4 Metal

November 2011 Best Heavy Metal CDs

2011-12-15T06:10:00.000-08:00

1. Krisiun - 'The Great Execution' (Century Media)

2. Leviathan - 'True Traitor, True Whore' (Profound Lore)

3. Megadeth - 'Th1rt3en' (Roadrunner)

4. Blut Aus Nord - '777: The Desanctification' (Debemur Morti)

5. Riot - 'Immortal Soul' (SPV)

Rammstein Single, "Mein Land," Available Nov. 11

2011-10-27T03:00:00.001-07:00

Oct. 26 -- Rammstein release "Mein Land," the first single from the Rammstein retrospective Made In Germany 1995-2011, on Nov. 11 through Universal Germany's marketing and distribution deal in the US with Vagrant Records.

The "Mein Land" single will be available as a four-track release via iTunes with an unreleased song, "Vergiss Uns Nicht," as well as remixes from BossHoss and Mogwai accompanied by the Jonas Akerlund directed video for "Mein Land" and a digital booklet. The Amazon version will be "Mein Land" and the two remixes.

The video for "Mein Land" will premiere on Rammstein.com on Nov. 11.

A release date for Made in Germany 1995-2011 will be announced shortly.

Rammstein's most recent release, Liebe Ist Fur Alle Da, debuted at #13 on the Billboard Top 200 in October 2009.

www.rammstein.com

Queensryche – 10 Great Songs (2011)

2011-10-24T03:56:00.000-07:00

Part of Capitol's 10 Great Songs series, the Queensrÿche installment serves as an introduction to the iconic prog band. Featuring songs like ”Empire" and ”Silent Lucidity," 10 Great Songs touches on some of their hits while only barely scratching the surface of their 30-year career. While this makes for a less intimidating first look at Queensrÿche, a better place to start would be the band's Greatest Hits collection.

New Heavy Metal CD Releases: September 13, 2011

2011-09-18T15:46:00.000-07:00

September 13, 2011
Alice Cooper - Welcome 2 My Nightmare (Universal)
Anterior - Echoes Of The Fallen (Metal Blade)
Anthrax - Worship Music> (Megaforce)
Anubis Gate - Anubis Gate (Nightmare)
Arabrot - Solar Anus (Fysisk Format)
Arch/Matheos - Sympathetic Resonance (Metal Blade)
The Devil Wears Prada - Dead Throne (Ferret)
Doro - 25 Years In Rock DVD/CD (Nuclear Blast)
Dream Theater - A Dramatic Turn Of Events (Roadrunner)
Edguy - Age Of The Joker (Nuclear Blast)
Einjerher - Norron (Indie)
Elks - Destined For The Sun (TeePee)
Evil United - Evil United (MVD)
Only Flesh - From The Gutter To The Grave (Rotten)
Pathology - Awaken To The Suffering (Victory)
Sabaton - World War Live: Battle Of The Baltic Sea (Nuclear Blast)
Untimely Demise - City Of Steel (Sonic Unyon)
Vader - Welcome To The Morbid Reich (Nuclear Blast)
Wolves In The Throne Room - Celestial Lineage (Southern Lord)
Wolves Like Us - Late Love (Prosthetic)

August 2011 Best Heavy Metal CDs

2011-09-11T13:26:00.000-07:00

1. Revocation - 'Chaos Of Forms' (Relapse)
Revocation could have crumbled from the pressure of trying to outperform the stellar Existence Is Futile, but they pull through with an album on par with their sophomore release. The album has insane technical guitars and a large amount of infectiousness, all glued together by well-rounded instrumental work. The band has brought a second guitarist into the group for the first time. A brilliant move on their part, it allows for more solo trade-offs and tighter rhythms. Each song is like a splash of aftershave on Kevin McCallister’s face. The solos on “No Funeral” may leave a listener with that permanent expression. Another member also helps with the backing vocals, which are given leeway to battle with David Davidson’s tormented screams.

