Combining beautiful acoustic pieces with heavy slow progressing guitars, as well as more straightforward murky sections, and vocals ranging from intense growls/screams to clean, the new Grayceon album is a bit of a musical melting pot. Jackie Perez Gratz' chameleonic voice and cello stand out in the mix and add further depth to an already rich album, where some songs reach epic proportions.

Showing convincing quality, well structured songs and innovation, All We Destroy is definitely one of the albums of 2011 worth listening to.

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BloodTears Introspekrieg, Susan, Ag Fox, Fat & Sassy!, X-Ray Rod

Full of groove, and grimy as all hell. It's everything sludge needs to be. I could easily rant about what a punch this album delivers, but it's definitely something that you need to hear for yourself.

...I'm going to go take a shower now.

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Doc G.

Here it is, album number 22. Into The Wild is another great album from a band that have been doing this for over 40 years. Although not quite topping the band's last few albums, Into The Wild has that unique Uriah Heep sound that has had people addicted for four decades.

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Baz Anderson Ag Fox

This, their third album, continues to showcase their unique approach to black metal. It is an intense wall of sound that is also very cerebral in approach. At times it seems things are about to fall apart and are just barely held together... and at other times the approach is monolithic and overwhelming. Another very good album from a band carving out their own niche in Black Metal.

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BitterCOld Fat & Sassy!, Marcel Hubregtse, Troy Killjoy, Ag Fox, Introspekrieg, X-Ray Rod

Singapor...an, Singapor...ite... Wormrot, grindheads from Singapore! It's Abuse 2.0 baby, and it'll rock your socks off!

A word of advice: Try to blink between songs. And don't listen while playing Call of Duty unless you want to buy yourself a new TV. And a controller. Only you realize after that you're at a friend's place. In which case, leave this album behind to make up for the damages. They'll thank you later, because it's that good.

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Troy Killjoy Thryce, wormdrink414, X-Ray Rod

The Wolves are back and their latest represents sort of a culmination of their work in the past dozen years. "SotS" has the loudest (softest?) influence, with this album having the same mellow feel as their last album, as well as the Silence EPs. The album is more sporadic than it's predecessor. Garm gets joined by a female vocalist on a couple songs. Others see 'real' instrumentation, or the occasional cacophonous outburst reminiscent of moments of "Blood Inside". The album closes with the near 15 minute track that is almost a spoken word poem coupled with ambient background noise. Not a wild left turn for the band, but more the culmination of a process.

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BitterCOld Introspekrieg, Darkside Momo, X-Ray Rod

Progressive Metal(core) that will likely short-circuit your brain. Intelligent, innovative and intriguing, The Human Abstract is all that and much more. Start believing the hype!

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Thryce Dane Train, jupitreas, BloodTears, White Winter Sun

Most of the time when the label Progressive Death Metal is slapped on, you get people referring to Opeth. It couldn't be more wrong in this case and in fact, if you are in search of something fresh and a bit experimental at the same time without losing the heaviness in metal, this hidden gem from 2010 should be at least be listened to. A fan of Textures? What are you waiting for?

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Ag Fox Marcel Hubregtse, BloodTears

I first saw this little NY band years ago, opening up for Porcupine Tree, and they blew me away. Ever since, this album has made an almost weekly spin in my life's soundtrack. The End Is Begun is a fun, upbeat, strange record that keeps me coming back for more. Surly not everyone's cup of tea but if you're in search of something different and just plain fun check it out.

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Dane Train Ivor, Introspekrieg

Coming from relative obscurity, this Swiss progressive metal group's album came as a pleasant surprise. While it doesn't hurt to get a little help from Dan Swanö and Devon Graves, these guys do "quite alright" in their own right. There are excellent compositions that keep you interested and some great melodies/ideas throughout for a very consistent album. This isn't cookie-cutter prog metal either, with some unpredictable diversions into power, heavy, folk and electronica for added zest. The songs evoke straightforward feelings of anger and despair that will connect more strongly with the listener than the more convoluted tendencies common in prog bands. Recommended for fans of Ayreon, Pagan's Mind, Scar Symmetry, and/or Vanden Plas.

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Introspekrieg Ag Fox, BloodTears

Finally a worthwhile blackgaze album that doesn't feature Neige! Deafheaven's debut is as beautiful as it is barbaric, adding in some majestic post-metal ambience for the sake of a truly depressive, majestic journey. Highly recommended for fans of Alcest and company.

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Troy Killjoy KwonVerge, Introspekrieg, X-Ray Rod

A challenger for the best neck-breaking grindcore album of 2011 appears... Seriously, this is the kind of killer shit that is guaranteed to rip you at least one new asshole.

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Thryce Deadsoulman, Troy Killjoy, White Winter Sun, wormdrink414, X-Ray Rod

When Fates Warning's guitar mastermind Jim Matheos and ex-Dream Theater Kevin Moore unite, we have musical sparks. These sparks will burn you to the core with corrosive lyrics, bursts of heavy riffs, electronic soundscapes and weird noises. Some of these songs are like magnets, you can't help but being drawn to them. Expect musical "freedom", tasteful progressive metal and creative melodies.

OSI will release their new album later this year, so maybe we'll get some of that magic again. If you are in the mood for something different, give it a go.

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BloodTears Fat & Sassy!, Introspekrieg, Dane Train, Milena, Ag Fox

If over the last four years, you somehow managed to miss this fun little trip to a macabre fairy tale about the twisted circus of your dreams... I don't actually know what to tell you besides that you've failed me as a friend. This album is a catchy ice metal sundae made up of a delicious blend of dark cabaret music, Oingo Boingo, Mr. Bungle, nuts and chocolate syrup, all topped off with a lightly flavored black/thrash metal cherry. Take your time. Enjoy it... but you should probably finish it before they (hopefully) dish out their new album this year.

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Fat & Sassy! Doc G., jupitreas, Ag Fox, X-Ray Rod, Darkside Momo

A lot of people were perturbed by Aaskereia's rather nifty 'Mit Raben und Wölfen' record due to the unusually wail-y vocals present, despite being a top notch display of ultra catchy pagan black metal. Regardless, returneth they do with their first full length in over 7 years and they haven't lost it, in fact they've grown in maturity exponentially. While the shrieks are still present they're combined with a veritable amada of other vocals styles from dramatic cleans, deathly growls and even a hint of Attila inspired insanity - Grim (yes Grim) is an extremely versatile vocalist. All serve exceptionally well to the driving, melody drenched black metal akin at times to Nagelfar's indomitable 'Hünengrab im Herbst' record.

Quality crap.

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Unknown user Troy Killjoy, X-Ray Rod, Deadsoulman, Promonex