Hammerfall-Masterpieces
(Nuclear Blast Records, 2008)

The idea of a cover album is about as exciting as watching paint dry these days, unless of course it is an album by Hammerfall. Playing with their trademark bounce the band covers a nice cross section of well known metal classics and some lesser known fare. At the end of the day I guess we really didn't need a cover album from Hammerfall, but it is quite entertaining none the less.

Opening with a blistering cover of Warlord's Child of the Damned, the band sets the pace early and never falters. The band even manages to make a song like Breaking the Law which you have probably heard countless times interesting and the singer does a remarkable Rob Halford impersonation. I Want Out is another predictable choice but the band definitely does the song justice and stays very close to the original. The cover of the Yngwie Malmsteen classic Rising Force really lets the band show off their chops and and is an energetic cover to boot. The more predictable covers are rounded off with Skid Row, Accept, Rainbow, Twisted Sister, and Europe.

While far from unkown the band also tackles songs from Stormwitch, Picture, Pretty Maids, Heavy Load, Chastain, Loudness, and Riot. It's a solid selection of 18 covers but I'm left wondering where the hell is the Iron Maiden cover? The band is an obvious influence but is nowhere to be found here. Even if you aren't a fan of cover albums, Hammerfall manages to keep things interesting with a solid choice of songs and even when they cover bands you are familar with they usually don't always pick the obvious choice.

Grotesque-Museum of Human Disease
(Prime Cuts Music, 2008)

While at first glance Grotesque might mislead you into thinking that this Australian band is a typical death metal band, once you dig into this album you are definitely proven wrong. The band plays a barbaric and fierce style of death metal that is built upon fast tempos, quirky riff accents and uterrly devastating vocals. Think a more riff heavy Dying Fetus mixed with Suffocation and hints of the Cannibal Corpse bass style and you'd essentially have Grotesque.

What stands out is the fact that the band can be playing ridiuclously fast yet the riffing is always memorable and filled with either unique pinch harmonics or a melodic aspect of some nature. Dying Fetus is one of the main influences on display but in many ways the band has surpassed their inspiration. The catchy nature of the songwriting and the unpredictable nature of the tempo changes makes this a satisfying album on many different levels. With a band like Dying Fetus they have their trademark sound and rarely deviate from that sound. Grotesque isn't afraid to experiment and is much less predictable with their rhythmic riffs than many similar bands. The groove element is certainly present but the band never lets it overshadow the bulldozing side of the band.

There definitely was a time when my interest in death metal was beginning to dwindle but excellent albums such as this one have amplified my interest in the genre considerably. Grotesque are lethal in their execution and if you are a fan of the US based death metal sound this is an album you will want to hear ASAP. The band certainly throws in some monkey wrenches into the sound and you could honestly consider this a new step in the US death metal sound although the band isn't even from the US. Simply put, if you like death metal, you'll love this album.

The Effort-Iconoclasm
(Words of War Records, 2008)

While some might take me saying that The Effort sound exactly like I thought they would as a negative thing, but I think it is exactly the opposite. I was hoping for an interesting and energetic slab of hardcore and that is exactly what the band provided. Slightly similar to early Comeback Kid at times, the band has a sound that is surprisingly varied tempo wise. In fact the opening intro is slow and sample filled while the opening song is much more brooding with heavier riffs and sincere yet shouting vocals. With the third song the band kicks up the tempo temporarily but the tempo variation continues as the band showcases the fact that they aren't content with playing simplified music. This certainly proves that not all hardcore songs consist of three chords and a one note breakdown.

Also given the fact that the hardcore was seemingly built on testosterone, The Effort is thankfully without the posturing and sometimes tough guy nature of the genre. This is a more self-conscious and emotional take on the genre. It brings to mind what American Nightmare was doing during their time, but without the blazing speed. When it comes to hardcore I do tend to enjoy the speed aspect of it, but when the songs are this powerful I don't really even notice the lack of speed. In fact the fact that they aren't all that common makes the fast sections even more powerful.

If you are looking for 12 barn burners this album definitely will not provide them. If however you are a more open minded fan of hardcore and a combination of Comeback Kid, American Nightmare and Boysetsfire sounds appealing, this is a varied and layered album that I couldn't recommend enough.

A Breath Before Surfacing-Death is Swallowed In Victory
(Mediskare Records, 2008)

While I definiely enjoy the music played by A Breath Before Surfacing, the label calling this a new take on the Gothenburg sound doesn't really ring true to these ears. The band certainly takes influence from the genre but the bands style as a whole is fairly easy to associate into the current metalcore sound. To my ears they sound like a more invovled version of Unearth with more interesting riffing and a decided lack of breakdowns.

If that opening paragraph seemed to be cutting the band down, it really wasn't meant to. The band is quite excellent at what they do and the power behind the music is hard to ignore. The melodies are weaved effortlessly into heavy riffs and the band has a firm grasp on making the songs immediate yet still have depth. The band throws a large number of riffs at the listener and makes the vast majority of them stick like glue. There are typical moments to be found on the album, most notably any of the few breakdown riffs that appear sparsely throughout the album. One difference I would say is that while most bands take their influence from At the Gates this band seems to show a love for early Dark Tranquility much more. The intricate riffing and effortless playing all recall the early days of Dark Tranquility albeit this is filtered through a much more modern sound.

While the actual sound of the band isn't groundbreaking, the conviction on display is commendable. I hate to use the term deathcore because it just doesn't sit well with me but if you are fans of the bands normally associated with that term this may be right up your alley. This is similar in feel to say a band like Whitechapel although this is a touch more melodic.

