Fun Deathcore That Doesn't Dissapoint
592519
Lots of Breakdowns and Tremalo picking form an album that gets straight to the point. This album holds no secrets, basically every song holds the same musical framework, but Carnifex creates a fresh take on the music. Vocals have a great range, clever and catchy riffs with beatdown breaks that offer everything you would expect. Love this music or hate it, this band is going on a huge tour and making a name for themselves. Buy it.
1628072
I've been a Type O Negative fan since 1995, always greatly anticipating new material from this unique group.  After my first listen to "Dead Again," I just thought I needed to give it time.  Type O consistently puts out 75-80 minutes of new music and it can't necessarily be digested in one listen.  However, I should have trusted my instincts.  As another reviewer stated, one of the great things about Type is that their complicated music knocks you out the first time!  With "Dead Again," there's just nothing that memorable on the disc.  "These Three Things" has some good spots, as does "September Sun," the title track and "Profits of Doom," but nothing that stays with you.  I've been listening to this disc somewhat consistently since it was released and it's good, but that up to par with other Type O discs.  My favorite is October Rust, followed by Bloody Kisses and Life is Killing Me, which I thought was quite underrated.  If you're a big fan, hey, this is still better than 90% of the bands out there, but it's not the Type O we've all been listening to for all these years.
2848190
Thus far, 2014 has only impressed me a few other times with it's metal releases, this album being a pleasant surprise. I'd never heard them before, or of them. I just saw it for sale on PL Records site, listened to a sample track, then ordered it. This album reminds me of several albums sort of rolled into one sweet package. First, it is a lot like last years Gorguts release, and also it has some Nader Sadek and Warfather riffing going on as well, and the vocals are the type of death metal growls that aren't faked in the studio, very real and organic. The guitar tone is varied from a thick bass sound to some very mid ranged tremolo picking. Despite this review being pretty specific as to why I like it, honestly, I took a chance with this order that I based solely on the band's name. Artificial Brain...I wish I'd thought of that first...lol!
1160860
I heard these four tracks online when they were originally released as a digital EP, and now it's nice to have them on CD since they're good songs, and since I'm not into iPods. Some of them, especially my favorite, "Just a Bullet Away", probably could've replaced tracks that made it onto Death Magnetic. Metallica might be aging, but they still have some fire left, as they showed when they played these songs live during their 30th Anniversary gigs in San Francisco. Similar to the other songs from the Death Magnetic sessions, the four tracks here show off plenty of metal riffs and solos, with equal portions of Black Album-style heavy rock. Here's a more detailed account of each track for anyone interested.

"Hate Train"--The first half of this song features riffs very similar to "Fuel" and Black Album-era verses, with the second half sounding more like their thrash era. It has some slow parts with decent singing by James, but some of the first half might have sounded too close to "Fuel" to make Death Magnetic. The solos could be longer, but this song is definitely heavy on riffs and has a lot of different sections. Despite the "Fuel" riffs, I think it sounds less like the Re-Load era than several songs from DM.

"Just a Bullet Away"--Awesome metal song, with great riffs, lyrics, and vocals...this one definitely should've been on Death Magnetic. It seems to be most people's favorite of the four, although "Rebel of Babylon" gets a lot of votes, too. I think it would fit nicely on the Black Album, as it's sort of an almost-thrash song that would sound at home with the heaviest few tracks from that release.

"Hell and Back"--The strange song out of the four. It reminds me of "Broken, Beat, & Scarred" in some parts, and "Cyanide" in others. The weird verses in the first half don't remind me of anything from Metallica. They're almost alternative, I guess; not bad, really, just different. It gets fairly heavy in the middle, then continues with some nice riffs until the end. Even though it might be the weakest of the four tracks, it's still good enough for a solid 4 out of 5.

"Rebel of Babylon"--This is another clearly heavy song like "Just a Bullet Away", with some fast riffing in the verses. James offers a few vocal lines that get about as old-school as he can manage these days. There's still a lot more singing than in the old days, but you hear traces of that gruff, harsh James of the past. It leaves a nice taste finishing things off heavy.

