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August 2008 Best Heavy Metal CDs

By , About.com Guide

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As the dog days of summer wind down, August was a pretty quiet month for metal. The quantity of releases was low, but that should pick up dramatically in September. The quality was good, with a couple of high profile releases. This month's top five has a very international flavor, with British bands making a very strong showing. There's only one American band on August's list.

1. Dragonforce - 'Ultra Beatdown' (Roadrunner)

Dragonforce - Ultra BeatdownRoadrunner Records
Like Dragonforce's previous CDs, Ultra Beatdown is jam packed with fast, melodic songs and mind boggling shredding. Dragonforce has the knack for kicking off albums with great singles, and "Heroes Of Our Time" is no exception. There are several songs like that with really catchy melodies and superlative guitar work from Herman Li and Sam Totman.

While they have a very distinctive sound, Dragonforce works harder on this CD to add diversity. There are tempo changes, and even a ballad or two. While the guitarists get most of the attention, Z.P. Theart is an underrated singer. His vocals are strong and powerful with a lot of range.

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2. Krisiun - 'Southern Storm' (Century Media)

Krisiun - Southern StormCentury Media Records
Krisiun delivers a potent brand of death metal with Southern Storm. The songs are diverse, with crushing riffs speeding up into frenzied solos. Subtlety and extreme metal don't usually go together, but listen closely and you'll hear small nuances that make these songs very memorable.

Drummer Max Kolesne is able to play the typical death metal blast beats at warp speed, but where he excels is playing drum patterns that are creative and help Krisiun have a distinctive sound. The three brothers in Krisiun decided to cover a song from Sepultura, another Brazilian band with brothers (Max and Igor Cavalera). Their version of "Refuse/Resist" doesn't quite live up to the original, but it does it justice.

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3. Asva - 'What You Don't Know Is Frontier' (Southern)

Asva - What You Don't Know Is FrontierSouthern Records
Former Sunnn0))), Burning Witch and Goatsnake member Stuart Dahlquist is the mastermind behind Asva. What You Don't Know Is Frontier is a tribute to his late brother Michael, and the album title comes from a poem he wrote. There are four tracks on the CD, each one clocking in at anywhere from 13 to 24 minutes.

The first two songs are instrumental doom/drone, with waves of instruments ebbing and flowing. They slowly build momentum before peaking and retreating once more. "A Game In Hell, Hard Work In Heaven" is slow and mournful, pulsating with sadness and grief. There are some female vocals that add a different twist.

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4. Motorhead - 'Motorizer' (SPV)

Motorhead - MotorizerSPV Records
Motorizer is Motorhead's 24th album. That's a truly remarkable feat. What else is remarkable is that at age 62, Lemmy is going as strong as ever. Guitarist Phil Campbell has been with the band since 1984, and his catchy riffs and blazing solos are the backbone of the Motorhead sound.

The days of radio hits like "Ace Of Spades" or "Eat The Rich" are long gone, but Motorizer has anthems like "Rock Out" and "Back On The Chain" that are as memorable and catchy as any of their singles. It's refreshing to hear a group that's been around so long playing with so much energy and passion, and sounding like they're having a blast doing it.

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5. Trigger The Bloodshed - 'Purgation' (Metal Blade)

Trigger The Bloodshed - PurgationMetal Blade Records
Trigger The Bloodshed delivers that brutality, but also include other elements that make Purgation a first-rate death metal CD. The songs are short, most of them clocking in at anywhere from one to three minutes. During that time they pack in ferocious guitars and devastating blast beats.

Nonstop speed and intensity can get monotonous, which is why from time to time Trigger The Bloodshed dials back the tempo to create some diversity. There are also things like the instrumental "The Defiled," which has orchestral elements, and shows a different side of the band. The atmospheric "Hollow" also gives the listener a respite before the crushing death/grind begins anew.

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