This edition includes some doom, some madness, some nostalgia, and more. To the metals…
Amaranthe – Maximalism 
Genre: Power metal/metalcore
Origin: Gothenburg, Sweden
Label: Spinefarm
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On the follow-up to their breakthrough album, Massive Addictive, this pop metal sextet is bringing more huge, catchy tracks for metal purists to hate. Deeper cuts are less of the pop-songs-with-guitars formula, so fans of power metal with male, female, and harsh vocals should give this a go. Also fun fact, this album finally gave the band more albums than singers.
Destrage – A Means To No End 
Genre: Progressive
Origin: Milan, Italy
Label: Metal Blade
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These Italian weirdos twisted and turned their way into my heart with their third album Are You Kidding Me? No. and seeing them back so soon is a welcomed surprise. This record, like the last, is all over the place madness on a Dillinger Escape Plan level with a strong Protest The Hero influence. Certainly an adventure of an album.
Khemmis – Hunted 
Genre: Doom
Origin: Denver, Colorado
Label: 20 Buck Spin
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This is the kind of doom I can really get behind. This is epic, devastatingly heavy, and pretty dynamic overall. This is the album, and band, for those waiting for the next Pallbearer. Although, I think I prefer Khemmis.
Korn – The Serenity Of Suffering 
Genre: Ne metal/alt metal
Origin: Bakersfield, California
Label: Roadrunner
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What I've heard so far from this has the vibes of Korn at their peak. Even more so with an appearance from Corey Taylor and some DJ scratches give this a real 2003 sound. Fans waiting for the band to make another self-titled record, or Issues or something, will need to keep waiting. However, they're getting close on The Serenity of Suffering.
Obituary – Ten Thousand Ways To Die 
Genre: Death metal
Origin: Gibsonton, Florida
Label: Relapse
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This is a pretty simple release. There are two new tracks and a bunch of old stuff live. I appreciate the band giving fans more than just a single with a b-side. While the new songs are pretty solid, I imagine most folks with just skip to the live shit.
The Pretty Reckless – Who You Selling For
Genre: Hard rock
Origin: New York City, New York
Label: Razor & Tie
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Taylor Momsen and the rest have really grown as a band over the last seven years. Her voice has never sounded better than it does on this album, and while it isn't a metal album, its hard (for me) to be mad at. It's inoffensive blues based hard rock with an occasional nod to 70's rock. I await your neckbeard-fuled rage for including this at all.
Riverside – Eye Of The Soundscape 
Genre: Progressive
Origin: Warsaw, Poland
Label: Inside Out
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Riverside are a band known for expansive progressive rock songs. However, on Eye of the Soundscape, the band is taking the "expansive" side of their sound to a new level. This is mostly older songs retooled as ambient pieces with some new experimental songs added it. I was curious what their next step would be following the death of guitarist Piotr Grudziński, and I can't say I expected this. These are really interesting interpretations of older songs that I recommend to fans. This might be a weird start-point if you don't know the band though.
Omar Rodriguez-Lopez – Infinity Drips
Genre: Experimental
Origin: El Paso, Texas
Label: Ipecac
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On album eight of this series, Omar once again brings Teri Gender Bender into the fold and the pair are dabbling with a Middle-Eastern sound. This is probably the furthest I've heard him wander from his At The Drive-In or Mars Volta stylings. This one is one of the more peculiar releases so far.
Sample here
Wovenwar – Honor Is Dead 
Genre: Metalcore/Alt metal
Origin: San Diego, California
Label: Metal Blade
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I fully expected Wovenwar to be a one album project, so this album surprised me a bit. The As I Lay Dying fronted by the chap from Oh, Sleeper band have returned heavier than before, which is a good thing. I don't think those that are anti-metalcore (or whatever) will be won over with this, but those that are fans of the sub-genre that passed on this band last round will have more to enjoy here.
Also dropping today…
Auroch – Mute Books (Profound Lore) – Blackened Death Metal
Church Tongue – Heart Failure (Blood & Ink) – Hardcore
Concepts – Misguided (Stay Sick) – Metalcore
Darke Complex – Point Oblivion (Spinefarm) – Nu meta;/metalcore
I Prevail – Lifelines (Fearless) – Post-hardcore
Kix – Can’t Stop The Show: The Return Of Kix DVD/CD (Loud & Proud) – Glam
The Last Ten Seconds Of Life – The Violent Sound (Siege) – Deathcore
Mithras – On Strange Loops (Willowtip) – Experimental death metal
Necromantix – A Symphony Of Wolf Tones & Ghost Notes (Hellcat) – Psychobilly
Planes Mistaken For Stars – Prey (Deathwish) – Post-hardcore
Sixty Miles Ahead – Insanity (Eclipse) – Alt metal