2. Today Is The Day - 'Pain Is A Warning' (Black Market Activities)
While Today is the Day always retain their signature sound, a core identity that is immediately recognizable, the band incorporate the greatest strengths of the current line-up. And, on Pain Is A Warning, the album benefits from a thick, luxurious sound and a strong rock engine. The record kicks off with a siege of boiling pitch aggression in the first two tracks, ‘”Expectations Exceed Reality” and Death Curse.” After doing its best to physically assault the listener, Pain Is A Warning trades in the blasting rage for a different type of fury. “Remember to Forget” is a much more subdued effort that has a circular construction and repetitive, gently delivered lyrics combining for a supremely disturbing track. This is a slow burn, quieter anger that twists, writhes and plots.

3. YOB - 'Atma' (Profound Lore)
Doom metal is effective at pummeling listeners, repeating riffs and lulling devotees into a state that borders on narcolepsy. The best doom couples hypnotic phrasing with music that doesn’t offer complacency, but demands that listeners think and feel. YOB again achieves it with Atma, an album named after a term that means “higher self” in numerous Eastern religions. Atma is a tricky album, one that steers you into a false sense of complacency. Like a Zen Buddhist teacher it misdirects, plays the trickster, demands focus. This is YOB’s sixth album and it’s evident that they still have much to offer. Each song features a riff that functions like a Russian nesting doll. On a first listen it sounds like there’s nothing else when there’s a multitude of riches.

4. Leprous - 'Bilateral' (Inside Out)
There are influences on Bilateral ranging from The Mars Volta to Porcupine Tree on songs like “Acquired Taste.” The band does make sure to leave enough room for an out-of-control track featuring a guest spot by a black metal legend. Former Emperor vocalist Ihsahn gives a rousing performance on “Thorn,” which is supported by screeching trumpets. The song would have fitted in with Ihsahn’s latest solo album After.

5. Flourishing - 'The Sum Of All Fossils' (The Path Less Traveled)
It’s difficult to place Flourishing’s first full-length in terms of genre; it fits no category neatly. There are definitely significant death metal and grind influences, but to leave it at that would be reductive and inaccurate. The sound is metallic and mechanical, but without the cold echoes of industrial; instead, the sound clatters and pings like metal heated red-hot. There’s also a strong avant-garde hardcore sensibility and breathless blasts of noise. The result is something that Skynet might have composed to inspire its mechanical troops during the eradication of the human race. However, that’s not accurate either, as this isn’t robotically produced and lifeless like so much industrial, but rather a product of instruments being pushing to their limits. There are human minds behind this madness.

New Heavy Metal CD Releases: August 30, 2011

2011-08-31T06:47:00.000-07:00

August 30, 2011
Bobaflex - Hell In My Heart (Megaforce)
Century - Red Giant (Prosthetic)
Eat The Gun - Runner (Metalville)
Entrenched - Preemptive Strike (Horror Pain Gore)
Hackneyed - Carnival Cadavre (Lifeforce)
Kittie - I've Failed You (eOne)
Nocturnal Fear - Excessive Cruelty (Moribund)
Pentagram - When The Screams Come DVD (Metal Blade)
Pro-Pain - 20 Years Of Hardcore CD/DVD (AFM)
Shadowside - Inner Monster Out (SHP)
Stray From The Path - Rising Sun (Sumerian)

New Heavy Metal CD Releases: August 23, 2011

2011-08-26T03:52:00.000-07:00

August 23, 2011
All Else Fails - The Oracle, What Was Is and Could Have Been (Suicidal Brides)
Atriarch - Forever The End (Seventh Rule)
Black Tide - Post Mortem (DGC)
Discharge - Desensitise/War Is Hell Re-Release (Candlelight)
Ghost Brigade - Until Fear No Longer Defines Us (Season Of Mist)
ICS Vortex - Storm Seeker (Century Media)
Jorn - Live In Black (Frontiers)
Leprous - Bilateral (InsideOut)
Minushuman - Bloodthrone (Season Of Mist)

Ghost Brigade – Until Fear No Longer Defines Us (2011)

