Artist: Carnifex
Album: Until I Feel Nothing
Date Released: 10/25/2011
Genre: Deathcore, Death Metal

This has definitely been a year for death metal's comeback. With a whole slew of bands on the extreme side releasing long-awaited albums this year (including Exhumed, Autopsy, Decapitated, and Rose Funeral, to name a few), it only made sense that this wave of death metal would sweep some bands along the way. And Carnifex's last album Hell Chose Me was certainly already heading in that direction, away from the chug-chug slump that was The Diseased & the Poisoned. Now, Carnifex's fourth album combines impressive riffs with even more impressive drumwork to create a blinding fast series of songs, picking up where Hell Chose Me left off. While the production is less polished than their previous release, it carries a dark tone with it. The album has less of a pompus, we're-so-evil theme, but more of a (as the intro track screams) "F*CK THE WORLD" theme. The album is fast-paced and relentlessly heavy, stopping only for a slight acoustic meander at the end of the title track. Indeed, similar to the likes of the new Rose Funeral and Job For a Cowboy albums, this album pulls no punches, and is definitely for fans of death metal and deathcore alike.

8/10

Coldplay - Mylo Xyloto

Artist: Coldplay
Album: Mylo Xyloto
Date Released: 10/27/2011
Genre: Alternative Rock, Britpop, Pop

After the mainstream success of Viva La Vida worldwide, the British group set out to write their fifth and most ambitious album ever - a concept album focusing on a love story that ends happily. Mylo Xyloto definitely touts the peak of production magic, with synths and bass lines lacing Chris Martin's iconic voice, lifting anthemic choruses heard in songs like "Paradise" and "Don't Let it Break Your Heart". With the amount of pressure thrust upon the group, the album they create seems to walk on eggshells at points, even moreso than Viva La Vida. And yet, within the confines of lofty alternative rock, Mylo Xyloto sets itself apart with an optimism matched by few others. Some of the atmospheric samples take the listener to some ethereal world, similar to the effect the fictitious world Pandora had on viewers of the new Avatar film. The track "Princess of China", featuring Rihanna, is a bone-chilling duet that elevates the feeling of lovers caught in a timeless dance. Overall, despite the obvious copying from Pete Green and from the Ritmo de la Noche melody on "Every Teardrop is a Waterfall", Mylo Xyloto is a brilliant, fresh scape, solidifying Coldplay's place as one of the best alternative rock artists of the decade.

9/10

Deas Vail - Deas Vail

Artist: Deas Vail
Album: Deas Vail
Date Released: 10/11/2011
Genre: Indie Rock

Birds & Cages was a decidedly polished album, a sign that Deas Vail would not return to the shimmering, dreamy rock that they came to prominence with. With their self-titled release, the third full-length in their discography, the shimmering, dreamy feel has resurfaced with a more mature overtone. The opening track "Desire" features Laura and Wesley's vocal lines layered over each other, hinting at the rich complexity of the music, but its simple melodies will be sure to keep you from getting too lofty an impression. And yet, the guitar lines are spacey and ethereal - it's guaranteed to take you somewhere else. All in all, this album is one that can carry its own among the chunkier side of indie rock, and is a great addition to Deas Vail's discography.

8/10

Mayday Parade - Mayday Parade

Artist: Mayday Parade
Album: Mayday Parade
Date Released: 10/4/2011
Genre: Pop Rock

It's comforting to know that a band knows when they're doing something terribly wrong. The number of co-writes to fill the void of previous guitarist/lyricist Jason Lancaster destroyed the authenticity of their sophomore effort Anywhere But Here, but their third, self-titled release is a good return to form. While it may linger on the melancholy, there are several poppy/catchy tracks, and is sure to please Mayday Parade fans (whose numbers have been struggling of late ever since the launch of Go Radio by Lancaster) The end result is still a pale reflection of A Lesson in Romantics, but as a stand-alone, their third release still manages to catapault the five-piece into the limelight, capturing some hearts along the way.

