Shadows Fall - Retribution. This release does not break any new ground, but it is the creation of a band possessed. If you like metalcore, this is one for you.
Ghost Brigade - Isolation Songs. Here is a band still finding who they are and giving you a chance to get in on the ground floor. They shift from heavy, sludge filled riffs that could grind bone to powder to soft, melodic passages with ease, crafting a standout album.
Mark Knopfler - Get Lucky. If you want some nicely written and executed laid-back tunes on the folk-rock tip, this is going to be one you want. There is some strong guitar work and you cannot find anyone who sounds quite like Mark Knopfler.
Iron Age - The Sleeping Eye. It has a sound that begs to be listened to more. The more you listen, the more you pick things up, things like the solo work that you may be tempted to gloss over, or the transitions between the thrashy and the sludgy portions. If you like metal, you will want to give these guys a listen.
Seventh Void - Heaven is Gone. Kenny Hickey and Johnny Kelly have a side project and it has resulted in a solid slab of hard rock that brings to mind early Black Sabbath and 90s grunge.
Tombs - Winter Hours. Tombs' sound is akin to a reverse prism, taking all the colors of the rainbow and reintegrating them into white light, so Tombs takes the varying styles of metal and integrates them into one big post-metal wall of sound.
Lamb of God - Wrath. This is one hell of a band. If you like your metal raw and aggressive, this album will fit the bill. Raw vocals, jackhammer drums, heavy riffs, all from a band that actively attempts to transcend the genre will remaining happy just inhabiting it.
That wraps up this years releases. Keep an eye out for more music reviews from yours truly. And hopefully a more organized 2010 list!
Happy Listening!
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