Monday 16 July 2012

Rock With You - A Michael Jackson Cover


So this may come as a surprise, but hey here it is - a cover from me! Waiting on Satthia's review.

In the meantime, please enjoy :D

- JE

Sunday 15 July 2012

Bury Tomorrow - The Union of Crowns (Review)

Bury Tomorrow - The Union of Crowns [Metalcore]

Bury Tomorrow are a British metalcore band; their newest album The Union of Crowns was released on the 13th of July. Founded and formed in 2006 by two brothers (vocalist Daniel Winter-Bates and bassist Davyd Winter-Bates) and three of their friends (guitarists Jason Cameron and Mehdi Vismara and drummer Adam Jackson), the band has released two EPs and two full-length studio albums, the latest of which is The Union of Crowns.

Standout features of the band's music, particularly in this album, are the band's preference for the mid-tempo number instead of the typical modern-day speed fest, and the dual vocals of Daniel Winter-Bates (primary screamer and secondary clean) and Jason Cameron (primary clean). Bates' warm metalcore growl is a nice contrast to the thin, shrieky screams of many modern metalcore bands (hi Trivium); Cameron is a solid rock/metal vocalist in his own right as well.



'Redeemer', the first track off The Union of Crowns, displays many stereotypical metalcore elements, such as the cut-time passage starting at around 1:10 and the liberal use of harmonised/contrapuntal guitar riffs and breaks. The band members mainly employ clean vocals (the entire chorus is sung clean in fact) in this song; there are a few well-placed screamed verses that show off the band members' diversity. Overall, the album kicks off in a very 'safe' and measured manner - the first track is nothing too over-the-top or explosive; rather, 'just the right amount' of each of their key features is showcased alongside the usual metalcore cliches.



'The Maiden' is the second track off this album and frankly should have been the opening track. One thing that stands out about this track is the pristine diction shown by Winter-Bates in his screamed vocals; I actually played the video and tabbed away to Soccernet (yes I know it was a lyric video and I perhaps should have instinctively stayed on page to refer to the lyrics) and was surprised to find that I could actually make out what Winter-Bates was screaming, English accent and all. The song's strong, energetic beginning and middle section - characterised by Winter-Bates' signature roars - is however tampered by the superfluous and frankly fairly annoying clean/harmonised instrumental bit at 2:49, but overall the song is clearly more impactful than 'Redeemer' is.



Now we arrive at the album's single, 'An Honourable Reign', listed as track five in the album. The band channels some Scar Symmetry in this track - minus, of course, Per Nilsson's blinding guitar solos - and coming from a huge SS fan this is a major compliment. The downtuned guitars, dual vocals and controlled changes in tempo lend this song a very Scar Symmetry-esque feel, the bit at 1:10 onwards a particular highlight. An astute choice of single from the band, who it must be said are a mature outfit despite the relative young age of the members.

Overall, this album is an above-average collection of metalcore tracks that does not display any remarkable musical diversity or ingenuity, but has strong genre 'fundamentals', particularly where the vocals are concerned. The lack of guitar solos in this album is a downer for me, but maybe that is not the band's usual style anyway.

Rating: ★★★☆☆ Average - Half of album is listenable

- JE

Baroness - Yellow & Green Review

Baroness - Yellow & Green [Sludge / Alternative Rock]





Baroness is a Georgian sludge metal band that emerged in the sludge era with Mastodon and Kylesa in the early 2000s. After the innovative indie-metal of Red Album and the cohesive sludge of Blue Record, Baroness have been generous enough to serve a double album Yellow & Green, which goes very far off from their metal roots. There are no more screams, no more double pedals, no more hard jagged riffs. In its place are atonal but melodic vocals, soaring guitar riffs and alternative rock drum fills with poppy song structures and more personal themes and lyrics. This is not a metal album.














Production is fantastic, with a lot of heaviness and a very fuzzy, warm sound that highlight the heavy riffs and the sweet titillating melodies. Baroness is intelligent enough to keep the commercial traits that will definitely bring a lot of new fans to the genre. Primal sounding drums continue to pound their way through the music. The melodies are fantastic, the first single 'Take My Bones Away' is catchy beyond belief. The Yellow album is the heavier of the two with very catchy rock anthems with less adventurous experiments, but with enough excellent songwriting, like the use of strings in 'March To The Sea' as opposed to guitars, the epic change in tempo and style in 'Little Things'.





The Green album starts off with an excellent introduction. However, the songwriting here is less exciting, even when it is clear that the band is exploring their psychedelic side with many unorthodox song elements one would usually find in a Pink Floyd record.


A good way to put it would be that the new direction of Baroness is excellent, but the execution may still not be there. Moreover, fans of the band would recall how cohesive and tight the band's previous album Blue Record was, that album had virtually no filler and was full of surprising song variations (whilst there is a sense of drudging repetitiveness here). Still, this is a fantastic album and definitely one of the best to be released this year (and I have listened to more than 80 albums from this year alone, so I mean it when it is one of the best). Don't play this while you study or workout, grab some powerful headphones and put the album on whilst using the Internet or when chilling alone.


Rating: ★★★★☆ Good - Strong flow, immediately grabs you

Thursday 12 July 2012

The Wretched End - Inroads Review

The Wretched End - Inroads [Blackened Thrash / Death]





I was actually enticed after hearing 'The Haunting Ground', which other critics have called a mediocre song treading in familiarity. At first glance, it may be so, but The Wretched End, which features the wonderful Samoth, co-guitarist of the legendary Emperor, features a very fine mix of thrash and death metal, taking the best of both, the raw anger of thrash and the heaviness of death, with a black metal atmosphere that seems to pervade the entire album despite the absence of black metal elements in the album. So do they deliver?





I may have to sit on the fence on this one. Some songs are extremely refreshing, relying on a chugging mid-tempo instead of the over-the-top speed that seems to be an annoying staple in all modern metal. And in simple songs like the 'The Haunting Ground' and 'Cold Iron Soul'.\, the songwriting seems to work.





Samoth however, isn't breaking the barrier for the rest of the album. The fusion of two metal genres isn't executed as definitively as Behemoth's fantastic union of black metal and death metal in 2007's The Apostasy. If this album came out a few years ago, the album could have been deemed a solid release, but now the songs just stagnate out within a few spins. Vocals are monotonous as hell, drums, though refreshing, aren't exactly impressive in the age of Meshuggah and Behemoth. Songwriting doesn't seem to go against the norm, pretty much the same verse-chorus-solo-verse-chorus nonsense that has been done to death since the emergence of metal. There is almost no variation between songs. Samoth may be the album's only saving grace, he is undoubtedly a talented guitarist, to be able to write death riffs, a tremelo picked solo and a thrash headbanger in a single song, but well, stop wasting time with two clowns who are mediocre at best.