7/10

Lydia - Paint It Golden

Artist: Lydia
Album: Paint It Golden
Date Released: 10/4/2011
Genre: Indie Rock

Let's face it: the old Lydia is what everyone wants back. The masterpiece that is Illuminate captured the hearts of many, with its stirring melodies and enthralling harmonies. But Mindy White's leave to pursue States, and the subsequent falling out of other members had left Lydia with a hurriedly-assembled EP and a farewell tour. Or so we thought. After Leighton's project with producer Mat Malpass, the resurrected band is back to do a last album - the proper way. An actual full-length this time, Leighton's croons never fall short of capturing the bright-yet-melancholy sound that carried the band since This December. The melodies are simpler, and the lyrics are less cryptic, so the album ends up being much more forthcoming. For audiences with no previous history with the band, this album ends up being very approachable, and for long-time fans, while it may not hold a candle to Illuminate, it is the album that Assailants should've been: a lively and beautiful retaliation against the bitterness that Craig and Leighton have had to experience.

8/10

Rose Funeral - Gates of Punishment

Artist: Rose Funeral

Album: Gates of Punishment

Date Released: 9/27/2011

Genre: Deathcore, Technical Death Metal

Deathcore icons Rose Funeral have come a long way since Crucify. Kill. Rot., and it shows in their latest release Gates of Punishment, truly one of the most punishing metal records to have come out this year. After their embarrassing sophomore slump that was The Resting Sonata, a stable lineup has given Ropse Funeral a breath of fresh air with which to resurface. Mixing brutal death metal with thick deathcore breakdowns, this new release is by far one of the most crowd-pleasing releases the scene has to offer. With crushing blast beats and double bass drum work, the band provides solid riffage, as well as perfectly fitting piano and string arrangements that even the most purist metalhead can appreciate. The guest appearances of Steve Tucker of Morbid Angel and Kate Alexander (a local opera singer) round the album out as more than just a soulless attempt to be the next Hate Eternal, and when all is said and done, one is able to say that while not completely original, Gates of Punishment was flawless in execution.

8/10

LIGHTS - Siberia

Artist: LIGHTS
Album: Siberia
Date Released: 10/4/2011
Genre: Powerpop

After the release of her critically-acclaimed debut The Listening, LIGHTS has amassed quite a following in Canada and the U.S., and reasonably so: her infectious pop and wildly energetic shows speak for themselves. Her sophomore follow-up Siberia takes that energy and channels it away from the teen girl-pop music that would fall under the umbrella of Owl-City copycats, and takes on a completely different sound. The album title is fitting of her recording experience in solace, but it manages to grip your emotions with every line. It's a juxtaposition of several different things, be it the wobbly dubstep-like bass lurking among the tracks, massively clipped dance beats, or the sweetly softspoken LIGHTS whispering over a lonely Moog (in the track "And Counting"), this album is seriously the best electropop/synthpop record i've ever heard. More mature and full of honest life, Siberia is anything but a cold sophomore slump.

9/10

Switchfoot - Vice Verses

Artist: Switchfoot
Album: Vice Verses
Date Released: 9/27/2011
Genre: Alternative Rock, Christian

Jon Foreman has certainly established himself as en excellent songwriter with Switchfoot's newest release Vice Verses. Having written about 80 songs during the Hurricane sessions, this album was not a b-sides collection, but was very intentional and solid - something I was quite skeptical of before listening. The songs on this album, according to interviews, are rooted heavily in the rhythm section, and I can whole-heartedly agree. The release is fairly varied but follows a punchy, driven direction of rock, which (for their eighth record) displays an impressive mixture of angst and maturity. The lyrics focus heavily on societal issues, including the poetry-slam "Selling the News", featuring a very interesting and edgy commentary on the media. All in all, this album was very interesting, and shows that Switchfoot can consistently churn out great music.

