June 2009 Best Heavy Metal CDs

Amorphis uses the Finnish national epic Kalevala as their lyrical inspiration once again on Skyforger, and the music is similar in style to their recent releases, combining progressive, dark, melodic death and folk metal.

Skyforger is very melodic, with hooks aplenty and memorable choruses, but also has plenty of punch. The album kicks off with a couple of medium tempo tracks before slowing down on "From The Heaven Of My Heart." It's a radio friendly song with melodic singing from Tomi Joutsen. A couple songs later Amorphis amps up the intensity with "Majestic Beast." It features heavy guitars and mostly growling vocals. There are some melodic parts as well, and the word majestic really describes the song well.

It's been a decade since the last Coalesce full-length studio CD. The band's career has been filled with twists and turns, including numerous member changes, multiple breakups and reunions, and even a Led Zeppelin cover album. Ox is a welcome return. For the uninitiated, Coalesce was one of the early purveyors of what became metalcore, and adjectives like mathcore and post-hardcore have also been used to describe their unique sound.

Ox a really diverse album. Complex riffs, constantly changing tempos and unexpected twists lurk around every corner. "The Comedian In Question" has some melodic vocals, a stark contrast to Sean Ingram's angry barks. "Wild Ox Moan" begins with twangy singing and a low-fi sound before kicking into gear.

Slough Feg is known for a sound that includes traditional, power and folk metal. That's why the opener "The Hunchback Of Notre Doom" comes as somewhat of a surprise with its heavy, downtuned doom. It's very well-executed, and a great song title. There's a lot of retro '70s arena rock vibe on Ape Uprising with hooks and screaming guitars. "Ape Outro" mixes both the arena rock and doomy sound.

Perhaps the most impressive song is the title track. It's a 10 minute epic that ends in an extended instrumental jam with some shredding guitar work from Mike Scalzi and Angelo Tringali. Their performance is stellar throughout the CD, but especially so on the title track.

Black Clouds & Silver Linings opens with the epic "A Nightmare To Remember," which has all the elements of a good Dream Theater song: intricate arrangements, numerous tempo and intensity changes and plenty of hooks. They continue the momentum with "A Rite Of Passage," my favorite song on the album, which features a lot of guitars. hings slow down with the power ballad "Wither," a straightforward song, and the shortest on the CD.

"The Best Of Times" opens with a mellow introduction featuring piano, strings and acoustic guitar before kicking into traditional DT mode. It's nearly four minutes before the vocals begin, but once they do, it's a very catchy track. Strings and brass provide a regal feel for part of the song.

Killswitch Engage is a natural progression for the band. While still packing plenty of punch and aggression, their melodic side is even more developed on this CD. “The Return” is a ballad, with almost all clean vocals from Howard Jones. There are a few other songs that are some of the most accessible Killswitch Engage has done.

Tracks like “Light In A Darkened World” are more in the vein of recent Killswitch, with pummeling drums and screaming vocals easing up into memorable riffs and melodic singing. The twin guitars of Dutkiewicz and Joel Stroetzel are excellent throughout, whether it’s dishing out thrashy riffs, harmonies or solos. “Save Me” especially showcases their chops and versatility.