WOW! Holy Sodom, I've fallen in love with the brutality of death metal all over again. Vomitory are gods among insects: T. Gustafsson proves he's one of the best drummers on the scene today, Rundqvist's vocals are cutthroat & the dual guitar terror from U. Gustafsson & Östlund is as amazingly diverse as it is horrifically shredding. If you don't like this album, you don't like death metal. Period.

"Gloom, Beauty and Despair" - the title of an earlier Swallow the Sun song, it's also an ideal description for the band. Their heart-wrenching sound is among the best the doom/death metal genre has to offer, elegantly exemplified in this, their 3rd album. Melancholic to a choking point & massive in its scorned misery, "Hope" is an epitome of cold emotion & brutality ideally wound together.

Another massive offering of darkness from goth-masters Type O Negative. This album needs a chance to grow on you, probably even more so than previous TON releases but once it sinks in, it sinks in deep... Intriguing in its intimacy & cryptic overtones, this may not be the band's greatest record but it's certainly among the most substantial & thought-provoking. It's a great listening experience.

My current favorite US doom metal band (though they really have more of a doom/death sound). Their 6th album focuses more on that melodic death sound than previous releases, though there's still plenty of gloom to be found throughout. Vocalist Paul Kuhr expands upon his already impressive range and the low-end & drum sound make it feel heavy enough to weigh you down like a stone in the water.

Laethora is a side project formed by Niklas Sundin of Dark Tranquillity & 3 members of The Provenance. "March of the Parasite" is an exciting trip through the various subtleties & stylistic ranges of death metal, from the melodic to highly progressive, technical, even quite brutal compositions. Definitely one of my most interesting recent discoveries. Death metal explorers, don't miss this one.

This one has left me perplexed. I say lead-off single "Redemption" is one of the best "radio-ready" songs to come from the metal world in a long time. Yet, it's hard to find much else here that really grabs me & demands continued attention. All the Shadows Fall strengths are still here: ace guitars, killer solos, deep hooks & sharp drums, it all just feels pretty stale & tired. I don't get it...

Rwake spin some dark, brutal metal & raw southern hardcore into one hell of a powerful release. Equal parts groovy, twisted, vicious & just plain creepy, fans of Eyehategod & Soilent Green should definitely check this one out. I think that if the creature from the Black Lagoon hears music in his head, it probably sounds something like "Voices of Omens"... and that's pretty g0ddamn cool...

Technical death metal that draws influence from genre legends Cynic & Atheist and infuses the latest progressive styles of fresh blood such as Arsis & Gojira. Filled with blazing solos and polished with a stellar production by the great James Murphy, "The Hinderers" is speedy, brutal, groovy & sharp. Daath maybe be a pronunciation quandary but it's a name death metal fans shouldn't overlook.

These death/thrashers' sophomore effort follows an impressive '06 debut & initially, I must admit, I was somewhat disappointed. But this one grows on you, big time. While it may lack in speed & ferocity at times, it makes room for better melody, a wider range of vocals & an overall more diverse record than its predecessor. "Such a Sick Boy" is a ridiculously addictive song. All Hail the Army!!!

Even with negative views, I try to be tactful in my criticisms on this list. I can't do that now. "United Abominations" sucks. I've been a long time Deth fan & supporter but my torrid love affair with the "She-Wolf" now comes to a bitter end. Beyond a single glimmer of greatness ("Sleepwalker") the songwriting here is abysmal & utterly forgettable, at best. Tact be damned, this album is wolf s**t.

Definitely a more contentious offering from Neurosis, probably their most volatile since 1996's classic "Through Silver in Blood". But it's not all rough & wild, a lot of the more mellow, progressive tendencies showcased on more recent releases are a big part of this album too. It's a bit of a chaotic/hypnotic enigma, as Neurosis can often be. I don't try to analyze 'em, I just love the music...

Hearty & wicked Swedish death-thrash is the name of the game in this cleverly designed concept album from Impious. While some may find this album somewhat familiar - it's less than groundbreaking - but if you enjoyed the band's previous release, "Hellucinate" (2004), or if you're a fan of breakneck speed, brutality & head-banging mania, you might enjoy this bloody, psychotic crusade.

Leng Tch'e & their self-described "razorgrind" style may seem somewhat subdued in comparison to their last album, "The Process of Elimination", yet "Marasmus" still packs a pretty mean punch. Though not quite as sharp as past offerings, these songs are still heavy as hell & they know exactly what they're aiming for. The razor-wire may be off the gloves but the fist is still as merciless as ever.

Compared to previous Carnal Forge albums, like "Who's Gonna Burn", the new stuff feels somewhat subdued, at a loss for the breakneck speed & wild, frenzied sound I'd come to expect. This is definitely their most melodic album yet, slower & more controlled throughout but definitely still quality stuff. I might have liked a few shots of adrenaline here & there but it's a solid album nonetheless.

Only traces of metal here but it's a hard rock album, so I’m covering it. Melodic hard rock, specifically, layered with nu metal elements. Album #4 by Chevelle, a band in a genre I'm very quickly tiring of - so I'm surprised that “Vena Sera” has enough substance & hook to keep me listening. Needs more spins before I can really be critical but my 1st impression is, believe it or not, quite positive

Who says grindcore can't be poignant & fun? TFD take the disillusionment & righteous rage of Brutal Truth (whose drummer, Hoak, began this band), add some not-so-subtle A.C. style humor & let this baby burn. As a grind album, "Zen..." is way outside the box - the last 4 songs are acoustic, the instrumental parts are more distinct & varied, even guitar solos. A playground for your inner anarchist.

I probably could've written this a year ago, since Six Feet Under are basically the Motörhead of death metal. You know exactly what you're going to get with each new album - ugly, straight to the bone, death 'n' roll grooves, violently vomited all over your skull. But it doesn't matter, SFU is a band you either like or you don't. Nothing I can say here will make much impact on that opinion.

Another imported gem from Sweden, "Tales From the Tomb" is the 1st full length album by this brutal death metal outfit. Reminiscent of classic Swedish death titans like Dismember & Unleashed - this CD even includes a cover of Entombed's "But Life Goes On". Unfortunately, this one isn't available here in the US yet either, so I'm still looking for a copy. I recommend you try this one out as well.

35 track compilation of excellently played, great sounding EYEHATEGOD cover songs, includes contributions from Brutal Truth, Hank Williams III, Alabama Thunderpussy, Lair of the Minotaur, The Mighty Nimbus, Byzantine, Mouth of the Architect, Kylesa, Swarm of the Lotus, Watch Them Die, Minsk, Unearthly Trance, Buried at Sea, The Esoteric, Triac & numerous other underground metal/hardcore bands.