Rating: ★★☆☆☆ Passable - One or two good songs, a bit of flow

Serj Tankian - Harakiri Review

Serj Tankian - Harakiri [Punk / Alternative Rock]





It has been 7 years since System Of A Down's last offering. Whilst many fans were bemoaning the drop in quality of SOAD's Hypnotize, I thought it was a landmark release at that time (and honestly, still do). SOAD was a band that had the balls to do what they want, to implant their own identity into a music world that was stagnating and coming out with ridiculous rock (the 2000s saw emo rock fly to the top of the charts). Furthermore, SOAD's music had as much wit and brains as it had aggression. So you could only guess my extreme disappointment when SOAD broke up.





Fast forward 7 years, the lead singer of SOAD has stepped out with his third solo album. If anything, this may be some of his best solo material to date, but will never hold a candle to SOAD's career. That said, Serj Tankian does show why he was part of the mastermind behind SOAD's superior song writing capabilities.


Songs like 'Cornucopia' and 'Harakiri' showcase some of Serj's best poetry to date, whilst the Middle Eastern flourish on 'Ching Chime', undoubtedly the best song on the album, showcase extremely unorthodox vocal melodies that are very catchy, which is a very nice experimentation. However, that seems to be all. Serj's operatic style does not seem to go well with the punk elements on this album, and many of the songs come out repetitive. Also, whilst Serj's vocals may be an acquired taste, even a long time fan like me cannot deny that sometimes the operatic tinge in his voice could use a bit of the aggression he showcased in SOAD. In fact, many moments on the album sound like SOAD minus the fantastic dual harmonies provided by the other SOAD key member, Daron Malakian (whose solo effort, Scars On Broadway, still beats out any of Serj's efforts, which kinda show who the actual mastermind in SOAD was).





To wrap up, this album is a applaudable effort, but sounds watered down, save for maybe four or five songs. Instrumentation is too safe. Serj needs to get rid off his opera instinct and return to his SOAD. An okay album at best.





Rating: ★★★☆☆ Average - Half of album is listenable

Wednesday 11 July 2012

Featured Artist: Adrenaline Mob

If Mike Portnoy - one of metal's most creative and respected drummers - and Russell Allen - Symphony X's brilliantly powerful lead vocalist - roped in some mates and cobbled together a side project, it would most likely be a prog-metal/power-metal outfit which showcases Allen's soaring vocals and Portnoy's diverse drumming, right?



Wrong.

Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you 'Adrenaline Mob', the epitome of a midlife crisis. Adrenaline Mob is nothing like either Dream Theater or Symphony X (the bands Portnoy and Allen are most associated with respectively). It's not even like Avenged Sevenfold (Portnoy's most recent gig). It's partly Nickelback, partly U2, partly Foo Fighters and wholly disconcerting yet entertaining to watch - not unlike seeing your grandfather trying to skateboard or Yngwie Malmsteen playing a nursery rhyme on his Stratocaster.

Adrenaline Mob seems to be Portnoy's respite from all the hype and scrutiny revolving around his musical future, his way of 'getting away from it all' by playing half-serious rock music with other guys with ability but without the benefit of youthful edge.

Seriously, though, the band is actually worth a listen, if only for a laugh. The above video of their single 'Indifferent' is chuckle-worthy in its own right, what with its depiction of the band playing in the effin' desert U2-style and all. The song itself starts with a downtuned groove-rock riff and breaks into a clean verse featuring Russell Allen's surprisingly toned-down vocals. As the pre-chorus approaches, one starts to hope that Allen produces one of his oft-heard vocal outburts, but all hope disappears as the song enters its chorus, a mundane attempt at an anthem-ish, Bon Jovi-esque passage. The song then plods along until the obligatory guitar solo, played worthily by erstwhile solo musician Mike Orlando, but not in a manner one would expect from a Portnoy/Allen joint effort.

If your usual listens are Daughtry, Nickelback and the like, Adrenaline Mob are a good band to follow, with feel, technique and musicianship far superior to pretty much every mainstream rock band out there.

If, however, you are down the street of Dream Theater, Symphony X, Kamelot and their ilk, be prepared to be caught completely cold by the sheer weirdness that is Adrenaline Mob.

*Other notable songs from Adrenaline Mob:
'Undaunted' (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TJkIy1IqBGc&feature=relmfu)
'Psychosane' (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XO7ON_5SIck)

- JE

Featured Artist: Truth Be Known

As stated in an earlier post, we will be taking a closer look at the band that is Truth Be Known.

'Who?', you ask.



Basically, Truth Be Known is a five-piece Singaporean metal band comprising Joshua Nair on bass, Gene Yeo on drums, Damien and Mac on guitars and the flamboyant Subash 'Ramone' on vocals.

Truth Be Known play a rapid, aggressive brand of death metal/hardcore punk music which bandleader Ramone likes to label 'funcore' - a nod to how the band members, while dedicated, do not take their music, lyrics or performances overly seriously.

Also, the band likes to have a good Singaporean laugh - testament to this are the satirical undertones in songs like 'Men In White' (about a certain political party) and 'Life Kills You' (obvious).

Satthia and I had the pleasure of attending a gig of theirs at the Hood Bar recently (they opened for the wonderful Kvelertak) and they certainly brought their A-game to the show, though with a session drummer instead of their usual one. The speed and intensity in their music were on full display there, and on top of that they were a blast live, interacting with the fans, cracking jokes, and performing the sweat out of themselves. The band then tipped us off about their Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/truthbeknownsg/app_178091127385), complete with free, downloadable tracks.

What tracks?

Well, 'Oblivion Youth' starts off with a pulsating double-bass sequence which leads into Ramone's screamed verse and then a short guitar break (a common theme in Truth Be Known's music) followed by a grinding blast-beat sequence (which starts at 0:49 in the track). The chorus reverts back to double bass and pedal tone riffing (another common feature of the band's songs) and then the song heads into a hard rock-style build up into the song's climax, the guitar solo.

'Just Another Lamb', in comparison, makes use of dual vocalists and is a high-tempo, hardcore punk-style effort with the recognisable vocal hook 'Just another f***ing lamb!'. Ramone favours the more punk-oriented 'shouted' vocal in this tune instead of his typical death growls, though both vocal stylings are on show here.

'Go Asphyxiate Yourself' is perhaps the piece that straddles the middling line that divides 'Oblivion Youth' (heavy death metal) and 'Just Another Lamb' (post-hardcore). This song is all-out aggressiveness from start to finish, as the title would suggest. The riffing in this song brings to mind Slayer; the vocals Bullet For My Valentine, minus the Welsh accent. The song gets off to a furious start, complete with aggressively-pinched guitar riffs and vocal lines, and does not let up at any point - the band, when playing this live, takes it up a notch by going even faster and more aggressive (especially Ramone).

