This edition includes the word "rip" a lot, some gloom, some doom, some things that go boom, and more. To the metals!
Bloody Hammers – Lovely Sort Of Death 
Genre: Doom
Origin: Charlotte, North Carolina
Label: Napalm
Buy now on Amazon.com
This spooky group will creep into your mind with their catchy haunting melodies and sit there while the darkness slowly takes over your mind. The takeover is welcomed, as I can't think of anything like this that I've heard lately. They bring the doom and dread without needing to be super heavy. Rather interesting.
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bR7auQv9W6k[/youtube]
Brick – Faceless Strangers 
Genre: Melodic heavy metal
Origin: Sweden
Label: Scarlet
Buy now on Amazon.com
This band brings influences like The Haunted, At The Gates, Iron Maiden, and fist-in-the-air rock n roll together into one. I could see them written off as a Kvelertak clone by some, but there is a unique spirit there. This is the solid start of a newer band.
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5eDbxxdBoxY[/youtube]
Blues Pills – Lady In Gold 
Genre: Stoner/Psychedelic
Origin: Orebro, Sweden
Label: Nuclear Blast
Buy now on Amazon.com
Let's keep this Swedish celebration of rock n roll going with Blue Pills. Vocalist Elin Larsson's classic psych style has never sounded better over the bed of bluesy, fuzzy, goodness. I can see this one gaining traction beyond the heavy realm, and rightfully so. This is an excellent sophomore effort.
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W-1hn87q9_8[/youtube]
Carnifex – Slow Death
Genre: Deathcore
Origin: San Diego, California
Label: Nuclear Blast
Buy now on Amazon.com
I know what you're thinking. "I thought this was METAL Injection." Welp, here you go. The record is called Slow Death, but this is a record of swift punches in sonic form. Get low and get heavy with this one.
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Z04ep5X7Ic[/youtube]
Necromancing The Stone – Jewel Of The Vile 
Genre: Melodic death metal/thrash
Origin: St. Clairsville, Ohio
Label: Metal Blade
Buy now on Amazon.com
With current and former members of The Absence, The Black Dahlia Murder, Brimstone Coven, and Aris coming together on this band, you'd expect it to rip. How much it indeed rips may surprise you. It rips so much. Like, all the rippage one could rip, is ripping on this record. Did I mention that it rips?
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TZn2qmGpG30[/youtube]
Russian Circles – Guidance
Genre: Post-metal
Origin: Chicago, Illinois
Label: Sargent House
Buy now on Amazon.com
Let's get lost in another excellent ethereal Russian Circles record. The band is good at making epic, heavy, emotional, instrumental music, and that's exactly what you're getting here. No surprises, but no complaints here.
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eWoJs4QkvwE[/youtube]
Tarja – The Shadow Self 
Genre: Symphonic metal
Origin: Kitee, Finland
Label: earMusic
Buy now on Amazon.com
Now on her fourth solo album, Tarja's post-Nightwish career is still going strong. Fans of her work over the last decade will enjoy this. Fans hoping for a Nightwish reunion record, will need to keep waiting.
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dqZs-DFtx9g[/youtube]
Also dropping today…
Blackfoot – Southern Native (Loud & Proud) – Southern metal
The Dead Daisies – Make Some Noise (SPV) – Hard rock
Eat The Turnbuckle – The Great American Bash Your Head In EP (HPGD) – Death metal/Thrash
From Blue To Gray – Abstention Of Interference (Luxor) – Melodic death metal
Jackyl – Rowyco (Mighty Loud) – Southern rock