Noctis-For Future's Past
(Prime Cuts Music, 2007)

Noctis may just be one of the most well kept secrets of the Australian metal scene and why a band this good is practically unknown is just beyond me. Having a sound that is firmly planted in between Katatonia and Opeth, Noctis embrace both the melodic and the crushingly heavy. Guttural roars give way to subtle vocal melodies with the riffing following a similar pattern. You have riffs that are massive sounding yet the band has little trouble turinig off the distortion and playing something much more melodic and introspective.

The band might wear their influences on their sleeves yet there are unique ideas on display and this is far from what I would consider a clone. Elements of Tool also seem to come out in the music as well with the song Of Emptiness showing it the strongest giving the song a mind blowing combination of Tool and Katatonia. This song alone makes the price of the album seem like peanuts when you are treated to a song this powerful and haunting. I would say the band is right up their in terms of quality with a band like Daylight Dies and the fact that most metal fans have probably never heard of Noctis is a shame.

There are only a handful of times lately when an album from a band I have never heard of blows me completely away. This debut album from Noctis not only blows me away but makes me want to devote my entire life to making sure this band gets the attention they deserve. This is 30 minutes of powerful metal music that manages to combine melody with doom inspired riffs effortlessly. If you are a fan of Opeth, Katatonia, Daylight Dies or even Tool for that matter, this is an album that you need to hear.

Vespers Descent-Reality Dysfunction
(Prime Cuts Music, 2008)

Melodic death metal may not interest me as much as it once did but a band like Vespers Descent manages to do the genre right and while it may be slightly typical of the genre this is a solid MCD none the less. Armed with a speed driven sound, the band takes the Gothenburg sound and injects it with a progressive sound making for a diverse and hard hitting album. The guitar leads are sure to inspire fits of air guitar and the fluidity and style heard in the lead guitar work is staggering.

Riff wise the band manages to bring in a lot of different ideas. Of course you have the more typical Swedish style speed riffs, but the band also brings in more involved rythmic riffs at times as well as acoustic sections that bring to mind In Flames. When you get right to it the band definitely sounds a lot like In Flames and At the Gates at times. The aspect of the band that really lets them stand out are the guitar solos. They have a definite progressive edge and the sweep picking on display is some of the cleanest I have heard in a long time.

The inclusion of a cover of Blinded by Fear somewhat solidifies the At the Gates comparison and the acoustic track that follows could have easily been taken from an In Flames album. So essentially the band is good at what they do but it really isn't anything new or groundbreaking for the melodic death metal genre. That in itself doesn't really hurt the album at all though as the riffing is solid and the band plays with an incredibly sense of urgency. If you are a fan of At the Gates, early Soilwork or In Flames this is an album you'll want to look into.

Frankenbok-The Last Ditch Redemption
(Prime Cuts Music, 2008)

Although Frankenbok have been together since 1997, The Last Ditch Redemption is my first time hearing the long running Australia based band. It is no surprise that the band has been together as long as they have been as the music has a maturity and tightness that only comes after years of perfecting your craft. The energetic thrash based music of the band is full throttle and built upon insanely memorable guitar riffs and vocal hooks. In other words long after the CD has stopped spinning these songs will stick with you.

While I can't comment on previous releases the band has an interesting approach with this MCD making it like a full fledged concept album. The album only contains 4 actual songs but they are bookended with short skits I guess you could say that tell the story of the album. Many of them are just ambient noises with sound effects but they are effective. The real meat of the album are the four songs but it is cool that the band put the effort in to make this more than just 4 metal songs back to back. The band is somewhat hard to define musically. Elements of thrash and rock n' roll combine for an energetic and blistering sound that really doesn't sound like anyone else. I would have little trouble telling someone that I thought Frankenbok was an original band and that isn't something I find myself saying much lately.

This is a band that I am definitely going to dig into their back catalog and see just what exactly I have been missing. If you are a fan of thrash and don't mind the idea of it being combined with a rock edge, Frankenbok is definitely a band worthy of your time. Take one listen to the song Dig and I guarantee you that you will be instantly hooked.

Dyscord-Dakota
(Prime Cuts Music, 2008)

Dyscord are a musical boot to the face and while you are spitting out teeth and blood you'll realize that you loved every second of the beating you've just received. Armed with a rhythmic yet intense style, the band fits in somewhere in between Job for a Cowboy and Lamb of God yet not quite as death metal as the former and not quite as streamlined as the latter. The band offers rythmic crunch in spades but aren't afraid to kick up the tempo to blast beat territory as well which results in a varied and interesting metal album.

While I wouldn't exactly call the music the band plays simple, they really manage to trim the fat and write songs that have a lot of impact. The guitar riffs are memorable and definitely reinforced greatly by a sharp yet dirty guitar tone that really stands out as unique for a band in this style. This is a genre plagued by bands trying to sound damn near indentical and Dyscord certainly isn't content with being just another band in the genre. Clean vocals are used but very sparingly as they never become the focus of the songs. This is a dirty metal record first and foremost and the band certainly isn't trying to get any radio play by throwing in unneeded extended bits of clean vocals.

Dyscord play an energetic and heavy style of metal that really doesn't fit nicely into any subgenre tags. There is definitely death metal present in the style but there is also many elements on display which links the band to the metalcore genre. For what it's worth, I'd say just stick to calling this metal. Forget about subgenres and ridiculous adjectives. When you get right down to it this is a stripped down and primal metal album with aggression to spare that deserves to be heard.