2011-08-20T12:45:00.000-07:00

Tracklist:
01 – In The Woods
02 – Clawmaster
03 – Chamber
04 – Traces Of Liberty
05 – Divine Act Of Lunacy
06 – Grain
07 – Breakwater
08 – Cult Of Decay
09 – Torn
10 – Soulcarvers

Queensryche – 10 Great Songs (2011)

2011-08-08T10:32:00.000-07:00

Dead and Divine – Antimacy (2011)

2011-08-08T09:43:00.000-07:00

Dead and Divine is a five-piece Metalcore band out of Burlington, Ontario, Canada. Their initial success spawned from their 2005 EP What Really Happened At Lover's Lane on Verona Records (a label created by the band themselves, and Silverstein's Shane Told).

The band had officially released the name for their next upcoming album titled Antimacy on January 25 on their Myspace. The album is released on August 2.

'Slumlord' Stream

Putridity – Degenerating Anthropophagical Euphoria

2011-08-08T09:31:00.000-07:00

Draining Necro Anal Disgorgement

Best Heavy Metal Albums Of 1988

2011-08-08T09:15:00.000-07:00

1. Queensryche - Operation Mindcrime

2. Metallica - And Justice For All

3. Iron Maiden - Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son

4. Slayer - South Of Heaven

5. Megadeth - So Far, So Good, So What

6. Voivod - Dimension Hatross

7. Bathory - Blood Fire Death

8. Helloween - Keeper Of The Seven Keys Part II

9. King Diamond - Them

10. Danzig - Danzig

July 2011 Best Heavy Metal CDs

2011-08-03T07:07:00.001-07:00

The number of CD releases slows down a little bit in the summer, but not as much as it used to. There were still plenty of quality releases in July, and the two artists that top the list might be unfamiliar to most metal fans. The debut from 40 Watt Sun burns with a much higher wattage, topping the July list. Black metalers Avichi also make a strong case for the top spot. Here are July's top 5 metal CDs.
1. 40 Watt Sun - The Inside Room (Metal Blade)

2. Avichi - The Devil's Fractal (Profound Lore)

3. Jasta - Jasta (eOne)

4. Sepultura - Kairos (Nuclear Blast)

5. Disma - Towards The Megalith (Profound Lore)

list by Chad Bowar.

Greeley Estates – The Death of Greeley Estates (2011)

2011-08-03T07:07:00.000-07:00

The Death of Greeley Estates is the fifth full-length album by Greeley Estates. It was expected to be released on August 2, but was pushed forward due to obligations to August 9, 2011 through Tragic Hero Records and is produced by Cory Spotts. The first single for the album was released on June 1, 2011, titled "The Last Dance". On June 2nd, 2011 Greeley Estates announced on their Twitter that they will be opening with a new song entitled "Straitjacket" on their next show. Which is going to be released July 7 on the band's Facebook page, and it's also the 1st track on the record. On June 4th Greeley announced via their Facebook page that they would be releasing the song "Friendly Neighborhood Visit" through Altpress on June 7th. A new song called "Bodies" was mentioned when Greeley Estates talked about going over new songs for their next show. A tracklist for the album has been released online however it is slightly incorrect. The listing below is official and correct. The previews for all the songs have been released online.

Saxon – Call to Arms (2011)

2011-07-29T05:23:00.000-07:00

Call To Arms is the 19th studio album by British heavy metal band Saxon. Call to Arms was released the 3rd of June in Europe; 6th of June in UK, Finland, and Denmark; 8th of June in Greece, Poland; 10th of June in France. Previously, it was due to be released on 23 May 2011 (but was later delayed.) The album is scheduled for release on 27 September in North America on EMI. Current Deep Purple keyboardist Don Airey made a guest appearance on the album.

Two of the tracks on the album were written by the band for the movie Hybrid Theory.

The album artwork is derived from Lord Kitchener Wants You, a World War I-era British Army recruitment poster.

