System of a Down - "Toxicity"
Wow! This album is HEAVY! It offers a great listen to just about everyone. There are elements of fast thrash, growling death metal vocals, and Dead Kennedys style punk, as well as acoustic "radio friendly" passages and tiny tinges of pop. Not to mention political lyrics that remind me of Rage Against The Machine along with DK. The first song, "Prison Song" sounds like Jello Biafra could have written it. "Bounce" is a great thrashing punk song about a pogo stick. Lots of people wanting to play, "but just one pogo stick". This album is all kinds of in your face. The guitar sound is huge. Excellent performances all around. System Of A Down should really turn some heads with "Toxicity". Go buy it, you can get a bonus cd-rom with extras.
http://www.systemofadown.com
Slipknot - "Iowa"
A lot of people, myself included, believe that nothing good could possibly come out of this "nu-metal" scene that's taking over the "youth" of today. But every genre can and does produce a great artist, like that style of music or not, (hey, look at Johnny Cash for Christ's sake!) Slipknot have proven to me that they don't belong in the "nu-metal" genre with all the clones. Ok, so the masks and suits are silly, (there's only one GWAR), and I do get a little tired of the "teen angst" lyrics, but they do threaten to scare the religious community by using satan and 666 in some lyrics. Uh oh, what if that song becomes a single? Will they censor that? Hmmm. "The Heretic Anthem" actually has the drummer playing the double bass solo breakdown in Slayer's "Angel Of Death". "Left Behind" reminds me of some old punk song done heavier. Overall, "Iowa" is great competition for the "chart" bands, while appealing to the fans of heavier, "underground" metal at the same time. But why does it take nine guys?
Biohazard "Uncivilization"
So Biohazard fell off, huh? Pfft. Get the fuck outta here. They're back and aggressive as ever, with some pretty cool guests. "Unified" features Roger from Agnostic Front. Peter Steele sings on "Cross The Line". Other guests include Jamie Hatebreed, Sen Dog, (Cypress Hill and Biohazard...YES!), Phil Anselmo, Slipknot and a few others. But make no mistake about it. "Uncivilization" is a fucking Biohazard record through and through. It would be a mistake to judge this album by "Sellout", which I know some people have already done. "H.F.F.K." and "Domination" (they did a Morbid Angel cover? -Mike) are fucking HEAVY! "Fuck off and die motherfuckers, this is our revolution." With the exception of "Mata Leao", this is the best Biohazard album to come out since "Urban Discipline". All the "nu-metal" bands better make way. Biohazard from Brooklyn New York is IN YOUR FACE, MOTHERFUCKERS! DFL http://www.biohazard.com
Rollins Band - "Nice"
"Nice" is Henry's second album since hooking up with the Mother Superior boys. Those guys are a great band. The last track, "Let That Devil Out" really shows what they can do. The artwork includes Henry, the "aging punk rock icon" disco posing in leather pants, a naked chick and lots of money. Songs like "Up For It" and "I Want So Much More" have R&B/soul vocals and horns. In "One Shot", the first track, Henry uses the lyric "hot animal", and "Hello" reminds me of the album, "Hot Animal Machine". Other songs have a "Hard Volume" feel, with Jim, Marcus and Jason tearing it up. Jason also plays sax. "We walk alone shows off Jim Wilson's slide guitar, and he REALLY rocks on "Let That Devil Out", which is a great bluesy rocker, with all the guys, including Hank, jamming and having a great time. Overall, "Nice" is an incredible follow up to the awesome "Get Some Go Again". Check out all things Rollins and more at http://www.two1361.com

Slayer "God Hates Us All"
The first thing that attracted me to this album, apart from the fact that it was Slayer, was the censored artwork. What is revealed when you remove the white and gold generic cover, is a bloody bible with a few punctures and the Slayer logo carved into it over the cross. As for the album. I have been reborn through Slayer with this release. I, along with quite a few other longtime fans, feared that Tom and the boys had caught the "Linkin Park Virus", thus losing their former godlike status by "selling out" to the industry standards for MTV "metal". They do still use the occasional hardcore breakdown, but "God Hates Us All" leans more towards the Slayer of "Seasons In The Abyss" and "Divine Intervention". Check this cd out. It CAN'T disappoint you...unless you like the "Linkin Park Virus" bands and hoped Slayer would join their ranks. If so, skip "God Hates Us All" and go buy Creed or something.' www.slayer.net

Deicide- New One (Sorry, I don't remember what is it called...Jenn)
Ok, so Glen, (I burn inverted crosses into my forehead) Benton and his legion are back. Well, nothing's changed. I like Deicide quite a bit, but this album is really nothing new. If you're one of the faithful, die hard Deicide fans that LIVE for Glen Benton, twisted as that may seem, you'll want to buy this cd. The death grunt vocals are really pretty good, and the album thrashes a lot, but again, it's nothing that they haven't done a few times over.
One thing is for certain, "In Torment In Hell" is fucking Death Metal! Cookie cutter? Fine. I'll take it over the "MTV metal" ANY day. You won't see a video from this album on MTV. Overall, if you like fast Death Metal, this cd is worth it. Plus it was recorded AND mixed in four days. Not a bad effort in that case, eh? Me? I love it. 'Nuff said.
www.deicide.com

Cathedral - "Endtyme"
The new Cathedral album...Thank GOD! I have to admit that I hadn't heard these guys until I saw the "Ride" video on Headbanger's Ball way back when. Then "Midnight Mountain" of course. I was hooked.
"Endtyme" is yet another Black Sabbath drenched masterpiece. Cathedral can do no wrong in my opinion. The album goes from super slow sludge to funky Black Sabbath grooves perfectly. The songs fit together so well that album becomes one big beautiful piece of music that's over before you know it. "Astral Queen" is almost good enough to be "Planet Caravan II". The last track, "Templars Arise! (The Return)" is a 14 minute piece that reminds me of early Pink Floyd, believe it or not. They use piano discord and chants just right to make it sound like a heavier "Pompeii". Well, to me anyway. "Melancholy Emperor" has a pretty cool intro that uses an acoustic bass. "Endtyme" is a must own for even the casual Cathedral fan. Visit the coven, http://www.geocities.com/~witchblaster/

Lamb Of God - "New American Gospel"
This is the debut album for Richmond Virgina's Lamb Of God, formerly known as Burn The Priest. Not having heard them then, I can't compare the two. What I CAN do is tell you how amazing "New American Gospel" is. The production is wonderful. Every instrument is clear and blends together perfectly. The vocals are awesome. Not a really deep growl, but still brutal. They use a lot of slow, heavy as hell mosh parts that will crush your head if played too loud. But when they speed it up, DUCK! At times, Lamb Of God reminds me of Testament's "Demonic" album. Others have mentioned a Meshuggah sound, but when it comes right down to it, "New American Gospel" is a really great album that most death metal fans as well as thrash metal fans should enjoy. And although it is an incredible album all the way through, of course there are bound to be favorites. Some of mine are, "Black Label", "In The Absence Of The Sacred", "Pariah" and "Confessional".
http://www.lamb-of-god.com