1. Nile - 'Those Whom The Gods Detest' (Nuclear Blast)
Nuclear Blast Records
Those Whom The Gods Detest is a career landmark packed with mind-boggling guitar riffs and solos, nonstop speed, George Kollias’ inimitable drumming and a sense of urgency some claimed was missing from their last effort. Death metal bands take note – Nile is back with a vengeance, much like Boris Karloff in the old Universal Mummy pictures.
Nile can even write a powerful song about crap: in this case the hilariously titled “Hittite Dung Invocation.” “Utterances of The Crawling Dead” is a tech-death extravaganza with pummeling riffs, soaring solos and aggression. Don’t mind that many of the song titles are tongue-twisters; Nile could be singing commercial jingles and this music would still be searing.
2. Katatonia - 'Night Is The New Day' (Peaceville)
Peaceville Records
There are albums that are easy to describe because every song is similar, or maybe has one song that’s a little different than their norm. Not so with Katatonia. The Swedish band is always pushing the envelope. Twists and turns await around every musical corner, with constant changes in tempo, intensity and texture. Each song on Night Is The New Day transforms frequently, making for a compelling and interesting listen.
Night Is The New Day gets off to a rousing start with “Forsaker.” Heavy guitars give way to an acoustic section before kicking back in. Mellow and progressive sections ensue, along with more intense parts. “The Longest Year” veers into electronica, with synths and poppy sections alternating with more traditional metal.3. Slayer - 'World Painted Blood' (Columbia)
Columbia Records
10 albums into their storied career, Slayer doesn’t have to prove anything to anybody. After all, they’re Slayer. But with World Painted Blood, the grizzled vets roar out of the gates with a chip on their shoulder, and a powerful musical affirmation of their relevancy in 2009.
World Painted Blood kicks off with the title track. After a short intro, it’s vintage Slayer, with the 6 minute track featuring the power, intensity and groove the band is famous for, plus a sufficient dose of melody. The whole album hearkens back to Slayer’s glory days, with sparse production and a raw sound. It’s an effective strategy, because the band’s musicianship requires no spit and polish to appreciate.4. Krallice - 'Dimensional Bleedthrough' (Profound Lore)
Profound Lore Records
Dimensional Bleedthrough is one hell of a ride. Krallice harness ambient, instantly hypnotic guitar surges like a holy man charms a snake. Precise and pummeling, the music can leave you zoning out, with eyes rolled to the back of the head and drool pouring from the mouth.
The constant dueling between the swirling guitars and the chaotic rhythm section creates a volatile environment in which everything threatens to fall apart at the seams at a moment's notice. But this is done intentionally so, and in a very teasing manner. The constant maintenance of tension instantly engages listeners in a confrontation that simply demands some kind of an emotional interpretation of what's going on.5. Swallow The Sun - 'New Moon' (Spinefarm)
Spinefarm Records
Doom metal has always been centered on the concepts of death, grief, and the cold denseness of life. These ideas are fully implemented into New Moon. The pace is agonizing, the mood is constantly sterile, and the lyrics are submerged in darkness. While the Finnish band’s fondness for epic melodic doom metal is apparent, tempo changes and catchy songwriting surface in several key places.
While opener “These Woods Breathe Evil” has superb harmonic guitar work and an eccentric mix of deep bellows and raspy screams from vocalist Mikko Kotamäki, “Falling World” is an upbeat track with a sullen atmosphere. Kotamäki’s clean vocals on “Falling World” are fantastic and brought to the forefront again during the powerful melodic title track.