Sea Of Skies - Sea Of Skies (2011)

1.Beams 00:46
2.The Dance Of The Spirits 04:05
3.Oceanic Affinity 04:34
4.Evolve 04:12
5.Forsaker 03:41
6.Godmaker 03:40
7.Terra Firma 04:37
8.Starcluster 05:34
9.Marissa's Song 05:04

Genre: Progressive/Instrumental Metal
Rating: 10/10

Skeletonwitch - Forever Abomination (2011)

01. This Horrifying Force (the Desire To Kill) 04:09
02. Reduced To The Failure Of Prayer 02:51
03. Of Ash And Torment 02:55
04. Choke Beyond Betrayal 02:35
05. Erased And Forgotten 02:23
06. The Infernal Resurrection 02:51
07. Rejoice In Misery 02:46
08. Cleaver Of Souls 03:49
09. Shredding Sacred Flesh 02:34
10. Sink Beneath Insanity 02:55
11. My Skin Of Deceit 02:12

Genre: Black/Thrash Metal
Rating: 8/10

Derek Sherinian - Oceana (2011)

1. Five Elements 04:35
2. Mercury 7 04:22
3. Mulholland 05:59
4. Euphoria 05:34
5. Ghost Runner 04:52
6. El Camino Diablo 05:06
7. I Heard That 04:52
8. Seven Sins 05:58
9. Oceana 05:38

Genre: Progressive Metal
Rating: 6/10

The Devil Wears Prada - Dead Throne (2011)

1. Dead Throne 02:45
2. Untidaled 02:55
3. Mammoth 02:43
4. Vengeance 03:01
5. R.I.T. 02:49
6. My Questions 03:12
7. Kansas 03:36
8. Born To Lose 03:04
9. Forever Decay 03:24
10. Chicago 02:44
11. Constance 03:19
12. Pretenders 03:28
13. Holdfast 03:49

Genre: Metalcore
Rating: 9/10

Pathology - Awaken To The Suffering (2011)

1. Dissected By Righteousness 03:40
2. Ingestion of Creation 02:52
3. Hostility Towards Conformity 02:35
4. Media Consumption 02:12
5. Society's Desolation 03:02
6. Prolonging the Suffering 01:13
7. A Perverse Existence 02:02
8. Humanity's Cesspool 03:59
9. Festering in Filth 01:47
10. Opposing Globalization 03:05
11. Emesis 03:36
12. Revocation of Earth 01:10

Genre: Death Metal
Rating: 6/10

Evile - Five Serpent's Teeth (2011)

1. Five Serpent's Teeth 05:45
2. In Dreams of Terror 05:20
3. Cult 05:01
4. Eternal Empire 05:45
5. Xaraya 06:15
6. Origin of Oblivion 05:06
7. Centurion 05:57
8. In Memoriam 05:57
9. Descent Into Madness 04:35
10. Long Live New Flesh 05:28

Genre: Thrash Metal
Rating: 6/10

Midnight Odyssey - Funerals From The Astral Sphere (2011)

Disc 1
1. Fallen from Firmament 12:33
2. A Death So Pure 06:03
3. Against the Moonlight 07:38
4. An Ode to Dying Spirits 04:00
5. When Death Comes Crawling 08:45
6. Silently in Shadow 08:09
7. Lost 04:37
8. Tears of Starfire 09:38

Disc 2
1. Journey Across the Stars 07:54
2. Never to Return 07:31
3. A Midnight Odyssey 06:18
4. From a Celestial Throne 09:27
5. Secrets and Solitude 07:05
6. Shores Serene 06:34
7. Those Who Linger at Night 12:18
8. Funerals from the Astral Sphere 06:18

Genre: Atmospheric Black/Ambient Metal
Rating: 8/10

Countess - On Wings Of Defiance (2011)

1. Where Eagles Die 08:10
2. I Am the Infidel 05:11
3. Let the River Run Red 05:05
4. Invictus 03:47
5. At the Hot Gates I Stand 05:43
6. Foggy Dew 08:24
7. Sermon of the Devil Preacher 05:23
8. An Emperor's Stand 07:32
9. On Wings of Defiance 08:53
10. Night of the Demon [bonus track] (Demon cover) 03:19
11. In League with Satan [bonus track] (Venom cover) 03:08

