Dimension Zero-He Who Shall Not Bleed
(Candlelight Records, 2009)

The funny thing about a band like Dimension Zero is the fact that the band has been around for sometime now and is made up of members from bands that have seen their core bands begin to lose a bit of their extremity over the years. In Flames and Soilwork have both slowed considerably over the years and Dimension Zero seems to be the outlet for the members of this bands aggression. He Who Shall Not Bleed is a blistering slab of metal that pulls no punches and slaps you across the face for 34 minutes. Which translates into one hell of a melodic death metal album.

It would be tough to say that this album takes the melodic death metal genre in any new directions. It is fairly by the books but still manages to grab your attention through the strength of the songwriting and the energy behind the performance. Sure you have heard similar riffs before but when they are played with this much vigor it is hard to ignore. Certain songs certainly stand out as being focal points for the album. The opening title track hits with a ton of steam, and the rapid fire Red Dead Heat is one of the many standout tracks throughout the album. The vocals are spat with incredible angst and really help to solidify that this is indeed an angry album. It may be melodic but it is very far from being what you could call a wussy album. The band also tends to keep the songs short and to the point, with only one song breaking the 4 minute mark. Also be sure to check out the cover of Stayin' Alive. It may be a Bee Gee's song but damn does it ever sound good as a breakneck metal song.

Like I mentioned before the album really doesn't break any new ground but it is incredibly solid none the less. The songwriting is right on the money, the production is heavy as all hell and the band is as tight as they come for this style of music. If you are a fan of melodic death metal, you really can't go wrong here.

Cattle Decapitation-The Harvest Floor
(Metal Blade Records, 2009)

Cattle Decapitation have been a band that has progressed tremendously since they signed to Metal Blade. While the band essentially started out as a Carcass clone they have morphed into a surprisingly unique and varied death metal band. More so than ever before The Harvest Floor shows the band progressing even further adding in melodic elements and a bit more atmosphere as well. If you enjoyed the speed driven elements of the band, you don't have to worry, there are still blast beats to spare. But as a whole the songwriting is much more effective this time out.

The opening song basically sums up the direction of the band with this album. You have the blistering speed of previous albums and the unmistakable guttural roars fans of the bands expect but the song throws a ridiculous amount of curve balls at the listener and probably has the most tempo changes you have ever seen from the band yet. Throw in the fact that the song is almost 6 minutes long and you have a real eye opener. This definitely isn't the same Cattle Decapitation that you hard of Karma Bloody Karma. The band seems to want to explore taking the band in a slightly more noisy direction at times with the album as well. Straight forward death metal riffs are hardly anywhere to be found, replaced with spastic chaotic flourishes that wouldn't sound out of place on a Locust album. There is a lot to dig into with this album and the album seems a bit more rewarding in the longrun than previous albums from this band.

I've been a fan of this band for a number of years and yet this one still took me by surprise. This album shows the band progressing into a new sound that stays true to the previous albums but is even more intense and much more varied than previous albums. If you have written Cattle Decapitation off as one trick ponies, this album definitely proves otherwise.

Terminal Function-Measuring the Abstract
(Willowtip Records, 2008)

While it certainly isn't hard to pinpoint the bands that Terminal Function turn to for inspiration, the way the sounds intermingle certainly give the band a unique feel. Take the rhythmic insanity of Meshuggah amplify the nuttiness and then add in ample does of both Cynic and Dream Theater and you basically have Terminal Function. The band plays a technical and progressive style of metal that never becomes heavy handed. This is far from easy listening but the band never falls into the excessive masturbatory trap.

I'm a fan of Meshuggah but what has plagued some of their recent albums is the fact that they try to sound overly abrasive. It wasn't really the case with Obzen but the albums prior suffered from this. A band like Terminal Function takes the Meshuggah influence but makes it a bit less raw. The time signatures are indeed odd but they are wrapped around sections that are fairly straight forward. This isn't one constant weird timing from beginning to end. So if you possibly dig Meshuggah in small doses and wondered what they would sound like if they explored melody a bit more this band is definitely worth checking out. The Cynic influence is rather overt as well but do you honestly see many bands taking influence from Cynic? It's a shame that one of the most unique metal bands of all time is still fairly unknown so any band showing the influence is welcome in my book.

