It must the holidays because I am in a very giving spirit. Check my latest installment of Yay or Nay. Not a bad one in the bunch this time around so enjoy.

Avenged Sevenfold-self-titled (Warner Bros)  

While I became a fan when City of Evil was released back in 2005, the band's self-titled release gives off a riskier vibe and that’s not a bad thing. The hook-laced “Almost Easy” and frenzied “Brompton Cocktail” should appease even the most loyal fans. If you’re a fan of Danny Elfman, take a listen to “A Little Piece of Heaven” and see if it wouldn’t fit into Tim Burton’s next movie. Either way, I always think of A7X as Guns N' Roses little kid brother who was into Iron Maiden and Bad Religion and that isn't a bad thing at all.

RESULT: YAY   

A Wilhelm Scream—Career Suicide (Nitro)  Without resorting to some in-depth genre analysis, the first thing that will strike you about this Massachusetts-based melodic hardcore band is that its music is fast and to the point. Keeping in tune with what bands such as Hot Water Music, Strike Anywhere and even some older Thrice were doing before them, AWS draw you in with some very metal-esque shredding and frantic vocals. They tap into the melodic punk of Southern California circa 1994 without sounding dated. Even though it’s the fourth track on the record, “Die While We’re Young” is a perfect introduction.

RESULT: YAY  

The Expendables-self-titled (Stoopid)  Just looking at the CD cover got me interested  (it would make a great half-sleeve tattoo). What you have is a surprising mix of rock/ska/punk/surf songs very appropriate for a band from the coastal city of Santa Cruz, California. It’s not quite as grimy as Sublime but catchy nonetheless. Songs like “Down, Down, Down” and “Not Gonna Fade” remind me of the musical melting pot that is the great state of California.  

RESULT: YAY   

The Black Dahlia Murder-Nocturnal (Metal Blade)  

I can admit it’s hard to do something so unique and different in the genre of melodic death metal. Metal fans can be just as elitist as anyone else so it’s a challenge to get anyone excited anymore. Michigan-based TBDM take what they did on Miasma and increase the intensity and intricacy in Nocturnal. Much darker, both lyrically and musically, they continue the tradition of great metal classics released by Metal Blade Records. In other words, fans of heavy music should be excited. Just listen to “What A Horrible Night to Have A Curse” and you can see that TBDM have taken up the challenge.  

RESULT: YAY