After a killer slate last week this Tuesday brings things back down to Earth… volume-wise there is plenty to sort through, but the highlights are a little fewer and further between.
Kvelertak – Meir
Genre: Punk/Experimental
Origin: Stavanger, Norway
Label: Roadrunner
Wasn't as enthused as I thought I'd be about this one, but it was hardly a total wash. Read my review here.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fU55r0YT6YA[/youtube]
Sevendust – Black Out the Sun
Genre: Alt-Metal/Post-Grunge
Origin: Atlanta, Georgia
Label: 7Bros
Review coming shortly on this one, but expect the usual from these veteran groove merchants. This isn't a band that throws their fans a lot of curveballs, which probably accounts for a good chunk of their longevity.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bVY1e22LH2k[/youtube]
Suicidal Tendencies – 13
Genre: Crossover/Thrash
Origin: Venice, California
Label: Suicidal
I didn't land a copy of this in time to review it properly, but I commend Mike Muir for his unflagging ability to recruit exceptional musicians, Suicidal Tendencies these days basically consisting of Muir and whatever pickup band he happens to have rounded up at the time. In this case Dean Pleasants is the only member dating to pre-2008 and even he's only been in the band for 15 years now. Muir's lyrics on 13 are pretty much exclusively in party mode – don't expect social commentary on a level with "Institutionalized" or "You Can't Bring Me Down" – but the musicianship is fucking stellar.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xMekYgyWrhg[/youtube]
Wormed – Exodromos
Genre: Technical Death Metal
Origin: Madrid, Spain
Label: Willowtip
This is only Wormed's sophomore album, and amazingly it comes a full decade after their debut, Planisphaerium. Expect lyrics in the old school Voivod faux-tech mold, with mind-blowing riffs and positively sickening virtuosity on display throughout. Review should be up any minute now.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v2Y2TCD7KLA[/youtube]
Also out today:
Amaranthe – The Nexus (Spinefarm)
Ash Borer – Bloodlands (Gilead)
Axel Rudi Pell – Live On Fire CD/DVD (SPV)
Carved – Dies Irae (Bakerteam)
Cnoc An Tursa – The Giants of Auld (Candlelight)
The Color Morale – Know Hope (Rise)
Dark Sermon – In Tongues (eOne)
De La Cruz – Street Level (Frontiers)
DGM – Momentum (Scarlet)
E-Musikgruppe Lux Ohr – Kometenbahn (Svart)
High Priest Of Saturn – High Priest Of Saturn (Svart)
In Vivid Color – In Vivid Color (At Your Command)
Iron Maiden – Maiden England '88 DVD (Universal)
King Carnage – Ounce Of Mercy, Pound Of Flesh (Badgod)
Kruna – Last Century (Bakerteam)
Lustre – Lost In Lustrous Night Skies (ATMF)
My Ransomed Soul – Falsehoods (Red Cord)
Nightbitch – Chainmaker EP (Ear One)
Northlane – Singularity (UNFD)
Odd Dimension – The Last Embrace To Humanity (Scarlet)
Orchid's Curse – Words (Diminished Fifth)
Pretty Maids – Motherland (Frontiers)
Saxon – Sacrifice (UDR)
Sebastian Bach – ABachalypse Now Live CD/DVD (Frontiers)
Sinners To Saints – The Greatest Of These (Red Cord)
Stryper – Second Coming (Frontiers)
Trollfest – Brumlebassen (NoiseArt)
Victor Griffin's In-Graved – Victor Griffin's In-Graved(Svart)
Voodoo Circle – More Than One Way Home (AFM)
Von – Dark Gods: Seven Billion Slaves (Von)