Metal

Mary Stallings Label: HighNote

Budos Band Label: Daptone

Style: Heavy Metal

Style: Heavy Metal

Bogota’s Meridian Brothers release their delightfully surreal and playful album ‘Deseperanza’ on 26th October on Soundway Records. Traditional instruments, electronics and distorted vocals are dragged through an array of influences to create a world that is as original as it is unclassifiable. Straddling the line between new and old, Meridian Brothers’ mischievous blend of Latin rhythms and psychedelic grooves is the creation of Eblis Álvarez, one of the key figures of the experimental music scene in Bogota, where his contemporaries label him a genius. As with all of the Meridian Brother’s releases, every instrument on ‘Deseperanza’ was played and recorded by Eblis himself. A true avant-garde guitar player and composer he also plays in Mario Galeano’s band Frente Cumbiero and was one of the 42 musicians involved in the recording of Ondatrópica, released this summer through Soundway Records. ‘Desesperanza’ (meaning hopelessness in English) was recorded in 2012 and is dedicated exclusively to salsa and tropical music, twisting it through a dark and theatrical soundscape but never abandoning the traditional aesthetics. Record Label: Soundway Style: Post-Rock

Record Label: Universal Italy Style: Pop

Record Label: I Hate Records Style: Heavy Metal

Some days you need experimental music in your life. To open horizons, broaden perspective, even to feel alive and free- that's the goal Poland's Forgotten Souls set out with on this fourth album "Sirius 12". No one disputes the metal elements in the drum and guitar departments- but prepare yourself for dynamic industrial rhythms, swirling exotic chord progressions from time to time and a deep sense of the ethereal, avant-garde with the melodies and arrangements. Fear Factory, Samael, Nevermore, VoiVod, and a sprinkling of Devin Townsend factor into songs like "The Flight", the left field weirdness of "Can't Resist", and blackened meets electronic fusion fury "Willow Green". Olaf Rozanski display a chameleon-like approach with his multiple voice inflections- sometimes atmospheric and clear, at other times ballistic and caustic to match the mood of the song and instrumentation present. "Hope" has a progressive charge in the rhythms and percussion work, with the keyboards from Pawel Grobler providing that soothing surprise that I'm sure will make for excessive headphone listening. There are many moments where Forgotten Souls should gain instant body motion with the choppy groove rhythms- "Nowhere Here" grabs you from the first Krysztof Wojcik down tuned riff part and then the wild atmospheric keyboards and echoes set you off on a buildup of intensity like a migraine you wish to shake off in the recesses of your brain. To me some of the best records are the ones that appear to be straightforward on the surface- and yet seamlessly add the dynamic nuances to make your eyes bug out or jaw drop in aural amazement. Forgotten Souls delivers those in spades- yet keeps the arrangements flowing at a comfortable 3-5 minute pace. This should be in the wheelhouse of those who desire a different attack and philosophy when it comes to their metal bands. Record Label: Mighty Music Style: Metal

Record Label: M & O Music Style: Death Metal

Style: Heavy Metal

Record Label: Pitch Black Style: Heavy Metal

In late October, KHOMA (Umeå, Sweden) will release All Erodes, the epilogue to the highly acclaimed albums Tsunami (2004), The Second Wave (2006) and A final Storm (2010). All Erodes features nine previously unreleased songs written between 2002 and 2012 and will be released in a strictly limited edition on CD and vinyl. - "We've gone through all the rubble and gathered up what was left after the storm", says vocalist Jan Jämte. "It feels like the final chapter, a perfect way to sum things up before we move on the next step." KHOMA was born in Umeå in 2003, melding the aggression of the long established local hardcore scene and the burgeoning more diverse and emotive pop scene. The band - consisting of several members of Cult of Luna, P.G Lost, The Perishers, Deportees, Totalt Jävla Mörker and more - quickly became a breathing space where the different styles could merge. The band's debut album Tsunami (2004) stirred up a lot of attention and quickly sold out. A year later, KHOMA signed with Roadrunner Records (Slipknot, Machine Head, Opeth etc.), who released the follow-up album The Second Wave in 2006: a harsh, emotional, and intense mixture of sweeping melodies and roaring guitars. In Europe critics hailed the newcomers and in their home country, Sweden, reviewers collectively voted it "best album of 2006" (see here). After a few intense and intimate concerts and festivals in 2006/2007, KHOMA disappeared. The webpage shut down, no new messages were posted on the internet and no concerts took place. Almost three years of silence followed, and followers began thinking that Khoma had split up without any notice. - "We never stopped writing music or playing together", says Jämte. "We just felt we wanted to concentrate our energy on writing. Too much of our time was spent on administration, planning and talking". In 2009, KHOMA decided it was time to resurface, and also regroup. The experience with international labels, agents and managements had convinced the members to move their entire setup closer to them, back to Sweden. KHOMA signed with Anders Fridéns (In Flames) label Selective Notes, making the band's third album A Final Storm the first release on the new label. A Final Storm was met with great enthusiasm by fans and press. In 2010 KHOMA was nominated for the Swedish Grammy award (The Manifest Award) and won the Swedish national radio award for "best rock band". The following year, KHOMA was featured in David Fincher's movie "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo". During the winter of 2011/12, KHOMA worked on finalizing their latest offering, All Erodes. The album is a collection of songs written between 2002 and 2012 that, for different reasons, didn't make it to any of the previous albums. - "We've recorded a lot of material for every record that we have had to leave out or didn't have time to finalize... but we really like all these songs and wanted to do something with them. The previous three albums have had a clear theme, so the idea is that 'All Erodes' - spanning songs from all three stages - will sum up and close this part of Khoma's history", says guitarist Johannes. - "We wanted to do something that was meant for the people who really like Khoma, the ones who have followed us over these years. Releasing the album this way through Pelagic Records gives us the opportunity to make no compromise and put a lot of love into the layout, packaging and everything else that surrounds the record." "All Erodes" will be released on October 26th in a very limited edition on both CD and vinyl with hand-made, silk-screen printed cover artwork, followed by the first European tour in five years! Record Label: Pelagic Style: Metal