Originality may not be this bands strong point influence wise but there is definitely a lot to enjoy about this album. The songwriting flows incredibly well and that is saying a lot considering these songs are very far from simple. Take one listen to Room 101 and tell me the band isn't flirting with brilliance. Hopefully with the next album the band will take a step back from their influences and bring in some elements that are a bit more unique. That said this is a progressive metal album that I can recommend with very little hesitation.

Necroblashpheme-Destination: Nulle Part
(Agonia Records, 2008)

Don't let the relatively bright and colorful album cover fool you here. Necroblashpheme play a blistering style of blackened death metal that shows a maturity rarely seen from a band only releasing their second full length album. The songs are crafted meticulously and by all accounts would be the perfect example of modern death metal done right. The band is technical and incredibly tight yet the riffing remains catchy and stays with you.

Without trying to think of any interest adjectives, I just have to say that the band writes really cool riffs. These are riffs that you enjoy listening to and the fact that the band has written so many amazing riffs on one album is astounding. Also of note is just how varied the actual riffing styles are. There is a lot of subtle melody in the riffing and the slight black metal feel definitely comes from this aspect. The band also uses a number of tremolo picked riffs that bring to mind either Behemoth or Vader but as a whole the band really sounds nothing like either. The band also isn't afraid to throw in simple riffs from time to time. Look at the chugging riffs in 2h40 AM as a perfect example. The band knows when to hold back and let the songs breathe and that is fairly uncommon in death metal.

I've basically gone from having no idea who this band was to being a huge fan. This is a fairly unknown band on a fairly unknown label, but this is an album that fans of death metal need to track down. The musicianship is top notch and the songwriting literally blows away similar bands that could be considered some of the most well known bands in the genre. If you like death metal, you'll like this, end of story.

Bloodsworn-All Hyllest Til Satan
(Agonia Records, 2008)

Originally recorded in 1999, the debut album from Bloodsworn seems to have been slightly cursed. Not one but two labels folded while the band was trying to get the album released. Now 10 years later the album is finally out and if you are a fan of fast paced black metal it was certainly worth the wait.

What instantly struck be about the album was the fact that the band was noisy but they seemed to have a slightly different approach to raw black metal. The vocals are distorted and the production, while raw, isn't coated in the layer of treble normally associated with the genre. In fact the guitar tone itself is rather fuzzy and hardly seems harsh at all. Also despite being noisy the band really manages to craft some memorable riffs. There is a definite Celtic Frost feel to some of the riffs and in general the band takes a more old school approach to the black metal genre. I know what you are thinking the album was recorded ten years ago so it already is old school, but I'm talking even farther back. Think Morbid Tales and early Bathory.

Granted some metal albums from the past are left forgotten, but this one definitely isn't one of them. This is a blistering and unique album of black metal that would have been unanimously praised ten years ago and should get the same reaction right now. If you are a fan of black metal without the frills and with extremely memorable riffs, check out this finally unearthed album.

Rudimentary Peni-No More Pain EP
(Southern Records, 2008)

While there was certainly a time when I did listen to a lot of older UK punk bands, Rudimentary Peni was a band that I never explored to any lengths. Sure I knew the name but had absolutely no idea what the band was all about musically. Fast forward to 2008 and the band has released a 10 song EP of new material and I've finally had the chance to hear the band. Am I impressed? Most definitely.

The album has a definite punk feel but is also somewhat metallic as well. Call me crazy but I even hear strains of a Venom influence running throughout the bands sound. The songs themselves are rather short, mid tempo and rather cryptic in the lyrics department. With the exception of maybe one song each song basically has 4 or 5 lines that are repeated throughout the song. You'd think it might come across as boring but when the song is just over a minute long it never had the opportunity to outstay its welcome. I was a bit surprise by the lack of speed. Only the song Doodlebug Baby kicks up the tempo slightly. The slower pace definitely gives the album a slightly more gloomy feel which is only further emphasized by a fairly heavy guitar sound.

While I am impressed I definitely feel the need to say that a great deal of the songs on here do sound quite similar. Also I'm not entirely sure what the motivation behind the cover of Canon in D is. Basically they turn it into a noisy mess. If that was there intention they succeeded, but it just isn't all that interesting to listen to. If you are a fan of the band I'm sure you are aching to hear new material. I dig this but I don't think I'll be running out to buy their early albums.

