This edition includes a solo outing, a legend, some deathcore, and more! To the metals…
Rex Brown – Smoke On This… 
Genre: Hard rock
Origin: Graham, Texas
Label: eOne
Buy now on Amazon.com
The former bassist of Pantera, Down, and other stuff probably has finally out on his own. Tise record does have some Southern vibe to it like one might expect. However, the little I've heard sounds like an "active" radio rock album. It honestly reminds me of that Never A Dull Moment record Tommy Lee did.
Byzantine – The Cicada Tree 
Genre: Groove metal
Origin: Charleston, West Virginia
Label: Metal Blade
Buy now on Amazon.com
I feel like Byzantine is one of those bands people go apeshit for. So it you're one of those people, go apeshit now. The grooves are driving, the riffs are pretty solid, and Chris Ojeda's beard is a striking and distinguished grey. Beard goals.
Alice Cooper – Paranormal
Genre: Rock
Origin: Phoenix, Arizona
Label: earMusic
Buy now on Amazon.com
Alice Cooper is a fucking legend, and he's one that has aged well. I feel like most folks only know the hits from the 70's a discredit the rest, but his recent records (and I include this one) are pretty good. Paranormal is another record of solid rock tracks that are vaguely creepy in that way a local haunted house might be.
Make Them Suffer – Worlds Apart
Genre: Symphonic Deathcore
Origin: Perth, Australia
Label: Rise
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This record is epic and heavy. The symphonic elements separate them from the rest of the deathcore scene that every deathcore bands seems to be trying to separate themselves from. The clean vocals might put some people off, but other than that this is a pretty solid release, I think. I say I think because I don't do deathcore, so in the scene, this may not be as successful.
Prong – Zero Days 
Genre: Thrash
Origin: New York City, New York
Label: SPV
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I said the last Prong record reminded me of Machine Head (and I still think that on this album's track "However It May End), and got shit for it. So I'd imagine if I say the little I've heard of this reminds me of a more metal CKY (see: "Divide and Conquer"), that's going to piss some of you off also? This is pretty diverse release, and I appreciate that about it.
Rings of Saturn – Ultu Ulla
Genre: Technical Deathcore
Origin: Bay Area, California
Label: Nuclear Blast
Buy now on Amazon.com
Oh hey more deathcore. Great… They lack the symphonic elements of Make Them Suffer, but Rings Of Saturn instead lean on technical flurries, digital breaks, and even some light flamenco moments. Again, I don't know Deathcore. Is this good? How is it treating you?
Also dropping today…
Abhorrent Decimation – The Pardoner (Prosthetic) – Death metal
Afterbirth – The Time Traveler’s Dilemma (Unique Leader) – Brutal death metal
Bullet For My Valentine – Live From Brixton: Chapter Two (Search And Destroy) – Metalcore
Less Art – Strangled Light (Gilead) – POst-hardcore
The Midnight Ghost Train – Cypress Ave. (Napalm) – Blues/hard rock
Picturesque – Back To Beautiful (Equal Vision) – Rock
Rage – Seasons Of The Black (Metalville/Nuclear Blast) – Speed metal
Shadowside – Shades Of Humanity (EMP) – Power metal
Shaman’s Harvest – Red Hands Black Deeds (Mascot) – Hard rock
