At the halfway point 2007 is shaping up to be another really strong year for heavy metal. The first half of the year saw the release of some great CDs, and June was no exception. There were 2 CDs I rated 4.5 out of 5 stars, one less than May, but there were a ton of 4 star releases, which made this by far the most difficult month so far to choose June's top 5 releases.
1. Pig Destroyer - Phantom Limb (Relapse)
Phantom Limb combines bludgeoning grindcore with death metal and a surprising amount of melody. So many grindcore bands play ultrafast and are really brutal, but the songs run together and everything sounds the same. Not so with Pig Destroyer. They can play as fast and aggressive as anybody else, but they temper that with interesting riffs, groovy breaks and changes in tempo.
2. Devin Townsend - Ziltoid The Omniscient (Inside Out)
Ziltoid The Omniscient is over the top and theatrical, with narration between many of the songs telling the story of Ziltoid. The music is very diverse and experimental, just as you'd expect from Devin Townsend. It ranges from slow and atmospheric to fast and thrashy. Townsend also showcases many different vocal styles from spoken word to melodic singing to screaming. It's an epic tour de force that's highly entertaining from a lyrical perspective and outstanding from a musical perspective.
3. Korpiklaani - Tervaskanto (Napalm)
Tervaskanto (which means "old man" in Finnish) did not disappoint. It's another dose of rousing Finnish humppa metal, using instruments like flutes, jouhilkkos and accordians along with the usual metal guitars. It's a combination of folk metal and drinking songs that is a lot of fun to listen to. The songs are mostly upbeat and joyous, but there are a couple of slower and more melancholy songs, although not as many as on past albums.
4. Dream Theater - Systematic Chaos (Roadrunner)
One thing you know you're going to get from a Dream Theater CD is epic songs. Systematic Chaos clocks in at nearly an hour and 20 minutes. The shortest song is 5 1/2 minutes long and there are several that are longer than 10 minutes. The styles run the gamut from subdued ballads to complicated and progressive epics to Metallica-esque thrash. Dream Theater's lyrical approach is a little different on this album, with several songs based on fantasy, although there are a few with lyrics based on current and personal events. This is one of the best Dream Theater releases in quite a while.
5. Symphony X - Paradise Lost (Inside Out)
With Paradise Lost, the long running power/progressive metal band has it running on all cylinders. The songwriting is first-rate, with powerful melodies and memorable hooks blending effortlessly with complex and progressive musicianship. It's been five years since their last studio album, and the songs have a little darker edge to them this time around. Russell Allen is a great vocalist whose talents are really showcased on Paradise Lost. His edgier growl is used a lot of the album, but his powerful melodic voice is utilized as well.
