Emery-The Question
(Tooth and Nail, 2005)

Even though Emery may be just a bit radio friendly, it’s hard to not be moved by the emotional nature of the performance and the sheer power of the song writing. Catchy vocal hooks and jangly verses are met by some of the most memorable choruses you are ever likely to hear. Lyrically the guys manage to keep things relatable, but not simplistic. Screaming is kept to a minimum here which works well with me, because the singer has an amazing voice. Fans of The Used or Underoath would probably be into this, but I’d recommend this to everyone.

Through the Eyes of the Dead-Bloodlust
(Prosthetic Records, 2005)

Despite being lumped into the metalcore genre at times, Through the Eyes of the Dead are best described as a death metal band. Raging blast beats and ripping vocals are the norm here, but there is a surprising amount of melody to be found as well. They do take a bit of influence from the overused Swedish sound, but it’s just a small part of what the band has to offer. I think it’s the bands use of breakdowns that gets them lumped into the metalcore genre, but this is much better then the vast majority of metalcore bands out there right now. The band isn’t quite there in terms of originality, but some of the riffs found on this album are downright devastating and it’s a hell of a listen none the less.

My Ruin-The Brutal Language
(Rovena Recordings, 2005)

My Ruin definitely isn’t your typical female fronted metal band. Their brutal mixture of rock n’ roll and doom is quite unique, and the closest comparison one could come up with would be a cross between Black Sabbath and White Zombie, mixed with straight ahead rock. It’s an energetic combination that is somewhat simplistic at times, but always memorable and intense. I think it’s awesome that the band’s style remains consistent from track to track, but they still cover different ground with each song. Fans of everything from Entombed, to Rob Zombie would find something to their liking here.

Primal Fear-Seven Seals
(Nuclear Blast, 2005)

It’s probably no surprise that Primal Fear hasn’t changed their sound at all with this latest album. It might be a shade darker then previous albums, but the band’s upbeat continuation of the Painkiller album is in top form here. Raging melodic guitar lines are met with energetic yet simple drum beats, with the trademark vocals soaring on top. It’s a style that works and I can see the band changing anytime soon. This is another top notch album to add to the Primal Fear catalogue.

The Absence-From Your Grave
(Metal Blade, 2005)

The Absence could be described as a cross between At the Gates and Heartwork era Carcass. The two bands are definitely referenced a lot in metal, so you’d probably think that this would make this band somewhat stale. Not in the least. The energetic, tight approach of the band will have even the most jaded metal heads head banging with neck snapping intensity in no time. You could almost draw comparisons between these guys and Black Dahlia Murder, but I think it’s mainly because they were influenced by the same bands. Guitar solos are abundant, as are memorable riffs. This is easily one of the best melodic death metal albums in a long time.

Exodus-Shovel Headed Killing Machine
(Nuclear Blast, 2005)

With a revamped line-up Exodus is back with their most pummelling album in years. It’s heavy, fast, and very much so sounds like a modern take on classic thrash metal. None of the songs reach blast beat tempos, but this is definitely the fastest and most aggressive Exodus has ever been. I found some of the guitar solos to be a bit sloppy, but they definitely weren’t lacking in intensity. They had that old school flying by the seat of your pants feel. Time will tell if this will stand beside Bonded By Blood, but for the time being it is definitely a solid addition to the band’s discography.

Aiden-Nightmare Anatomy
(Victory Records, 2005)

To my ears Aiden really sounds like a cross between My Chemical Romance, AFI and a darker Taking Back Sunday. I suppose a similarity could be drawn to Atreyu musically, but definitely not vocally. There are a few metallic moments, but this is mainly extremely catchy, but still quite dark in terms of lyrical content. The band is up tempo, memorable and sure to cause quite a stir. Most of these songs are just too damn catchy to not pay attention to. I could definitely see these guys making quite a name for themselves.

Khold-Krek
(Candlelight Records, 2005)

Khold are one of the most original black metal bands around right now, and the band’s sound is taken even further with Krek. The band has taken the rock influence even further on this latest album, and while it is still dark and quite black metal in nature this is some of the most memorable song writing ever seen in black metal. Each song is built around extremely simple, yet stark riffs that are always catchy and always interesting. The speed is still here, but it doesn’t show its face as much as usual, and in turn that makes this a much more diverse album. It also makes the faster moments much more effective. Not only is this the best album so far from Khold, but also an album that is sure to become a classic of the black metal genre.

