★★☆☆ As always, this Soulfly album suffers greatly from a seriously lacking self-editing. Here, you’re treated to some interesting (albeit already belabored) ideas, but heavily encrusted with the unshakable feeling that you’re listening to Max Cavalera noodling around without wit or reason. It’s a well-produced indulgence, but one that never lets you forget you’re in Max’s world, like it or not. See the rest here
★★☆☆ It’s been a long time since I actually cared about a Fates Warning album, but this one is a pretty good one to come back for. Don’t be fooled by the first 20 minutes, which are marred by hints of Parallels-era weakness, and definitely don’t miss the three-song prog powerhouse of “I Am,” “Lighthouse,” and “Into The Black”; these old boys still have some energetic surprises in them yet. See the rest here
★★☆☆ The most monstrous of this year’s Cookie Monster vocals, this album still manages to keep things interesting, taking unexpected musical turns that verge on progressive… while still staying firmly rooted in the familiar detuned deathcore territory of bands like The Acacia Strain and Thy Art Is Murder. Original enough to not be completely disposable, but not excellent enough to withstand obsessive re-listens, Oceano still turns in an album worth at least one perusal. See the rest here
★★☆☆ BOS take the state-of-the-art to a new level: instead of having programmed drums, it’s as if every single element on this album is produced to the level of artiface. There isn’t a guitar part that couldn’t be gated, or so it goes. Despite the machines having taken over, there are still some legitimately enjoyable parts throughout the album. See the rest here
★★☆☆ This is pretty much exactly what you’d expect: Scandinavian folk metal done impeccably well, with hardly any surprises at all. See the rest here
★★☆☆ This album is a lot of things, least of which is: loud. It’s got a lot going for it, and evokes everything from DETHKLOK to Disincarnate… but there’s also an instant forgettability to the tunes. See the rest here
★★☆☆ Pretty powerful effort from DevilDriver. Sadly, the second half is more memorable and successful than the first… meaning, you’ve gotta wade through some lackluster filler to get to the goods. Also, that AWOLNATION cover does a decent enough job; it blows almost as hard as the original. See the rest here
★★☆☆ A rollicking rendition of pre-Heartwork grindcore with updated production value. So that’s great. At the same time, the actual songwriting is forgettable. Still, this is a valiant effort, and well worth at least a full listenthrough. See the rest here
★★☆☆ It takes a while for this album to get warmed up, passing through plenty of sounds familiar to other bands (The Jesus Lizard, Thrice, Dillinger). Halfway through, though, it finds its mellow yet feral footing. Not as strong as Meridional, but a solid rager nonetheless. See the rest here
★★☆☆ A glorious slopheap of an album from the very beginning. Imagine a supergroup, with members of Fear Factory, The Acacia Strain, and Gojira. Now imagine them putting out a not-so-great album. Still, it’s eminently listenable. See the rest here
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