SAXON - Afterburner (NEW from CALL TO ARMS 2011)

Essential Death Metal Albums

2011-07-29T05:04:00.000-07:00

Death metal as a distinct genre dates back to about 1985 or so, and the sheer number of albums that have been released since is staggering. Aficionados of the genre will argue endlessly about which albums deserve to be placed on a list of the absolute best of the best that the genre has to offer. In an effort to avoid such arguments, the purpose of this list is to inform listeners new to the genre; that is, given the enormous number of albums released in the name of death metal, how does a fan new to the genre find where to begin?

Possessed - Seven Churches (1985)

Morbid Angel - Altars Of Madness (1989)

Deicide - Deicide (1990)

Entombed - Left Hand Path (1990)

Cannibal Corpse - Tomb Of The Mutilated (1992)

Suffocation - Effigy Of The Forgotten (1991)

Death - Human (1991)

Immolation - Close To A World Below (2000)

Incantation - Onward To Golgotha (1992)

Nile - Annihilation Of The Wicked (2005)

Abandon All Hope – Prowler (2011)

2011-07-18T15:02:00.000-07:00

After keeping fans waiting for a few years since their last album, Abandon All Hope have today released their new record titled Prowler.

Heads, You Win

‘Prowler’ is the long awaited debut album from Adelaide metal core juggernauts ABANDON ALL HOPE. Follow up to 2007's ‘Where Life And Death Meet’, ‘Prowler’ boasts heavier and more melodic tendencies while showcasing all the elements that cemented Abandon All Hope as one of the leaders of heavy music in Australia

Check the band interview at lunamagazine.

Fans Page : http://www.myspace.com/abandonallhope
Similar Artist : Hand Of Mercy, Picture The End, Anime Fire

Tracklist:
01 – Prowler
02 – Heads, You Win
03 – Self Pity City
04 – Mind Surrender
05 – Sleep at the Mercy of Nightmares
06 – What I’ve Lost
07 – The Book of Crossroads
08 – Floods
09 – Bury Yourself Upside Down
10 – The Urgency of Time

Best Heavy Metal Albums Of 1985

2011-07-18T14:48:00.000-07:00

1985 is probably the year where I should start calling it the best CDs instead of best albums as the compact disc exploded in popularity in 1985. It saw the first appearances Anthrax and Megadeth in the year end list, bands that would become mainstays. Celtic Frost also made the list for the second year in a row. Iron Maiden's Live After Death is an outstanding album, but only studio releases were considered for this list. Here are one writer's subjective opinion of the best metal albums of 1985.

1. Exodus - Bonded By Blood

2. Slayer - Hell Awaits

3. Celtic Frost - To Mega Therion

4. Megadeth - Killing Is My Business...And Business Is Good

5. Anthrax - Spreading The Disease

6. Helloween - Walls Of Jericho

7. Possessed - Seven Churches

8. Fates Warning - The Spectre Within

9. S.O.D. - Speak English Or Die

10. Dokken - Under Lock and Key

Suicide Silence – The Black Crown (2011)

2011-07-18T14:06:00.000-07:00

SUICIDE SILENCE - You Only Live Once (New Track!)

Here comes the new Suicide Silence song to rock you! I personally love it because it is quite good for the first release from their album.

The Black Crown is the third full-length album by metal band Suicide Silence, which was released July 12, 2011 through Century Media Records. With anticipation for their third full-length after the release of No Time to Bleed, Suicide Silence prepared recording for The Black Crown on a course of several months starting from the beginning of 2010 with writing ideas and plans before their arrival to the studio for recording in 2011.

Tracklist:
01 – Slaves To Substance
02 – O.C.D
03 – Human Violence
04 – You Only Live Once
05 – Fuck Everything
06 – March To The Black Crown
07 – Witness The Addiction
08 – Cross-Eyed Catastrophe
09 – Smashed
10 – The Only Thing That Sets Us Apart
11 – Cancerous Skies

Bonus Tracks:
12 – SuperBeast (Rob Zombie Cover)
13 – Revival of Life

Vicious Rumors – Razorback Killers (2011)

2011-07-04T03:28:00.000-07:00

Vicious Rumors - Murderball

Hands – Give Me Rest (2011)

2011-07-04T03:25:00.000-07:00

Hands - Give Me Rest (Album Preview) 2011

New Heavy Metal CD Releases: June 7, 2011

2011-06-09T13:59:00.000-07:00

Here are the new heavy metal CD releases for this week.