These three pieces perhaps sum up the band musically: the band may play across a variety of genres - spanning post-hardcore to brutal death - but the songs are alike in that they promise full-on aggressiveness, worthy vocal efforts from the versatile Ramone, and a tight, crisp and blazing fast rhythm section. To top things off, the band is unquestionably even better live than in studio, because of their casual humour and ability to connect to audiences (a trait that, sadly, not many Singaporean artists have).

- JE

Tuesday 10 July 2012

The Down Trodden Feature




Music from India! Like these guys on Facebook, I think they are worth every inch of respect. Better than Singaporean Christian pastors =/


Storyline: The music video depicts the story of Raavana's penance for Lord Shiva's blessing. Angry at Shiva's silence, Raavana goes to Kailasa and plays this shloka with a veena made out of his intestine. The video also shows Pottan Theyyam(an art form which tells the story between Sankaracharya and Lord Shiva). It briefs the meeting of Lord Shiva disguised as Pulayan(down trodden) with the intention to further test Sankaracharya's knowledge who is proud of himself and about to ascend "Sarwanjha Peedam" (throne of knowledge).

Lyrics(Sanskrit):

Jatakatahasambhrama bhramanilimpanirjhari
Vilolavichivalara ivirajamanamurdhani
Dhagadhagadhagajjva lalalatapattapavake
Kishorachandrashekhare ratih pratikshanam mama .. (2)

Jatatavigalajjala pravahapavitasthale
Galeavalambya lambitam bhujangatungamalikam
Damad damad damaddama ninadavadamarvayam
Chakara chandtandavam tanotu nah shivah shivam .. (2)

Music: Second Quarter Of 2012 (Metal)

Rating System:

★☆☆☆☆ Rubbish - One or two good songs
★★☆☆☆ Passable - One or two good songs, a bit of flow
★★★☆☆ Average - Half of album is listenable
★★★★☆ Good - Strong flow, immediately grabs you
★★★★★ Excellent - Undisputed classic for critical listening

1. Fear Factory - The Industrialist [Industrial]


Pity, after such an exhilarating first two songs, I was already wondering if I had stumbled upon the album of the year. The charm of the title track and lead single 'Recharger' have still not worn off, but it does a good job to mask the great flaws in the album; annoying drums. Not like a human drummer would have no effect, the drums are so mechanical and unnatural sounding as opposed to the Atomic Clock, Gene Hogan, on Mechanize. Experimentation, in the form of a little dubstep and weird vocals on 'Depraved Mind Murder' are small and do nothing to revolutionize a genre that is so stale it is coming back to life only because of Nachtmystium, which isn't even an industrial band. Also, the last two tracks are just about the most baffling choices for an ending, with nothing but insignificant static for TEN MINUTES? Whatever, half the songs are still pretty good. For God's sake, some proper usage of the 8 string guitars would be nice.

Rating: ★★★☆☆


2. High On Fire - De Vermis Mysteriis [Sludge] ✔


This album is phenomenally heavy. No kidding. Converge producer Kurt Ballou brings out the intensity of High On Fire; it is like a bullet train to the face. Mike Patt, the singer and guitarist shows off his chops on his nine-stringed (NINE? NINE?!) axe, tapping and chugging mercilessly it is a wonder that the strings have not snapped. Not to forget the drumming, hard, heavy and filling in everry nook and corner without sounding too excessive, in fact, this is almost natural, without the unwanted copius fills usually seen in technical death. Song-writing wise, there is a ton of diversity in the song structures, with a scorching numbers on the first half, and drudgy, sludgy down-tempo songs in the second half, with a much welcome instrumental in the middle that almost bridges the changes in intensity, or rather, just speed from top to bottom. This is what fans and newcomers have come to expect, and this is bloody well what they get.

Rating: ★★★☆☆

3. Jeff Loomis - Plains Of Oblivion [Shred]


By now it is clear to see that Warrel Dane was the superior songwriter in Nevermore, I honestly cannot differenciate between Jeff Loomis' musical offerings now. That same loop that played in Nevermore's 'This Godless Endeavor' keeps coming out like an insect that cannot die in the indistinguishable solos that flood this album. Furthermore, Jeff Loomis' true talent, which lie in his brutal yet complex riffing, is almost at the back of the mix (thank God for my good headphones). However, Loomis has covered up one huge flaw that Zero Order Phase, his first album, had. He has brought numerous guest musicians to the mix, more importantly Marty Friedman and Ihsahn, whose contributions lift the now stale Loomis compositions to soaring heights. Christina Rhodes is an amature singer when compared to Warrel Dane, and experimentations in the form of the acoustic 'Rapture' aren't developed and end as abruptly as they begin. With young blood like David Davidson from Revocation and Tosin Abasi from Animals As Leaders working up refreshing, brutal and complex guitar at a massive rate, Jeff Loomis, sadly, seems a little outdated. Go back to Nevermore you idiot.

Rating: ★★★☆☆

4. Kreator - Phantom Antichrist [Thrash]



It's bleeding with passion, and the emotions stirred up for rebellion against the new age is vehement, but seriously, it's the same nonsense surging from thrash metal from the time it came out in the 80s. Melodic thrash is weird. Thrash has always and will always be riff-based, and while, thankfully, new bands like Revocation and Vektor have been staying true to this concept of riff-based carnage whilst at the same time bringing something new to the plate, Kreator sound like a bunch of old men suddenly trying to do a heavy metal version of Bruce Springsteen. Some nice tribal drumming on 'Civillisation Collapse', a bit of soaring chorus in 'Floods and Fires', but that's it.

Rating: ★☆☆☆☆

5. Soen - Cognitive [Tool Copycats]


With Steve DiGorgio and Martin Lopez in the rhythm section it's easy to anticipate nothing short of greatness from these guys but the resulting product is nothing but a failed attempt to reciprocate Tool. Sure, they have the musical influences there but Tool was more than a musical band and Soen fails to recognise that, sounding more like flat uninspired clones that could do a lot more considering the past bands the drummer and bassist have played for (Opeth, Iced Earth, Death). A complete disappointment.

