November 2008 Best Heavy Metal CDs

Cynic were destined to be one of the great one album wonders in metal history. 1993's Focus was a masterpiece of progressive death metal, and after its release the band dissolved. But fifteen years they are back together and have recorded a new CD. Prog fans have been waiting for this one, wondering if it could possibly live up to Focus.

Traced In Air answers that with a resounding yes. The band's songwriting is as good as ever, and the modern production makes it come to life even more. The songs are complex and progressive, blending heavy and intense metal parts with airy and jazzy mellow sections. Technically flawless, but with the looseness of improvisation, the CD combines the best of both worlds.

Three fourths of Council Of The Fallen have reformed as Order Of Ennead. Vocalist Kevin Quirion, bassist Scott Patrick and drummer Steve Asheim are joined by new guitarist John Li. Order OF Ennead's sound has a lot of similarities to Council Of The Fallen. It's black metal with death and progressive elements. Their combination of the progressive and the extreme is very effective.

The typical Order Of Ennead song will start off as traditional black metal with ominous guitars and nonstop blast beats. But just as you think it's just another typical BM band, the tempo will slow down, the vocals stop and an instrumental section will begin.

The songs on Singularity are heavy with plenty of intensity, but also lots of melody. Driving guitars and blast beats inject extremity and brutality, but Adversary also adds plenty of hooks to make the songs more accessible. “Ashes Of Faith” even has strings, which is a nice touch.

The vocals are also diverse, combining melodic singing and harsh screams. William Clapp has a decent singing voice, and the melodic vocals are solid. I prefer the harsh vocals, as the high and low pitched screams are more distinctive and add an edge to the groove.

Girlschool had their greatest success in the early '80s, and instead of resting on their laurels and being content touring and playing their greatest hits, they've written some really strong new material. Several songs on Legacy are as catchy as any of their '80s hits.

The album gets off to a really strong start with tracks that are simple, straightforward metal with great riffs and memorable hooks. There's a bit of a lull in the middle, but Girlschool finishes strong. "I Spy" is featured twice on the album, once with Girlschool's Kim McAuliffe singing, and then as a bonus track with Ronnie James Dio on vocals.

Since their last CD, 2006’s War, Born From Pain has undergone quite a few changes. Vocalist Che Snelting left the band, and bassist Rob Franssen took over the vocal duties. Andries Beckers joined the band as their new bassist, and they also have a new drummer, Roy Moonen.

With Survival, the Dutch band’s metalcore sound is fully intact. They change things up from fast and brutal to mid tempo and groovy. The aggression never abates, but neither do the catchy riffs. The dual guitars of Karl Fieldhouse and Dominik Stammen run the gamut from simple fills to fast thrashy riffs to creative solos.