Execration-A Feast for the Wretched
(Comatose Music, 2008)

Hailing from what could be considered a hotbed for underground death metal, Colorado based death metal fiends Execration have written a bulldozing slab of extremity that branches the current rhythmic based style of death metal with old school elements. The result is a potent mix of chugging riffs and all out bestial blasting, completed by an utterly savage vocal assault.

Calling Execration death/grind certainly wouldn't be missing the mark by much. The overall extremity and pace of the album is certainly grind flavored but this is much more involved with technical riffs and tempo changes than most grindcore. If you are looking for speed this album certainly provides it. The blasting is ridiculous and aside from a few rythmic parts, the entire album is just on fire tempo wise. In a lot of ways the band sounds like a cross between Origin and classic Cryptopsy which is a fantastic combination in my opinion.

This is a sick and twisted slab of death metal that shows that you can add technicality and chaotic elements to death metal and still keep it straight forward. Much in a similar way to early Cryptopsy, this is intense and out of control at times but the riffing always remains memorable. It may take a while to wrap your head around the riffs but there is always something to latch onto in the chaos. If you are a fan of Origin, Cryptopsy or the rhythmic side of death metal you definitely want to check out this album.

Chrome Division-Booze, Broads and Beelezebub
(Nuclear Blast Records, 2008)

I was a fan of the debut album from Chrome Division and thankfully it wasn't a one time deal. The follow up is along the same lines but even more focused and infectious. If you listen to this album and don't have the songs stuck in your head you are quite lucky as the title track alone has been rattling around my brain for quite sometime now.

The formula is quite simple, lots of attitude, rocking riffs and an energetic perfromance. It's a formula that has worked for the bands that have inspired Chrome Division and it works perfectly here. Shades of metal come in from time to time and in these moments the band really shows off their Motorhead influence. Life of a Fighter is a perfect example of this although it also shows off an Accept influence as well. Bluesy elements also come in from time to time and there is even a surprising cover of Sharp Dressed Man by ZZ Top. The band handles the song masterfully kicking up the tempo but still staying fairly close to the original.

Chrome Division are a band that certainly know how to rock and if you are fan of Motorhead or Accept this is definitely an album you won't want to miss out on.

Exit Wounds-Self-Titled
(No Escape Records, 2008)

Absolute chaos reigns supreme on this debut album of barbaric grindcore from Poland based Exit Wounds. Think Dropdead but played through a food processor. The style is thick and heavy grindcore with hardly any letup whatsoever. To give you an example of just how fast the album is, there are 30 songs on the album and the running time is only 22 minutes.

One surprising element of the album is just how damn unique the band is. The guitar tone is very distinct and the band really doesn't rely on the typical blast/punk/blast style that grindcore is known for. In fact the drumming style is really quite distinct. While it is sometimes nearly a blur there are definitely many unique ideas to be found in the drumming as well as the riffing itself. There are many unique and interesting tempo changes and starts and stops throughout the album. The vocals are utterly savage screams puncutated with guttural roars on occasion.

This is a damn near exhausting album to listen to. The pace is ferocious and this is one of the most barbaric albums grindcore has seen in a very long time. If you like Retalliation, Cripple Bastards, Waresore or Dropdead this is definitely an album you will want to check out immediately.

Tard-Disgorging Guttural Regurgitations...
(Comatose Music, 2008)

Although the name Tard doesn't exactly lend itself to be taken seriously, one listen to the vicious metal that these Canucks play and you will be floored. Something of a mix between Cryptopsy and Fuck the Facts, the band plays a vicious form of death metal based on quick tempos and rhythmic crunch. Add in some technical elements and an annihilating vocal performance and this is one hell of a death metal album.

For anyone that says the singer from Arch Enemy is the most vicious female vocalist in metal, you obviously haven't heard Tard. Hillary Muff is downright bestial on the microphone. The guttural side of the band is powerful and just ridiculously powerful. When the vocals hit a higher register they are just as powerful but maniacal in delivery. The songs themselves tend to be short and to the point with few songs even breaking the 2 minute mark. The songs however still feel fleshed out and never seem rushed or brief. The band certainly covers a lot of ground and you'd be surprised by just how much the band can pack into a minute and a half.

This definitely isn't what I would consider to be a typical death metal band. The style of the band is somewhat standard yet the riffing ideas and songwriting structures are a bit left of center for the genre. If you are expecting typical death metal riffs you won't be finding them here. The band plays with manic energy and this is an utterly blistering slab of metal that comes highly recommended.

Withered-Folie Circulaire
(Prosthetic Records, 2008)

I had known the name Withered for awhile now but wasn't aware that this band was made up of ex-members of Social Infestation, who just happened to be one of the best bands to ever come out of Atlanta. Shades of the former band can still be heard, but Withered is quite different in many ways. Somewhat of an amalgamation of crust, grindcore, black metal and sludge, the band covers many different riffing styles throughout the course of the album and if you like your music predictable, this certainly isn't your album.

I'll be honest. If there is one thing a lot of bands are missing these days it is depth. Most albums these days have 12 songs that all sound damn near identical. So this latest album from Withered is certainly a breath of fresh air. Whether it is the long droning passages, melodic stabs, or blistering black metal elements, each is handled well and the band never stumbles. The overall variety of the band might make this a hard album for say a fan of the primal side of black metal. There are elements here that they would enjoy but they wouldn't probably know how to handle the doom elements. For those of us that do get what the band is trying to do, there is a lot to digest here and my advice to you is just to enjoy it.

I'm definitely a music fan that likes to be challenged. I like when an album forces you to give it your full attention and that is something that this album definitely does. There are indeed catchy elements but this is a layered and nuanced metal album that certainly wasn't striving to be the next flavor of the month. Fans of everything from low-fi black metal to Neurosis should easily be able to get into this. If you are a fan of unique and challenging metal, this is for you.

The Funeral Pyre-Wounds
(Prosthetic Records, 2008)

While the last album from The Funeral Pyre showed a band that was combining black metal andmelodic death metal, the melodic death metal element is nearly gone completely as the band is much more vicious and black metal based on Wounds. Granted it is a fairly cut and dry style of black metal that features next to no innovation, but it is an enjoyable album none the less.

The bands style is fairly easily traced by to ample doses of Naglar, and Dissection. The cold melodic riffs, raspy vocals and energetic drumming all point to these two bands and there are definitely worse bands out there that you can take influence from. The main problem with the album is that the songs are fairly lengthy and they all sound fairly similar. There are indeed killer riffs throughout the album but they don't always translate to killer songs. A bit more in the way of catchy riffs and fine tuning of the structuring would have went a long way in making the album seem a bit more fleshed out.

There is no denying that The Funeral Pyre are a band with a lot of potential. Also I don't mean to make Wounds sound like a bad album because it certainly isn't. With a few adjustments the band could easily be one of the best black metal bands in the US right now. They have the talent and the songwriting skills they just need to work on fine tuning everything and making the next album a bit more concise.