Technical Death Metal has never been one of my favorite genres due to its overwhelming nature, with the music seemingly going in every direction. However, Elements of the Infinite has made me think twice about my generalization, as this is perhaps the most impressive release I’ve listened to in 2014. This album is the third studio release from Colorado band Allegaeon(uh-lee-juhn), and it succeeds both Fragments of Form and Function and Formshifter. Elements of the Infinite has garnered much acclaim in the metal community, and for good reason; with its technical instrumentals and great melodic vibe, it may very well be the best death metal album of 2014.

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Australian metalcore/post-hardcore band The Amity Affliction is back again with their fourth studio release, entitled Let the Ocean Take Me. After its initial release on 6/9 via Roadrunner Records, the album has sold decently well, hitting #1 on the Australian charts and #3 on the U.S Hard Rock charts. The success has obviously not come easy for The Amity Affliction (if the lyrics reflect reality), as the record takes you through an emotional journey of depression and hopelessness that one of the band members went through. Although predictable and simplistic at times, Let the Ocean Take Me is studded with catchy tracks and retains a good flow throughout. Continue reading →

Real– my first album by The Word Alive, and boy was I unimpressed. I wasn’t originally planning on reviewing this album, but there seems to be a lot of hype surrounding TWA on the internet. Released on 6/10/2014, Real is their third studio record. The album was released through Fearless Records, which is probably why it was able to garner so much attention. However, when I actually listened to this album, I was engulfed by one of the most monotonous and clustered music I have ever experienced. I don’t understand the hype. Continue reading →

After two years, Howard Jones is back in the metalcore scene following his departure from Killswitch Engage. His new band(aggressively named Devil You Know) consists of Francesco Arusato(formerly of All Shall Perish) and John Sankey(formerly of Fear Factory). Devil You Know can be easily be referred to as a metal “supergroup”, and there was quite a lot of hype surrounding The Beauty of Destruction prior to its release. Unfortunately, the album falls short of my anticipation, as I feel that the band could have done so much more with their talents instead of simply adhering to one general formula.

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Whitechapel has released their brand new album, entitled Our Endless War. For those who don’t know, Whitechapel hails from Knoxville, Tennessee, and is one of the most famous deathcore bands in the world. Our Endless War is Whitechapel’s fifth studio album, and has received much attention and praise within the metal community since its release on 4/29/2014 via Metal Blade Records. I believe that this is Whitechapel’s best album to date, exceeding both Whitechapel and This is Exile, as it portrays the evolution of the band and their hard work through the years. Continue reading →