Apparently the release day nearest Fourth of July is kinda quiet. Oh well. This edition includes live symphonic metal, country covers, blackened legends, and more! To the metals…
DevilDriver – Outlaws 'Til The End 
Genre: Groove metal/Country
Origin: Santa Barbara, California
Label: Napalm
While fans await DevilDriver's upcoming double album, Dez and the gang decided to put an album of country covers. They're DevilDriver-ing the tunes of folks like Johnny Cash, Hank Williams Jr., George Jones, and more. It's the crossover event no one asked for, but it might pleasantly surprise you. Chad has a full review here.
[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hlDPWmwO7SU][/youtube]
Immortal – Northern Chaos Gods 
Genre: Black metal
Origin: Os/Bergen, Norway
Label: Nuclear Blast
It's a bummer when an important member of a band leaves in a dramatic way like Abbath did from Immortal. He's successfully doing his own thing now that sounds a lot like Immortal, so that's cool. The other guys from everyone's favorite band that paints their faces like pandas moved on as well. They have finally returned with Northern Chaos Gods. Their version of Immortal sounds a lot like regular Immortal, which is also cool.
[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c5uP9PlEDro][/youtube]
Kissin' Dynamite – Ecstasy 
Genre: Heavy metal
Origin: Reutlingen, Germany
Label: Metal Blade
Here's some straight up, fist-in-the-air, heavy metal. This is a love note to 70's and 80's rock, and it's done well.
[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hnabs96Fxgc][/youtube]
Kontinuum – No Need to Reason 
Genre: Progressive post metal
Origin: Reykjavík, Iceland
Label: Season Of Mist
Describing this band required so many works tossed together, and I still feel like it doesn't quite fit them. This is atmospheric, bleak, proggy, beautiful, and epic, yet that even simplifies it. Fans of Sólstafir and Enslaved will probably dig this.
[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T8B9DALKbSE][/youtube]
Lucifer – Lucifer II 
Genre: Stoner/doom
Origin: Berlin, Germany/London, England
Label: Century Media
Joanna Sadonis has returned to fill your speakers with occult jams once more. It seems that she has an entire new gang with her now. The album still brings the memorable fuzzy, spooky jams though. It doesn't feel like the personnel shift messed with the successful formula.
[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=86D93-LM6qM][/youtube]
Devin Townsend Project – Ocean Machine: Live At The Ancient Roman Theatre Plovdiv
Genre: Progressive metal
Origin: Vancouver, British Columbia
Label: InsideOut
This release is a bittersweet collection that any Devin Townsend fan will enjoy. Sweet because this features two full sets of Dev. One of fan picked favorites performed with an orchestra and choir, and a second set of the Ocean Machine album performed in full. However, it's also not so sweet because this is the last chapter (perhaps, just for now) of the Project. Sure, there will be more Devin, but will Beav be there? Only time will tell.
[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MlEXMS1DRLQ][/youtube]
Also dropping today…
Atrocity – Okkult II (Massacre) – Death/Gothic metal
Dog Fashion Disco – Experiments In Embryos (Razor To Wrist) – Alternative metal
Kielkropf – Ignorance Is Bliss (Sludgelord Records) – Sludge
Not My Master – Disobey (Rockshots Records/Extreme Metal Music) – Sludge
Opening Bell – Compound Eyes/Loma Atomal (Sleeping Giant Glossolalia) – Experimental
Satan – The Doomsday Clock (Metal Blade) – Heavy metal
Secret Cutter – Quantum Eraser (Deathwish Inc./Holy Roar) – Sludge/grindcore
1968 – Ballads of the Godless (HeviSike) – Stoner
