Not wasting time with dull intros, Zakk whips out his guitar’s signature tone for opening jaunt “Crazy Horse.” It’s a biker anthem soaked in American lore and a majestic chorus destined to inspire much fist-pumping among a live audience. The next song “Overlord” keeps the momentum running at an even pace and bears the distinct signature of Ozzy Osbourne. Not that Zakk is imitating the Ozzman, it’s just the style is reminiscent of his work in his previous band. The album’s pulse barely misses a beat for “Parade of the Dead” and it isn’t until “Darkest Days” that the tenderness begins oozing forth in ballad form.

Guitar pyrotechnics is what drags in “Black Sunday,” one of the album’s speedier offerings that forego the grooving sludge for exquisite finger work. Speaking of finger work, take a large aural dose of “Chupacabra” near album’s end. It’s an abrupt showcase of Zakk’s technique as he punishes a Spanish guitar in a prolonged burst of shred frenzy. However, if this is too strange for your orthodox tastes, honest-to-goodness rockers are plentiful and come thick around the middle. Ignoring the ‘other’ ballad here (”Time Waits For No One”), the anthemic “Southern Dissolution” and its power-thrash sibling “Godspeed Helbound” are undeniable proof that age hasn’t diluted this quartet’s sonic brew.

While Zakk Wylde’s stamp on “Order of the Black” is indelible, it’s the other three guys who are responsible for really bringing it all together. In case you missed him, Zakk’s co-guitarist Nick Catanese is back in fine shape and the accompanying rhythm section of John Deservio (bass) and Will Hunt (drums) keep the album’s rough edges under control. Solid as a rock and harder than Stone Sour can ever be, “Order of the Black” won’t disappoint.

-Miguel

But hey, despite the dismissive haters the Welsh quartet do have commercial success on their side. Not even the elite of America’s “metalcore” scene (Trivium, As I Lay Dying, All That Remains—all of whom have moved on from their trendy beginnings) have sold as many albums as these fairies. To be honest, compared to every half-assed quasi-melodic black metal up-and-coming douche group coming out these days, Bullet For My Valentine have more songwriting panache in their little fingers than the up and comers will ever have.

Such is the core strength of “Fever,” a predictable collection of saccharine tunes whose sole reason for existing is to improve on the last album’s merits. Where 2008’s “Scream Aim Fire” had hooks and energy galore, “Fever” has the same in excess. The band is moving in a straight line apparently and you’re glad to know that Bullet For My Valentine are guided by a musical imprint all their own. Said imprint has the benefit of simple lyrics, faux teenage angst and a strange blend of Gothenburg melodic thrash/death metal tempos with licks circa Def Leppard at their hammiest.

If you think that’s a bad combination you might as well skip this album, because from the first song (the rather tedious “Your Betrayal”) onwards the band inflict syrupy anthems without remorse. The title track is particularly loathsome but it isn’t half as bad as the endless succession of heartbreak songs bedeviling this release. It’s sheer punishment enduring Matt Tuck wail about some chick who left him. You’d think the band would smarten up and make amends halfway through, but instead Matt and his gang worsen matters by contemplating relationships gone sour and the girls who ignored them in school.

So the big question is: Does the album suck? Nope. The songwriting is too polished for it to fail. It’s just…predictable. If a recommendation is asked for it would be a very slight one: slightly recommended then.

-Miguel

The bone of contention here is the mode by which the band peddle their song craft. Expect harsh screams, cleanly sung choruses, layers of symphonic ambience and melodic death metal ferocity. In short, Society’s Plague are a contemporary American band who play a contemporary blend of influences from either side of the point. Think Soilwork meets As I Lay Dying then throw in a pinch of Iron Maiden and Dreamtheatre. The end result can be off putting at times, however there are also promising examples of what this band will become someday.

“The Human, The Canvass” kicks off with an obligatory intro before the opening track gets underway. It’s gratifying to hear that for a band who’ve juts debuted, Society’s Plague have their musicianship down pat. They may sound contrived on occasion, but when it comes to musicianship and lyrical inventiveness Society’s Plague are on the right track. Perhaps the greatest flaw of the album, despite such winning tracks as “Legions” or ” A Better View On A Bitter World” and even the magnificent “Transcend The Throne,” is the boring sameness that pollutes the listening experience. A lot of the songs here are filler and the parts that are truly memorable only shine on occasion.