Llynch-We Are Our Ghosts
(Bastardized Recordings, 2008)

I was trying to put my hand on just who Llynch sounds like and I am having a hell of a time. The album is adventurous and somewhat long winded at 64 minutes long. At face value the band could be compared to a cross between Tool, The Deftones, Isis and new Dillinger Escape Plan. The band covers a lot of ground and for the most part they never stumble. That said if you are expecting instant gratification this album definitely is not for you.

Maybe it is just me but it seems like music listeners are getting very lazy these days. They want everything to be instant. The problem with that is that not all music can be truly enjoyed on the first listen. With this album if you just listened to it once you'd be missing out and truthfully you might find it a bit boring. But when you sit back and really listen the songs begin to really take on a new life. The aggressive elements stand out on the first listen, but there are some truly brilliant moments littered throughout the disc. The fact that the band can manage to be both noisy and melodic at the same time is commendable, as is the fact that the band has taken such an ambitious route for their debut full length album. Like I mentioned earlier the album is somewhat long winded and if you have a short attention span you may want to take your Ritalin before digging into the album. For me personally I thoroughly enjoy when an album is experienced and not just listened to. This is one of those albums.

It surprises me the somewhat middle of the road reception this album seems to be getting from metal journalists. I'm not sure if they are just listening to the album once and never really digging in. Granted I think the band could have trimmed off one or two songs just for length purposes, but there is a ridiculous amount of material to digest here that is more than worth your time. If you are a fan of noisy and experimental music that doesn't really fit into any one genre, this German bands hardcore meets post rock style is definitely worth looking into.

By Any Means Necessary-Self-Titled
(Self-Released, 2008)

It only takes 9 minutes for this young Texas band to kick your ass. The band plays something of a cross between say the metalcore style of Chimaira and newer Exodus creating a sound that doesn't quite fit snugly into the thrash metal genre having a very modern feel at the same time.

The songwriting on display for these three songs is just ridiculous. The riffs are put together incredibly well and the band is ridiculously tight while never sounding mechanical. Guitar leads are also quite common and are handled quite well having a classic thrash meets sweep picking type style. Vocally I'd say the band is a bit one dimensional but the style certainly fits. It isn't quite a growl and not quite a scream. It's a very clear style that is easy to understand. A bit more variety would have been nice but it is far from mandatory. For an unknown band this is an incredibly solid sounding album that is as polished as any album being released by the biggest names in this style. The fact that what is essentially a three song demo sounds this fantastic is astounding and will definitely make people take notice of the band a lot quicker.

Honestly I've listened to this about 10 tens in a row writing this review and each time it ends I want to keep pressing play. There have been very few demos that have impressed me as much as this Texan band has. I would be very surprised if the response doesn't land the band a record deal. This is much more interesting than a great deal of the albums being released by similar bands and despite the fact that the band isn't icredibly original, it is still very early into the bands career and that originality may come with time. If you are a fan of Chimaira, Exodus, or Unearth this is a band that you need to check out.

http://www.myspace.com/byanymeansnecessary

Black Elk-Always a Six, Never a Nine
(Crucial Blast, 2008)

Devastating is usually a word reserved for describing death metal or any of the more extreme forms of metal, but the word fits perfectly to describe the latest album from Black Elk. Take rock, metal, punk and a whole lot of noise and blend it together and you don't even have the start of the Black Elk sound. Imagine if you had three or four record players and had a Black Flag records on one, a Jesus Lizard record on another and a Melvins record on another and all of them were playing at the same time. That would be Black Elk and fuck, there are awesome.

The opening song is jaw dropping in its intensity and the way the band weaves each layer together is just plain unbelievable. The band manages to take the noisy and make every little note and noise just perfect. Look at the chorus to Hospital. The song is heavy and noise driven yet you have an almost radio friendly chorus worked perfectly into the song. What this band can do is nothing short of brilliance and the way they do it in an organic and musical way is even more staggering. Pretty much each song brings with at least a few jaw dropping moments and listening to this album has me smiling every second of the way. It amazes me that a band can go from noisy rock freak outs to the acoustic serenity of Brine, but Black Elk certainly can.

Even with being a big fan of the last album from this band I definitely wasn't expecting the band to add even further to their sound and create an album this amazing. The fact that Black Elk are a band next to no one has heard of it downright criminal and while the bands sound is far from being easy to digest, they have a ridiculous amount of material to throw at an adventurous music fan to enjoy. I don't care what genre of music you normally associate yourself with, this is an album that everyone needs to hear.