Listening to the songs on this EP, I could make the case that some are about equal to tracks on Death Magnetic, so I can see where Metallica might have had a tough time deciding which ones to leave off that album. "Just a Bullet Away" is the only one that I'd gladly sacrifice a song for (maybe "Cyanide"), but just adding them to Death Magnetic would've made it too long in my opinion. Which makes it cool that they put them together for an EP to hold us off until a new album comes together. Clocking in at about a half hour with four 7-8 minute songs, Beyond Magnetic is a fine EP to add to Metallica's discography. Easily worth the $6 price tag.
2587819
Saw them this year at the 2016 Maryland Deathfest and they were amazing, which prompt me to buy this album.  Not disappointed
1836006
August Burns Red is not your typical metalcore band. it sounds also like a melodic death metal band too. it is easy to imagine an MDM band such as In Flames or At The Gates converting to Christianity. this band, while having melodic elements to its sound, does not sound poppy. as a matter of fact, I have never heard any poppy metalcore band yet. as with all metalcore bands, secular and Christian, the songs are short. in the time it took me to write this review, I have heard 3 songs. this band has a unique name. one of the band members had an ex-girlfriend named August and she burned his Irish Setter named Redd, or something like that. however, this band, like many of the metalcore bands I have listened to, doesn't talk about ended relationships. August Burns Red praises the name of Jesus. song no. 5, entitled "Marianas Trench", sounds almost like "My Curse" by Killswitch Engage in its instrumental approach. you owe it to yourself to spin this in your CD player. you will not be disappointed.
1697463
Here we are again! Consistent as your birthday or the Fourth of July, Pathology return for their now annual unleashing of brutal death grind.  How does this album sound? Like Pathology of course!  For those new to the band, don't let the label (Victory Records) fool you, this is not hardcore in any form, shape or fashion.  This is Carcass worshiping, Dying Fetus loving, Suffocation influenced Death metal and Grindcore, with a groove laden approach.  Pathology always bring the musicianship.  Dave Astor's drums are even better than ever with some almost Flo Mournier style gravity blasts, and bouncing, grooving, double bass!  Kevin Schwartz rips up his fret board with intense buzzsaw riffs, and bassist Oscar Ramirez actually brings a bass contribution that carries these tunes along with chugging ferocity. Vocalist John Huber is a love him or hate him kinda vocalist. I love him. His growling, gurgling style, all but strangles any pronunciation. This album sees him stretching a bit, to really enunciate his growls to almost comprehensible words. It's a tough feat that doesn't distract from absolute crushing heaviness either.  The songs are good and catchy, in that grim, slamming sort of way. My favorite being track #9, A Bleak Future. While it's always a treat to receive a new Pathology album, (the band packages many different options complete with merch, t-shirts, longsleeves, artwork, etc thru their label...) the band doesn't give itself enough time to write excellent songs, like similar bands have.  Napalm Death, Aborted, Exhumed and Cattle Decapitation are making Death Grind history, while Pathology continue to be second on the bill. But that's of little consequence once The Time of Great Purification sinks it's meat hooks into you.  Unless the album cover comes true, see you guys next year around this time...
3034597
This album is one of those that sounded somewhat trite in the beginning but then upon more listens started to grow on me and just become a basically fun and somewhat interesting album with some good hooks.  Great background music, and a few thought-provoking lyrics.  The Killers are a good band, but this album is a little bit on the programmed and compressed side.  Not their fault.  I wish they [engineers, producers] would go back to clean recording with live drums and plenty of headroom for the dynamics that exist in a great recording (see Butch Vig).  A solid album.  One you can leave in the CD player for a week or two.
178256
With retro bands all the rage in the metal world these days, fans and musicians alike are discovering melodies and hooks that a decade and a half of deathcore and metalcore did its best to snuff out with oppressive blast beats, monotonous one note "riffs" and vocals that sounded like the vocalist was being disemboweled while he was recording, or she in the case of Angela Gassow.  Such one dimensional approaches could only stay fresh so long, and even veteran black and death bands are less fearful of injecting some hooks you can actually remember without sacrificing their power.
  In Solitude are gaining much attention, more for their second album "The World The Flesh The Devil" and for good reason.  It's a great album.  However, interest in their debut has resulted in its being re-released with two added tracks.  Some may call it Iron Fate or Merciful Maiden, because the influences are very obvious.  That being said, there is nothing wrong with a solid influence, and In Solitude play with conviction and maybe a bit more spunk on the debut simply because their arrangements haven't quite developed as they would when the second album came around.  One reviewer may be correct that this album is a bit more raw and biting, but considering the levels of musicianship on "The World . . " some polish was needed.
  At any rate, "In Solitude" is a pleasing and rocking first effort, with sharp guitars, good vocals and a crisp production.  I will be eagerly awaiting the third release, as the band is currently in the studio.  It will no doubt make them more identifiable as their own band, and they will be dangerous.
4362684
which is the hyped Dead C Holy Grail since Steven Malkmus raved about it as one of his top two fave albums. I think Tusk has far more dynamic a progression of tunes, and the vocals seem more organic here amidst the noise. The synths on the end of the title track, the agonized doom blended into a free-for-all Stoogian (in both senses of the term) assault make for an enjoyable disk to accompany any stream-of-consciousness activity in which you are engaged. It's actually great driving music if you're in one of those Ritalin moods. By this 1997 stage in their long career, the experimental tendencies that dragged down H70sR, in my opinion, are streamlined into more linear formations which drag the songs past the sludge rather than leaving them stranded in the gunk. The band sounds like it's having fun here, and calling any CD Tusk and featuring a grimy line drawing (sort of Tenniel meets Gorey) of a girl apparently being devoured headfirst by a ravenous amphibious beast, shows the humor that lurks beneath the whirlwind of passionate full-on intensity that even rock snobs can appreciate as essential.