Genre: Black Metal
Rating: 4/10

Absu - Abzu (2011)

1. Earth Ripper 03:47
2. Circles Of The Oath 05:11
3. Abraxas Connexus 03:53
4. Skrying in the Spirit Vision 03:51
5. Ontologically, It Became Time & Space 04:47
6. A Song for Ea 14:26

Genre: Black Metal
Rating: 7/10

The Noob Exchange: No Mercy- Epic (2010)

In this day and age of thrash its difficult to not only stand out but to be even good at it. You
would think it would be easy to play this style of metal but truth be told there so very few bands who can pull it off and pull it off well. Sure, there are a few exceptions like Warbringer, Legion of the Damned, and Evile. And even new bloods like Vektor and Havok show a lot of promise for carrying the thrash mantle. But overall the legacy of thrash has been watered down with a lot of not so good bands.

Not the case with No Mercy however. Consisting of a trio from Sanford, North Carolina is Stephen Brewer on guitar and vocals, bassist Josh Oldham, and drummer Kevin Griffin. While ive read that Brewer himself is influenced by Metallica and Alice in Chains i find that their sound with the riffs and arrangements are more in tune with old school thrash like D.R.I. (thrash/crossover), Forced Entry, and even a bit of M.O.D which is not a bad thing at all. However, they are able to mix in their own modern vibe to give it their own signature as well. Unknown to me before writing this but having done some research the band had already released a full length album in 08' called "Spark of Creation" (which i need to hear) as well as a live album, demo, and another self titled EP.

But for this review we will be touching on the latest 5 song EP entitled "Epic". While i can say that the band is a bit rough around the edges there is no question they are very talented and hold a lot of promise. And for me currently the two tracks that stand out the most is "Fall into the Sky" and "Eye of the Storm". Both are fast pace and adrenaline building songs with some truly exceptional guitar playing by Brewer. Obviously both Oldham and Griffin complement Brewer very well with some great playing on their own but the guitar is the forefront and sets the tone of the band. But the greatest thing about No Mercy is that you can hear and feel the confidence oozing out of the music as they play unrelentlessly from the heart.

With songs like "Cold Shoulder" you can see the diversity of the band as they are able to slow down the tempo a bit and listening to the lyrics of the songs you can tell that there is a lot of emotion put into them. The fact that No Mercy can keep with the tradition of thrash metal by combining melodies with earth crunching riffs gives them an edge that so many other bands seem to overlook or miss out on. I cannot wait for the next full length from this band as i expect them to grow and hone their skills even further. Currently the band is part of www.itsallaboutmusic.net as one of the member bands. You can talk with the band in their band thread and even hear them on IAAM and also on my own station Radio Anubis featuring the metal show Hordes of Chaos. If you like your thrash metal straight forward and done right than get out and check out "Epic" now. You will not regret it.

Mastodon - The Hunter (2011)

01. Black Tongue 03:26
02. Curl of the Burl 03:40
03. Blasteroid 02:35
04. Stargasm 04:40
05. Octopus Has No Friends 03:49
06. All the Heavy Lifting 04:31
07. The Hunter 05:18
08. Dry Bone Valley 04:00
09. Thickening 04:31
10. Creature Lives 04:41
11. Spectrelight 03:10
12. Bedazzled Fingernails 03:08
13. The Sparrow 05:32

Genre: Progressive Metal
Rating: 9/10

Volumes - Via (2011)

1. Paid In Full
2. Wormholes
3. Limitless
4. Reversion
5. Serenity
6. The Columbian Faction
7. Affirmation Of Ascension
8. Intake
9. Behind The Curtain
10. Recovery
11. Edge Of The Earth
12. Via

Genre: Progressive Metalcore
Rating: 7/10

Evanescence - Evanescence (2011)

1. What You Want 03:41
2. Made Of Stone 03:32
3. The Change 03:43
4. My Heart Is Broken 04:29
5. The Other Side 04:04
6. Erase This 03:52
7. Lost in Paradise 04:42
8. Sick 03:29
9. End Of The Dream 03:49
10. Oceans 03:36
11. Never Go Back 04:26
12. Swimming Home 03:43

Genre: Alternative Rock
Rating: 7/10

Aenaon - Cendres Et Sang (2011)