Gore-Hart Gore/Mean Man's Dream
(Southern Lord, 2008)

This is something of a musical history lesson for me. Up until receiving this I thought the only band named Gore out there was the Brazilian goregrind band. Unbeknown to me, there was actually a band from the Netherlands in the 80's named Gore and what we have here is a double disc re-issue of the bands first two albums along with a smattering of bonus tracks. The band plays a metallic sort of hardcore meets doom that is on the slower side and is without vocals. It's an interesting sound that holds up remarkably well to this day.

Up first we have Hart Gore which was originally released 1986. The sound of the album is quite stripped down but due to being remastered sounds quite phenomenal. The songs are basically built on repetition. The band plays a heavy and somewhat creepy sounding riff a large number of times and then moves on to the next. There is definitely a doom feel to much of the songs and the horror inspired song titles are definitely reflected in the music. The bands decision to be instrumental does seem a bit odd at times as vocals would most definitely have fit with the style the band is playing. The bonus tracks for the first disc is essentially the entire album in a live setting as well as a leftover song and a cover of David Bowie's Station to Station.

Mean Man's Dream is similar in nature to Hart Gore but a bit more layered and dare I say mature. The songs are a bit more evolved and seem to have more to them than just simplistic power chord riffs. The simplicity of Hart Gore is still there but there is no denying that the band had moved forward with this album. The songs are also quite a bit more lengthy and have a much stronger thrash feel on this album at times. I think that the raw nature of Hart Gore makes it a bit more of an appealing album overall. Not that Mean Man's Dream isn't good but it doesn't grab you in the same way. Bonus tracks are along the same lines as the Hart Gore album. You basically have the entire album in either live tracks or demo versions of the songs.

If you are like me and are new to this band, this is definitely a collection worth picking up if you are into instrumental music. If you are already a fan of the band, this is pretty much mandatory due to the remastering and the inclusion of a ton of bonus tracks. Add in the massive booklet with rare pictures and liner notes and this is a hard one to pass up on.

A Thousand Years Slavery-A Fury Named Spartan
(Conatus Records, 2008)

I was ready to write this off as just another metalcore band but the intensity on display really made me stand up and take notice. On the surface the band has everything you would expect. Fast almost Swedish sounding riffs, heavy breakdowns, clean vocals and shredding guitar leads are all present and all very common of the genre. But what helps the band stand out is just the raw power that comes through in the music. These guys mean business and it really comes through the speakers.

The majority of this EP is full throttle but the band definitely does slow down from time to time. An Eternal Tree is a fairly mid tempo song that really manages to be powerful with the blast beats only coming in stabs throughout the song. I do enjoy the band when they are playing fast but the songs seem to breathe a bit more when the band slows down. A Fury Named Spartan starts off as a barn burner which makes the breakdown riffs scattered throughout the song even more powerful. Like I mentioned earlier the band really isn't original but they are quite good at what they do.

There is no getting around the fact that the band plays deathcore and they are quite good at it. If you are looking for something with a bit of originality this is definitely not it. But if you are looking for say a combination of The Red Chord, Killswitch Engage and Unearth this band is what you are looking for. I'm curious to see where the band will go with their style in the future.

Weeping Birth-Anosognosic Industry of the I
(Convatus Records, 2008)

Unfortunately the music on display with this album is as long winded as the album name. This one man band from Switzerland is actually quite good but at 73 minutes there is just too damn much here to dig through. Especially when you consider that almost the entire album is rapid fire black metal and each song sounds fairly similar. That said there are definitely some standout tracks amongst the bunch you just have to dig to find them.

In essence Weeping Birth plays a somewhat mechanical style of black metal that utilizes a lot of layers and in the process can sound a bit messy and convoluted. A song like Vaginal Secretions seems to be built on really cool riffs but the layering used makes it quite a strain to even hear the riffing. The entire album seems to be coated in a layer of reverb and whether or not it was intentional it makes the album much noisier than it really should be. I would assume that he was going for a noisier approach to black metal and if that was the case he did succeed, but he seems to have sucked out most of the enjoyment for the listener in the process. All of the interesting moments are literally buried. The usage of a drum machine doesn't really help matters at all either.