Worth tracking down as one of their three best--and a good companion to the more minimal and quieter 2001 New Electric Music and the far earlier Eusa Kills, both of which have a rather Eno-esque patina mixed into the more garish surface texture for winning effect. And no, the Fleetwood Mac song is nowhere to be found here, in case you wound up here by mistake.
604075
Good ass post-hardcore. Great guitar, great vocals, great screams. Give it a good couple of listens if it doesn't amaze you at first. While you're at it, grab their first album too! a lot more instrumental but damn amazing too. [...]
3283419
In a death metal world, individual bands can find themselves constrained by the parameters of their genre, but that is true about most musical genres any more, I suppose.  This can lead to a lot of facelessness and lack of original style in the hands of lesser bands.  Many of them go the deathcore route where overtly minimalist music with a (usually) truncated approach toward musicianship and individual style makes them hard to distinguish.  It's usually a few "heavy notes" and blast beats, and not much else.  There are always exceptions:  Lamb of God have been called deathcore and metalcore, but are fiercely original and burn like few modern heavy bands do after all these years.  Whitechapel are decidedly deathcore, but again break convention with three capable guitar players who are great at leads, layering and texture.  They have even tried a few clean vocals, and while some hard heads complained, I liked the texture.
  All that to say this:  there is somewhat a triumvirate of death metal bands in my collection that do break the mold somewhat,  Philadelphia's Incantation, along with NYC's Immolation and Suffocation being the others who clearly wear their old school late 80's and very early '90's influences of bands like Morbid Angel proudly.  However, each have enough differences to make them all top notch bands.
  "Blasphemy" is a CD that isn't afraid to show some innovative riffs that also pay homage to doom, albeit at a brutal pace.  Guitars are thick and full of heavy doom riffs, which adds a welcome addition to incessant drum triggers.  Autopsy probably can lay some claim to mixing the doom element with their absolutely psychotic take on death metal as pioneers of the merging of the two styles effectively, although Morbid Angel certainly can't be denied, either.
  Like their brethren Immolation, this band is no friend of religion.  Their lyrical approach is very dark indeed, but from a perspective of the societal damage organized religion is responsible for, in this case Christianity.  Not that I care personally, as they have the right to address any topic they see fit.
  It does add that extra shade of black to the proceedings, and musically while they haven't really tread a whole lot of new ground by this, their third album, sometimes that's a plus, because their music is well developed as it is.
  For death metal fans who like the old school approach but like a little diversity in their music to help bands stand apart from one another, those who also dig the doom genre will like this approach.  Lots of riffs to hang your hat on, and plenty of hellfire to stoke the furnaces of some of death metal's darkest corners.
3771721
This album is a perfect example of the genre. It doesn't get more fun to listen to than this. Its downright heavy and it has the groove other bands similar to it lack. One of the best albums out there for deathcore listeners, or just deathmetal in general for that matter.
959670
Melodic death metal at its finest. The English is a little rough (but cut them some lack; the group is from Japan) but that doesn't factor into my own opinion as I have been following the group for years. Each successive release improves upon the last, and O.D. is no exception.

