What I'm Really In To Right Now

   I wanted to put together a list of groups that I'm really in to right now.  These guys are just either really sounding great to me, have great energy, interesting concepts, epic sounding, or just have all of them and are kicking major ass.  Some are newer to me, and some I just can't really get away from.  So here they are.

Judas Priest

   Judas Priest have always been a band that I've been in to.  I am just recently getting back in to them heavily because I started buying over the last year or so the re-issues of their earlier material and I really like the remasters.  They sound great and have bonus tracks on all of them, and a cool explanation of each album.  Judas Priest will forever be one the icons in Metal for so many different reasons, and I will forever be a huge fan.

In Flames

   In Flames is another band that I've listened to for a long time.  I got Whoracle reloaded last month or so and it just sparked In Flames back up for me again.  I really like their earlier stuff better than their stuff after Come Clarity.  Although all of their material is great in its own way I'm just a big fan of their earlier workings.  My favorite album is Clayman, or Reroute to Remain. 

Slayer

   I will never stop listening to Slayer.  They can never really disappoint me in anything they do.  Some is better than others, but even in the lesser stuff it still is better than most metal out there for the last 25 or so years.  They will never die.

Soilwork

   With Soilwork's new album out last year The Panic Broadcast they have come back in to my listening circle.  While being a lot more melodic than anything they've done as a whole  in the past, it still packs a pretty good punch.  It has some decent melodic hooks, and vocal patterns that make Speed's voice shine on a lot of the songs.  The first track really gets you pumped for a pretty technical ride, which is good.  On a whole its definitely worth it, but it may disappoint some of the old school di-hard fans of Soilwork.

DevilDriver



   DevilDriver's new 2011 release Beast is a great, groovy ride.  That will push and pull you the whole way through.  It has some melodic intros and hooks, but really flows pretty heavily the whole way through.  The guitar tones they achieve on this record are very cool and new.  I recommend this album for sure, and I can't stop listening to their stuff now.  Also I'm going to see them with Danzig in May and that'll be awsome.

As I Lay Dying

   I really like their new release The Powerless Rise.  Their energy is pretty strong the whole way through, and their are moments when their speed just takes off and blows you away like the break in Anodyne Sea.  The first time I heard that it came out of nowhere and I had to rewind and listen to it again and again.  Its a great record

Danzig

   I love Danzig.  Everything he's done pretty much from his time in the Misfits, to Danzig.  His early stuff in Danzig is definitely better, or I like it more rather than his older stuff.  He tried new avenues and sounds in the later years which a lot of people didn't take to very well.  I do like it though.  His new one Deth Red Sabaoth is a pretty good classic retro metal sound, while having a fresh new Danzig sound.  I like the blues feel he has in a lot of his songs, while having a crazy heavy metal crunch.  He will be one of those classic artists that I will forever like.

Dimmu Borgir

   I really like Dimmu Borgir.  Their stuff is pretty epic sounding and I really can dig that.  Their new one Abrahadabra really kicked up the symphonic elements tenfold.  I like it, but I know fans that didn't really like it.  They like the lesser symphonic sound, and more black metal elements.  I like both sides early years and their newer stuff which is definitely more symphonic for sure, but its still very good. 

Kylesa

   I am really in to Kylesa.  Their 2010 release Spiral Shadow was really really great.  It was in my top 5 records of 2010.  It is definitely a headphone record for sure.  Little sounds and accents that you hear while drifting off to it while wearing some headphones is great.  Their experimental, drone nature is great.  They are all well rounded musicians, and their drumming presence is very big and in your face with 2 full drummers playing in unison, which is very cool to hear.

The Ocean

   I really love The Ocean's drone prog sounds.  Their 2010 albums were really great experiences.  That's what they were experiences.  each album was very conceptual and their hardest concept work to date.  They're a great representation of their many talents.  I highly recommend both of them.

Tritykon

   I neglected getting Triptykon's 2010 release Eparistera Daimones, and boy do I regret it.  When I put it in the deep guttural tone that just drones by with each pluck of the strings it was like pulling me deeper and deeper down into the world of Triptykon, and I was really digging it.  I recommend this record to any fans of Celtic Frost's Monotheist.  A lot of the same elements are here in Triptykon's first release.  Its a shame that Celtic Frost isn't together anymore, but if Tryptykon keep this up I'll be just fine with just Triptykon. 



Kataklysm

   Holy crap.  Kataklysm's 2010 Heaven's Venom was another one that I neglected getting, and I really was sorry.  Great death metal man.  Pretty brutal the whole way through.  The intro while getting the idea behind it is a little lame but man the rest of the record is totally in your face the whole way through and doesn't let up on the major death metal sounds.  Great record really recommend picking it up.

Electric Wizard

   Wow.  It sounds like these guys went deep into a cave and just jammed out their dark Satin worshiping drone metal.  Black Masses is some of the heaviest metal I've ever heard, but their are some times where it's almost to droned out and stoner friendly for me to listen to for long lengths of time, so I go to a faster more refined sound from one of the other obsessions.  None the less it still passes as a great drone metal record for sure.

Goatwhore

   I have heard of these guys for a while now, but have just really haven't had a chance to get into them to much.  When I finally got their latest one Carving Out the Eyes of God I was blown away.  It is really a great classic death metal album, while having some black elements scattered here and there.  I really love it.  The speed, the classic riffs, the black metal feel, and the guttural scream this guys has is great.  I really recommend this release for sure.  I'm gonna check out more of their earlier material just because I like this album so much, and if they sound anything close to this record than I know I'll like them. 

  

 So here they are.  They guys that I am just really in to right now.  Some come and go over the months.  Like as soon as i pick up Amon Amarth's new one Sutur Rising I'll be revisiting my Amon Amarth material for a while.  Than on a lighter note when The Foo Fighters' new one comes out I'll be in to that one for a while also.  I am really looking forward to a lot of stuff this year so we will see what catches my ears and sticks and what just comes and goes.  I really recommend Goatwhore, Kylesa, Kataklysm, DevilDriver, or Triptykon.  So until next time stay hard, stay heavy.