September was a great month for new metal releases. Highly anticipated albums by Mastodon and Iron Maiden didn't disappoint. There were also several other strong CDs that didn't quite make the list. I have a feeling you'll be seeing a few of this month's picks in my best of 2006 list in December. And if you disagree with my list or would like to post your own Top 5,
comment on this post.On their latest album Mastodon has made the jump to a major label. Did that also make them jump the shark, or do they continue their streak of excellent albums? The latter is definitely the case. Mastodon hasn't lost any of their quirkiness or innovativeness on
Blood Mountain. Read the full Mastodon CD review
Whenever a legendary band like Iron Maiden releases a new CD there's a mixture of anticipation and trepidation. They've had so many great albums over the years and you hope that this one can at least come close to some of those classics, but know that a band that's been around so long could be on the down side of their career and is just hanging on. In Iron Maiden's case there is no need to put them out to pasture just yet.
Read the full Iron Maiden CD review
On this CD Vader tempers their brutality with some very catchy moments. There are plenty of devastating blast beats and powerful riffs, but also some really groovy riffs and searing solos. They combine breakneck technical death songs with slower, more traditional death metal compositions. Vader also inserts some black metal style intros and interludes that give the whole CD a more epic sound.
Read the full Vader CD review
You can knock down Goatwhore, but they'll keep getting back up, more pissed off than ever. Between frontman Ben Falgoust's two near fatal accidents and the destruction of the band's hometown of New Orleans, it's been a rough past few years. On their third album the band channels all those trials and tribulations into a scathing slab of unrelenting metal.
Read full Goatwhore CD review
Napalm Death invented grindcore, and of course that is still their bread and butter. But they are also able to dial back the tempo and get into a crushing groove. It's a good balance of lightning fast blast beats and breakneck riffs along with more ominous death metal style playing.
Read full Napalm Death CD review
