Viral Load-Hillbilly Whore Hackin Revival
(Sevared Records, 2007)

Viral Load is a band who has been abusing ear drums in the death metal underground for a number of years now. Their latest MCD shows the bands sound reaching lethal perfection. Showcasing a very US based death metal sound the band reminds me of late 90's and early 00' death metal of the likes of Regurgitation and a slightly more technical version of Fleshgrind. It's a pounding and guttural style of death metal and that leaves the technicality taking over the genre at the side of the road like a cut up hitchhiker.

The three original songs on display here do not disappoint. The riffs are razor sharp and intensely memorable. Bulldozing yet clear would be a good way to describe the guitar approach of Viral Load. Tremolo picking and crunchy power chord riffs set the pace, but the shows flairs of technicality from time to time as well. It never reaches a ridiculous level though, and is tasteful, if you can use that word to describe death metal. The vocals are thick guttural roars that have a similar feel to vintage Dying Fetus. Calling the vocals diverse might be a bit of a stretch, but they do change enough to keep things from becoming one dimensional. The band uses drum programming but this really doesn't sound very unnatural. With how triggered death metal drums are becoming there are probably some albums with an actual human drummer that sound more programmed than this album. If you think all death metal albums with drum programming, sound terrible and lack power, this album is an obvious exception.

Aside from the three original songs the band also tackles Defensive Personalities by Death and Godly Beings by Obituary. Both covers are handled well with the Death song being a quite different approach than the normal sound of the band. I'd say that the drum machine is more noticeable during the covers, but they still sound fantastic. The soloing is handled quite well in the Death cover as well. Godly Beings is of course a straight to the point old school death metal song and it works well with the rest of the album.

http://www.myspace.com/viralload

Firewind-The Premonition
(Century Media, 2008)

With Allegiance still fresh in my ears, I was a bit worried that The Premonition might not be as solid of an album or possibly seem rushed. The opener Into the Fire shows the band reaching a fevered pitch starting the album off with a fast song that shows the band doing what they do best with shredding guitars, melodic vocals and charging drums. The remainder of the album shows the band slowing down slightly and settling into their usual hard rock groove. It sounds like Firewind, and if you are a fan of the band, that is all you need to know.

I would say that this album doesn't have the immediate impact that Allegiance had. It takes a few listens for the songs to sink in and they don't seem quite as memorable as the previous album. The album is much more guitar oriented and while the riffs are intricate they don't seem as succinct as Allegiance. The hooks possibly don't dig as deep with this album, and what Allegiance had and in spades was hooks. With this album in particular each song brings in new ideas, which I definitely do enjoy. Don't get me wrong, these are enjoyable songs, but to my ears I just enjoyed Allegiance a bit more. Head Up High, Mercenary Man and opener Into the Fire and sure to become staples of the bands live show for a long time I'm sure.

The surprise of the album certainly comes in a form of the classic 80's tune Maniac. I'm not sure if the band was short on original songs or what the motivation behind the song was, but they do a competent job. The problem is that it has already been done and adds to what is a somewhat lackluster album from a band capable of so much more. Like I said this is a good album, but it certainly doesn't top Allegiance.

http://www.myspace.com/firewind

Putrefied-Gore-ific
(Sevared Records, 2007)

Putrefied have written one of the sickest death metal albums I have heard in a long time. Forget about this technical style that is so common these days, you wont find any sweep picking or odd rhythms here. This is straight ahead brutality with one bulldozing riff after another pounding you into a bloody pulp. This is an album that will beat you senseless and not let you catch your breath in between songs. Each song is a whirlwind of guttural roars, blasting intensity and a riffing style in between old school death metal and goregrind. Churning rhythmic riffs give way to tremolo picked insanity, with the energetic drum charge leading the assault. This is death metal played to sickened perfection.

If you like your death metal easy on the ears, this is certainly not where to find it. The band doesnt structure the songs in ways that are easy to consume. There are memorable parts but the songs are sick and dirty and leave a foul taste in your mouth, but in a good way. There are indeed memorable riffs to be found on here. The slower moments are incredibly huge sounding and there are some almost crust sounding sections from time to time which reinforces my feeling that this band sounds like a more involved combination of Last Days of Humanity and old school death metal. Vocally however the band leaves out the processing and uses an almost inhuman guttural style that fits the music perfectly.

