Cryptopsy - ...And Then You'll Beg

"You hear that! That is the sound of inevitability!" With this line made famous by the movie The Matrix, Cryptopsy's new album starts off with its sheer brutality, which does not stop until the album is finished. And Then You'll Beg is the fourth album from the multi-talented Canadian death metal band. The music is fast, crushing, extremely heavy and technical. There are plenty of time and tempo changes in all the songs. It is really unbelievable to listen how quickly the band can go from one direction to the next. Flo Mounier is the band's drummer and all I can say is that this guy is amazing! His double bass drumming is incredibly fast; it is hard to believe that this guy has only two feet and two hands because at the blazing speed he plays, it sounds like he has an abundance of limbs. Mike DiSalvo is once again the vocalist and he handles his duties superbly. He was hand picked by the original singer, Lord Worm, to take over the vocal duties. Jon Levasseur, lead and rhythm guitars, Alex Auburn, rhythm and lead guitars and Eric Langlois, bass, round out the rest of the band. The guitars are just as excellent as the drumming. There are great leads, riffs, hooks, and solos. Despite the brutal nature of this album, there are actually some groovy and catchy guitar parts in the album that adds another dimension to the music.

Obscura- Akroasis

Obscura Is a phenomenal German Technical/Progressive Death Metal that has definitely gone through the wringer in the last two years. From losing half the band (Guitarist Christian Muezener and Drummer Hannes Grossmann) in 2014 and recently guitarist Tom Geldschläger in 2015. When the band got back on it's feet in 2015 to be a part of 2015's Summer Slaughter tour in North America, the band suffered from several issues making the band drop off the entire tour. From that point on, Frontman and Guitarist, Steffen Krummerer, set out to make sure that the band's 4th album, Akroasis, would be a complete force to be a reckoned with. Not only did he succeed, but the band is arguably the strongest it has ever been. Let me explain why...

The album starts off with Sermon Of The Seven Suns, which starts with a fade and Cynic style clean

vocoder vocals before kicking into the band's signature sound of technical riffs, bombastic blast beats and outstanding Guitar and Bass work. So many great technical riffs mixed with melodic moments of sheer

Alchemist - Austral Alien

Despite being their fifth full-length, Austral Alien is my first experience of this unique Australian outfit. Alchemist's sound can be loosely classified as a mixture of Elegy-era Amorphis, with some of the aspects of Neurosis (particularly the harsh vocals), and an added industrial edge. The group also reminds me of some non-metal, like post-punk and indie rock, as well as the aforementioned industrial. The band has a compelling habit of pushing the dissonant elements of the guitar to create a unique direction, akin to what Sonic Youth was doing during their most revolutionary period (Daydream Nation, in particular). So, we have an interesting conglomeration of styles here, and everything is pulled off quite nicely.

Adam Agius is a fitting vocalist, jumping between harsher Steve Von Till-like vocals and futuristic sounding clean lines at the blink of an eye. "Great Southern Wasteland" is one of the stronger tracks, first swirling through molten atmospherics and tribal drumming, then reaching an interesting climax. "Solarburn" is even crazier, with an eerie atmosphere and dissonant riffs to carry it along. "Backward Journey" has an Egyptian feel, and swells into psychadelic jamming at one point. The second half of the album isn't as strong, though the final track "Letter to the Future" is a suitably chaotic closer. 

Austral Alien is a very strong album, simultaneously establishing a unique niche in metal for Alchemist, and giving the band material solid enough to be mentioned in the same breath as Amorphis' most adventurous releases. 

Tyrant - Freaks of Nature

Originally formed in 1983, this Tyrant has nothing to do with the American band that released albums including Legions Of The Dead on Metal Blade records in 1985. Instead, this Tyrant represents a rollicking hard rock establishment out of Australia from a nostalgic AC/DC and Helix mold. They released a cassette titled Never Too Loud in '84 before calling it a day in late 1986. Freaks Of Nature is Tyrant's hope for resurgence with ten new songs while the final four selections are new versions of the 4 classic anthems from Never Too Loud. The music represents the best of the 80s rock 'n' roll decade with 100% loud and abrasive metal.

The dominating lyrical phrase from the title-track chants "No longer cool, we're considered out of fashion. Ten years later you know we still got the passion!" Well, It has been more than ten years but I have no doubt about Tyrant's passion. As the songs pass by you get a spectrum of rock from the Kiss leanings on 'Dressed To Kill', the Cult influenced 'Feelings', and the Tattoo, Quiet Riot and W.A.S.P. tinged power chords emancipated on 'Love Child'. The bonus tracks also make a great treat giving newcomers, like me, the ability to hear Tyrant’s roots. Despite the simple album art, I think the front cover should've been abandoned leaving the back collage for the front, Freaks Of Nature is a nostalgic example of what hard rock should be. "Well give me THUNDER & STEEL" and give me Tyrant!

Darkthrone - Transilvanian Hunger

Transilvanian Hunger was the band's first album to be recorded with just two members, Nocturno Culto and Fenriz, following the departure of Zephyrous. The band would remain a duo from this point onwards. The back cover of the album states that "Darkthrone is for all the evil in man". Fenriz appears on the cover artwork, which bears resemblance to Mayhem's 1993 live album Live in Leipzig.
As if to infer some grim parody of the legendary KISS solo albums, the cover to Darkthrone's fourth album (and second pure masterpiece) features Fenriz on the cover, in beautiful newsprint tones with candelabra, inverted cross, corpse paint, and the perfectly placed corner logo and gothic album title font. Zephyrous and Nocturno Culto had their 15 minutes in the spotli...dark, and so now should the drummer. Surely, of their entire discography, this is the most iconic of the album art, and possibly the most memorable black metal cover of all time, even if it's not quite the best. It's the type of image that screams 'what more needs be said', and in that way, it is COMPLETELY loyal to the music of this album, a minimal masterpiece which contains hypnotic wave after wave of blissful torture, blood thirst and sorrow.

