jaw dropping instrumentation, Braindrill is a demolition ball to the eardrums of the unprepared. This album is enough to make your head spin right off but if you like your metal crazy youll love every minute of it.

Jarring rhythms and sweep picking meet with blasting drums and roaring vocals to create a sound that makes Necrophagist sound like Abba. The sheer number of riffs and notes that make up a song is staggering and the fact that the energy level is as high as humanly possible makes the notes come at you even faster. This is definitely not for the faint of heart and even if you know what to expect from the album it still hits you like a ton of bricks. This is the type of band that the word pummeling was invented for. Add in the technical side of the band and you have a sound that is both brutal and jaw dropping impressive.

There is definitely a reason why this band is called Braindrill. The songs throw so much at you that the album will leave you exhausted. This isn't the type of album you could listen to numerous times back to back. While it is an amazing album, the unrelenting nature of the album might be a bit too much for some people as there is absolutely no letdown whatsoever with these songs and the notes come at you at a speed that is almost impossible to process.

Due to the chaotic style of the band some of the songs do have a similar sound. But at the end of the day this is some of the most technical and bulldozing death metal that I have ever heard. It certainly isn't for everyone but if you enjoy challenging and ridiculously fast music you'll enjoy the musical beating that Braindrill supplies.

http://www.myspace.com/braindrill

Amorphis-Silent Waters
(Nuclear Blast, 2007)

I must admit that I wasn't a huge fan of the albums that showed Amorphis bringing in a 70s rock influence and leavening behind the harsher elements of the early years. With a new vocalist, Tomi Joutsen, the band has been back on track and the latest album is sure to have fans of the band happy to know that the Amorphis they have missed in back in top form. Eclipse showed the band embracing their past but it not to this extent I would say. Not only is Silent Waters the best Amorphis album in years, it might be one of the best albums ever from the band. Sure that might be saying a lot but there is no getting around the fact that this is an amazing album.

The folk inspired melodies and heavy guitars that make up the distinct Amorphis sound are sounding better than they have in years. The songs are well put together and incredibly memorable. Each song is powerful and accentuated by a stellar vocal performance. Somber clean vocals clash with a guttural roar to great effect. It's a sound that made the early albums so powerful and Tomi's voice makes the melodies and roars even more dynamic and enjoyable. At the end of the day this sounds like an Amorphis album, and that is exactly what fans of the band have been waiting for.

The album boasts an impressive sound anchored by thick and powerful guitars and a crystal clear mix. The vocals are mixed perfectly and the clean vocals sound phenomenal. They aren't coated in effects either instead using layering to create depth rather than excessive reverb. While certain bands might work with different producers and the result makes the band sound quite different, this is a sound that fits the band perfectly. Listen to a minute of any song and you'll know that this is an Amorphis album even without vocals.

While some bands strive to revisit their early glory and fail, Amorphis have revisited their past yet forged forward creating a powerful and career defining album with Silent Waters. There is only one band that sounds like Amorphis and thankfully Amorphis is back to sounding like that band. If you are a fan of Amorphis, prepare to be blown away.

http://www.myspace.com/amorphis

Devian-Ninewinged Serpent
(Century Media, 2008)

Fronted by former Marduk vocalist Legion, Devian is a dark and vicious band that draws from black metal and early thrash yet still manages to have a unique sound. This isn't easily lumped into any of the metal subgenres; this is a metal album that is all you need to know.

Melodic guitar lines mix with full throttle thrash and early Swedish death metal riffs. Its a varied and unpredictable sound that could be likened to anyone from Dissection to Possessed. The band, on paper, might not sound like they are doing anything new but when your ears actually hear the album it is clear that this isnt your typical blackened thrash album. How many albums of this nature are just as likely to whip off a twin guitar lead as they are an extreme riff? Not many and that certainly helps the band stand out. If modern black metal, classic thrash and heavy metal joined together the grotesque yet beautiful result would be Devian.

If you are familiar with past albums featuring Legion on vocals you know that he has a very raspy and powerful vocal style. This album shows his voice in fine form, in fact this is possibly the best he has ever sounded. The harsh vocals form a nice contrast with the more melodic sections of the album and fit perfectly with the harsher sections.

Devian has a sound that is both familiar yet quite different at the same time. Few black metal based albums manage to create a sound this varied and the use of the blast beat is actually surprisingly low. The fast sections tend to have a thrash feel and while the album is fast it is never boring or monotonous. Chaos and harmony collide and produce the original sound of Devian. Fans of everything from Dissection to Iron Maiden will find Ninewinged Serpent quite satisfying.

http://www.myspace.com/truedevian

Aquila-Demo
(Independent, 2007)

Armed with a melodic yet heavy sound Aquila is a band destined to make a name for themselves. Opening with an excellent melodic guitar lead that segues into a heavy yet just as melodic riff, the band has a sound that is similar in nature to All That Remains but not quite as refined. The band is a bit rough around the edges at times, but when you consider that this is a demo there is a lot of potential on display.

While the band might have a sound similar to many other bands, there are a lot of unique ideas guitar wise and the songs are put together quite well. The riffs are rhythmic and experiment with melodic fills to great lengths. I was definitely a bit surprised by the lack of guitar solos though. The songs themselves feature a lot of licks and riffs that are pretty much mini-solos but shredding solos definitely would have fit in with the style the band was going for and is something the band might consider adding to future songs.