My only true complaint is that, unlike their doujin music releases (Touhou arranges, for those familiar with the games and their music but not familiar with UNDEAD CORPORATION) is that the album lacks the off-vocal versions of any of the tracks, which let me appreciate the music for what it is

Listen to the samples and, if you even get the hint that these songs will melt your face off, pick up the album! You will not be disappointed.
3716563
Bad Religion's New Maps of Hell CD, is a good disc with many memorable tracks and a lot of fast, intense, punk rock songs. Although it doesn't remind me of Suffer as much as you hear in some reviews but it is good nonetheless.

The CD's stand out tracks are Heroes and Martyrs (9/10), New Dark Ages (10/10), Requiem for Dissent (8.5/10), Before You Die (9/10), Dearly Beloved (8.5/10), Honest Goodbye(10/10), Grains of Wrath (10/10), Scrutiny (8/10), Submission Complete (9.5/10), and Lost Pilgrim (8/10).

Heroes and Martyrs is a fast song with some interesting chord progressions and some intense drumming.

New Dark Ages is one of the albums singles and it is a really good song. It features a catchy chorus and some good guitar playing. Brooks Wackerman's drumming reminds me a lot of the drumming from No Control a lot with this song.

Requiem for Dissent is another fast punk song with a fist pumping in the air chorus and some interesting guitar playing.

Before You Die is a bouncy track with catchy vocals and good drumming.

Dearly Beloved is pretty catchy and enjoyable, I really like how fast the drumming gets at the end of the last chorus.

Honest Goodbye is the CD's other single and I really enjoy it. For Bad Religion it is a pretty unique track with some interesting bass work and a pretty great chorus. I also enjoy the guitar riff.

Grains of Wrath is a good song with a memorable chorus and some good soloing.

Scrutiny is pretty good. I like the chorus a lot and enjoy the drumming.

Submission Complete is a really original song for Bad Religion as well because it features a predominately heavy guitar riff with an odd time signature and complex drumming. Brooks really shines with his skill in this track. The vocals in this song are also cool and original. I really like this song a lot.

Lost Pilgrim is also good because it features good chord progression, vocals, and and interesting solo in the middle.

For Bad Religion, this CD features fast memorable songs and passages and doesn't have a poor song on the disc. The only thing I can complain about is that songs like Grand Delusion and Prodigal Son are not really memorable in my opinion but they are listenable. Again track Fields of Mars starts off interesting with piano but falls short when it really begins picking up.

However for a punk fan and a Bad Religion fan I really enjoy this CD. Its fast, fun, intense, catchy, and memorable. I would definitely suggest picking it up or giving the songs I mentioned a try.
733549
Evil Army plays the type of fast, aggressive, hardcore punk-influenced crossover thrash that bands like D.R.I. and Cryptic Slaughter were playing 20 years ago.  There isn't much variation on this album:  it's pretty much loud-fast-rules all the way, and the riffs are pretty basic.  But the band plays the material with a lot of enthusiasm, and the result is damn fun to listen to.  My favorite tracks on this album are "Wrong Approach", "Conquer Human Life", "Satan Made Me Do It", and the Taxi Driver inspired "Scum of the Earth".
4491388
For those of you metalheads who hunger for crunchy riffs and something, well...somewhat different, this album is for you.  I'm one of those guys who appreciates heavy music AND melody at the same time.  While FF doesn't delve into the melodic as much on this album as, say, Demanufacture, it's got some great moments, most notably in the climactic track, "Resurrection."  I personally like the melodic twist that Burton Bell will throw in the midst of his growling....TEXTURE, people, texture is what makes FF fun to listen to.  In between the tight instrumentation and sound fx, there's a lot going on in their music.

I have to admit that I wouldn't mind hearing Dino Cazares branch out his playing a little bit into the upper register - not that he has to -horrors!- SOLO or anything.  He's got a great tone and his rhythm playing integrates well with the drum and bass, but I wouldn't mind hearing a little more variety in his playing.  Otherwise, great stuff!