1. Kafkaesque
2. Suncord
3. Psychonautic Odyssey
4. Grand Narcotic Harvest (feat. V'gandr of Helheim)
5. Once Finite
6. Carnivora's Lair
7. Necroscope
8. Kraanerg
9. Black Nerve
10. In Heaven (cover from David Lynch's movie Eraserhead)

Genre: Black Metal
Rating: 8/10

Einherjer - Norrøn (2011)

01. Norrøn Kraft 12:55
02. Naglfar 05:12
03. Alu Alu Laukar 02:52
04. Varden Brenne 06:19
05. Atter På Malmtings Blodige Voll 08:13
06. Balladen Om Bifrost 05:50

Genre: Viking Metal
Rating: 6/10

Taake - Noregs Vaapen (2011)

01. Fra vadested til vaandesmed (6:47)
02. Orkan (6:17)
03. Nordbundet (5:25)
04. Du ville ville Vestland (6:51)
05. Myr (5:35)
06. Helvetesmakt (5:37)
07. Dei vil alltid klaga og kyta (10:17)

Genre: Black Metal
Rating: 6/10

Machine Head - Unto The Locust (2011)

01. I Am Hell (Sonata In C#)
02. Be Still And Know
03. Locust
04. This Is The End
05. Darkness Within
06. Pearls Before The Swine
07. Who We Are

Genre: Metalcore
Rating: 7/10

Woods Of Infinity - Förlåt (2011)

01. För-låt 02:34
02. Förbjuden Frukt 04:37
03. Mörkrädd 05:05
04. Walking in the Air 03:14
05. Slicka Fitta 05:17
06. Underbart 05:05
07. Gånglåt Från Valhallavägen 03:10
08. De Vilda Vågornas Piran 05:03
09. Ursprung 05:28
10. Våt Ängsmark 26:50
11. Untitled 01:13

Genre: Black Metal
Rating: 4/10

Andrew Dugan- MMXII (2009)

1. 001
2. 002
3. 003
4. 004
5. 005
6. 006 (Love)
7. 007 (The Warning)
8. 008 (Doubt)
9. 009 (The Storm)
10. 1000 ( Hell)
11. 1100 (The First New Day)

Genre: Acoustic/Rock
Rating: 8/10

Exmortus - Beyond The Fall Of Time (2011)

1. Bane Forthcoming 01:12
2. Kneel Before the Steel 06:12
3. Black XIII 04:04
4. Beyond the Nile... 02:37
5. Entombed with the Pharaohs 06:20
6. Destroy 05:20
7. Crawling Chaos 05:39
8. Left to Die in the Paradox of Time 06:21
9. Khronos (Forever in the Void) 03:04
10. The Gathering 06:04

Genre: Death/Thrash Metal
Rating: 8/10

Angeli Di Pietra - Anthems Of Conquest (2011)

01. Last Flight Of The Valkyries 04:52
02. Gates Of Time 03:47
03. Fate Of The Promised Land - The Desert 01:19
04. Fate Of The Promised Land - Mark Of The Scimitar 05:29
05. Towards New Shores 01:32
06. Buccaneers 04:18
07. Anthem Of Conquest 03:35
08. I Am Spartacus 05:11
09. The Battle Of Camlann 04:27
10. Avalon 02:27
11. Boadicea 04:54
12. Onwards To Asgaard 04:39
13. Remembrance 01:10

Genre: Folk Metal
Rating: 6/10

Anthrax - Worship Music (2011)

1. Worship (Intro) 01:41
2. Earth on Hell 03:11
3. The Devil You Know 04:46
4. Fight 'Em Til You Can't 05:48
5. I'm Alive 05:37
6. Hymn 1 00:38
7. In the End 06:46
8. The Giant 03:47
9. Hymn 2 00:44
10. Judas Priest 06:24
11. Crawl 05:29
12. The Constant 05:01
13. Revolution Screams 06:08

Genre: Thrash Metal
Rating: 7/10

Wolves In The Throne Room - Celestial Lineage (2011)

1. Thuja Magus Imperium 11:48
2. Permanent Changes in Consciousness 01:55
3. Subterranean Imitation 07:10
4. Rainbow Illness 01:28
5. Woodland Cathedral 05:26
6. Astral Blood 10:17
7. Prayer of Transformation 10:58

