Dying Fetus -- War of Attrition (Relapse) On their seventh disc, this Baltimore grindcore band belches and vomits about war, corruption and hypocrisy, while laying down a fortress of jackhammer blast beats and buzzsaw riffs. Vvvrrrrrooooommmmm!!!!
Binea Reach -- Monument Bineothan (Candlelight) They're from Oslo, Norway, but, surprise, surprise, they're not a black metal band. This sextet plays crushing music that's reminiscent of Mastodon or even Meshuggah. Check out their debut before everyone else discovers ‘em.
Korn — MTV Unplugged (Virgin) You've watched the show, now check out the record. In a transformation that's gotta be heard to be believed, these nu metal pioneers perform radically different versions of all their hits, as well as Radiohead's "Creep." Special guests include the Cure, Evanescence singer, Amy Lee and Al Gore. Just kidding about that last one.
Sevendust -- Alpha (Asylum) Atlanta's finest are no longer writing songs for Creed fans. Instead, they've returned to the kind of soulful, melodic thrash that made their first two discs so damn good. Catch them on tour, through April 29 in Pt St. Lucie, Florida.
Chimaira -- Resurrection (Ferret) Many critics insist the fourth record by this Cleveland outfit lives up to its name. We'd have to agree. Gone are the experimental musings of their last album, replaced by short-sharp bursts of chaos that leave little room for overthinking. And that don't mean they're dumb, neither.
Alabama Thunderpussy — Open Fire (Relapse) They're not from Alabama, but don't let the lie scare you off. This Richmond, Virginia band delivers greasy, garagey metal that makes the perfect soundtrack for truck and tractor pulls. This, their sixth disc, marks the debut of new vocalist Kyle Thomas. Let ‘er rip!
Stooges — The Weirdness (Virgin) The band that predated punk and metal returns almost 25 years after their disbanded to deliver a new disc of thundering, sneering rock. The album features bassist Mike Watt (ex-Minutemen, Firehose) and was produced by Steve Albini, who'll pretty much produce anything for five bucks and a bottle of cheap wine.
