This edition includes wolves, noise, a few times of folk music in metal, and more! To the metals…
Alterbeast – Feast 
Genre: Technical death metal
Origin: Sacramento, California
Label: Unique Leader
With a fancy new lineup (including vocalist Michael Alvarez of Flub), this wolf-obsessed pack has returned to tear through your eardrums. Feast sounds like the beginning of a fairly young band entering the golden age they'll be remembered for. Jaunty tunes line "Welcome To Your Doom," "Where Dead Angels Lie," and "Vile Skin Possession" should make this the idea soundtrack to a romantic evening.
Keiji Haino & Sumac – American Dollar Bill – Keep Facing Sideways, You're Too Hideous To Look At Face On
Genre: Sludge/experimetnal
Origin: Japan/Canada/United States
Label: Thrill Jockey
Sumac (ex-Isis, ex-Botch, etc) are already a band that is not afraid to embrace feedback and noise, but with the help of Kenji Haino they enter a new level of dissonance. American Dollar Bill – Keep Facing Sideways, You're Too Hideous To Look At Face On is a record that sports a title that certainly is a challenge remember all of, but frankly might be a challenge to listen to for some. Haino is a noise fiend, and he drives this record.
Huntsmen – American Scrap 
Genre: Southern metal/sludge
Origin: Chicago, Illinois
Label: Prosthetic
In all honesty I almost wrote off Huntsmen because of their affinity to multi-part vocal harmonies over a sound that I once heard referred to as "frontier rock." I soon changed my tune as they blended those things with sludge, stoner rock, psychedelic rock, and even prog. They sound like if Iron & Wine jammed with The Sword, and it's fucking fantastic.
Tengger Cavalry – Cian Bi 
Genre: Melodic death metal/folk metal
Origin: New York, New York
Label: Napalm
Tengger Cavalry have already made a name for themselves by combining Mongolian folk music and metal. Cian Bi, continues the tradition of doing is successfully. The melodies are beautiful when they embrace a softer side, and it's really fucking cool when they go heavy with a Topshur. Overall, a really intriguing listen from a unique band and perspective. Tyler gives it a review here.
Usurpress – Interregnum 
Genre: Death metal/sludge
Origin: Uppsala, Sweden
Label: Agonia
If you're looking for something heavy and dark (or maybe the Haino thing was dark, but too weird for you?), check out the latest Usurpress. Their seamless combination of death metal and sludge creates a ride that is difficult to get bored of. It's like a trip through hell with twists and turns galore. So it's sort of like riding Mr. Toad's Wild Ride.
Vexes – Ancient Geometry 
Genre: Atmospheric hard rock
Origin: Asbury Park, New Jersey
Label: Self
I've been enjoying this record quite a bit. Sure, it will get Deftones comparisons until the end of time, and rightfully so, but the record is full of interesting rhythms and melodies which is what I'm all about. Also, these guys goes places Deftones probably wouldn't go. The band also includes the ex-rhythm section of A Life Once Lost, and it's always great to hear those dudes up to something these days.
Also dropping today…
Animal Drive – Bite! (Frontiers) – Hard rock
Armored Dawn – Barbarians in Black (AFM) – Power metal
Black Wizard – Livin' Oblivion (Listenable) – Stoner
Blackwulf – Sinister Sides (Ripple) – Stoner
Cabal – Mark of Rot (Long Branch) – Deathcore
Chris Bay – Chasing the Sun (SPV/Steamhammer) – Power metal
Coreleoni – The Greatest Hits Part 1 (Frontiers) – Hard rock
Dead Empires – Designed to Disappear (Silent Pendulum Records) – Industrial
Destroyer 666 – Call Of The Wild EP (Season Of Mist) – Black metal/thrash
Dukes of the Orient – Dukes of the Orient (Frontiers) – Rock
Fight the Fight – Fight the Fight (Blacklight/Metal Blade) – Metalcore
Ignore the Sign – A Line to Cross (SPV/Steamhammer) – Rock
Insect Ark – Marrow Hymns (Profound Lore) – Experimental
Kaoteon – Damnatio Memoriae (Self) – Black metal
Kino – Radio Voltaire (InsideOut) – Progressive
Megaherz – Komet (Napalm) – Industrial
MGT – Gemini Nyte (Cleopatra) – Alt rock
Necrophobic – Mark Of The Necrogram (Century Media) – Death metal
Nick Oliveri – N.O. Hits At All Vol. 4 (Heavy Psych Sounds) – Rock/punk
Shiraz Lane – Carnival Days (Frontiers) – Hard rock
Spiny Normen – Spiny Normen (RidingEasy) – Heavy metal/psychedelic
Templeton Pek – Watching The World Come Undone (Drakkar) – Rock/punk
Thundermother – Thundermother (Despotz) – Heavy metal
Unruly Child – Unhinged Live From Milan DVD/CD (Frontiers) – Hard rock
Wake – Misery Rites (Translation Loss Records) – Black metal
We Have The Moon – Till The Morning Comes (Rockshots Records) – Post-hardcore
We Sell the Dead – Heaven Doesn't Want You and Hell Is Full (earMusic) – Heavy metal