Rating: ★☆☆☆☆

6. Architects - Daybreaker [Metalcore]


Not really much of a metalcore fan, but I was drawn to the album's single 'These Colours Don't Run'. Political songs in metal have become unintelligent and excessive, but the sinister keyboard melodies, contrasted with the straightfoward barks from the vocalist proved to be a nice, refreshing juxtaposition to the typical rebel song. The production would have been the best, most crisp production I would have heard this year (then I heard Rush's new album and all productiion seemed inferior after that). The keyboard melodies were deliciously refreshing on the albums's first three songs - then it goes downhill from there. There isn't much to say about the album... it pretty much just has unexciting songwriting, which is not unexpected from a genre so limitted.

Rating: ★★☆☆☆

7. Dragonforce - The Power Within [Power]


There is definitely an improvement, but not big enough to make me drop and say "I am now a converted fan!". For instance, the 7 minute over-the-top song lengths have been dropped for 4-5 minute song structures, and new singer Marc Hudson doesn't just do annoying high-pitched vocals, he is capable of belting it out on the lower register too. This is Dragonforce's most focused album, with even a few shocking gems like the acoustic version of 'Seasons'. I will gladly await their next album to see how much more they have progressed.

Rating: ★★☆☆☆

8. Rush - Clockwork Angel [Progressive] ✔


These guys have been around for nearly forever and they still pack a mighty punch in their music. For three 60-70 year old men, they play batter than a few thousand youngsters less than half their age - and I don't mean instrument mastery, but passion and intelligence. Clockwork Angels overflows with emotion and hindsight, the kind of wisom you come to expect from old age, extremely varied and diverse drums from master drummer Neil Peart, thick, pronounced guitar riffs from Alex Lifeson and the looming, intricate bass and vocals from Geddy Lee bring to life visiocus heabangers like 'Headlong Flight' or meditative ballads like 'The Garden'. Lyrics are in a fine line between ridiculously cheesy and heartfelt poignance, and the complexity and depth of the title track is enough to transport you to the future in which the protagonist finds himself entrapped. Where is Dream Theater?

Rating: ★★★★☆

9. Marduk - Serpent Sermon [Black]


Mortuus is the best black metal vocalist ever. His vocals are the essence of black metal, not cringeworthy pained screeches or barbaric throat-ripping screams, but powerfully evil croaks that IS black metal, there is no irony in his voice. The rest of the album however, goes back to the same old, same old blackened death concoction that Behemoth already brought to the world in 2005 with Demigod. It is so painfully generic, there is nothing creative beyond the bludgeoning drums and lightning riffs, even audible rumbling bass, probably a first in black metal history. I have listened to countless black metal bands, and Marduk which sounded like it was regaining momentum on 2009's Wormwood, sounds like they have come to a complete standstill in the creativity factor. If they could work acoustics or funk breaks into this album they would be somewhere (I add acoustics and funk breaks mentally when I am listening to this album).

Rating: ★★★☆☆

10. Six Feet Under - Undead [Death]


Generic generic generic generic generic generic generic generic generic generic generic generic generic generic generic generic generic generic generic generic generic generic generic generic generic generic generic generic generic generic generic generic generic generic generic generic generic generic generic generic generic generic generic generic generic generic generic generic generic generic generic generic generic generic generic! Look how well Cannibal Corpse is flourishing after Chris Barnes left and created this stupid, outdated, redundant band! Unmemorable riffs, monotonous vocals, slow drumming with no aggression or groove and plain insulting songwriting.

Rating: ★☆☆☆☆

11. Ne Obliviscaris - Portal Of I [Progressive Black]


I'll admit that on first listen, the record did not strike me as fantastic, I had a bone to pick with the lack of flow in the album. Hailing from Australia, this debut band attempts to mix violins, jazz and progressive black/death metal in the same vein as Opeth, which is a big no no on the creativity factor. The good news, the band does not sound exactly like Opeth. The bad news? Ironically, the same as the good. What Opeth thrives on is not induvidual parts in songs that stand out, but seamless transitions between such themes such that the song stands strong and varied, full as a whole. Ne Obliviscaris misses a lot on that, and even though the songs have VERY strong moments (eg; Spanish flamenco on the intro of 'And Plague Flowers the Kaleidoscope', simultaneous use of both clean and death vocals on 'Of Petrichor Weaves Black Nois', an extended violin solo in the middle of the epic 'Xenoflux'.), the songwriting thread that should bring the induvidual elements together is ujst not present. Same for the violins, on its own the instrument works well, but its integration with metal does not achieve the same doom-y feeling of cellos in Subrosa's Borrowed Time Borrowed Eyes or Ihsahn's integration of the saxophone in A Grave Inversed. Upon repeated listens, to album is a major delight to the ears, and bearing in mind that this is only the band's debut, here's to some hope for the decaying metal scene.

Rating: ★★★☆☆
Updated Rating: ★★★★☆ The album starts to grow on you. A long-term listen pays off immensely.


12. Incoming Cerebral Overload - Le Stelle: A Voyage Adrift [Progressive Sludge]


Almost like an answer to the growing mainstream accessibility of Mastodon comes this extremely weird and angular album from Italy. I was extremely hesitant when I saw the band's name, but I am hooked now. The album is chock full of Mastodon-esque riffing, polyrhythms and dizzying changes in time-signature, with nice etheral effects and space-y, electronic swirls thrown into the mix to accentuate the extraterrestrial feel of the album. The songs also have a really nice flow into one another. However, because it is so weird, it is very inaccessible to most listeners, and I.C.O should work towards a little more friendly approach if they want to emulate the success of Mastodon's middle catalog classics like Blood Mountain and Crack The Skye.

Rating: ★★★★☆

13. Dying Fetus - Reign Supreme [Technical Death]


Oh, I am so sick of technical death that is all about being 'brutal' and 'heavy as hell'. This album is a mess of barbaric nonsense. Sure, the intension is there in their messages for songs like 'Womb To Waste', but really, System Of A Down did a better job without sounding like a bunch of attention-deficit gorillas playing metal. Chuck Schuldiner of Death would have been apalled to see this if he were still alive. Still, can't deny some songs here are still quite kick-ass though, HEH.

Rating: ★★☆☆☆

14. Royal Thunder - CVI [Blues Metal]


The second album from blues-metallers Royal Thunder is only for people who love the blues and Southern rock. In fact, it isn't so much metal, like, say, Black Sabbath (whom I don't actually consider metal myself). Blues is a highly inaccessible genre in today's fast paced society, a little out of context. That is not to say the genre, or the album, sucks. From a blues standpoint, this is a fantastic album, with the correct amount of passion and just enough aggression to give it a dirty edge. There aren't scorhing solos, but slow, rumbling bass and riffs atop nice, mid-paced drums and the vocals- the biggest strength of this band, belting out heartfelt lyrics with such tone and variety it is difficult to not be enthralled by her wails. Even if you are a metalhead, check out the fantastic 'Blue', and you may even find some latent love for this long lost genre.

