Better-than-decent melodic death/thrash metal from Sweden, with enough similarity to Children of Bodom in songwriting, riffs, and sneer(attitude) to make a great first impression.

Their 11-track album Venomized is somewhat of a combination of COB and The Haunted, when each were at their prime (Hate Crew Deathroll and The Haunted Made Me Do It, respectively, in my opinion of course).

Well-produced, the opening drop of album opener Through Vile Black Blood sounds a bit like mid-career In Flames, if they hadn’t quit writing longish riffs by that point. Add a healthy dose of Bodom-esque shout-along choruses, and it becomes very easy listening for any death metal fan.

FULL RECOMMENDATION.

http://www.myspace.com/enemyisus

I heard about them through Screw Deathcore.

Terracorpse – The Prescription For Death

Decent dark electronic/industrial.

Others have posted about this album on their own sites, visit them here:

http://hobbitgoesberserk.blogspot.com/2007/11/terracorpse-prescription-for-death-2007.html

Funeral For Yesterday – Score: 3/5

Kittie is finally finding their sound. The songs that grace this album are better written than most anything this band has previously released.

Others have posted about this album on their own sites, visit them here:

http://hobbitgoesberserk.blogspot.com/2007/11/kittie-funeral-for-yesterday-2007.html
http://xflakaggrox.blogspot.com/2007/10/kittie-funeral-for-yesterday-2007.html
http://billiamsmusicblog.blogspot.com/2007/11/kittie-funeral-for-yesterday.html
http://modern-hard-rock.blogspot.com/2007/11/kittie-discography.html

Save Yourself – Score: 2/5

No progression in their sound, just more of the same, but without the hooks that made songs like “I Should Have Bought Flowers” and “Last One For The Money” great.

Others have posted about this album on their own sites, visit them here:

http://xflakaggrox.blogspot.com/2007/11/nora-save-yourself.html

They’ve Actually Gotten Worse Live! – Score: 4/5

Another live album from NOFX, with not one of the same songs that graced 1995’s “I Heard They Suck Live“.

The girl from The Muffs appears to sing her part on “Lori Myers” and sounds just as venomous as she did when she first recorded it.

Others have posted about this album on their own sites, visit them here:

http://hobbitgoesberserk.blogspot.com/2007/11/nofx-theyve-actually-gotten-worse-live.html

Sickness And Misery – Score: 2/5

High hopes shattered.

Others have posted about this album on their own sites, visit them here:

http://xflakaggrox.blogspot.com/2007/11/god-forbid-sickness-and-misery.html
http://x-b-media-x.blogspot.com/2007/11/god-forbid-sickness-and-misery.html

Skullgrid – Score: 3/5

Good stuff, exactly what I would expect from this band.

Others have posted about this album on their own sites, visit them here:

http://forwardthinkingmetal.blogspot.com/2007/10/behold-arctopus-skullgrid.html
http://x-b-media-x.blogspot.com/2007/10/behold-arctopus-skullgrid.html
http://last-train-tocool.blogspot.com/2007/10/behold-arctopus-skullgrid.html

V Is For Vagina – Score: 3/5

Better than most reviewers are saying, this debut release from Puscifier (Maynard James Keenan of Tool and A Perfect Circle fame) is a decent laid-back listen. The single “Queen B” is a catchy industrial-blues romp, with an interesting video to go with it.

Others have posted about this album on their own sites, visit them here:

http://x-b-media-x.blogspot.com/2007/11/puscifer-v-is-for-vagina.html
http://hobbitgoesberserk.blogspot.com/2007/11/puscifer-v-is-for-vagina-2007.html
http://the–undertow.blogspot.com/2007/10/puscifer-v-is-for-vagina-2007.html
http://linkyourstuff.blogspot.com/2007/11/puscifer-v-is-for-vagina-2007.html

Velvet Noise Extended – Score: 3/5

Their cover of Faith No More’s “From Out Of Nowhere” isn’t as bad as I was expecting, although it would be nice to hear the track with the singer actually choosing to hit the same notes that Mike Patton did. (i.e. minor third instead of major, when it really sounds better the way Patton did it)

Others have posted about this album on their own sites, visit them here:

http://x-b-media-x.blogspot.com/2007/11/raunchy-velvet-noise-extended.html

Venom & Tears – Score: 3/5

This former hardcore band is now aping Pantera as best they can. It seems many bands may start to do this, after Lamb Of God’s “Redneck” won a Grammy or some crap. They do a pretty good job of writing Tampora (Pantera) -style tunes, if a little dry and repetitive.

Others have posted about this album on their own sites, visit them here:

http://rockstarmaterial.blogspot.com/2007/09/venom-and-tears.html