Genre: Atmospheric Black Metal
Rating: 8/10

Arkona - Word (2011)

1. Az
2. Arch
3. It hurts me
4. Wood goblin
5. Curse
6. Ancestor
7. Never
8. There, beyond the mists
9. Descendant
10. Word
11. One
12. In my sadochke ...
13. Wall to wall
14. Zimushka


Genre: Folk/Pagan Metal
Rating: 10/10

Opeth - Heritage (2011)

1. Heritage 02:05
2. The Devil's Orchard 06:39
3. I Feel the Dark 06:40
4. Slither 04:03
5. Nepenthe 05:40
6. Haxprocess 06:57
7. Famine 08:32
8. The Lines In My Hand 03:48
9. Folklore 08:19
10. Marrow Of The Earth 04:18

Genre: Progressive Metal
Rating: 8/10

An Autumn For Crippled Children - Everything (2011)

1. Forever Never Fails 05:13
2. Formlessness 05:13
3. Absence Of Contrast 04:05
4. We All Fall 05:56
5. Nothing/Everything 05:30
6. Her Dress As A Poem, Her Death As The Night 04:35
7. I Am The Veil 04:19
8. Cold Spring 04:14
9. Rain 04:40

Genre: Depressive/Experimental Black Metal
Rating: 9/10

Epysode - Obsessions (2011)

01. File 41807 01:04
02. Silences Of Dawn 01:26
03. First Blood 04:36
04. Obsessions 05:01
05. Invisible Nations 05:01
06. Gemini Syndrome 05:41
07. Fallen's Portrait 05:14
08. Season Of Redemption 04:08
09. The Other Side 04:06
10. Shadow Lord 04:39
11. One Chance 06:51
12. Divine Whispers 05:28
13. March Of The Ghosts 07:09
14. Last Sunset 04:36

Genre: Progressive Metal
Rating: 6/10

Blood Red Throne - Brutalitarian Regime (2011)

1. Brutalitarian Regime 02:53
2. Graveworld 03:30
3. Trapped Terrified Dead 04:53
4. Eternal Decay 04:14
5. Games of Humiliation 04:17
6. The Burning 04:00
7. Proliferated Unto Hemophobia 04:24
8. Melena 04:16
9. Parnassian Cacoepy 05:09
10. Twisted Truth (Pestilence Cover) 03:47

Genre: Death Metal
Rating: 7/10

Textures - Dualism (2011)

01. Arms Of The Sea 06:33
02. Black Horses Stampede 03:56
03. Reaching Home 05:09
04. Sanguine Draws The Oath 05:51
05. Consonant Hemispheres 04:20
06. Burning The Midnight Oil 05:39
07. Singularity 06:46
08. Minor Earth, Major Skies 04:40
09. Stoic Resignation 05:08
10. Foreclosure 02:56
11. Sketches From A Motionless Statue 05:21

Genre: Progressive Metalcore
Rating: 9/10

Dream Theater - A Dramatic Turn Of Events (2011)

1. On The Backs Of Angels 08:42
2. Build Me Up, Break Me Down 06:59
3. Lost Not Forgotten 10:11
4. This Is The Life 06:57
5. Bridges In The Sky 11:01
6. Outcry 11:24
7. Far From Heaven 03:56
8. Breaking All Illusions 12:25
9. Beneath The Surface 05:26

Genre: Progressive Metal
Rating: 8/10

Apostasy - Nuclear Messiah (2011)

1. The Blacker the Blood
2. Parasite Swarm
3. Slave to the Cross
4. Nuclear Messiah
5. Horns
6. God's Assassin
7. The Man with a Thousand Faces
8. What Lies Within

Genre: Melodic Black Metal
Rating: 7/10

Akribi - Black Morning Sun (2011)

1 Puppies of War 06:09
2 Where the Water Meets the Sky 08:57
3 Surface 06:59
4 Angel Kiss 06:16
5 Blue Clay 05:30
6 Carry the Rain 09:26
7 Wither and Die 03:50
8 The Plains of Nevermore 03:42
9 The Sum of it All 09:18
10 Black Morning Sun 06:28

Genre: Progressive/Gothic Metal
Rating: 7/10