When it comes to personnel, Society’s Plague should pride themselves for being a seasoned live unit. It shows when you hear the fluidity coursing through each song here. Odious as Mat Newton’s generic growls are, on the other end of the spectrum is the band’s gift for imaginative writing and well hewn compositions. Given its flaws, keep in mind this is a first album and as a rule of thumb, it’s no one’s place to thoroughly condemn a band’s debut offering. Society’s Plague may not be perfect, yet the future seems right for the quintet if they continue to hone their craft.

-Miguel

The muscles get stretched further on the second track “Welcome to the Family” which became a viral hit after being chosen as the OST for the new Call of Duty trailer. Laden with grooves and undeniable catchyness, “Welcome to the Family” counts itself among A7Xs heaviest romps. Unfortunately, no matter how gifted they are, a perfect album has always eluded the band. There always seems to be a slew of odd ball tracks that clutter their otherwise enjoyable releases. The odious tandem of “Danger Line” and “Buried Alive” see the band going through the motions, slapping together now-familiar ingredients like soaring guitar harmonies and pop infected choruses while keeping it all together with a smidgen of crunch. Yet what can’t be missed even during their weakest moments is the excess of heartfelt balladry that weigh down the “Nightmare” experience.

Besides the first two songs plus the thrash/speed jaunt of “Natural Born Killers” and “God Hate Us,” there’s way too much melancholy lurking inside this disc. “Buried Alive,” “So Far Away,” “Victim,” “Tonight The World Dies” and “Fiction” are plodding numbers that are undeniable proof the remaining four members are still hungover from grief. “Victim” is particularly tender with its faint trace of female croons, but the emotions run dry by the time “Tonight The World Dies” rolls in followed by the hypnotic piano-driven chill out track “Fiction.“ Like a bucket of cold water on our burning enthusiasm, a proggy finisher titled “Save Me” meanders for a good dozen minutes at the very end before A7X bow out. Okay, okay we get it: they miss the Rev. We all do. Ultimately, “Nightmare” is a great album that has a worrying shortage of straightforward rockers.

-Miguel

I waited a long time for this album. I heard from For Today’s vocalist Mattie Montgomery that “This album is going to be the most confrontational album ever written.” Hearing that I had no idea what to expect. I will be honest and say I did not expect a lot. The album opens with the song “Devastator.” A powerful song with the most different sounding riff I have ever heard near the beginning. The lyrics start the album by saying “Hell! Fear me! I am the one the one that will bring you down!” and “Let my name be feared at the gates of hell!” When you hear the passion in Mattie’s voice you cant help but feel powerful. The lyrics are your traditional For Today lyrics, based solely around the “end times” and the book of Revelation from the bible. Now on to the new and improved sound.

For me, I was never a fan of the tone For Today had. It seemed very bland, and not in your face. Yes, there were 808’s and bass drops and china cymbal, but on the previous albums, For Today seemed like there was no meat behind the sound. I can’t tell you how happy I am about their new sound. You immediately get hit in the face and chest with a wall of sound. Everything sounds to be so much thicker. The cymbals are more clearly recorded, and the drum set sounds like the toms are lit on fire! The vocals are amazing as well. Instead of just one track of vocals, you have many layers with different screams and some very cool computer effects. There is a part in the song “Seraphim” where Mattie commands to have the “Burning ones A-r-i-i-i-i-se!” and the computer chops it up which makes it sound amazing. Mattie has so much energy and passion in his lyrics that you cant help but do what he tells us to. Some negatives I will have to post is that the album does seem to get pretty repetitive after a while. You hear the same chugging chords over a sweeping guitar and to be honest, sweeps to me sound the same after a while. Although impressive, I feel like if they went by the old saying “less is more” it would be much more impressive.

I was skeptical before this album came out. I always supported For Today for their positive message and encouraging lyrics, and I knew this album would make or break the band. With this being said, I trust this will be the album of the year. You cant get heavier, more melodic, more passionate and more spiritual. No matter what your views on life are, this album is for you. Give it a run through. If the sheer brutality of the songs don’t break you down, then the 4 spoken word poems in the album will have you FaceDown. I must add, the final track is without a doubt my favorite track on the album. I got choked up listening to it.

