Life happens. This weeks reviews are short and to the point. Sorry? This edition includes old school death metalers from every corner, aquatic doom, Canadian space-themed madness and a fuck-ton more.
Abysmal Dawn – Obsolescence 
Genre: Death metal
Origin: Los Angeles, California
Label: Relapse
Buy now on Amazon.com
Straight-forward, no frills death metal. Infused with lots of sequels and groove. So that's good?
Anaal Nathrakh – Desideratum 
Genre: Industrial black metal
Origin: Birmingham, England
Label: Metal Blade
Buy now on Amazon.com
This band has yet to disappoint me. Anaal Nathrakh is evil, crushing, melodic, grim and all you'd want in a band that is as gross as they are gorgeous.
Atriarch – An Unending Pathway
Genre: Blackened doom
Origin: Portland, Oregon
Label: Relapse
Buy now on Amazon.com
I'd imagine conversations in purgatory sound like this band. This is dark, but not in a way that seems forced and ambient without just being reverb laden.
At The Gates – At War With Reality 
Genre: Melodic death metal
Origin: Gothenburg, Sweden
Label: Century Media
Buy now on Amazon.com
Nine times out of ten, I'm annoyed when a band that hasn't released an album in twenty years decides to drop something. However, At The Gates are worth the wait and certainly able to meet expectations. Frank's full review.
Black Map – …And We Explode 
Genre: Stoner rock
Origin: Bay Area, California
Label: Wind-up
Buy now on Amazon.com
Part-Dredg, part-Far, and part-Trophy Fire. This band takes a stoner rock sound and adds subtle influences of their other projects rather than producing an act that is more of the same.
Crobot – Something Supernatural 
Genre: Rock
Origin: Potsville, Pennsylvania
Label: Wind-up
Buy now on Amazon.com
While not technically metal, this band has a lot of crossover appeal. They link modern proggy rhythms to classic rock from the 70s. Side note: See them if you can. I say them on a roof at SXSW and was blown away.
Devin Townsend – Z2 
Genre: Progressive metal
Origin: Vancouver, Canada
Label: Inside Out
Buy now on Amazon.com
My full review is here. TL:DL version – Sky Blue good follow-up to Epicloud. Dark Matters great sequel to Ziltoid.
Giant Squid – Minoans 
Genre: Melodic doom
Origin: Sacramento, California
Label: Translation Loss
Buy now on Amazon.com
My full review is here. TL:DR version – beautiful doom with a cello. The band's best yet.
Necrophagia – WhiteWorm Cathedral 
Genre: Death metal
Origin: Wellsville, Ohio
Label: Season of Mist
Buy now on Amazon.com
Rarely do these OG death metal bands sound this modern without compromising the sound they're known for. Sure, they have keyboard now, but it really adds another level of creepiness to their aesthetic.
Nero Di Marte – Derivae 
Genre: Progressive
Origin: Bolonga, Italy
Label: Prosthetic
Buy now on Amazon.com
Just a year after their stellar debut, Nero Di Marte is back with another album of unique progressive metal. The band continues to once again weave in and out of the world's of post metal, sludge and death metal while creating an experience unlike their last record.
Obituary – Inked in Blood 
Genre: Death metal
Origin: Gibsonton, Florida
Label: Relapse
Buy now on Amazon.com
I'd be willing to bet you that without hearing a note, you know exactly what this band sounds like by the cover. They say not to judge a book but the cover, but sometimes you can see death metal coming from a mile away. This old school band sounds like an old school band that is still capable of kicking your teeth in.
Unearth – Watchers of Rule 
Genre: Metalcore
Origin: Boston, Massachusetts
Label: eOne
Buy now on Amazon.com
Unearth are better than I remember. I suppose that is a backhanded compliment, but as long as I've known them, they've been one of the OTHER metalcore bands. The few tracks I've heard from this one have a lot of potential to transcend them from their place as a second tier "New Wave of American Heavy Metal" or whatever band. Sol has a full review here.
Also dropping today…
2 Wolves – Shelter (Inverse)
Aeonsgate – Pentalpha (The Church Within)
All Hell – The Devil's Work (HPGD)
Animal – Instinct (We Are Triumphant)
Annihilated – XIII Steps To Ruination (Unique Leader)
As Blood Runs Black – Ground Zero (Standby)
Astral Doors – Notes From the Shadows (Metalville)
Beyond Creation – Earthborn Evolution (Season of Mist)
Black Veil Brides – Black Veil Brides (Lava / Republic)
Blood Freak – Squalor (Willowtip)
Blood God – Blood Is My Trademark (Massacre)
Cut Teeth – Night Years (Topshelf)
Dawnbringer – Night of the Hammer (Profound Lore)
Deserted Fear – Kingdom of Worms (FDA Rekotz)
Emit – Spectre Music of an Antiquary Re-Release (Crucial Blast)
Eyes of Mara – Eyes of Mara (Imminence)
Generation of Vipers – Coffin Wisdom (Translation Loss)
He Whose Ox Is Gored – Rumors EP (Bleeding Light)
Hideous Divinity – Cobra Verde (Unique Leader)
Horrified – Descent Into Putridity (Memento Mori)
If I Were You – The Sleepless (Manifest)
In Faith – There's A Storm Coming (Rocktopia)
Kattah – Lapis Lazuli (Bakerteam)
Kiss – Love Gun Re-Release (Universal)
Latitude Egress – To Take Up The Cross (Art of Propaganda)
Megasonic – Intense (Mausoleum)
Metal Machine – Free Nation (Dream)
Mind Maze – Back From The Edge (Inner Wound)
Mob Rules – Timekeeper (SPV)
Mysticum – Planet Satan (Peaceville)
No Mercy – Widespread Bloodshed (Love Runs Red) Re-Release (Suicidal)
Obliterations – Poison Everything (Southern Lord)
Oraculum – Sorcery of the Damned (Invictus)
Pianos Become The Teeth – Keep You (Epitaph)
Requiem – The Unexplainable Truth (Cleopatra)
Riot V – Unleash the Fire (SPV)
Sister Sin – Black Lotus (Victory)
Spider Kitten – Behold Mountain. Hail Sea. Venerate Sky. Bow Before Tree.(Undergroove)
Spiders & Snakes – Year of the Snake (Sensei)
Tantal – Expectancy (Bakerteam)
Thomsen – Unbroken (eOne)
Transport League – Boogie From Hell (Metalville)
Vesania – Deus Ex Machina (Metal Blade)
Witchmaster – Antichristus Ex Utero (Osmose)
Wizard Rifle – Here In The Deadlights (Seventh Rule)