Detonation-Portals to Uphobia
(Osmose Productions, 2005)

This album reminds me of the type of band No Fashion Records used to release. When the melodic death metal sound wasn’t played to death, the bands played with incredible vigour and still had unique ideas to commit to tape. Detonation would definitely fit that mould. They are melodic and intense, yet there are still many original elements to be found here. The songs are filled to the brim with harmonized guitars and melodic lines, yet there is no shortage of full barrage riffing and harsh vocals. For those of you who think there is nothing new happening with melodic death metal, this album will prove you wrong.

Quantice Never Crashed-s/t
(The Death Scene, 2005)

I think that if you are going to play solos in a band that you may want to hold off until you can play in key. The guitar solo during the opening song is so out of key that it sounds like a cat dying over top of the music. It almost sounds like he is hitting every wrong not on purpose. The rest of the disc is a lot better, with an aggressive and harsh take on hardcore punk mixed with hints of screamo. But guys please kick out your lead guitar player, or at the very least tell him to take a lesson or two. The guitar solos are just grating and take away greatly from the music.

Madball-Legacy
(Ferret Music, 2005)

Legacy is exactly what you’d expect from Madball, a no frills hardcore album played with conviction and built for sing a longs. While the songs aren’t anything different, they definitely are some of the best yet from the band, and the powerful production definitely helps the point get driven home. I was definitely pleased to see that they included quite a few fast songs here, but like always with Madball the vast majority of tunes are more mid paced. If you are even slightly into hardcore, chances are you already own a Madball album. This should be considered a mandatory purchase for all hardcore fans worldwide.

A Life Once Lost-Hunter
(Ferret Music, 2005)

While the band’s last album really showed off a blatant Meshuggah influence, Hunter shows the band coming into their sound. The Meshuggah influence is still there, but the band has added many new elements to their brand of harsh metalcore. The first noticeable difference is that there are many more tempo changes here, and the song writing in general is more mature and thought out. These guys have been at it for awhile, and it’s great to see a band maturing into an original sound. This is violent, and harsh yet still very catchy. With the metalcore scene as cluttered as it is, A Life Once Lost stands out like a sore thumb. This is what metalcore should be.

Ramallah-Kill a Celebrity
(Thorp Records, 2005)

It’s rare these days that a band has both amazing music and amazing lyrical content. Ramallah’s latest album is not only one of the most urgent albums hardcore has seen in a long time, it also features some of the best lyrics ever heard on a hardcore record. The album attacks the listener with incredibly intensity, but this is also a varied album. Keyboards are used from time to time, and the album is littered with interludes that are quite different then the band’s usual sound. This is an album that pushes the boundaries of hardcore, and in a time when hardcore lyrics sound like bad poetry written by teenagers, this is an album the scene needs.

The Classic Struggle-Feel Like Hell
(Ironclad Recordings, 2005)

At first The Classic Struggle seems to have a sound that is somewhat typical of today’s metalcore scene. The chugging riffing, pounding double bass and harsh vocals are all here, as is a Swedish influence from time to time. Truth be told, they sound like a harsher version of Unearth. I would say that these guys are much more involved though then most metalcore bands, and the songs aren’t anywhere near as straight forward. I personally think that this band is amazing when playing fast, and it’s the breakdown riffs that somewhat make these guys sound more typical.

Ed Gein-Judas Goars and Dieseleaters
(Blackmarket Activities, 2005)

Ed Gein plays destructive hardcore that is fast, abrasive and almost borderlines being grindcore. Similarities to Converge could be made, but this is much more metallic and straight to the point. Despite this being incredibly harsh, the band has a lot of cool and unique ideas running throughout. A lot of simple ideas are repeated making these songs memorable, while never letting up the extremity. The big surprise here is an unlisted cover of Nirvana’s Breed. It’s definitely much different then the band’s usual sound but the cover is surprisingly effective. This is a blistering, and noisy album for fans of all extreme music.

Marigold-Audible to Animals
(Textbook Music, 2005)

Awesome, simply awesome. This debut album from Marigold is striking, original, and heartfelt in a way missing from most new bands these days. It’s not surprising when you consider this band was started by the former vocalist/guitarist of This Day Forward, but it is very cool to see that the bands are similar yet still very different. Interesting ideas run throughout the entire album, and this definitely shows a band that isn’t afraid to experiment. While many of you are still missing This Day Forward, this band will definitely help ease the pain.