The vocals hit a nice combination of a harsher sound and a more gruff vocal approach. It is a similar approach to All That Remains although Aquila doesn't use clean vocals at all. The vocal attack is powerful and despite a few rhythmic hiccups the performance is quite good.

Aquila is a band that certainly has a lot of potential. While it is easy to hear that All That Remains is a big influence they are far from being a clone. These are three well written and interesting songs sure to please fans of the more melodic side of modern metal. If you dig All That Remains or Killswitch Engage, you'll definitely be into what Aquila plays.

http://www.myspace.com/aquilametal

Byzantine-Oblivion Beckons
(Prosthetic Records, 2008)

With their third album Byzantine continue to move forward pushing their progressive thrash sound even closer to perfection. Poised at the brink of being the next big thing in metal, Byzantine has a sound that manages to be both challenging and accessible. Take a song like Catalyst for example. It takes a slightly less progressive approach while still retaining the heaviness yet the chorus is one of the most memorable of the entire disc. Calling the song radio friendly would be a stretch but it is a song like this that would help the band appeal to the more mainstream metal fan.

That said though, if you listen to Byzantine for speed, guitar solos and interesting rhythms you'll be happy to know this is the best material yet from the band. The songs are epic in scope even if the songs are only around 4 or 5 minutes in reality. The riffing packs a lot of punch and has a perfect balance between speed, melody and crunch. If you have heard Byzantine before you know what to expect from the album although this album is much more concise and memorable in many ways than previous albums. The vocal lines are very memorable and the vocals are surprisingly varied. A throaty scream is the main style but a throatier clean style is used at times along with a more melodic style that is somewhere in between Nevermore and Strapping Young Lad. These are also some of the best choruses yet from the band really allowing the songs to hit with maximum impact.

Guitar solos have always been a big part of the Byzantine sound and these are some of the best the band has ever written. The best way I could describe the solos is a more modern version of the lead playing of Chris Poland on Peace Sells...But Whos Buying? The leads are metallic in nature yet filled with interesting note choices and an almost progressive feel. The same can be said for the overall feel of the album, it is metallic yet the band throws in a lot of color and isn't afraid to try different ideas.

Byzantine are a band that seem to be almost criminally underrated. This album annihilates albums by similar and much more well known bands yet Byzantine remains just slightly out of the spotlight. With an album as good as Oblivion Beckons to show the world what the band has to offer it is only a matter of time before metal fans realize what they are missing out on.

http://www.myspace.com/byzantine

Armory-The Dawn of Enlightenment
(Independent, 2007)

If you told me that Armory was from Europe I would have no problem believing you. But surprisingly the band is from the US, which is not exactly known for upbeat power metal with soaring vocals. Yet here we have Armory, a band that is not only one of the best power metal bands in the US but a band that could more than hold their own against the giants of the genre. Yes, it really is that good.

While I might not call Armory an original band, they manage not to draw from any one band in particular. A cross between Hammerfall, Iron Maiden and Blind Guardian would be a fairly accurate description of what the band plays. It's an energetic and extremely melodic form of metal filled with ripping guitar solos and epic melodies. Like I said before, it might not really be anything new for the genre but it is a damn enjoyable album none the less.

Iron Maiden is a big influence here, probably the easiest one to hear. Vocally I am reminded of Bruce Dickinson quite a bit and the rhythm section definitely has a very Maiden-esque feel. The guitar solos have a similar feel to the UK legends but bring in more modern flash as well. Calling the band a more modern version of Iron Maiden wouldn't be that far off, although that would be leaving out the obvious European influences. If you are an Iron Maiden fan chances are you'll dig Armory.

Why a band of this quality has to self-release an album is beyond me. Let's face it, a lot of labels release a lot of crap when there are bands playing metal music that doesn't subscribe to trends that get passed by. If you enjoy Iron Maiden and European power metal, Armory will have you raising the devil horns before the end of the first song.

http://www.myspace.com/armorymetal

Down-Over the Under
(ILG/Warner Bros, 2007)

For some reason I've never been a huge fan of Down. I should be though, I love Black Sabbath and Southern rock but down has always just never excited my ears so to speak. With Over the Under it all sort of clicked in my brain though. The dirty grooves and the throaty vocals have an intimacy that I must have overlooked on earlier albums. This is about as raw and naked as metal music can be and it is damn powerful.

What helps the album work is the fact that the Down sound is such an organic combination of its members. The band does indeed sound like a cross between C.O.C, Crowbar and Pantera while still drawing from the early days of metal as well. The sound is raw and unpolished yet still incredibly forceful.

Phil Anselmo's voice is in fine form here. The Superjoint Ritual albums allowed him to show off his scream, but Down really allows him to channel his inner Ozzy and really belt out these songs. There is still enough grit and screaming to keep the album dangerous but this is the best I have heard Phil sound in years.

This is one of those cases were you realize that you must have been missing something when you listened to previous albums. This album is worth the price of admission for the first five songs alone, add in the fact that the rest of the album is just as solid and this is an album not to pass up. If you've written off Down in the past, maybe it is time to give them another chance as this is a rock solid album that woke me up from what I was missing.

http://www.myspace.com/downnola