All Shall Perish-Awaken the Dreamers
(Nuclear Blast Records, 2008)

While I have enjoyed the last few albums from All Shall Perish you'd have to be an idiot to not see the huge progression the band has made with their latest album. If you are thinking about starting a new band and tackling the deathcore genre, you might as well just quit now because All Shall Perish has essentially perfected the genre. This is destined to be the defining moment in All Shall Perish's career and you'll love every millisecond of the beating.

The band essentially doesn't do anything new for the genre but manages to take the best elements of the genre and perfect them with lethal precision. There are bands that have similar riffs but they are rarely this vicious and the fact that the band manages to write actual songs instead of just trying to string together "brutal" breakdowns helps the album greatly. Having a technical edge isn't necessarily a problem as long as it doesn't seem forced. There are definitely some note heavy riffs on here but they work their way into the songs organically and never sound forced. The same can be said for the bands use of sweep picking in the lead sections. This style has pretty much become a defining aspect of the genre and while it is overused, All Shall Perish are definitely one of the best bands at using the style. Some of the sweeping sections are just ridiculous and seem damn near impossible for human hands. It never comes across like a gimmick though and only adds to the impact of the album.

With a diverse approach and some of the strongest songwriting chops ever seen in this genre, the band has really gone above and beyond with this album. It would have been easy for the band to throw together ten cooking cutter songs, but they have essential done the exact opposite putting together an interesting collection of songs that manage to be sufficiently heavy yet satisfying from a structuring point of view as well. Although this is the type of album that the younger metal fans will embrace quickly, if you are a jaded metal fan who shuns this genre at all costs, you may just want to give this album a try and hear just what the genre has to offer. The cliche and faceless bands have truly been pushed to the wayside and All Shall Perish now has full control of the deathcore genre.

Into Eternity-The Incurable Tragedy
(Century Media Records, 2008)

Into Eternity have been perfecting their sound with each new album and the latest album shows the band continuing to fine tune their sound to near perfection. The combination of blackened death metal, power metal and progressive metal is beginning to meld perfectly with the death metal inspired moments starting to take a back seat to the melodic elements of the band.

The band more than makes up for it by writing the best riffs ever heard on an Into Eternity album though. The riffs are ambitious and fleet fingered yet always remain very memorable and when the choruses kick in the songs soar to a completely new level altogether. There's never been any doubt that Tim Roth is a fantastic guitar player but with this album in particular his playing seems to be on fire. The riffs are played with an energy rarely seen in a progressive form of metal. The album is dedicated to a number of his relatives that have passed on due to cancer and because of this is is entirely possible that all of his emotions came through in the performance. The overall theme of the album is very unique and despite the fact that cancer has probably taken loved ones from each and every one of us it is a rarity to hear it addressed in music. Because of this fact this album certainly will strike a chord with anyone who has lost someone to cancer.

Into Eternity are easily one of the most unique and creative bands in metal right now and The Incurable Tragedy proves this point even further. The song Tides of Blood alone shows the band having more to offer musically than most bands put into an entire album and it only gets better from there. This is a musically explosive album backed by a unique theme that every single metal fan on this planet we call home needs to hear.

Reflection-When Shadows Fall
(Cruz Del Sur Music, 2008)

At first I was thinking this might be a fairly typical heavy metal romp but when I really took the time to dig into the album it became a bit apparent that the band was onto something just a bit different. The band plays a style that combines power metal and doom metal to great effect. Imagine the melodic nature of power metal mixed with the pace and heaviness of doom metal. It makes for a very interesting combination that somewhat reminds me of Candlemass mixed with hints of Blind Guardian.

This is an album that would call a grower. The first few listens are enjoyable but it takes awhile for the songs to full absorb. The slower pace certainly will be something new for most power metal fans. You certainly will not find any high speed melodies or fast drumming here. It definitely helps the band have their own niche within the genre. A song like Ghost Ship shows what the song has to offer perfectly. The song is slow paced yet the riffs shift effortlessly from melodic to heavy and the entire song is held together by memorable vocal patterns. A progressive edge comes out from time to time as well with the beginning of the title track being one of the standout moments.

There are a few problems with the album but they never really hurt the overall impact of the album. The production could have been a bit cleaner and there are a few off key vocal moments but neither hurt the album by any large amount. My advice going into this album is to give it the time it needs to breathe. This isn't a fast paced album but there is a lot to digest and the songwriting is quite satisfying if you give it the time it needs to fully register. To fans of Candlemass this one comes highly recommended.

Supreme Pain-Cadaver Pleasures
(Comatose Music, 2008)

Supreme Pain are the type of death metal band that unfortunately you don't see very often these days. Old school at heart, the band plays a punishing form of the genre mixing catchy riffs with monstrous heaviness. Tremolo picked dark melodies work their way into the sound as the band has a very early Florida style at times albeit much faster. In essence this is death metal more aligned to the beginning of the genre. It doesn't sound dated yet still has nothing to do with the gravity blasts and sweep picking more common in the genre right now.

While there is a great deal of blasting to be found here, Supreme Pain pushes themselves to have different rhythmic ideas throughout the album. A great deal of the album uses slower tempos which adds to the evil vibe of some of the riffs on display. A cross between Sinister and early Florida death metal particularly Deicide is a fair way to describe Supreme Pain. It doesn't bring anything new to the genre but the 8 songs that comprise the album are incredibly solid none the less.

