This edition includes lots of epic stuff, lots of old school dudes, lots of weirdness, and lots more! To the metals…
Aenimus – Dreamcatcher 
Genre: Progressive death metal
Origin: San Francisco, California
Label: Nuclear Blast
If you're on a quest for shreddy guitars, ethereal atmosphere, and some truly impressive bass playing, look no further than the new Aenimus. This is both entrancing and crushing. I highly recommend it.
[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYklEWMLN3M][/youtube]
Candlemass – The Door to Doom 
Genre: Doom
Origin: Stockholm, Sweden
Label: Napalm
DOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM. One track has Tony Iommi from Mythology and Jethro Tull as well.
[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a8OT3W1TwJM][/youtube]
The Claypool Lennon Delirium – South Of Reality 
Genre: Psychedelic
Origin: California/New York
Label: ATO Records
I'm glad this collaboration is back. Les Claypool (Primus, Oysterhead) and Sean Lennon (Ghost of a Saber Tooth Tiger, John Lennon and Yoko Ono having sex) work really well together. The result is a more chill experience than Primus, but has a ton of Claypool's drug trip at a circus vibe. This album is a favorite of mind for the year so far.
[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pyu89NHSniU][/youtube]
Delain – Hunter's Moon
Genre: Melodic/Symphonic Metal
Origin: Zwolle, Netherlands
Label: Napalm
It's been three years since Delain's last full album, and it looks like fans will have to keep waiting for the next one. In the mean time the band is offering this compilation/EP thing. There are four studio tracks, ten live ones, and blu-ray of those live tracks. The first track on this is below and has an intense Frozen vibe to it. It's like this band wants to build a snowman that will come to life and hunt you.
[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nT14mlv92t4][/youtube]
Dream Theater – Distance Over Time 
Genre: Progressive metal
Origin: Long Island, New York
Label: InsideOut
Dream Theater are a band that will probably never meet expectations again, which is unfortunate because the band hasn't really dipped in quality (people hate The Astonishing, so maybe that's the exception). This album doesn't reinvent the wheel, but it has a couple tracks that stand up with their finest material. "Pale Blue Dot" and "At Wit's End" are both incredible. Give it a shot and realize that they're doing what they do, and they're doing it well.
[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JFxH4kky6z4][/youtube]
Kinkshamer – Societal Sects 
Genre: NSFW Progressive metalcore
Origin: Pomona, California
Label: Self released
This two-headed beast is making its debut with eighteen minutes of progressive metalcore infused with raunch. Each song touches on a sexual theme while pulling no punches and casting no shade. Enjoy this EP with no guilt, but know this thing is filthy.
[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7KMAnP_GARY][/youtube]
Overkill – The Wings of War 
Genre: Thrash
Origin: Old Bridge Township, New Jersey
Label: Nuclear Blast
There is no stopping this band. They have been consistently kicking asses for almost forty years, and it's only been two years since their last album. Most younger bands are not this prolific. This one has some of the best singles I've heard from them in a while. The the one below, for example, is insanely good.
[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uIfUeUCYudo][/youtube]
Rhapsody of Fire – The Eighth Mountain
Genre: Symphonic/Power metal
Origin: Trieste, Italy
Label: AFM
Here's another long-running, prolific band. These guys won't slow down, and they won't tone down the soaring epicness. What I find interesting is that lots of bands like to sneak a number into an album title to indicate which album in their catalog it is. This is NOT Rhapsody of Fire's eighth album. I'm sure this is named "The Eighth Mountain" for a reason, but it should be the Twelfth Mountain.
[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tZe-vV-UKA0][/youtube]
Visions Of Atlantis – The Deep and Dark: Live @ Symphonic Metal Nights 
Genre: Symphonic Metal
Origin: Bruck an der Mur, Austria
Label: Napalm
This album comes on the heels of their successful album, The Deep and Dark, but it also serves as the farewell to vocalist Siegfried Samer (aka The DragonSlayer?) and an intro to his replacement Michele Guaitoli. Some lazy Setlist.fm research shows the two splitting the set, which is pretty neat if you're a fan.
[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rMhhzdsHM2k][/youtube]
Also dropping today…
Attila – Villains (Attila Music LLC) – Deathcore
Badflower – OK, I'm Sick (Big Machine) – Alternative rock
Basilysk – Emergence (Self released) – Black metal
Brick By Brick – Hive Mentality (Upstate Records) – Hardcore
Dead Witches – The Final Exorcism (Heavy Psych Sounds Records) – Stoner/doom
Demon Head – Hellfire Ocean Void (Svart) – Doom/hard rock
Exitwounds – Visions (SharpTone Records) – Metalcore
Find Me – Angels in Blue (Frontiers) – Melodic rock
FM – The Italian Job (Frontiers) – Rock
Ghost Iris – Apple of Discord (Long Branch) – Progressive metalcore
Grass – Fresh Grass (Self-Released) – Stoner/doom
Hate Force – Hate Force (Closed Casket Activities) – Death metal/thrash
Hexvessel – All Tree (Century Media) – Psychedelic Forest Folk
Hiss From the Moat – The Harrier (M-Theory) – Death/black metal
Horndal – Remains (Prosthetic) – Sludge/hardcore
King Apathy – Wounds (Lifeforce) – Melodic black metal
Last in Line – II (Frontiers) – Heavy metal
Minors – Abject Bodies (Holy Roar/Deathwish) – Hardcore
Mortanius – Till Death Do Us Part (Rockshots Records) – Progressive power metal
The Moth Gatherer – Esoteric Oppression (Agonia Records) – Post metal
O.R.k. – Ramagehead (Kscope) – Progressive
Oculum Dei – Dreams of Desire and Torment (Self-Release) – Black metal
Pretty Maids – A Blast From the Past Box Set (Frontiers) – Heavy metal
Primitive Man/Hell – Split (Translation Loss Records) – Sludge/doom
Relics Of Humanity – Obscuration (Willowtip) – Brutal death metal
Rezet – Deal With It! (Mighty) – Thrash
Sanhedrin – The Poisoner (Cruz Del Sur Records) – Heavy metal
Spirits Of Fire – Spirits of Fire (Frontiers) – Heavy metal
Tora Tora – Bastards of Beale (Frontiers) – Rock
Walls Of Blood – Imperium (Metalville) – Power metal
Westbound – Volume 1 (Frontiers) – Rock
Witchers Creed – Awakened From The Tomb… (Ripple Music) – Doom