-Matt C

For the ones wondering, the song off this album titled “The Advocate” has 10 bass drops making for 1 bass drop every :23 seconds =)

-Matt C

Album art for "Zombie EP"

Opening with the straightforward affair that’s the title track, the song “Mechanize” hammers away with machinelike efficiency until “Industrial Discipline” takes up its cudgels and continues hammering our earlobes. To match the band’s machine-like aesthete, note how a lot of the songs here reflect have un, ‘industrial’ themed titles. (Industrial Discipline?) It’s camp of the highest order, in this writer’s opinion, but fun nonetheless. “Far campaign,” “Powershifter,” “Oxidizer,” and the venomous “Christploitation” are all cut from the same mold: jarring riffs, pummeling drums, and throaty screams that could shatter glass. Whether you call this industrial groove or the progenitor of metalcore, it’s consistent to the point of formulaic by-the-numbers redundance, which explains why the album’s middle tends to blur into a dizzying stretch of musical aggression.

Surprise, surprise, Fear factory lend this latest the ultimate finishing touch with the two part wonder that’s “Designing The Enemy” and the instrumental segue “Metallic Division” before the tender “Final Exit” winds the whole affair down. If this album were released a year early, it would’ve been perfect as an OST to Terminator:Salvation, disappointing as that movie was. Anyway, whether you’re new to this band or an expectant fan, “Mechanize” won’t disappoint. It’s a pummeling release that will knock you to the ground and beg for ultimate submission.

-Miguel

Five years since and another godless endeavor titled “The Obsidian Conspiracy” has finally arrived to re-establish Nevermore’s dominion over our very souls. Eager fans who’ve been contemplating this release will fall upon it like ravenous hyenas and be either stumped or electrified by the fist-to-the-throat intensity of opener “The Termination Proclamation.” It’s still the Nevermore of legend alright, loaded with deadly grooves, a menacing pace, Jeff Loomis’ chunky groove-laden riffs, and Dane’s deep vocals. The crucial difference is it starts so abruptly, the anticipation almost falls flat on its face. But do not fear, because it’s hardly an underwhelming tune and neither is “Your Poison Throne” or the testosterone drenched verve of “Moonrise (Through Mirrors of Death)”.

Further excellence reigns on the album’s slower moments, which range from the chilling “And The Maiden Spoke,” the doom metal tinged “The Day You Built The Wall,” and the menacing “She Comes In Colors.” Yet most poignant of all, and perhaps “The Obsidian Conspiracy”’s highwater mark, is the heart rending emotion of “The Blue Marble And The New Soul.” Ever so tender and moving, you might not be able to hold back the tears. On the flipside of such mid tempo fare are the straightforward thrashers like “Moonrise,” the oddly positive message of “Without Morals,” and the title track, which arrives at the bitter end crackling with infernal rhythm.

Speaking of rhythm bassist Jim Sheppard and drummer Van Williams are a flawless pair. It’s the backdrop they provide that allows both Warrel Dane and Jeff Loomis to shine. Shine they do on most of the album, including the extra cover songs after the incendiary title track, and this scribe has no other judgment to pass except to declare “The Obsidian Conspiracy” is worth the wait.

-Miguel

After listening to the album nonstop for the better part of two weeks, this writer is quick to point out how some of the songs here aren’t up to snatch, but there’s certainly enough solid material that sound destined for a permanent place in Exodus’ set list. Opener “The Ballad of Leonard And Charles” certainly ranks among its strongest moments, blessed as it is with a soothing intro before the twin guitar mayhem begins to boil and before you can utter ‘holy shit’ the band are at it like an orangutan in heat. That may have been a terrible abuse of verbiage, but “Ballad” just crunches so hard, you might wanna check with your dentist after a cursory listen.

Ensuing tracks such as “Beyond The Pale” and the invigorating anthem that follows it keep the album’s momentum intact before the next tidal wave of brutality. “Class Dismissed (A Hate Primer)” is Exodus at their most venomous. It features one of the gnarliest riffs ever conceived by Gary Holt married to Tom Hunting’s seismic percussion work. On top of this boiling maelstrom are Rob Dukes’ tortured utterances, which recounts the grisly activities of a deranged college student who decides to go on a shooting spree. Characteristic of most Exodus barrages that clock in past five minutes, the entire mid-section where the guitar duel erupts is a total mess and once it careens headlong toward its bitter ending your ears are begging reprieve.

Since thrash metal’s producer of choice worked the knobs on the album, expect utter perfection in Exodus’ modern repertoire. The real weakness of “Exhibit B” are the occasionally boring tracks that simply rehash the quintet’s long familiar ingredients. It’s a common pitfall for prolific recording artists who are obsessed with creating a wealth of material. But as a complete package, “Exhibit B” is ace.

-Miguel