Mastodon - Once More 'Round the Sun 2014

A recent New Mexico's Mastodon fossils discovery this week is surely not a media prank for the real Mastodon's album, Once More 'Round the Sun. The Atlanta sludge metal crossover band released their fifth album in precise timing. This is three years after their previous The Hunter. What we got here is even sludgier concept, which the band decided to focus all songs in clean yet darker voices.

On the starter set, enjoy the big grooves found "The Motherload", which only one side of the album's dimension. Their most enjoyable strength is their successful approach in bending sludge metal with progressive as platform for songs "Tread Lightly"and "High Road" , both also having a great guitar riffs intro that easily familiar. On the rather psychedelic antique points, we still got "Feast Your Eyes"  which is heavy in dissonances. In "Aunt Lisa", a song featuring ladies punk band The Coathangers, the band played experiment which resulting in much more un-orthodox crossover of sludge, punk and cheer-leading yel-yel. "Asleep in the Deep" is a flat singing and staccato beat track, another Mastodon escapade need to bring affront.

Once More 'Round the Sun will accepted by die hard fans for its continuity of sturdy sludge metal feel, yet attractive for their outer rings listener for its crossover fanciness. Overally enjoyable album with lots of details and uniqueness to be found by repeated spinning. Favorite songs are: "Asleep in the Deep", "The Motherload" and "Ember City".

Metal Harem class: ********* eight stars out of ten

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Mastodon - Once More 'Round the Sun 2014

1. "Tread Lightly"   5:14
2. "The Motherload"   4:59
3. "High Road"   4:15
4. "Once More 'Round the Sun"   2:58
5. "Chimes at Midnight"   5:32
6. "Asleep in the Deep"   6:12
7. "Feast Your Eyes"   3:23
8. "Aunt Lisa" (feat. The Coathangers) 4:08
9. "Ember City"   4:59
10. "Halloween"   4:39
11. "Diamond in the Witch House" (feat. Scott Kelly) 7:49

 Troy Sanders – bass guitar, vocals
 Brent Hinds – guitars, vocals
 Brann Dailor – drums, vocals
 Bill Kelliher – guitars, vocals

Red - Release the Panic 2013

From the Nashville Christian Rock band, Red, here comes their fourth album, Release the Panic. Red had been doing modern rock, combined with stuff of heavy metal, grunge, hardcore packaged into their works. Release the Panic is even broader spectrum of music, from the opener Release the Panic that are groove / hardcore feel then gone to the last The Moment We Come Alive which is standard modern rock ballad.

In the middle part, Damage is pretty  awesome with killer opening riff then went into hardcore, industrial and nu metal stuffs all combined in one. It repeated again in If We Only, for now the song writing and choruses is their strong point.  Glass House make up the best non growling track, something like an Evanescene with male singing on it.

The production is high end with lots of looping and effect to intense the rhythm section. Release the Panic show the creativity of the boys in Red still strong ever, in the standard of award winning band. Check the American hard rock scene today on this album and relax.

Metalharem class: ******* seven stars out of ten

Red – Release the Panic 2013
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1. "Release the Panic"  3:02
2."Perfect Life" 2:52
3."Die for You" 2:47
4."Damage"  3:42
5."Same Disease" 3:02
6."Hold Me Now" 4:01
7."If We Only"  3:47
8."So Far Away"  3:56
9."Glass House"  3:33
10."The Moment We Come Alive" 3:23
11."Love Will Leave a Mark"  2:41
12."As You Go"   4:17
13."Hymn for the Missing (Guillotine remix)" 4:34
14."Death of Me (Guillotine remix)"  4:42
15."Breathe Into Me (Remix Acústica)"  3:55

• Michael Barnes – lead vocals
• Anthony Armstrong – rhythm guitar, lead guitar, backing vocals
• Randy Armstrong – bass, piano, backing vocals
• Joe Rickard – drums, percussion

Biohazard 2012 - Reborn in Defiance

Biohazard return to music after years of hiatus. This is hardcore - groove - rap metal pioneer pull out an album "Reborn in Defiance" in 2012 and with much new sound to dig. Founder member Evan Seinfeld come in for an album but later resign from the band.

Biohazard - Reborn in Defiance
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1 - 9:IIIX6.941 0:54
2 - Vengeance Is Mine 3:24
3 - Decay 4:24
4 - Reborn 4:52
5 - Killing Me 4:49
6 - Countdown Doom 4:56
7 - Come Alive 3:48
8 - Vows Of Redemption 4:56
9 - Waste Away 4:24
10- You Were Wrong 6:04
11- Skullcrusher 4:14
12- Never Give In 3:57
13- Season The Sky 4:14

Alternate cover graphic design for Biohazard.