This week is stacked with an unexpected spectacular collaboration, the latest solo outing from a black metal OG, and more. To the metals…
Cult Of Luna and Julie Christmas – Mariner 
Genre: Progressive post-metal
Origin: Umeå, Sweden/Brooklyn, New York
Label: Indie
Buy now on Amazon.com
I've been a champion of Julie Christmas (Made out of Babies/Battle of Mice) for a long time now, and to hear her in any context is already a joy. However, hearing her with Cult of Luna is pretty unbelievable. This record is everything you'd expect, and hope for, from the sum if its parts. This is a serious contender for album of the year.
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wz-4xELUpMs[/youtube]
Deftones – Gore 
Genre: Alternative metal
Origin: Sacramento, California
Label: Warner Brothers
Buy now on Amazon.com
There is a lot of back and forth within the band about the direction of this album. What I've heard so far sounds like pretty standard, yet good, Deftones rock/metal. So, I'm not sure why anyone is upset. Anyway, solid Deftones overall that I'd put it up there with Diamond Eyes.
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JAmt6zN9vOk[/youtube]
Erra – Drift 
Genre: Progressive metalcore
Origin: Birmingham, Alabama
Label: Sumerian
Buy now on Amazon.com
A band like Erra both exemplifies and shakes the "Sumeriancore" label. There is certainly some grounded breakdown driven metal here, but then the wanky guitar work and soaring, almost post-hardcore, vocals to separate them. They'd pair well with Periphery, despite not being djenty.
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=naEFwVvEx1M[/youtube]
Ihsahn – Arktis. 
Genre: Progressive
Origin: Notodden, Norway
Label: Candlelight
Buy now on Amazon.com
For those that weren't on board for his last record, the rather spacey and avant Das Seenlenbrachen, this one is for you. Ihsahn is back to his thrashy/proggy/symphonic metal that he does best. He has a handful of guests with him too. These folks include Einar Solberg from Leprous, Jorgen Munkeby from Shining (Norway), and Matt Heafy from Trivum. Another album of the year contender.
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0VxbJb_Gs8w[/youtube]
Zakk Wylde – Book Of Shadows II
Genre: Southern rock
Origin: Bayonne, New Jersey
Label: eOne
Buy now on Amazon.com
I was always under the impression that Black Label Society counted as a Zakk Wylde solo project considering that he's been the only consistent member, writes everything, and that the early records even say "Zakk Wylde" on the cover. Still, this here is Zakk's first "ZAKK WYLDE" solo record since 1995's Book of Shadows, a record that left many unanswered questions that this sequel sets out to answer. Honestly, I've dug the songs that I've heard so far. BLS really started to stagnate over the last few records, so it's nice to hear Zakk really shake things up for himself again.
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tuA18YpjOD8[/youtube]
Also dropping today…
All Hail The Yeti – Screams From A Black Wilderness (Minus Head) – Southern Yeticore
Bloodthirst – Glorious Sinners EP (Pagan) – Thrash
Bog Of The Infidel – Asleep In The Arms Of Suicide (Eternal Death) – Black metal
Boss Keloid – Herb Your Enthusiasm (BlackBow) – Sludge
Cannibal Accident – Ritual Paprika (Nailjar) – Death metal/grindcore
Cretura – Fall Of The Seventh Golden Star (Wormholedeath) – Symphonic black metal
Depicting Abysm – Passage (Naturmacht) – Atmospheric black metal
Desaster – The Oath Of An Iron Ritual (Metal Blade) – Blackened thrash
Doogie White and La Paz – Shut Up and Rawk! (Metal Mind) – Heavy metal
Double Experience – Unsaved Progress (Colfax) – "Nerdy neo-rock"
Geryon – The Wound And The Bow (Profound Lore)
The Glorious Rebellion – Euphoric (Magnetic Eye) – Rebelcore
Inherit Disease – Ephemeral (Unique Leader) – Technical death metal
Left Behind – Seeing Hell (Unbeaten) – Hardcore
Lock & Key – Peaceless (Crooked Noise) – Metalcore
Mad Hatter's Den – Excelsior (Inverse) – Heavy metal
Misteyes – Creeping Time (Maple Metal) – Symphonic death metal
Ommadon – VI (Burning World) – Doom
Palace Of Worms – The Ladder (Broken Limbs) – Black metal
Poly-Math – Melencolia EP (Superstar Destroyer) – Experimental post-rock
Ragehammer – The Hammer Doctrine (Pagan) – Thrash
Red Wizard – Cosmosis (Ripple) – Stoner
Sarvas – The Throne EP (Inverse) – Sludge/groove
Sinistro – Semente (Season Of Mist) – Doom
Sourvein – Aquatic Occult (Metal Blade) – Sludge
Throw The Fight – Transmissions (Bullet Tooth) – Metalcore or something
Uada – Devoid Of Light (Eisenwald) – Black metal
Unnatural – The Path To Ruin EP (HPGD) – Death metal
Various Artists – Metal Massacre 14 (Metal Blade) – Various
Wode – Wode (Broken Limbs) – Black metal
Zhrine – Unortheta (Season Of Mist) – Blackened death metal
