February 2011 Best Heavy Metal CDs

 Useful list for you to buy the best Heavy Metal music out there!

1. Evergrey - 'Glorious Collision' (SPV)

SPV Records

Evergrey's sound is intact, but Glorious Collision finds the Swedes with a newfound spark and some of the best songwriting they've done in years. The songs are relatively straightforward, but hold up extremely well. I've had the album for a couple of months, and after multiple listens can attest to the catchiness of many of the tracks. The keyboards are also more prominent than on the past few albums, not surprising since Zander had a much bigger part of the songwriting than usual.
While much of Glorious Collision is compact and focused, “You” shows the band's more expansive side. It's the longest song, at over 6 minues, and allows time for instrumental breaks and solos in addition to plenty of melody and bombast. The 13 tracks are very consistent in terms of quality, but a few stand out even more. “Frozen” is intense and powerful, but also dynamic with a sing-along chorus.


2. Crowbar - 'Sever The Wicked Hand' (eOne)

eOne Music

It's been a while since we've heard new music from Crowbar. Frontman Kirk Windstein is a pretty busy guy, who is also a member of Down and Kingdom Of Sorrow. The rest of Crowbar's 2011 lineup includes bassist Patrick Bruders (ex-Goatwhore), drummer Tommy Buckley (Soilent Green) and the newest addition, guitarist Matt Brunson (Shedding Old Skin). Crowbar's new CD Sever The Wicked Hand comes six years (to the day) after the sludge-meisters' last full-length.
“Isolation (Desperation)” is a really strong opener, a groovy and melodic track. The title track is more intense and heavier with riffs that are fast and thrashy at the beginning, then get thicker and more oppressive as the tempo slows. “Liquid Sky And Cold Black Earth” thunders along at a glacial tempo, an edgy ballad that has Windstein almost crooning.


3. DevilDriver - 'Beast' (Roadrunner)

Roadrunner Records
DevilDriver's last album, while nowhere near mainstream, was more accessible than the one before. They've reversed that trend on their latest effort Beast. It lives up to the title, a relentessly aggressive and angry CD that still manages to churn out plenty of the band's trademark groove.
Beast erupts out of the gates with “Dead To Rights,” which alternates between galloping thrash riffs and slower grooves along with an extended guitar solo. It's intense and punishing, but also infused with melody. And while nothing on this album can be considered mellow, the listener gets a 20 second reprieve at the beginning of “Hardened” before the rapid-fire drums kick the song into gear.




4. Abysmal Dawn - 'Leveling The Plane Of Existence' (Relapse)

Relapse Records

Abysmal Dawn plays with a lot of technical skill and they certainly bring the brutality, but so does nearly every other death metal outfit. What sets a band like AD apart is their songwriting. Inserting moments of melody, changing up speeds and intensities and writing clever riffs and hooks makes their music much more memorable and holds up better under multiple listens.
“My Own Savior” is a highlight of Leveling The Plane Of Existence, with a meaty groove and more excellent solo work. It's one of Charles Elliott's best vocal performances as well. On the entire album he has stepped up his game, utilizing a wider palette of styles, from guttural growls to frenzied screams. Another excellent track is “Pixilated Ignorance,” a rapid-fire blast of extremiity featuring a solo from Krisiun's Moyses Kolesne.


5. Allen/Lande - 'The Showdown' (Frontiers)

Frontiers Records
The Showdown is in the vein of previous Allen/Lande albums. The songs straddle the line between hard rock, power metal and melodic metal. There are hooks galore, even on the more aggressive tracks. One of the best songs on the CD is “Turn All Into Gold.” It has a memorable chorus, but also crunchy guitars and excellent solos.
It doesn't matter what the tempo of the songs are, Allen and Lande always deliver top-notch vocal performances. They can turn up the power on intense songs, and use more texture and emotion on the ballads like “Copernicus.”

source: Heavymetal about