June 7, 2011
AC/DC - Let There Be Rock DVD (Warner)
Amorphis - The Beginning Of Times (Nuclear Blast)
Anathema - We're Here Because We're Here (The End)
Ancient VVisdom - A Godlike Inferno (Shinebox)
Arch Enemy - Khaos Legions (Century Media)
Avantasia - The Flying Opera Live DVD/CD (Nuclear Blast)
Barn Burners - Bangers II: Scum Of The Earth (Metal Blade)
Behemoth - Abyssus Abyssum Invocat (Metal Blade)
Black September - The Forbidden Gates Beyond Re-Release (Prosthetic)
Brent Hinds Presents - Fiends Without A Face and West End Motel (Rocket Science)
Cerebral Bore - Maniacal Miscreation (Earache)
Chrome Division - 3rd Round Knockout (Nuclear Blast)
Crashdiet - Generation Wild (Frontiers)
Dr. Midnight and The Mercy Cult - I Declare Treason (Season Of Mist)
Elevate: I Am - The Ghost Eclipse Sessions (ALF)
Engineer - Crooked Voices (Black Market Activities)
Falconer - Armod (Metal Blade)
Gigan - Quasi-Hallucinogenic Sonic Landscapes (Willowtip)
Hammerfall - Infected (Nuclear Blast)
Iron Maiden - From Fear To Eternity: The Best Of 1990-2010 (Universal)
Job For A Cowboy - Gloom EP (Metal Blade)
Karma To Burn - V (Napalm)
Khann - Erode (Black Market Activities)
Looking For An Answer - Eterno Treblinka (Relapse)
Morbid Angel - Illud Divinum Insanus (Season Of Mist)
Origin - Entity (Nuclear Blast)
Pharoah - Ten Years EP (Cruz del Sur)
Sister - Hated (Metal Blade)
The Soulless - Isolated (Earache)
Tombs - Path Of Totality (Relapse)
Tyr - The Law Of Thyrm (Napalm)
Various Artists - Afterparty Massacre Soundtrack (Ibex Moon)
Whitesnake - Live At Donington 1990 (Frontiers)

Behemoth – Abyssus Abyssum Invocat (2011)

2011-06-09T13:55:00.000-07:00

Polish death metal act Behemoth has revealed the details for its forthcoming 2-CD set, titled "Abyssus Abyssum Invocat." The new release features two previous Behemoth EPs, which both are currently out-of-print, and includes all new expanded artwork as well as bonus tracks on each disc. The two EPs featured are "Conjuration" and "Slaves Shall Serve." "Abyssus Abyssum Invocat" is set for release on May 17, 2011 in North America through Metal Blade Records. A European release will arrive in stores on April 18, 2011 through Peaceville Records.

Behemoth "Slaves Shall Serve" by Metal Blade Records

Heavy Metal Week In Review: May 15, 2011

2011-05-16T05:28:00.000-07:00

New CD Releases This Week:

1. Anvil - Juggernaut Of Justice (The End)

2. The Gates Of Slumber - Wretch (Rise Above)
3. Hate Eternal - Phoenix Amongst the Ashes (Metal Blade)
4. New Keepers Of The Water Towers - The Calydonian Hunt (Meteor City)
5. Novembers Doom - Aphotic (The End)
6. Portrait - Crimen Laesae Majestatis Divinae (Metal Blade)

Skindred – Union Black (2011)

2011-05-16T05:20:00.000-07:00

Union Black is the fourth album from Welsh ragga metal band Skindred. It was released on April 25, 2011 in the United Kingdom & May 3, 2011 in the United States. The album is notable for featuring more usage of dubstep, hip hop and drum and bass elements than previous works.

Skindred - Game Over
A wonderful song from the new album 'Union Black'.