August 2007 Best Heavy Metal CDs

South Carolina's Through The Eyes Of The Dead has a new vocalist for their second full-length. Gone is Anthony Gunnels, replaced by former Premonitions Of War vocalist Nate Johnson.

That's not the only change the band had made for Malice. They have really made a quantum leap. This album is a lot better than their debut. The band's sound has gotten a little more extreme and is more death metal than deathcore. There are still some breakdowns, but overall the sound is more brutal, and Through The Eyes Of The Dead has really improved their songwriting. The songs are intense, but there is also melody and some very catchy riffs.

Xecutioner's Return is the band's seventh studio release, and the second album since their reunion a few years ago (they had been apart for about 6 years). They also have a new guitarist, Ralph Santolla (Deicide). Obituary plays classic old school death metal, and this CD is pretty diverse. They play several songs that are fast and loose with a lot of great guitar riffing and solos. They also play a lot of slower, down-tuned doom flavored tracks that are simply crushing.

Xecutioner's Return is a huge improvement over 2005's Frozen In Time. The songwriting is better, the guitar work is a lot better, and overall it's probably their best album since their first few in the early '90s.

Niki Sixx has written a book called The Heroin Diaries, which takes excerpts from his diaries during the deepest and darkest depths of his addiction along with recollections from friends, family and bandmates. After the book was written, Sixx started jamming with some friends and the songs began coming out. When they were done there was a new band called Sixx A.M. and a soundtrack for the book.

This is a very eclectic album. There are plenty of hard rock tracks that are very melodic and catchy, including "Life Is Beautiful," which is one of the highlights, but also mellow ballads and songs that are epic and orchestral. Sixx provides narration throughout the album with short passages from the book, which really ties everything together.

It's been nearly a decade since we've heard from Trelldom. Gaahl from Gorgoroth formed the band and they released albums in 1995 and 1998. They've finally returned with a new album.

The 2007 lineup of Trelldom is Gaahl along with Valgard (guitars), Sir (bass) and Are (drums). Some of the songs on Til Minne date back to the early days of the band, and it definitely has that old school black metal feel. It's cold and raw throughout, sometimes fast and frenzied, other times more majestic and atmospheric.

The second album from Tampa, Floridas The Absence was truly a group effort. They brought aboard a ton of guest musicians for the album.

Riders Of The Plague continues the melodic death metal combined with thrash sound of 2005s From Your Grave, but the band has improved in all areas. The songs have the European melodeath vibe mixed with great thrash guitar riffs and solos from Peter Joseph and Patrick Pintavalle. Aggression and brutality are tempered by catchy hooks and memorable melodies. Jamie Stewart delivers his harsh, raspy vocals with a lot of passion, emotion and angst.