Slayer posted a new single recently, which is here if you're into that stuff(personally anything after Seasons in the Abyss i won't touch).

Anyway, a new release from a band I've loved for a really long time,

Anaal Nathrakh - In the Constellation of the Black Widow
black metal
This twopiece has been around since '98, originally having a more black metal sound, they burst into popularity with 2001's The Codex Necro, with their hyperspeed blasting, wonderfully intricate riffing, and vocals that can only described as done by a man being tortured, AN has really created quite a niche for itself. In 2009 it only refutes these things, as In the Constellation of the Black Widow is a return to form from the overproduction of their last few efforts. Amazing riffs to be had here, and AN being much more free and experimental, even using clean fucking vocals, to great effect! get this



Augury - Fragmentary Evidence
progressive death metal

Augury is a pretty impressive entity, only releasing one album prior to this, but it was on nearly every critic who'd heard it's top albums of the year in 04, this is sure to do the same. Augury has set out to make something new, something fresh; and in the current death metal world that usually means some band shredding soullessly away with interspersed chugs, Augury's album is based around celestial bodies, and the atmosphere is conveyed very well; with rising soundscapes, beautifully picked acoustic passages, and tightly woven aggressive riffing, this is sure to be one of the best of the year metal-wise. not for the inexperienced ear.

converge posted a new song. pretty much made 2009 for me, so far. so so so good. they're going in a more metal, thrashy direction, but very much more melodic rather than the dirt and grit of No Heroes(which I loved), and I can already tell this will usurp everything as their best album. Between the Buried and Me also released a new studio update, and if the licks they're playing are involved at all, it's gonna be insanely good, I can only hope it can stack up to the magnum opus that was "Colors". More on that CD later

more music...

all these posts are metal, but I'm going to try and mix it up sometime.

After the Burial - Rareform
Technical metalcore/deathcore

The newest release from the band I wrote about yesterday, this was recently rereleased, actually I don't even think it's out yet but I got the leak a few days ago - has their new vocalists tracks laid down, and honestly I much prefer the old vocalist, but either way this album is fucking fantastic. These guys truly take this whole niche of metal and refine it with such a tenacity I really was overwhelmed the first time I heard this. For fans of ANY aggressive music, get this please.


The Game - R.E.D mixtape
Hiphop

I'm surprisingly impressed by The Game's newest offering, as a fairly longtime fan of his I was pretty disappointed by the bland, sameness that his 2008 release "L.A.X" offered, but on this tape The Game seems like he has grown leaps and bounds lyrically, with nearly every song having lines that just make me say god damn. He also works with a star cast with this, Raekwon the fuckin' chef is on this, as well as Snoop, as well as Wayne(of course), Rick Ross(who's verses kinda caught me off guard as being pretty goddamn good), Ludacris, Chris Brown, etc etc. Definitely worth a spin or two

haven't had a computer, nor internet in so god damn long, but have still by way of my ipod and other people's computers managed to stay up on releases of this year.

first off, a few of my favorites for this year, most of these albums have brought something completely new to the table, something that makes the quest to find bands doing something new all worth the while.

After the Burial - Forging a Future Self
Technical Metalcore
This is the first CD I'd heard from this incredible band this year, initially dismissing them as Meshuggah wannabes, as they use 7 string guitars and the album starts off with "chugs", but upon a full listen I discovered a incredibly fresh sound, with equal parts skull crushingly heavy breakdown, and fresh, catchy leads. The guitars have a very distinct sound, which I can only describe as very well textured, and the vocals I personally love - are predominantly high with interspersed lows when appropriate. Basically these guys have a sound all their own, and if you're a fan of any kind of metal, I'd say it's a great idea to check them out.



The Crimson Armada- Guardians
Deathcore/Metalcore
Yet another band I discovered on a whim, a christian deathcore band that I initially turned my nose to, which I usually to do bands with a description as ridiculous as that; but yet again, upon a real listen I heard a band which hadn't reinvented the wheel, but nigh perfected it. With virtuosic technique tightly woven with smart, catchy songwriting. Yes, the lyrics are about god, but they're unintelligible most of the time, so I guess deal with it. Caught me completely off guard and impressed me a great deal, so you should prob check it out


Gorod - Process of a New Decline
Technical Death metal

Hahah... all I can say to this, really. It's so good I can't really articulate it properly. I've been following this band for about 5 years, and this cd is surely the culmination of their sheer technical dominance of every aspect of the fretboard. Almost as much jazz as it is death metal, this cd lives, breaths, ebbs and flows; not to fall victim to the mindless wankery that often beclouds the songwriting of their fellow tech death bands. One of the best to come out this year, possibly ever for it's genre. Get it now