The Great Kat, the "Top 10 Fastest Shredders of All Time," (Guitar One Magazine)/Juilliard Grad Violin Virtuoso, announced today the ultimate guitar DVD, "Extreme Guitar Shred." In this exciting new DVD, The Great Kat dazzles audiences with finger-blistering guitar and violin virtuosity featuring 6 EXTREME GUITAR Music Videos and speed-defying guitar/violin shred versions of Classical Music Masterpieces. Recently named by Spin Magazine, "The speediest, scariest female shredder of all time," The Great Kat is an award-winning concert violinist and shred guitarist with a large following in the United States, Europe, Japan and China. Record Label: Tpr Music Style: Metal

First ever live album from British doom legends CATHEDRAL. Superb two disc boxed set in deluxe packaging including 2 x mini-LP sized gatefold jackets with exclusive Dave Patchett artwork, a replica of the event poster and a 40-page booklet containing many Record Label: Rise Above Style: Metal

Record Label: Bureau b Style: Rock & Pop

After the well-acclaimed studio albums "Earthen" (2007) and "Icon" (2011), and their latest live album "Live Recording 8.10.11" (2012) LENTO are now presenting their brand new third full length called "Anxiety Despair Languish". The greatest ambition of this album is to keep alive the immediacy of "Earthen" with the violence and aggressiveness of "Icon". However, Anxiety Despair Languish is something more respect Lento's past albums: it tries to make a summary of the whole heavy music panorama of our time. The result is the most ambitious work that they could make: an album for people who are not used to that kind of music, and for people who solely like that kind of music. The highly renowned loudness of their live performance has been reproduced in studio through the work of Lorenzo Stecconi and Matteo Spinazzè. Thirteen instrumental songs which does not sigh for the voice lack for a total running of 40 minutes and 50 seconds. After several intense years touring the whole europe between the 2007 and the 2012, this album represent a key moment in the band history Style: Metal

Record Label: Van Records Style: Heavy Metal

Inspired by a "What the fuck" philosophy, "Loosen The Lead And Spoil The Dogs" is a throwback to days when artists crafted records to be listened to as albums. This third full-length from Colossal Yes (a project masterminded by Comets On Fire drummer Utrillo Kushner) embraces unhinged power pop, bleary-eyed classic rock, and channels the late-night, art with meaning vibe, of early 70's singer-songwriters. The result is an album that rides high with optimism like an unscratched lottery ticket. Lyrics are placed in the forefront of the action drawing inspiration from various literary and pop culture topics. When all assembled the end product is a canon of lyrical imagery and sun-soaked open-ended possibility. The ten songs that comprise "Loosen The Lead..." concentrate on thought and a groove, ultimately ending up with the only acceptable conclusion... "What the fuck." Joining Kushner in this recording were friends and cohorts including Ben Chasney (Six Organs of Admittance, Comets On Fire, Raganda), Ben Flashman (Comets On Fire), Noel Von Harmonson (Sic Alps, Comets On Fire) as well as members of Aisler's Set, East Bay Grease, Howling Rain and many others Record Label: Fab. Jackpot Style: Rock

Record Label: Tonetoaster Style: Folk-Rock