Rating: ★★★★☆


15. Diablo Swing Orchestra - Pandora's Piñata [Swing/Metal]


From the land of Opeth, Meshuggah, Arch Enemy and IKEA comes the country's latest offering from Diablo Swing Orchestra, an original, fresh breath of air in the metal scene. Things to get clear first; this is almost not a metal album. The only thing metal here is the jagged guitar riffing which is the base of the music. On the other hand, there are horns, trumpets and keyboards that bring back to life 60s swing, and outrageously over-the-top opera vocals from both male and female vocalists. What seems like a receipe for disaster almost miraculously sounds entertaining and fun- the rompous cacophony of the genres that should not theoretically match come across as seamless and natural, even with enough variety (like the dark industrial beats at the end of 'Justice for Saint Mary') to flesh out a whole album. Not everything is a success but it sure is exciting.

Rating: ★★★☆☆

16. Be'lakor - Of Breath and Bone [Melodic Death]



Melodic death metal. Very Opeth/Insomnium like sound. Good mix of folk isntruments and instrumentation here and there, creative guitar parts like plucking verses here and there, nice acoustics here and there. Same problem as Ne Obliviscaris, everything is just here and there. Very strong musical moments that seem to have no flow within a song, though they do feel more in place as an album on a whole. But who has time for sitting through entire albums at this age? Because of the mediocre songwriting, the songs have a very start-stop feel that completely destroy any momentum you have for the strong moments, resulting in unmemorable songs even when the band does have some talent and creativity. For one, the melodic moments do not sound cheesy like Arch Enemy, they are well integrated into the death metal sound like Dark Tranquility's work. What they need, rather, is an immediate sense of urgency. Good effort though.

Rating: ★★★☆☆

17. Mnemic - Mnemesis [Industrial Groove]


The intro to the album opener 'Transcend' has me in a trance with it's clever manoeuvring of time signatures, and the inevitably catchy, melodic chorus. What really made me impressed was the accesibility of the album, it is tame enough for 12 year olds to act cool and 'like' on Facebook, it is also heavy and complex enough for seasoned connoisseur like me to appreciate, and that is very rare. To put things in perspective, this is how Linkin Park would sound if you mixed them with Meshuggah, which is a VERY interesting sound. Heavy but groovy guitar riffs, very well-written chorusses, altogether strong songs, especially in the first half. However, less is more, and the second half of the album finds songs that meander aimlessly through mainstream territory barely meeting metal. The vocalist's metalcore style may also be a turn off for many who want their vocals like grinding gravel.

Rating: ★★★☆☆

18. Nile - At The Gates Of Sethu [Technical Death]


Reviewing the new Nile album is very difficult as I have a mixed opinion on the result. Nile took an experimental turn in 2007's Ithyphallic that failed miserably save for the song 'As He Creates So Destroys', and they got back on track in 2009's Those Whom The Gods Detest. Now however, they have taken the experimental turn again, which shouldn't be a problem... except that this new album has the same defects that Ithyphallic had. Good points first, the guitar riffs are fascinating, with Karl and Tollas going for more accented, sharper riffs with more pronounced Egyptian melodies, and sometimes the music is suffocatingly clasutrophobic. The songs do sound very different from the usual Nile stuff. And... that is the only good point about the album. Now, let's see where it went wrong' vocals are horrible, horrible, torrid. It sounds like a monster drooling rather than powerful, fierce barks, and it doesn't go well with the razor-sharp riffs. The drums are so badly underproduced, you cannot here Kollias' inhumanly fast pedals, and speaking of Kollias, he sounds just like a machine here. So fast, there is no human pausing for groove or nice rhythms, everything is just brrrrr brrrrr brrrrr badum badum badum tsh tsh tsh brrrr brrr brrr. Songwriting is okay, but then again, it's just not enough. A bit of a disappointment, let's see if Time will bring this album Justice.

Rating: ★★★☆☆

19. Ihsahn - Eremita [Progressive Groove] ✔


Finally. something fresh in the metal scene. Not some gimmick with extra instruments, not some crossover of another genre with metal, not a band trying to do something 'different' and becoming poppier, no no no. Eremita marks Ihsahn's complete rejection of the black metal from the mighty Emperor; the music is hard to describe, drums switch from tribal and blastbeats to jazzy snare in a flash, vocals are varied from clearly audible black metal rasps that soar into operatic howls, the guitars are groovy, there is keyboard that brings to mind 70s rock and roll, Jeff Loomis lends a hand on some beautiful guitar on 'Catharsis' (where were such good guitar solos on his own solo album? What an idiot), his wife Heidi Tveitan providing some beautiful angelic vocals amidst the claustrophobic chaos of 'Departure', Jörgen Munkeby returns with the saxophone, and if Ihsahn's previous album 'After' was just a mere fusing of the jazzy saxophone with the heavy 8 string guitars, Eremita completely cements the saxophone as a real metal instrument, a chaotic carnivorous sound that not only deepens the intensity of music but one that adds sexiness to the sound, bringing the metal to the 70s glory of metal. Ihsahn is doing to metal what he did exactly 20 years ago with Emperor; Emperor became the standard for black metal and bands adopted the corpse paint that Ihsahn donned years ago to follow his movement, copying his viscious snarl and his deeply occult identity in his music. The Satanic days are long gone, the fad is over, only because Ihsahn is reconstructing extreme metal. The horns in 'The Paranoid' may sound cheesy in any other metal album but Ihsahn makes it work; there lies the major strength of this album. Whilst other bands bring in new influences to their sonicscape to make it less metal, Ihsahn brings in other instruments to his music and CONVERTS them to weapons of metal destruction.

Rating: ★★★★☆
Updated Rating: ★★★☆☆ Album's novelty wears off easily and songs sound like they could have been further stretched instead of what was on the album.

20. Gojira - L'Enfant Sauvage [Progressive Sludge] ✔


Gojira has toned down on the aggression. There, I said it. It sounds poppier. Yet, it still sounds downright brutal and devastating. The entire is just so sweetly MELODIC, mixing edgy, tasty, and I really mean TASTY, guitar riffs with Mario Duplantier's wonderful clockwork drumming. Songwriting is just fantastic, the band has never sounded this tight and dynamic, even with an album like The Way Of All Flesh under their belt. I have never been a fan of Gojira, because their downtuned guitars and highly mechanical style sounded like a failed attempt at Meshuggah's sound, but now Gojira have truly seperated themselves with the emotional factor. Thick, melancholic atmosphere drenches the sharp guitar (quite a nice, brutal production too!) and precise drums, and Joe Duplantier gives a much improved vocal performance that has as much sorrow and grief as it has power and corrosion. There is no standout track, the entire album flows excellently with enough bursts of insane energy ('Pain Is A Master') interspersed with introspective moments and the usual Gojira groove that has cemented their reputation as the future force of metal.