I certainly enjoy my fair share of newer death metal bands but it just doesn't have the same barbarism of old school death metal. Supreme Pain is a perfect example of a band that takes the early elements of the genre and adds just enough modern elements to complete a killer death metal sound. If you are a fan of the genre, this album comes highly recommended.

Absolution-The Revelation Diaries
(Self-Released, 2008)

Absolution is certainly a band with potential but at this point in their career they are still a bit rough around the edges. Drawing largely from Shadows Fall, the band has a rhythmic sound that has stabs of melody interjected into the songs. You'd have a hard time calling this original and that is a bit of a drawback. I don't expect bands in the demo stage to be completely original but the Shadows Fall influence is very strong to say the least.

Absolution is far from being a bad band. Riffwise the band manages to put together interesting ideas and occasionally even flashes their chops with a few note heavy riffs. The vocals are a bit hit or miss. The harsh vocals are pretty good but the clean vocals do not fare so well. There just isn't much strength behind these sections and the clean vocals just really don't work all that well. The lead guitar also seems a bit hit or miss as well. Some of the solos seem a bit out of tune and some just don't mix well with the music that is being played underneath. I would also say that the songs are much too long for this style. Most songs are between 6 and 7 minutes and I think taking a more concise approach might have benefited the band.

With a few tweaks and a rethought vocal approach, Absolution would be a band to look out for. As it stands the band is fairly average and might be a band that will set the metal scene on fire just yet. There is potential but the band still has a ways to go.

Element-Under the Influence
(Self-Released, 2008)

In the band photo in the CD booklet the old adage wearing your influences on your sleeve certainly rings true. Members are wearing Metallica and Down shirts and that is definitely what Element reminds me of, a cross between Metallica and Down. The band has a tight style that doesn't throw any curve balls at you but is none the less solid. In this day and age it is rare to hear a band just playing heavy metal but that is the easiest way to describe Element.

Downfall kicks off the album and this song in particular shows off a strong Metallica influence on the most. The wah wah drenched solos and thrash styled riffs all just reek of Metaliica. But in all honesty this sounds more like Metallica than Metallic does these days, so it isn't a bad thing. The songs are all fairly diverse and regardless of what the band tries with their sound they are usually successful. A few songs are a bit more mellow while a few others bring in a slight sludge feel with much heavier riffs. The title track is downright epic reaching the ten minute mark. The band manages to keep it interesting though with different riff ideas and a number of guitar leads.

Element might have a slightly by the books sound but it is enjoyable none the less. For fans of the heavier side of metal this might not be quite heavy enough for you. But for fans of Metallica, Down and possibly even Machine Head this is an album that is packed full of riffs, leads and choruses sure to induce manic head banging fits.

http://www.myspace.com/elementsound

Krisiun-Southern Storm
(Century Media Records, 2008)

While many long running death metal bands manage to become a parody of what they once were, Krisiun has only become more lethal with time. Southern Storm is trademark Krisiun through and through yet it continues with some of the new found dynamics explored on Assassination. Barbaric speed is present but the band has really made the album satisying rhythmically by exploring many different tempos throughout.

What separates Krisiun from the current crop of technical death metal is the fact that Krisiun manages to write memorable songs. There is no denying the musicality on display yet the band isn't afraid to strip things down to their most basic. In that regard the band reminds me of classic Sepultura although sound wise the bands are quite different most of the time. The comparison seems somewhat justified due to the fact that the band has included a cover of the Sepultura classic Refuse/Resist on the album. While the inclusion of cover songs can sometimes interrupt the flow of an album the cover works perfectly with this album. The band sticks very close to the original although this version is much heavier overall.

Although there have been numerous albums this year that have shown that death metal is still alive and well it's nice to see a long running band bring out an album that is just as good as anything they have ever released. Southern Storm is a blistering example of a band that knows how to play their instruments but isn't afraid to keep things stripped down. If the first three songs don't have your interest in death metal reinvigorated I think it's time to have your hearing checked out.

Prion-Impressions
(Comatose Music, 2008)

A band like Prion definitely has a place in the death metal scene. With Hate Eternal missing the mark with their latest album and Morbid Angel without a decent record in years, a band like Prion can step up to the plate and even though you can hear the influences they still manage to create a pounding and interesting slab of death metal Combine Hate Eternal, Morbid Angel and Immolation and you basically have Prion although these Greek death metallers definitely have a few tricks up their sleeves.

The songs are built on high speed riffs that combine many different feels and picking styles to create a sound that varied and undeniably blistering. Dark melody even finds its way into the riffs quite often and the band has a knack for adding extra touches to make the riffs even more devastating. Whether it is an added pause here or just a unique fill at the end of the riff, the band manages to make the music interesting while never sacrificing the heaviness. The band is just as effective when they slow down and the riffing becomes incredibly crushing. Guitar leads are also quite common and add a melodic layer to the music during these sections.

While the band may not be the most original death metal band you will ever hear, they are quite good at what they do and in many ways have surpassed some of the bands that they draw influence from. If you enjoy your death metal blistering and darkly melodic, Prion is a band that is definitely worth your time.