8/10

Mastodon - The Hunter

Artist: Mastodon
Album: The Hunter
Date Released: 9/27/2011
Genre: Sludge Metal

Taking us back to the days of Remission and Leviathan, Mastodon have some throwback elements in their sixth full-length The Hunter. And yet, the album is not without its Crack the Skye moments, inviting progressive elements where most appropriate. The heavy but melodic songs like "Blasteroid" certainly remind us who's in charge of the sludge metal world, but don't alienate the fans of the slow, intricate side of Mastodon, best heard in the latter tracks like "Creature Lives". While everything this band has put out has been astounding, this album has managed to testify to the band's improvement in all areas. Dailor does a spectacular job on the drums, as always, while Brent takes the brunt of the vocal duty, and all the while not neglecting transcendent riffs that push the boundaries of prog rock's role in sludge metal. Indeed, the album comes off as more of an accident prog rock masterpiece than a sludge metal record, combining the two in what can only be called "shoegaze metal". Truly their best work to date, Mastodon have never been afraid of changing the game. And, at the risk of misquoting Tron, the game has severely changed.

9/10

The Cinema - My Blood is Full of Airplanes

Artist: The Cinema
Album: My Blood is Full of Airplanes
Date Released: 9/14/2011
Genre: Indie Pop, Indie Rock

Bad music simply can't come from the combination of Leighton Antelman, frontman of indie rock band Lydia, and producer Matt Malpass. Malpass' work with Lydia was the realization of great musical chemistry, and so began the project called The Cinema. On this debut album, one might be tempted to hear a poppier Lydia, but it's much more involved than that. Featuring simple but beautiful song arrangements, Leighton and Matt work together to make some unconventional yet approachable tracks that favor a less melancholy audience. As a Lydia fan, i'm inclined to severe bias, but the album has its flaws. The songs really can be categorized as either a Lydia b-side or as a catchy pop tune, where Malpass's influence is very vocal. To be sure, however, anyone who fancies Lydia will enjoy these songs, if not for any reason but Leighton's cult-inspiring presence on the record.

8/10

Excision - X Rated

Artist: Excision
Album: X Rated
Date Released: 9/12/2011
Genre: Dubstep, Drum n Bass

Jeff Abel's debut on Mau5trap records doesn't disappoint. Under the moniker Excision, Abel has garnered widespread fame with his aggressive approach to dubstep, and X Rated is no exception. Containing very metallic qualities, most of the tracks on this release are akin to some of the Transformers dubstep remixes, but much more serious (if you're unsure as to what i'm referring to, see here) Some are quite different, however, such as the creepy anthemic-like track "8 Bit Superhero", which features some very retro game samples (no spoilers, I promise). Overall, this was not the kind of dubstep release that puts any nails in the genre's coffin, but just might make it live to see another day. The ending track even features guest vocals by Mr. Hudson (spearheading the chorus of radio hit "Forever Young"), which is fairly unconventional in my book as far as what the style usually allows. Deadmau5 picked well, and if you enjoy Deadmau5 or dubstep, pick a copy of X Rated up and enjoy!

7/10

We Came as Romans - Understanding What We've Grown to Be

Artist: We Came as Romans
Album: Understanding What We've Grown to Be
Date Released: 9/13/2011
Genre: Post-Hardcore

I gave this album a listen hoping it would at least try to avoid the Rise Record influence, but after the first two tracks I realized that was hardly possible. The album shines with the polish of overproduction but still is unmistakably WCAR, most prominently understood when the croons of Kyle Pavone soar above the music. While the songwriting was less than impressive on this record, the execution was up to par, providing a good balance of chunky, low end guitars and shiny synthesizer elements. As a pioneer of the style, it is expected, but not welcome for them to fall back on the success of To Plant a Seed with all-too-similar melodies and song formulas. As is the case with most record labels, originality between Rise bands is a constant battle, one that We Came as Romans struggles with as well (consider the similarity between them and, say, the newest For the Fallen Dreams or Sleeping With Sirens release). If nothing else, the album cover is pretty sweet, but while this release holds its own, it carries nothing groundbreaking to the table.

6/10