Rating: ★★★★★
Updated Rating: ★★★★☆ Nowhere near the better releases of the coming months.


Song Recommendations
Marduk - M.A.M.M.O.N [Black]
Marduk - Damnation's Gold [Black]
Fear Factory - Recharger [Industrial]
Morbid Saint - Crying For Death [Classic Thrash Rerelease]
Cattle Decapitation - Kingdom Of Tyrants [Technical Death]
Accept - Stalingrad [Classic Heavy Metal]
Torche - Kicking [Sludge]
Torche - Reverse Inverted [Sludge]
High On Fire - Fertile Green [Sludge]
Author & Punisher - Terrorbird [Industrial/Noise]
Ihsahn - The Paranoid [Progressive Groove]
Ihsahn - Departure [Progressive Groove]
Gojira - L'enfant Sauvage [Progressive Death]
Gojira - Explosia [Progressive Death]
Gojira - Planned Obsolesence
Baroness - Take My Bones Away [Progressive Sludge]
Witch Mountain - Beekeeper [Doom]
Dying Fetus - From Womb To Waste [Death]
Baroness - March To The Sea [Progressive Sludge]
Ides Of Gemini - Starless Night [Post-Black]
Primate - Pride [Thrash?]
Mnemic - Transcend [Groove]
Sabaton - Carolus Rex [Power]
Incoming Cerebral Overdrive - Sirius B [Progressive Sludge]
Baroness - March To The Sea [Sludge]
Kreator - Phantom Antichrist [Thrash]
Kreator - Civilisation Collapse [Thrash]
Dragonforce - Give Me The Night [Power]
Ne Obliviscaris - Xenoflux [Progressive Death/Black]
Bereft - Ethereal [Doom]
Diablo Swing Orchestra - Voodoo Mon Amor [Swing/Metal]
Diablo Swing Orchestra - Black Box Messiah [Avant Garde]
612 Sacrifices - X [Ambient Black Metal Instrumental]
Diablo Orchestra Swing - Justice For Saint Mary [Avant Garde]
Six Brew Bantha - Perpetual Debt [Powerviolence]
Pantera - Piss [Groove]
Nachtmystium - As Made [Black/Industrial]
Six Feet Under - Formaldehyde [Death]
Six Feet Under - Reckless
Nile - The Fiends Who Come To Steal The Magick Of The Deceased [Technical Death]
Nile - The Gods Who Light Up The Sky [Technical Death]


What To Look Out For In The Third Quarter Of 2012:

Testament - Dark Roots Of Earth
Baroness - Yellow & Green ✔
Nachtmystium - Silencing Machine
Pig Destroyer - Untitled ✔✔✔✔✔
Blut Aus Nord - 777: Cosmosophy ✔
Devin Townsend Project - Epicloud ✔
Sanity Obscure - Subterranean Constellation (SUPPORT LOCAL ACTS, THIS ONE IS PRODUCED BY THE GUITARIST OF ONE OF MY FAVE BANDS, KRALLICE!)



See Also:
Music: Second Quarter Of 2012 (Non-Metal)
Music: First Quarter Of 2012

Satthy's Favourite Albums Of 2012 So Far:

1) Cloud Nothings - Attack On Memory
2) Linkin Park - Living Things
3) Cannibal Corpse - Torture
4) Lotus Plaza - Spooky Happening At A Distance
5) T.R.A.M - Linga Francua

Satthy's Favourite Songs Of 2012 So Far:
1) Alcest - Là Où Naissent Les Couleurs Nouvelles
2) Rush - Clockwork Angels
3) Linkin Park - Victimized
4) Cloud Nothings - Wasted Days
5) Meshuggah - Swarm / Demiurge

Music: Second Quarter Of 2012 (Non Metal)

Rating System:

★☆☆☆☆ Rubbish - One or two good songs
★★☆☆☆ Passable - One or two good songs, a bit of flow
★★★☆☆ Average - Half of album is listenable
★★★★☆ Good - Strong flow, immediately grabs you
★★★★★ Excellent - Undisputed classic for crictical listening


1. Beach House - Bloom [Pop] ✔



Dense layering and atmospherics are the law in Beach House's Bloom, stylistically indifferent from their previous offering but with plenty of room for ideas for songs with such emotional depth that hypnotically draw you in with Victoria Legrand's ever-haunting singing. Not only that, the album's rife with an abundance of bittersweet melody, as seen on the first two singles 'Myth' and 'Lazuli'.

Rating: ★★★★☆


2. Death Grips - Money Store [Experimental Hip Hop] ✔


Mixing club/house music with an aggressive Southern rap style, the debut album from Death Grips, the first of a two part album this year, packs a lot of punch, and I mean serious punch. It is almost impossible to not feel pumped after hearing 'The Fever (Aye Aye)' or the fast-paced 'Get Got'. The intense alienation of the music keeps it apart from its brainless peers, in fact, there could be no other group right now that sounds anything like The Money Store. It is destined to be a classic, unless the second album could match up or even better this one.

Rating: ★★★★☆


3. Chromatics - Kill For Love [Pop]



This is your typical melancholic indie pop. Whilst there are some strong songs, with strong, dreamy atmospherics and vocals that bring to mind Joy Division's depressive post-punk in the 80s, a lot of the songs lack depth, ambition and passion. Some of the songs sound similar and a lot of the filler tracks in the middle sound tired and aimless. They are some outstanding... moments on songs, unexpected hi-synth on the title-track, promising progress on the last track 'No Escape', and the electronic swirls that pepper 'Lady'. Other than that, this album isn't very nice, though it's intension may be more apparent on long journeys at night.

Rating: ★★☆☆☆


4. Actress - R.I.P [Electronic]



This is some interesting electronic, instead of following for the hard-thumping intensity of modern dubstep and club influences, Actress uses ambience and light dynamics to formulate the nimble textures on this album. The sounds are unexpected and the sonic swirls of white noise create an exciting compilation of ideas. However, the songs do not flow well and the strong moments are too short, especially with the way some tracks like 'Holy Water' have some really nice tunes that end too abruptly.