Ratt - Tell the World: The Very Best of Ratt

Ratt's signature sound encapsulates anthem-heavy hard rock embellished with irresistible pop hooks and killer lead vocals. After making a name for themselves with hit "Round and Round," the band went on to have monumental successes with "Back for More" and "Wanted Man." These and more are included here!
If you already own the first of Ratt's greatest hits "8191", there is not much difference on this new release. 5 songs out of the 20 are different. The 5 being tracks 1,7,18,19, & 20. One thing to take note of, the above song track listing is correct, EXCEPT for the last track. It is not 'No One Can Stop Us Now', it is an MTV Unplugged version of 'Way Cool Jr'. The CD is still a good one to buy, if you don't own a greatest hits from Ratt already.

Twisted Sister - Big Hits & Nasty Cuts: Best of

The two breakthrough hits, the key album tracks and crushing live cuts by Dee and his hard-rockin' brethren! Includes We're Not Gonna Take It; I Wanna Rock; The Price; Under the Blade; Destroyer; Tear It Loose (last two live), and more.
I know that TS was generally embarrased by both the quality and the sales performance of their last two albums ("Come Out And Play" and "Love Is For Suckers") and therefore chose not to have them represented on this compilation, but there were at least three tracks worthy for inclusion - "Leader Of The Pack", "Be Chrool To Your Scuel" and "Hot Love". Yeah, "Leader Of The Pack" is kinda cheesy (watch their "Behind The Music" episode to see how well that song is regarded by those associated with the band), but wasn't Twisted Sister pretty cheesy to begin with? And isn't that what we loved about them? I mean, any of those three songs would've definitely fit better here than the pathetic live tracks at the end of this disc. Their version of the Stones' "It's Only Rock & Roll (But I Like It)" may be the worst cover version ever recorded.

As it is, this record pretends that Twisted Sister ceased to exist after 1984, which is sad. Still, if all you know is "We're Not Gonna Take It" and "I Wanna Rock", there's some hidden gems here. "The Kids Are Back" is my all-time favorite TS song, and "Shoot 'Em Down", "I'll Never Grow Up Now", "The Price", "You Can't Stop Rock & Roll" and "I Am (I'm Me)" are all classic as well.

Quiet Riot - Greatest Hits

Quiet Riot was the first heavy metal band to ever have an album hit #1 on the Billboard 200. However, their career was short lived as they really only had two good albums, "Metal Health" and "Condition Critical" If your going to buy an album from Quiet Riot's long discography then this is the album to get. When they actually had hits, they were really good hits and that is completely noticeable here. The song's are catchy and it is very easy to find yourself sing along to the choruses. It's a shame they didn't last that long, but i guess that's how it is for some bands.

Rob Zombie - The Electric Warlock Acid Witch Satanic Orgy Celebration Dispenser

The Electric Warlock Acid Witch Satanic Orgy Celebration Dispenser is Rob Zombie's sixth solo studio album. Produced by Zeuss, it was recorded and mixed at Goathouse Studios. A full return to form by the rock icon, The Electric Warlock… features John 5 (Guitar), Piggy D (Bass) and Ginger Fish (Drums). This album marks Rob Zombie's first solo studio album since 2013's Venomous Rat Regeneration Vendor, which debuted at number 7 on the Billboard 200.
2016 has started strongly for metal with excellent albums from Megadeth (Dystopia) and Otep (Generation Doom.) I hoped Zombie would keep this trend going. Simply put, Electric Warlock is not a very good album. The cover looks awesome and exciting. The music is boring. I am a huge Zombie fan and have purchased his entire catalog and seen him in concert twice. He is one of my absolute favorite artist. This is by far his worst album. The only song that I like is the Fcking in the UFO single. Teenage Rock God is decent as well, it sounds like White Trash Freaks from Venomous Rat. Medication for the Melancholy is basically Trade in your guns for a Coffin remixed. Get High is probably the worst Zombie song I have ever heard. It sounds like disposable cheap Kid Rock. I really cannot comprehend how Zombie has John 5 and Ginger Fish in his band and then produces his worst album to date. Skip this on and check out AstroCreep, La Sexorcisto or Educated Horses. I assume everyone already owns Hellbilly Deluxe. Better yet, check out Marilyn Manson's The Pale Emperor. I am very disappointed in this Zombie album. If feels like Zombie is not trying very hard.

VARG - Guten Tag

4th Full-Lenght Album from the German Pagan Black Metal Horde Viking metal band VARG can look back on glorious years since the release of "Blutaar" and with their last album "Wolfskult", which was released in March 2011, they hit the official German album charts (# 33) for the very first time. VARG move forward with huge and mighty steps and they?ll crown themselves with the release of their new album "Guten Tag" on October 5. With this record, VARG go way beyond any boundaries of pagan, death, black and folk metal, even German Rock and "Neue Deutsche Härte" influences are nothing the band are afraid of. With all of this the album becomes an acoustic, invincible force, a weapon which couldn?t be more powerful!