This is a punishing exercise in brutality that stays away from the current trends of the genre and kicks ass due to powerful riffs and vocals. Mix goregrind with hints of early Swedish death metal and the Florida style of death metal and you have the blistering guttural assault of Putrefied.

http://www.myspace.com/bluuuurgh

Red I Flight-The Years
(Victory Records, 2008)

Starting off with a rather subdued and chugging track, it is the second song that shows the melodic and full throttle approach that remains consistent for the duration of the disc. Like a blistering combination of Killswitch Engage and As I Lay Dying, Red I Flight is an unbridled beast of a band.

This is a perfect example of strong songwriting overcoming a slight lack of originality. The songs are ridiculously well put together and offer a nice combination of tremolo picking blast driven riffs and more melodic Swedish styled thrash. Breakdowns are here and in large numbers but the band does a good job making them flow and fit within the rest of the song. The band doesn't really bring much of anything new to the table, but the solid songwriting makes it very easy to look past.

Armed with a Jamie King production and a powerful approach, Red I Flight are a band sure to make a splash. Sure the pond is a bit overcrowded and bands are drowning, but this band has the potential and the ability to keep their heads above water. If you like your metalcore blistering yet still rhythmic, you'll want to give this band a shot.

http://www.myspace.com/rediflight

Bury Your Dead-S/T
(Victory Records, 2008)

While I was a fan of the previous few albums from Bury Your Dead, they still seemed to be missing something. The band had a tendency to be a bit one dimensional, but that has all changed with this latest album. Showing unexpected maturity, the band has spread their wings and moved the band in exciting new directions. It still sounds like Bury Your Dead, but just plain better.

Gone are the silly song titles, this album shows a much more serious tone throughout. The addition of a new vocalist has really given the band a much more diverse approach vocally. The music is much more varied and consists of much more than just metal riffs and breakdowns. This is still a very heavy album, but it shows songwriting chops not really explored on previous album. If you like Bury Your Dead for the rhythmic crunch, it is still here. The difference is that these songs are much more fleshed out and much more melodic. Clean yet still gruff vocals are used and it sounds fantastic. It makes the choruses much more pronounced on this album.

It's not very common for a band to progress yet still sounds like the same band. This still sounds like Bury Your Dead but it certainly is a new chapter for the band sonically. These are easily the hardest hitting and satisfying songs the band has ever written. The record being self-titled is the perfect title. This is indeed Bury Your Dead and this is one hell of a record.

http://www.myspace.com/buryyourdead

Engel-Absolute Design
(SPV USA, 2008)

Instead of wasting time listing the previous bands the members of Engel have been in, I'll say that the band is the next step in the evolution of the Gothenburg sound. With a fierce and distinct edge, Engel strips down the Gothenburg sound to its barest form. The riffs are rhythmic, melodic and surprisingly simple. Riffs with a busier approach are common but regardless of the number of notes, this is memorable in a way that is distinctly Swedish.

The songs are much more than just vehicles for the choruses, but there is no denying the power the band has during those moments. Songs like Closed Casket and Next Door Closed reach an entirely new level due to the effective choruses. You could almost say that Engel sounds like a slower version of the Clayman album from In Flames, but without much of the harsh vocals.

The album draws a perfect parallel between the intricate and the melodic. The band never gets caught up in excessive layering or meandering song writing. This is an album where each note is there for a reason. Absolute Design is a rhythmic and melodic masterpiece with more than a handful of songs that help propel the album above the rest of the pseudo-Swedish music so common these days.

http://www.myspace.com/engelmusic

Flesh Consumed-Mutilate, Eviscerate, Decapitate
(Sevared Records, 2007)

While at first Flesh Consumed seem like your average death metal band, the songs have a lot to offer and contain a few surprises. The main core of the bands sound is indeed fast riffing, blast beat driven drums and sick guttural vocal belches. But it is the moments without vocals where the band hits on a lot of unique ideas. This is as heavy as it comes for death metal but the band throws in some surprising melody and overall the songs are much more memorable than similar bands in the genre.