Review: ★★☆☆☆

5. Storm Corrosion - Storm Corrosion [Progressive] ✔




Nothing can prepare you for the sounds that are present in this stunning album. From the creative minds of Steven Wilson (Porcupine Tree) and Mikael Adkerfeldt (Opeth), this is intended to be the last of the trilogy following Opeth's Heritage and Steven Wilson's solo project Grace For Drowning, and whoa. The ideas, the templates and structures of this music is so sonically powerful, twisting almost every note in the most evil way. The album sounds deceptively simple, repetitive, aimless and boring upon the first few listens. However, this is the intension of Storm Corrosion, and once you realise the twistedness of the music, the sinister grin of its frightening face that lay latent in the numerous layers of harmonized vocals, keyboards, cymbals and acoustic guitars, there is passion bleeding from every corner of the songs. Emotionally deep lyrics, beautiful melodies, jaw-dropping vocals from both singers (you won't even recognise Mikael here, his falsetto croon on 'Ljudet Innan' almost angelic). This is what the world has been waiting for, an album that is so completely different, not a mishmash of numerous genres, but one that takes apart the concepts of progressive rock and destroys all barriers of music. A masterpiece of twisted beauty.

Rating: ★★★★☆


6. BadBadNotGood - BBNG2 [Hip-Hop Jazz] ✔


Jazz is one of the most staunch genres in music. Elitists have always insisted that true instrumental jazz must follow the revered style of John Coltrane in the 60s, with indifferent and groovy tunes and rhythms. Jazz is now a dying genre thanks to the elitists' stubborness. However, BBNG set themselves apart, by using source material from hip-hop songs, rather than relying on the same old jazz methods. The instrumentation is energetic and pounding, not the meditative kind. The drums are amazingly fast and hard, the keyboards are shrill and piercing, like shooting at glass walls, and the bass is huge and thick, sounding more like rock than jazz. The rhythm changes in 'UWM', the vitality on 'Flashing Lights'. the drumming on 'DMZ', there are numerous memorable moments on this fantastic hip-hop jazz album.

Rating: ★★★★☆


7. Lone - Galaxy Garden [Electronic]



Rich, glossy production, which is a clear winner for electronic music. Galaxy Garden has lots of funky grooves and paints a lot of colours with its nimble and varied electronic swirls. Rhythms are also dense, with a throwback to the sounds of... gameboy music? It may sound cheesy but it goes well, giving it a retrofuturistic edge. I am relatively new to the electronic/synth sound as of now, so consider it a value judgement if a metalhead like me can be dazzled by the bright sounds of this album.

Rating: ★★★★☆


8. Slash - Apocalyptic Love [Rock]


I have nothing to say other than it sounds like Velvet Revolver with a better singer.

Rating: ★☆☆☆☆


9. Keane - Strangeland [Rock]


Strangeland is pretty much straight up what you expect from Keane, maudlin ballads and monochrome synth-pop with flashes of positivity. Yet, the production is dull, devoid of any bright sounds that interspersed Perfect Symmetry. This is your straightforward radio rock.

Rating: ★☆☆☆☆

10. The Temper Trap - The Temper Trap [Indie Rock]




Meh...

Rating: ★☆☆☆☆


11. Adam Lambert - Trespassing [Pop/Rock]



I will not deny one thing, this guy has a huge voice, and I was unsure if it's because of his voice that the songs sound nice upon first listen or if the choice of songs make his voice sound better. I realised it's a bit of both on the whole album. The first half has some exciting sounding dance tracks, like the title track and lead single 'Never Close Our Eyes', whilst the second half is full of 90s styled rock ballads, which would be out of date if not for his overpowering voice, which doesn't exactly mean he's breaking musical barriers. Still, I'm pleasantly surprised, this album is a great step forward, and he will not earn a bad rating.

Rating: ★★★☆☆


12. Norah Jones - Little Broken Hearts


Not a lot of people know that Norah Jones is half-Indian. Even a lot more do not know that her father is none other than legendary sitar player Ravi Shankar (whose first daughter Anoushka is now carrying on his legacy on the sitars). Jones on the other hand is a contemporary jazz singer who handles adult pop. On this album, she teams up with Danger Mouse who produced Gnarls Barkley. Hence the production is alienated and chill, a nice clean contrast with Norah Jones' emotionally drenched lines. Songs have a melancholic flow and there are definite stand-out tracks (such as the late-night tune 'Say Goodbye'). Not exactly groundbreaking though, and the songs could have little variety.

Rating: ★★☆☆☆


13. John Mayer - Born And Raised [Blues/Pop Rock]


Mayer abandons the poppy sounds of his past for a more blues-driven laidback sound, which is okay. Musically, he hasn't really shown anything new, except for some country sounds which is weak, with respect to his guitar-playing skills. He even has a song called 'Something Like Olivia' which is an apology to Olivia Wilde. This idea of writing personal songs is getting a tad irritating amongst these popular songwriters, especially when the delivery is exactly the same as Taylor Swift's songs (I heard they were ex-lovers). Still, John Mayer is a great guitar player, and his blues licks make up a little for the severe lack of creativity here.

Rating: ★★☆☆☆


14. Marilyn Manson - Born Villain [Industrial]



Marilyn Manson is running out of ideas. Poor production that makes the album sound mirky and muddy, which is a big no-no because of the industrial sounds. As a vocalist, Manson sounds tired and old, not reaching the great vibrance of his Antichrist Superstar era. Repititve guitar riffs, seemingly weak instrumentation as compared to their industrial peers (this year saw the release of stronger industrial like The Industrialist, Relapse and MMXII). Save for one or two songs, the whole album suffers.

Rating: ★☆☆☆☆

15. Killing Joke - MMXII [Industrial] ✔


Emerging from the underground are post-punk industrial legends Killing Joke, with their 15th album, and they show no signs of stopping. In fact, MMXII may be one of the best Killing Joke albums ever made, with the dark tunes and post-punk influences still as vibrant as it was in the 80s. The opener takes you in immediately with its synth-heavy mist, and Jaz Coleman's vocals are coarse yet accessible enough even for most mainstream listeners. 'Trance' features disco-ish percussion, 'Rapture' captures the very essence of the industrial genre, seamlessly mixing post-punk, synth and dance altogether. There is almost no filler in this album. Very strong release, though it isn't revolutionary.

Rating: ★★★★☆

16. Lotus Plaza - Spooky Happening At A Distance [Indie Rock] ✔



From Lockett Pundt, the guitarist of Deerhunter, comes this second LP from his solo project. This may be quite polarising, because a lot of the songs sound like Deerhunter watered down, and this may or may not be a good thing. Pundt uses a lot of guitar reverb akin to Halcyon Digest, and to some, it may sound like B-sides from that album because it does not have the full-fleshed character that Deerhunter has with it's induvidual band members. However, let's not forget that Pundt also wrote one of Deerhunter's best songs last year, 'Desire Lines', and to the faithful there will be many inescapable hooks and melodies in the swash of tunes in this album.

Rating: ★★★☆☆
Updated Rating:  ★★★★★ This album is a grower, and it has proven to be one of the most listened albums on my iPod over time.

