06) Summoning the Lich, Under the Reviled Throne (Prosthetic Records)
05) Striker, Ultrapower (Record Breaking Records)
Striker has established a solid reputation for retroactive heavy metal scene from the packed dive bars to some of the biggest and brightest stages with their latest opus, Ultrapower. It gives off that warm feeling of the perfect summer day full of tuneful, speedy music with that unified sense of swagger at the same time that this Canadian quartet is masterful at. You cannot pass up Ultrapower if you dig Enforcer or Skull Fist.
Standout Cuts: 4. Blood Magic, 7. City Calling
04) Bat, Under the Crooked Claw (Nuclear Blast Records)
You’ll spend as much time air shredding as you do moshing with your fist in the air as Ryan Waste’s Bat project. Their second album, Under the Crooked Claw, shows the trio combining their modern thrash elements with the blackened steel heaviness of their earlier work. What results will please all fans, featuring a great balance of over-the-top thrash moments and tasty guitar riffs from Ryan Waste.
Standout Cuts: 4. Streetbanger, 9. Revenge of the Wolf
03) Molder, Catastrophic Reconfiguration (Prosthetic Records)
The only way to amp up Bat’s evil ways would be with dirty, gritty, and smoldering death metal from the land Shorewood, Illinois. Aaren Pantke and the boys deliver a wallop of a seconding offering with Catastrophic Reconfiguration. The production assisted Molder in expanding its raw signature sound on its sophomore release. Aaren’s vocal style has never sounded nastier. The guitar riffs by Carlos Santini are fantastic and complemented by bassist, Dom Vaia. There is, of course, Kyle Pooley pounding the drums like cannonballs shooting into Homer Simpson’s stomach.
Standout Cuts: 1. Catastrophic Reconfiguration, 10. Nothing Left to Ooze
02) Midnight, Hellish Expectations (Metal Blade Records)
Gritty, scrappy, and fucking insane, Midnight is the type of band that metal fans from eighteen to forty can agree on, with their Sabbat-meets-Toxic Holocaust approach and album-to-album quality. The hooded menace code-named Athenar has been pushing his creative limits since he released the Midnight demo in 2003, and the additional two henchmen, Commandor Vanik on guitar and Iron Possessor on the drums. Midnight delivers the filthy-sounding blackened thrash metal you would exactly expect from this one-man band! Midnight brings what you expect – killer, kick-ass, smashing your face in, bashing your skull against the pavement type of blackened rock ‘n’ roll.
Standout Cuts: 6. Nuclear Savior, 8. Mercyless Slaughtor
