NEW MUSIC OUT TODAY: 5/13/2008

Executive Editor Brandon Geist’s quick takes on the shitload of new albums hitting record stores on this day of our lord, May 13, 2008:

B’S PICK: Abysmal Dawn - Programmed to Consume (Relapse)



Kickass technical yet melodic death metal from the city of angels. In his review in Revolver’s July issue (out May 20), Jon Wiederhorn describes it as “straddling the razor wire between Morbid Angel and At the Gates,” which rings pretty true with me. Honestly though, the only song I’ve been listening to is the awesome slowed-down and doomy “The Descent”—over and over again.

10 Years - Division (Universal)


This record has been delayed so many times I can’t say I’m even sure it’s actually out today. But if it is, it’s full of solid Chevelle/Incubus-esque radio rock.

Aletheian - Dying Vine (Metal Blade)


Head-spinning progressive death metal from Lebanon…Pennsylvania. Which may not be as brutal as the Middle Eastern country, but having grown up in Bumfuck, PA, myself, I can say that it is pretty fucking brutal. Hence the Cynic-al death metal.

Burzum - Anthology (Candlelight)


Now that Rage Against the Machine are back together, I think Zack, Tom, Tim, and Brad need to stop worrying about getting political prisoners like Mumia Abu-Jamal outta jail and start working on the release of inmates who really matter—to me. I’m talking specifically about Burzum’s Varg Vikernes. This dude needs to be sprung from the clink ASAP, if only so he can shut down all the overrated miserablists like Xasthur who keep winning hipster praises by ripping off his shit. Until then, you can enjoy this best-of bootleg collection, some of the profits of which go to the All Germanic Heathen Front program, whatever the fuck that is.

Coalesce - 012:2 (Relapse)


The finest and final album from these mathcore rawkers, now remastered and reissued. Essential if you don’t own the record already, and maybe even if you do.

Coldworker - Rotting Paradise (Relapse)



Decent death/grind from the new band featuring Anders Jakobson, the former drummer of defunct blast masters Nasum. Better than Coldworker’s first; not as good as Nasum.

Warrel Dane - Praises to the War Machine (Century Media)



If you love Seattle power metallers Nevermore, then you should love this solo album from the band’s vocalist. If you don’t like Nevermore (as I don’t), then paraphrase the raven and just say no.

Deicide - Till Death Do Us Part (Earache)



Glen Benton for president, indeed—as the patches that come with this record’s special edition advocate. His first order as commander in chief? Probably to abolish marriage, judging from the anti-matrimony vitriol spilled on this record.

Emmure - The Respect Issue (Victory)



Mosh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Fall of Serenity - The Crossfire (Lifeforce)


New album from these German thrashy death heads. Good shit, and they hate Nazis, which is good, too. But their English? Not so good. This recent post on their MySpace page demonstrates both: “There shoud be no place for rascism, fasiscm and antisemitism in Metal just as anywhere.
That doesn't mean necessarily to be very political as in fact using your fuckin brain.
And for every ‘nazi-tollerant-Metal-is-non-political’-fucker out there: 
Feel free to delete us from your friendslist. We don't want your support.
To the rest: Metal up your ass and and ‘bang against the hakenkreuz’!”

Filter - Anthems for the Damned (Pulse Recordings/Fontana)


What the hell happened to Filter? “Hey Man, Nice Shot,” the leadoff song/single from their debut album, Short Bus, ruled so hard, but everything since has pretty much just gotten progressively pussier and pussier. Maybe Richard Patrick’s brother Robert (a.k.a. the T-1000 in Terminator 2) needs to bully him around a little and get the angst and rage flowing again.

Hail of Bullets - Of Frost and War (Metal Blade)


Debut from these Dutch old-school death-metal clog-stompers. Think Bolt Thrower, Autopsy, and Pestilence.

Korn - Live at Montreux DVD (Eagle Rock)



Korn’s original lineup shows why the band never really needed extra dudes in animal masks to sound ginormous. Watch the clip on the RevolverMag.com homepage, and you’ll see what I mean.

Lordi - Get Heavy (The End)



Munster metallers Lordi, the biggest thing outta Finland since, uh, Nokia phones, re-release their debut full-length. Expect lots of Kiss-molesting big-rock sing-alongs like the smash hit “Would You Love a Monsterman?”

Novembers Doom - Amid Its Hallowed Mirth and Of Sculptured Ivy and Stone Flowers (The End)



Reissues of the first two albums from these long-running Chicago doomsayers.

Stick to Your Guns - Comes From the Heart (Century Media)



Sing-along old-school hardcore plus new-school mosh parts from this much-buzzed-about O.C. five-piece. Check ’em out on the Hardcore News page of Revolver’s July issue, out next Tuesday.

Transistor Transistor - Ruined Lives (Level Plane)


Burly New England post-hardcore, thicker and stickier than maple syrup, hotter and more filling than the pancakes underneath. (Yeah, I’ve lost it…)

Venomous Concept - Poisoned Apple (Century Media)


Head Melvin King Buzzo is no longer with this old-school hardcore supagroup, leaving it with just members of Napalm Death and Brutal Truth, and only one ’Fro (NP bassist/VC guitarist Shane Embury’s). These guys still hail at the altar of Poison Idea though. Pig Champion, R.I.P.

Zodiak - Sermons (Translation Loss)
With Tool frontman Maynard James Keenan busy with Puscifer, winemaking, and who knows what else, and A Perfect Circle songwriter-guitarist Billy Howerdel going solo with Ashes dIVIDE, APC may well be no more. Which makes it, yes, the perfect time for members of Balbao, Rosetta, Javelina, and Slacks to start a band that sounds almost exactly like Keenan and Howerdel’s collab.