17. Justin Bieber - Believe [Pop]


It's mature, it's not annoying. If Bieber wasn't famous before this this album may be less welcome. Now it's an 'improvement' from a cute sounding teenager who is now supposed to be full of swag. The problem is that after all, because this sounds exactly like anything else from the radio. R.I.P Justin Timberlake, this is your new successor.

Rating: ★☆☆☆☆


18. Tenacious D - Rize Of The Fenix [Comedy Rock]



Since it's difficult to classify them as real musicians, and more of entertainers, I have to write in a style that does not offend the true intention of this album. Yet, Tenacious D is sometimes so overwhelmingly cheesy even as a comedy duo that it is almost suffocating. There are many gems here, but a lot of the songs and skits go nowhere. As a rock album, Tenacious D fails to impress with their instruments. Creativity is inconsistent, I am truly impressed with the ideas behind the music videos for the title track and 'Low Hangin' Fruit', but the rest of the album just fails to deliver.

Rating: ★☆☆☆☆

19. DIIV - Oshin [Shoegaze/Indie Rock]



I was immediately hooked after hearing the gorgeous 'Doused' on Pitchfork. Admittedly shoegaze is one of my favourite genres, but rather than taste I think there is a universal appreciation of the nostalgia and imagery conjured by thick, atmospheric guitar reverb and indistinguishable vocals. One problem with Oshin is that the group doesn't provide anything new to the musical world, and what you hear here is just about the same as any shoegaze you would hear from the late 80s- early 90s shoegaze sound (now that the metal community is answering back with blackgaze - shoegaze interwoven with black metal!). But DIIV's grroves and melody create a really moody, melancholic atmosphere that is virtually impossible to detach yourself from.

Rating: ★★★★☆

20. Linkin Park - Living Things [Experimental Rock] ✔


Like many people, I grew up to LP's all albums and became a hater when the highly uninspired Minutes To Midnight came out. It's not that I need screaming, some of my favourite LP songs are their more experimental songs ('Breaking The Habit'?, anyone?). But Minutes To Midnight did not have the identity that LP forged on Hybrid Theory and Meteora, because Mike Shinoda was delivering few half-baked verses and Chester was singing like any other alternative rocker. A Thousand Suns was good, but still had many cringe-worthy songs like 'Waiting For The End' and 'Iridescent'. However, Living Things is not only LP's majestic return to form, it is a phenomenal album on so many levels. Firstly, there is almost no filler. The album is tight, almost efficient, not a single second wasted, unlike the segue moments in A Thousand Suns. In fact, 'Burn It Down' is THE WEAKEST song here (excellent move releasing it as the first single). Secondly, even if LP isn't screaming as much as they did on Meteora, LP's heaviest song to date is here, entitled 'Victimized'. It is the kind of aggression you would imagine from a death metal band, and yet here it is, Chester's piercing shrill screams 12 years after Hybrid Theory. They appear in three of the songs here, but somehow, seem sufficient. Thirdly, the experimentation is fantastic, it does not alienate but still keeps you surprised every second, a fine balance that LP wasn't achieving in the last- heck, all their albums. In fact, this may be LP's most emo album, but it has such a confidence and passion that even Hybrid Theory pales in comparison to this. You may not approve of the new direction, but there's no denying that this is the sound of a band reminding the world who is still the highest selling band of the 21st century. And lastly, welcome back Mr Shinoda. Welcome back from being seemingly non-existent on the last few albums.

Rating: ★★★★★
Updated Rating: 

Song Recommendations:

Dragonforce - Seasons (Acoustic Version) [Acoustic]
Tomas Barfod - November Skies (ft. Nina Kinert) [Trance]
Lone - The Animal Pattern [Electronic]
Lone - As A Child (ft. Machinedrum) [Electronic]
Beach House - The Hours [Dream Pop]
Beach House - Lazuli [Dream Pop]
Death Grips - Hacker [Experimental Hip Hop]
Actress - Holy Water [Electronic]
Storm Corrosion - Drag Ropes [Progressive]
The Shins - Simple Song [Pop Rock]
Zammuto - Yay [Experimental]
Marilyn Manson - Murderers Are Getting Prettier Everyday [Industrial]
Adam Lambert - Never Close Our Eyes [Pop]
Spiritualized - Hey Jane [Indie Rock]
Avicii - Silhouttes [House]
Peaking Lights - Beautiful Son [Pop]
Mount Eerie - House Shape [Indie]
Mount Eerie - Lone Bell[Indie]
El-P - The Full Retard [Rap]
Alfabet - Hell Of Samba [Electronic]
BadBadNotGood - DMZ [Hip Hop/Jazz]
Slash - You're A Lie [Rock]
Chromatics - Kill For Love [Indie Pop]
Animal Collective - Honeycomb [Experimental]
Animal Collective - Gotham [Experimental]
DIIV - Doused [Shoegaze]
Ab-Soul - ILLuminate (ft. Kendrick Lamar) [Rap]
Lotus Plaza - Strangers [Indie Rock]
Japandroids - The House That Heaven Built [Gospel Rock]
Fiona Apple - Every Single Night [Indie Pop]
St. Vincent - Krokodil [Rock]
Lotus Plaza - Out Of Touch [Indie Rock]
Killing Joke - Trance [Industrial]
Norah Jones - Say Goodbye [Pop]
Eternal Summers - Millions [Indie Pop]
Linkin Park - Victimized [Experimental Metal]
Linkin Park - Castle Of Glass [Rock]
Linkin Park - I'll Be Gone [Rock]
Linkin Park - Skin To Bone [Synth-rock]
Tenacious D - Rize Of The Fenix [Comedy Rock]
Tenacious D - Low Hangin' Fruit [Comedy Rock]

What To Look Out For In The Third Quarter Of 2012:
Animal Collective - Centipede Hz ✔
The xx - Coexist
Aerosmith - Music from Another Dimension
Akon - Stadium
Green Day - ¡UNO!
Owl City - The Midsummer Station
Chris Brown - Fortune
See Also: Music In First Quarter Of 2012

Satthy's Favourite Albums Of 2012 So Far:

1) Cloud Nothings - Attack On Memory
2) Linkin Park - Living Things
3) Cannibal Corpse - Torture
4) Lotus Plaza - Spooky Happening At A Distance
5) T.R.A.M - Linga Francua

Satthy's Favourite Songs Of 2012 So Far:
1) Alcest - Là Où Naissent Les Couleurs Nouvelles
2) Rush - Clockwork Angels
3) Linkin Park - Victimized
4) Cloud Nothings - Wasted Days
5) Meshuggah - Swarm / Demiurge