This week is crazy. New releases from legends, covers by future legends, cello sludge, and more! To the metals…
Alkaloid – Liquid Anatomy 
Genre: Progressive death metal
Origin: Erlangen, Germany
Label: Season Of Mist
Rejoice! The second weirdo prog outing from Hannes Grossmann's post-Obscura outfit has arrived, and it's real good. The first album was incredibly diverse, and it's hard to imagine that this one is more so, but it totally is. Death metal, power metal, experimental, black metal. This thing has it all.
Amorphis – Queen Of Time
Genre: Melodic metal
Origin: Helsinki, Finland
Label: Nuclear Blast
Amorphis return with easily the most epic release of the week. Their last album Under the Red Cloud, was stellar, and this one feels like it is up there with it. If you're looking for some soaring metal that's not too cheesy, get on this.
At The Gates – To Drink From The Night Itself 
Genre: Melodic death metal
Origin: Gothenburg, Sweden
Label: Century Media
When a band reunites and starts releasing new music again, I feel like there is just as much pressure on their second reunion album as their second album to avoid a sophomore slump. At The Gates prove that the success of At War With Reality was not just based on the fact that they are who they are. To Drink From The Night Itself a great follow-up to a great return. Michael has a full review here.
Burn The Priest – Legion: XX 
Genre: Groove metal/hardcore
Origin: Richmond, Virginia
Label: Epic
Lamb of God never struck me as a band that would fuck with a cover, let alone release an entire covers album. However, this is really fucking good. The mix of bands they cover is really interesting with folks like The Accused, Ministry, Quicksand, Bad Brains, Melvins, and others. Amber raves about it here.
Five Finger Death Punch – And Justice For None 
Genre: Groove metal
Origin: Las Vegas, Nevada
Label: Prospect Park
Part of me feels like I just wrote about these guys not long ago, but I guess that was actually three years ago. Anyway, this is their seventh album. It's not a covers album, but it features their take on tunes by The Offspring and Kenny Wayne Shepherd. So, uh yeah. There you go, I guess.
Grayceon – IV 
Genre: Progressive sludge
Origin: San Francisco, California
Label: Translation Loss
It has been far too long since Grayceon dropped their Pearl and the End of Days ep, but they'e back and all is well in the world again. I was surprised to find that this band that pretty regularly has ten plus minute sludge epics only went over six minutes twice on this album. It did mean more tasty, cello-driven jams though. I highly recommend this album, and this band. Matt has a full review right here.
Powerglove – Continue? 
Genre: Video game metal
Origin: Boston, Massachusetts
Label: Powerglove Recordings
First off, this was technically released Tuesday (who does that still guys?), but I refuse to ignore it. The band has finally returned after an eight year gap since their Saturday morning cartoon covers album (Get Saturday Morning Apocalypse and thank me later) to once again shred through songs from video games. The band takes on Kirby, MegaMan 3, Street Fighter, Chrono Trigger, and many more. One fun atypical track on the album is "Under The Sea" (yes, from The Little Mermaid) which is included instrumental and with Marc Hudson from DragonForce. I missed this band.
Also dropping today…
Acherontas – Faustian Ethos (Agonia Records) – Black metal
Big Kizz – Music Is Magic (Tee Pee) – Rock
BornBroken – The Years of Harsh Truths And Little Lies… (Self-Release) – Metalcore/thrash
The Dark Red Seed – Becomes Awake (Prophecy Productions) – Experimental/atmospheric rock
Dunnock – Little Stories Told by Ghosts (Acephale Winter) – Blackened noise
Fallen – Legion Downfall EP (Self-Release) – Progressive death metal
Hekate – Totentanz (Prophecy Productions) – Experimental/medieval music
High Priestess – High Priestess (Ripple) – Psychedelic rock
Lillye – Evolve (Eclipse Records) – Hard rock
Mos Generator – Shadowlands (Listenable) – Doom/Stoner rock
Nocturnal Graves – Titan (Season Of Mist) – Blackened thrash
Obliterate – Impending Death (Unique Leader) – Deathcore
Overkill – Live At Overhausen DVD/CD (Nuclear Blast) – Thrash
Rotten Sound – Suffer To Abuse EP (Season Of Mist) – Grindcore
Valyria – Into The Dying of Time (Self-Release) – Melodic death/power metal
Wilt – Ruin (Vendetta) – Atmospheric black metal
Xael – The Last Arbiter Test Your (Metal Records) – "sci-fi metal"