This is definitely an album that was ambition in scope but never really came together in the long run. There are definitely a number of solid riffs and ideas throughout the album but the running time is just far too long and the production would have benefited from much less reverb. If you are a fan of noisy black metal with a mechanical edge you may want to give this a try. It is solid but not without a number of problems.

Rose Funeral-The Resting Sonata
(Metal Blade Records, 2009)

What we have here is the debut full length from Rose Funeral, an Ohio based band that has made a lot of noise for only being together for a few years. After a well received EP the band has not only managed to become an even fiercer band musically but is now on Metal Blade Records. If you haven't heard Rose Funeral yet, chances are you will soon and I say it is about damn time.

If you have heard the previous EP from the band, the band is still similar in sound but just better in pretty much every way. The overall sound is tighter and the songwriting seems a bit more focused. The guttural roars and vicious screams are still at the forefront and the blazing speed is of course still present. Unlike many of the bands that are lumped into the deathcore genre though, Rose Funeral isn't as blast beat heavy. The majority of the fast parts have a thrash feel to them and offer a nice contrast to the blast beats when the band does use them. Breakdowns are of course a big part of the bands sound and they come frequently. I guess you could say that this part of the bands sound is a bit typical but powerful none the less. I say the band is at their finest when they are playing a blistering melodic riff, but each style is handled extremely well.

Rose Funeral is a young band that definitely has a bright future. This album is proof that the band has a lot to offer and manages to reside in a cluttered genre but not seem typical of it in the least. If you are a fan of deathcore chances are you'll enjoy this, but just don't expect it to sound like every other band in the genre.

Woe of Tyrants-Kingdom of Might
(Metal Blade Records, 2009)

Where the hell has this band been hiding? After a short intro the band literally explodes with energy. This is about as varied as you can get and it just plain kicks ass. Let's take the first song for instance. The amount of styles crammed into one song is just plain ridiculous. You have fast death metal styled riffs, epic power metal melodies, fast thrash riffing, Southern rock styled twin guitar harmonies, a few almost punk sounding riffs and pretty much everything in between. And this is just in the first song people.

The remainder of the album is just as good and just as diverse. The only constant is the fact that the band plays energetic metal but other than that all bets are off. The band throws a ridiculous amount of curve balls at the listener and they manage to do everything with class. In particular what I think works well for the band is using the guttural vocals over the almost power metal like melodic riffs at times. It creates a really unique sound. In some ways this is almost like what 3 Inches of Blood tries to do with thier sound but this is actually good. There are some riffs that are truly gems on here. The verse riff in Pearls Before Swine is just ridiculously catchy and a perfect example of the power the band possesses in the songwriting department.

From beginning to end this is just a ridiculously good album. If you are expecting a by the books death metal album you will be greatly disappointed. This basically takes the best elements of every single sub-genre of metal and brings them together to form a sound that makes you proud to be a metal fan. I could almost guarantee that for every friend that you introduce to this band you'll find a beer in your hand. So crank this up make your friends buy you a case of beer and enjoy.

Six Feet Under-Death Rituals
(Metal Blade Records, 2008)

Six Feet Under has had a few shining moments throughout their existence. Haunted started things off quite well and after that the albums were somewhat hit and miss. Recently 13 showed that the band was getting back on track and Death Rituals continues that even further. This is a band that definitely gets lambasted by pretty much everyone but there is no denying that is a solid collection of songs and possibly the strongest album the band has released since Haunted.

Musically this still sounds like Six Feet Under through and through but there seems to be an urgency in the riffing that has been absent for a long time. The fast riffs are simple in nature but well written as are the more rhythmic riffs the band is known for. There really isn't much as far as surprises go. There are a few clean toned guitar sections and the short instrument Crossing the River Styx is definitely a spot that stands out as being unique for the band. Vocally this is the best Chris Barnes has sounded in a long time. The roars are unmistakable and the vocal patterns are for the most part quite interesting. They still seem a bit on the thin side which could be a production problem though.

As is the case with every album from Six Feet Under, if you didn't like them in the past you probably still won't like them now. That said, if you were a fan of the earlier albums but somewhat lost interest over the years, this may just be the album to pull you back in. It is honestly much better than I was anticipating and an excellent album of somewhat simplistic yet powerful death metal.