I would say the band sounds like Butchered at Birth era Cannibal Corpse mixed with a more modern style of death metal. It's very heavy and while some of the riffs are technical, they have some very primitive sounding guitar work as well. The band manages to mix the two quite well and even has a few sludgy moments that bring to mind Morbid Angel thrown in for good measure. The vocals are powerful and almost too guttural. The vocals do sound good, but forget about trying to decipher the lyrics. It's even hard to follow with the lyric sheet!

Aside from a few minor problems, this is an enjoyable album. The drums are a bit overly triggered for my liking, almost to the point of sounding like a drum machine. But I find few problems with the bands actual musical output. Flesh Consumed are a band that manages to be just what you would expect them to be but with a few surprises. If you are a fan of guttural death metal with flashes of technicality, you'll be a fan of Flesh Consumed.

http://www.myspace.com/fleshconsumed

Meshuggah-Obzen
(Nuclear Blast, 2008)

Obzen is easily the best album these Swedes have released in a long time. Tremendously heavy and rhythmically intense yet still hard hitting and memorable would be the easiest way to describe this album. If you were disappointed by Catchy Thirty Three, this album will make you once again proud to call yourself a Meshuggah fan.

Destroy, Erase, Improve seems to be the album that each new Meshuggah album is compared with. While Nothing and Chaosphere were solid albums, Obzen is the closest the band has come to matching what people consider their benchmark album. This album just seems more focused and on fire than the last few albums. It doesn't really move in any surprising directions, but the songs just seem to make more sense with this album. The technicality is still there and this album is a rhythmic monster.

The 1-2 punch of opener Combustion and Electric Red solidifies the fact that Meshuggah are the pioneers and reigning kings of rhythmic destruction. The remainder of Obzen is just as solid, supplying a challenging yet brutal slab of contained intensity. From the beautiful yet bloody artwork to the crystal clear production, the pieces have fit together to produce Meshuggahs best album in years.

http://www.myspace.com/meshuggah

Blacklisted-Heavier Than Heaven, Lonelier Than God
(Deathwish, 2008)

This latest album from Blacklisted may only be 19 minutes long, but let me tell you, it is 19 of the most ferocious and honest minutes the genre has seen in a very long time. Combining rapid fire hardcore riffs and crunchy rock riffs, Blacklisted assaults the senses like a pummeling combination of American Nightmare and Every Time I Die.

While the music is urgent and devastating, it is the strained vocals and dark lyrics that make this album his with such impact. The lyrics paint a bleak picture of self-loathing and introspection. These aren't songs about unity and backstabbing. The lyrics are darkly poetic and vicious in their bluntness. It's almost like picking up a strangers diary and reading along except this is set to full throttle hardcore music.

Musically this album is like being hit by an out on control steamroller. It hits you with tremendous power and leaves you a bloody mess. This album is devastating yet strangle beautiful at the same time. The band has an honesty and slightly artistic approach that makes this so much more than just another hardcore album. This is a fast moving album with rock and sludge elements adding fuel to the fire. Blacklisted have crafted a masterpiece of modern hardcore, end of story.

http://www.myspace.com/blacklisted

Made of Hate-Bullet in Your Head
(AFM Records, 2008)

This eloquently titled debut album from Made of Hate surely sounds a lot like Children of Bodom sans the keyboards. It's a slightly more ballsy approach than the Children of Bodom as of late with the band becoming slightly watered down. Is it a worthwhile album even if it sounds like Children of Bodom? Absolutely.

Melodic riffs are the main ingredient here but rhythmic crunch is also used to spice things up. The songs are energetic and feature excellent lead guitar work. The solos come fast and frequently. They do manage to have a lot of feel though and rarely feel excessive or forced. I would say it is the lead guitar that makes the band rise above being a Children of Bodom clone, although the two lead styles are quite similar.

This Polish band doesn't hide their inspirations and manages to create 9 memorable and energetic metal songs. Though lacking originality, the performance is perfect and the lead guitar is jealousy worthy. If you are a fan of Children of Bodom but don't like the bands current direction, give Made of Hate a try.

http://www.myspace.com/madeofhateofficial