Beissert - The Pusher (Agonia)
Black Tusk - Taste The Sin (Relapse)
Castevet - Mounds Of Ash (Profound Lore)
Deftones - Diamond Eyes (Reprise Records)
Dew Scented - Invocation (Prosthetic)
Diabulus In Musica - Secrets (Metal Blade)
Dir En Grey - Uroboros Deluxe Edition (The End)
Goatsnake - Flower Of Disease (Southern Lord)
Griftegård - Solemn.Sacred.Severe (Van)
Hank III - Rebel Within (Curb)
Krokus - Hoodoo (Sony)
Legend - Valediction (Rise Records)
Lightning Swords Of Death - The Extra Dimensional Wound (Metal Blade)
Master - The Human Machine (Pulverised)
Masterplan - Time To Be King (AFM)
Neverland - Ophidia (AFM)
Rosetta - A Determinism of Morality (Translation Loss)
The Ruins Of Beverast - Foulest Semen Of A Sheltered Elite (Van)
Soulfly - Omen (Roadrunner)
Stone Temple Pilots - Stone Temple Pilots (Atlantic)
Triosphere - The Road Less Traveled (AFM)
THOUGHTS: Ok, the new Krokus cd is far from being considered a masterpeice, but when I randomly got this album a few weeks back I figured I would check it out and have been listening to it fairly often since. Not non-stop, but fairly often. If you only know Krokus from their big single 'Screaming In The Night' then I suggest you listen to some of their older heavy stuff (ie: all the other songs on Headhunter) before skipping to the new material. When it comes down to it, Krokus are not the schmultzy rock band that their biggest single suggests, but rather are a groovey rock/metal hybrid. Their latest release, Hoodoo, is hard rock you can shake your ass to.
Next up are one of my favorite Asian imports- Dir En Grey - the deluxe version of Uroboros kicks ass and features a full length live concert cd/dvd from their 2 sold out nights at the Nippon Budokan in Tokyo. I went to both shows during my trip to Japan back in January and interviewed the band for a segment on SiriusXM's Liquid Metal. It surreal to encounter the level of God-like fame they have achieved over there. The shows were incredible, and each night was different; the first focused heavily on new material while the second night was more of a 'greatest hits' type show. Vocally, Kyo stands alone with his unique style and range. Similar to vocalists like Serj Tankian or Phil Anselmo, Kyo uses his voice as an instrument, only he takes it one step further. The amount of completely different sounds that come from that tiny Japanese body will blow you away! Check out a clip from the dvd:
Even though it's not metal, the Pick Of The Week goes to Hank III for Rebel Within. This is his heaviest and hardest album to date, and the mix of growling vocals (just a few of them are thrown in) with that yoddle and southern twang sounds delicious. I am eating this shit up! The south may not rise again, but I bet I could get Hank III to. (Pun intended)
And just because I love to end on a sour note, the Pick of the Weak goes to Rosetta for majorly sucking.
