This edition includes a solid super group, some solid debuts, a solid farewell, and more solid stuff! To the metals…
Accept – The Rise Of Chaos 
Genre: Heavy metal
Origin: Solingen, Germeny
Label: Nuclear Blast
Buy now on Amazon.com
I think it's safe to say that you know what you're getting with an OG metal band like Accept on their fifteenth album. This is Accept being Accept with fist in the air heavy metal, and that's all it needs to be. This is the first studio album with new drummer Christopher Williams (War Within) and new guitarist Uwe Lewis (Giftdwarf) though. So that's a bit of a shakeup since the last record.
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tFqFYHFNeCc[/youtube]
Dale Crover – The Fickle Finger Of Fate 
Genre: Experimental
Origin: Aberdeen, Washington
Label: Joyful Noise
Buy now on Amazon.com
Dale Crover of Melvins and pre-Grohl Nirvana fame is no stranger to a solo outing. In fact, this is his third solo record. As expected, it's fucking weird. It's not terribly heavy though, which is a little surprising, but also totally fine by me. Weird is always better than a boring repeat from an artist.
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TStrQPdI_OA[/youtube]
Dead Cross – Dead Cross 
Genre: Hardcore/Thrash
Origin: Southern California
Label: Ipecac
Buy now on Amazon.com
Unlike the latest from Mr. Crover, Dead Cross is both weird and heavy. It is the project from Mike Patton (Faith No More/Fantomas/etc), Dave Lombardo (ex-Slayer/Fantomas), Justin Pearson (Retox/The Locust) and Michael Crain (Festival of Dead Deer/Retox). This is the perfect sum of all its parts in about a half hour of madness. Michael's review is here.
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9AEOzqUO3jw[/youtube]
Doom Side of the Moon – Doom Side Of The Moon
Genre: Doom cover of Pink Floyd
Origin: Austin, Texas
Label: self
Buy now on Amazon.com
Kyle Shutt of The Sword, and other guys from The Sword, Brownout, and more, got together to cover Pink Floyd's iconic record Dark Side of The Moon start to finish. The result doesn't stray from the original blueprints too much really, but it is indeed doomier. A solid salute to a classic.
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sMoO8FNbRJA[/youtube]
Marty Friedman – Wall Of Sound 
Genre: Shred
Origin: Washington, D.C.
Label: Prosthetic
Buy now on Amazon.com
Marty Friedman has returned with another masterclass in guitar playing. He once again proves he can shred and wank while still being a great song writer. So often solo guitarists get lost in proving how well they can play and interesting songs take a back seat. Wall of Sound is not one of those records. Also he's back with appearances from friends like Jinxx Black (Black Veil Brides), Shiv Mehra (Deafheaven), and Jorgen Munkeby (Shining) this time. Riley's full review is here.
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WMG5QhMfVa8[/youtube]
Lakeshore – 41 EP 
Genre: Metalcore
Origin: New Fairfield, Connecticut
Label: Outerloop
Buy now on Amazon.com
On their debut EP, the ex-Emmure guys are opting instead for a djent-ier sound. It's almost a TesseracT vibe on 41. Guitars are still tuned real low, but the result is far from deathcore. Vocalist Shawn Adams may be a bit too melodic for some, but dude has pipes.
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IdukbaATk6E[/youtube]
Russkaja – Kosmpoliturbo 
Genre: Hard rock/ska
Origin: Vienna, Austria
Label: Napalm
Buy now on Amazon.com
Now for something completely different. This band have been blending ska, rock, punk, and traditional Russian music for a while now, and this album is what one might expect. It's a fuck ton of fun. Exactly, one fuck ton. I measured.
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7BTATVgk8no[/youtube]
Seven Spires – Solveig 
Genre: Symphonic metal
Origin: Boston, Massachusetts
Label: Saol
Buy now on Amazon.com
Seven Spires are unlike any of their contemporaries in the symphonic metal scene, and this debut is one of the most diverse outings of its kind in a long while. Vocalist Adrienne Cowan (Light and Shade/ex-live Abigail Williams) in a fucking beast on this whether it be shrieking like a banshee, growling like a demon, or singing like a siren. One minute it's like Cradle of Filth, the next like Within Temptation, the next Huntress. This deserves your attention.
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qshRajbTjek[/youtube]
Warbeast – Enter the Arena
Genre: Thrash
Origin: Arlington, Texas
Label: Housecore
Buy now on Amazon.com
In what seems to be vocalist Bruce Corbitt's swan song, Warbeast are going out swinging. This is a thrashy record for fans of thrashy records. If nothing else, get this record to throw some money towards Corbitt (also ex-Rigor Mortis) who is battling throat cancer and had to retire from singing.
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a7SYVatXfPw[/youtube]
Also dropping today
Eagles Of Death Metal – I Love You All The Time: Live At The Olympia In Paris DVD/CD (Eagle Rock) – Rock
Exit Eden – Rhapsodies In Black (Napalm Records) – Symphonic metal covers
Jane’s Addiction – Ritual de lo Habitual: Alive at 25 (Cleopatra) – Alt rock
Masterplan – PumpKings (AFM) – Power metal
Quiet Riot – Road Rage (Frontiers) – Heavy metal
Shade Empire – Poetry Of The Ill-Minded (Candlelight/Spinefarm) – Industrial/black metal
Thor – Beyond The Pain Barrier (Cleopatra) – Power metal
The Winery Dogs – Dog Years: Live In Santiago & Beyond 2013-2016 (Loud & Proud) – hard rock
World Trade – Unify (Frontiers) – Progressive
