This week's edition of THE WEEKLY INJECTION features a bunch of old dudes show that they've still got it and one lone black metal upstart.
To the metals…
Astrophobos – Remnants of Forgotten Horrors 
Genre: Black Metal
Origin: Stockholm, Sweden
Label: Triumvirate
Buy now on Amazon.com
Looks like we're kicking off Black Metal History Month a little early with this one. Sweden's Astrophobos pay homage to the black metal forefathers with this straight forward record of grim, frosty songs. This album features really well written lyrics that are a fascinating read and pretty stellar musicianship throughout. Also, two guys from the comedic blackened thrash band Unchaste are in this band.
Metallica – Through The Never DVD 
Genre: Thrash
Origin: San Francisco, California
Label: Blackened
Buy now on Amazon.com
Metallica's theatrical bomb is now out on DVD/BluRay. Fans can now get all the obvious Metallica hits live with a rather silly story line tied to them. Sounded pretty great in the theater and looked pretty neat, I wonder if there will sill be an appeal without the 3D on a massive screen though. Rob has a full review of the film here.
Primal Fear – Delivering The Black 
Genre: Power Metal
Origin: Esslingen, Germany
Label: Frontiers
Buy now on Amazon.com
The long running band fronted by former Gamma Ray vocalist Ralk Scheepers is back with their tenth record of epicness. Pretty solid Judas Priest/Iron Maiden-esque guitar acrobatics thoughout and, of course, soaring performances from everything else. Nothing out of the ordinary for the band, but fans might appreciate that.
Red Dragon Cartel – Red Dragon Cartel
Genre:
Heavy Metal
Origin: Las Vegas, Nevada
Label: Frontiers
Buy now on Amazon.com
I've always felt like I was in a minority that enjoy Ozzy Osbourne's The Ultimate Sin. It's rather strange, but there are some solid songs on there. Handling the guitar duties on that album, and the one previous Bark at the Moon was Jake E. Lee. Since then, he's popped up here and there on tribute albums, but he's been pretty quiet otherwise. That is, until now with Red Dragon Cartel. This band isn't JUST and excuse for Lee to wank over some songs. This is a full fleshed out band experience.
Transatlantic – Kaleidoscope 
Genre: Progressive
Origin: Millbrook, New York
Label: Inside Out
Buy now on Amazon.com
Of all Mike Portnoy's non-Dream Theater projects, Transatlantic has to to be my favorite (until the new Bigelf drops). This band of old proggers (also featuring Neal Morse, Roine Stolt, and Pete Trewavas) are back with five diverse songs that'll make you sway, want to on an adventure, and feel like the biggest nerd in the best way. Are they metal? Nah. Do they deserve the attention of prog nerds out there? absolutely.
Also dropping today…
Black Space Riders – D:Rei (Cargo)
Bombs Of Hades – Through The Dark Past (Pulverised)
Circle – Sseennsseess (Ektro)
Demilich – 20th Adversary of Emptiness (Svart)
Descend – Wither (Inverse)
Descend Into Despair – The Bearer Of All Storms (Domestic Genocide)
False Prophet – The Second Death (Blood Harvest)
Fluisteraars – Dromers (Eisenwald)
Of Mice & Men – Restoring Force (Rise)
Periphery – Clear (Sumerian)
Ring Of Fire – Battle Of Leningrad (Frontiers)
Sierra – Pslip (Retro Futurist)
Vornth – Vornth (Iron Tyrant)
