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Coffins

The Fleshland
Relapse (2013)

Since the release of their debut album, Mortuary in Darkness which came out in 2005, Coffins started building a cult aura around them. This was further developed with the release of their next two full-length albums, The Other Side of Blasphemy (2006) and Buried Death (2008), while on the same time their split releases, with great acts such as Otesanek, … Read more

Avantasia

The Mystery of Time
Nuclear Blast (2013)

Between being the vocalist for heavy metal band Edguy and the creative force for the rock opera project Avantasia, Tobias Sammet is a really busy guy. And though I've never really been able to follow the overarching structure to Avantasia's operas, apparently the last two releases (The Wicked Symphony and The Angel of Babylon, released simultaneously in 2010) wrapped up … Read more

Ivanhoe

Systematrix
Massacre Records (2013)

You'd think a band named after Sir Walter Scott's most famous work would tend towards the contemplative (or, at least, the historically literate). But judging by German band Ivanhoe's latest album, that characterization falls several yards beyond the mark. The truth is, there's very little intellectual merit, or even any redeeming value, to be found in Systematrix.The largest issue with … Read more

Krokus

Dirty Dynamite
The End (2013)

It might come as a surprise that in the year 2013 Krokus—yes, that Krokus—have released a new album. And what might be even more surprising, at least to someone not in the know—such as myself—is that said album isn’t just some sort of reunion effort but rather the latest in a long string of releases, dating back to the year … Read more

The Custodian

Necessary Wasted Time
Laser's Edge (2013)

Richard Thomson may be the vocalist for Xerath, but if you're expecting that same innovative blend of progressive metal, film music, and tech death in his new side project, you'll be sorely disappointed with The Custodian. Actually, if you were expecting any innovation at all, your expectations will be set too high for their debut, Necessary Wasted Time.The Custodian play … Read more

Black Shape Of Nexus

Negative Black
Exile on Mainstream (2012)

Wanting to hear more of Black Shape Of Nexus following their split with Kodiak a couple of years back led me to the intense Negative Black, and while I am not well versed with all of the work from B.SON (an acronym of sorts for the band), this album feels like a somewhat departure at least from what has come … Read more

Infera Bruo

Desolate Unknown
Independent (2013)

Calling your band “hellish noise” sets the bar pretty high to start with. Fortunately Infera Bruo live up to that title in every aspect. The band from Boston, featuring members of other great acts such as Trap Them, Manias and more, follows up their 2011 self-titled debut album; with their sophomore release Desolate Unknown. The band’s black metal vision is … Read more

Mans' Gin

Rebellion Hymns
Profound Lore (2013)

Led by multi-instrumentalist Erik Wunder (also of Cobalt,) Man’s Gin are releasing the follow up to their debut album (Smiling Dogs,) entitled Rebellion Hymns. If you believe that the band is similar sounding to Cobalt, you are gravely mistaken. Accompanied by an arrange of great musicians such as Bruce Lamont (Yakuza,) Jarboe, John Lamacchia (Candiria) and Phil McSorley (Cobalt), Man’s … Read more

Scale The Summit

The Migration
Prosthetic (2013)

To understand why Scale the Summit's newest release The Migration is so fascinating, you first need a bit of background:Scale the Summit's first couple of releases (Monument, Carving Desert Canyons) codified the same formula the band works by today; they play a brand of instrumental progressive metal that, through epic melodies and huge construction, is intended to invoke a sense … Read more

Portugal. The Man

Evil Friends
Atlantic (2013)

Portugal. The Man thrives in a music scene often reluctant of drastic change in a band's sound. Meanwhile, the Alaskan natives have spent the last seven years transcending and switching gears entirely with each new release, and pulling it off well. Having originally dabbled in experimental prog, Portugal went on to create a loud, bluesy rocker (2007's Church Mouth), an … Read more

Dessa

Parts Of Speech
Doomtree (2013)

A while back, I asked a friend of mine to introduce me to some new music. I was feeling burnt out on my usual prog fare, and I desperately needed to listen to something different. She suggested I give an artist named Dessa a try, and a little while later, I was listening to her debut album A Badly Broken … Read more

Alice In Chains

The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here
Capitol (2013)

I'll admit, I'm a bit of a purist; though I didn't think it was a bad release, Black Gives Way to Blue always seemed to pale in comparison to Alice in Chains's earlier works. On some level, that's not entirely fair--without Staley, they are an entirely different band, and not necessarily even trying to recapture who they were before. But … Read more

Lesbian

Forestelevsion
Translation Loss (2013)

Talk about false advertising. As far as I can tell, the self-described "PsychoProgDoom" band Lesbian is based out of Seattle, not the Aegean island. Putting geographic misrepresentation aside, their latest album Forestelevision is truly a monster to behold.If you couldn't gather from their self description, Lesbian are a notoriously difficult band to pigeonhole. They have the psychedelic guitars straight out … Read more

Horna

Askel lähempänä Saatanaa
World Terror Committee (2013)

Replacing a vocalist is always a huge ordeal and turning point for a band, particularly when needing to do to it for a third time as Horna found themselves in the process of during 2009 when Corvus left his duties at the mic stand behind to concentrate on his other projects. This Finnish group have been at the forefront of … Read more

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