RAINTIME – Flies and Lies
http://www.raintime.com/
It’s funny, I’m at work, listening to this CD for review, with my speakers low, but still loud enough for me to hear. All the sudden I think I’m listening to Michael Jackson. These guys do a great cover of Beat It. Reminds me of my youth, since Michael Jackson and Madonna were the two “album” I ever owned. If the first minute of this song doesn’t pull you in for more, you are hopeless. The opening riff to Flies and Lies (the song) is great. Really good mix of music here –death metal, progressive metal and even some 80’s metal thrown in there. Not the cock-hair metal, but like the good heavy bands, Iron Maiden, Helloween, etc. When the singer has the clean vocals, he reminds me of a cross between the Iced Earth singer and Jeff Tate from Queensychre. For me, my favorite are the clean vocals. Regardless what style he is singing, he has a great voice and he pushes it through all different genres. He has the newer metal style vocals as well; from track 3, Aperion, it has the As I Lay Dying, Trivium, Everytime I Die, etc sound. They also throw the death metal vocals in there as well. Not super low, like Chris Barnes, but lower than the rest of the vocals. They are extremely technical, everything sounds well crafted. I have been trying to decide if this is an album I would go out of my way to listen to, because I’m not 100% into this progressive metal, but I have to say, with all of the different styles going on, I can not see myself not listening. These guys are originally from Italy and the new album came out at the end of August. 11 tracks in total, it’s a must have.

ANKLA – Steep Trails
http://www.ankla1.com
I have known of these guys for a little while – The guitarist was in a band called Puya, which I picked up one year at a Milwaukee, or New Jersey metal fest. Listened to it all the time, was sad when they broke up. Then, one day listening to my Sirius Satellite Radio, I heard this cool band Ankla. I added them to my “wish list” of CD’s to get and then I read about them and saw it was Ramon’s new band. So needless to say, I have had this CD for some time now, couple months at least. I was happy when Bieler Bros. sent it to me for review, something that I actually like, have listened to a lot. They have a great sound to them. They mix the whole Latin feel in their music, kind of like how Ill Nino mixes their roots into their music. They have two drummers, one does the main drums and the other does the Latin/Tribal Percussion. I love hearing that second set of drums thrown in the mix. The band as a whole has a bunch of different styles mixed in with the Latin feel. They have the hard rock at points, the heavy metal at other points, and every once in a while you will hear a death metal belch. Still Alive has a great heavy guitar solos in the middle of the song. But at the end of Suelta en Ankla, there is an amazing acoustic little guitar diddy, I love it. I can’t tell if it’s done by a guitar or some other guitar like instrument, but whatever it is, it kicks ass. The beginning of Your Grace Makes Me Sick, has an awesome break down, mosh it up part; starts the song off and the song keeps getting heavier with every second. The break downs are all through out the song and just sound great. It’s definitely my favorite on the album, although Flesh is a short second behind. This album was actually released in 2006 and has 12 tracks in total.

STEREOSIDE – So Long
http://www.stereoside.com
Dirty southern rock. I thought that when I saw the album cover; it has two chicks facing backwards (with the most perfect asses I have ever seen, I wish mine looked like that….ah, to be 20 again) and their hands are in each other’s pockets with the metal horns showing. Yes, a little cheesy. But as I have found many times before, looks can be deceiving because this is a great rock album. I’m pretty sure with a few more listens it will end up on my favorite albums of 2007 list. They are from Florida, so I was right at least about the southern rock part. Reminds me of a much heavier Nickleback (sorry, I know that has to be insulting because everyone knows Nickleback sucks), or Hinder, or Buckcherry. That genre of rock. Their single off of this album is Sinner; although it has a great catchy, sing along chorus, I like the song Wasted better. Wasted is the ballad type, still a rock tone though. I think that’s my favorite on this album. Always Remember, track 7, is also a great song, another slower, dirty rock song. The singer has a good voice, reminds me of the guy from Hinder and he has the edger sound, like the dude from Buckcherry. Music is real good, it’s heavy rock. For some reason, every chorus in each of the songs are so catchy and I’m into them big time. They are all “sing along” songs to me, which means I’ll put this in the car on the way up to school, turn the speakers up loud and sing along. Big fan of this. (Editors Note: So I was listening to this CD a few more times last night and I have decided I do not have a favorite song anymore, because I love them all! All except track 4, Tattoo. I don’t like that song. But all of the others, are terrific.)

WILL HAVEN – The Hierophant
http://www.myspace.com/willhaven43
I can’t say I’m 100% into this. It’s the vocals, they are just too much for me. Very screamo (is that the right word when there is a lot of screaming?). Don’t get me wrong, it’s a great metal album. Music is awesome, mixes of all kinds of metal music in this. Some parts remind of me Deftones, like in the song Caviar and Maths. Speaking of the Deftones, Chino, the Deftones singer was one of the producers on this album. In the song, King’s Cross, the vocals remind me of Perry Ferral, from Jane’s Addiction. Actually, in the middle of their song, they have a slow down part, and it reminds me of the super slow part in Stop. “One come a day the water will run, No man will stand for things that he had done”, that part of the song. My favorite on the CD though is Helena; it is a really good song. I love the chorus in it; the guitars make me want to move. The guitar riff is so heavy and I can see the kids in the pit moving their asses to this. I know I’m moving in my chair and I’m not even seeing them live, I’m just listening to the CD. They put out an album about 6 years ago that was critically acclaimed. They had some member changes over the years and now they have received this 13 track CD.

SIKTH – Death of a Dead Day
SIKTH – Flogging the Horses (EP)
http://www.sikth.com
Here is another band I found courtesy of Sirius Satellite Radio. It’s such a great medium; I found so many bands on there, that you would never hear on the radio, unless it’s an underground station. These guys were on my wish list, but I never got around to picking up their stuff. This really is a great band. The songs I have heard from them on the radio/ myspace/ websites have been amazing. The first time I heard them though, I thought it was Candiria and a new album. That’s who the vocals remind me of. Sometimes he throws in the death metal vocals too. At times he also reminds me of the Serg, from System of a Down. He is just crazy with the vocals. All different styles, he can mix up any type of metal music. They also have the extreme technical guitar sound. They have the grinding guitar sounds, with the fast melodies and just insane crunching riffs. Their breakdown parts are small but intense. Progressive metal at it’s finest. The EP that I have has a couple demo songs (Grind Choke and The Plan is Lamb) and a remixed version of Where Do We Fall. Also has Flogging the Horses and Each Other and Ourselves, which is not on the last album. Their album came out in 2006 and have been touring non stop. These guys are one to see live, for sure.