Corelia - Nostalgia (2011)

It's somewhat rare for things as cool as this to come out; things, if you're like me, in the line of any Sikth release, Floating World, Nightmares of the Ocean, "Froggin' Bullfrogs," , Dementia/Dyslexia, Scurrilous, etc. Things where every single one of its parts comes together in absolutely awesome ways; but before I draw this out too much, I'll stop here. Give this a listen if you love quick and absolutely nasty riffs and smooooth guitar tones ala Haunted Shores, wonderfully varied vocals from a guy whose voice really does go "up like an angel and down like a wounded ox," and some surprisingly compelling drums (think Bulb's programmed drums in his demos, but better).

Note: Take this to your graaa aaa aaa AAA AAAAAVEEEEEE

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Blakfish - Champions (2009)

I thought it'd be fitting to post this and Colour's Anthology back-to-back as they're both, at least to me, different takes on what's essentially the same sound: fun, mathy rock with accents. While Colour are really light and fun, Blakfish are really heavy and fucking awesome. Now, I know nationalities don't really matter, but I'd be lying if I said this band's vocalists' (plural) ridiculous accents didn't get me going in a number of directions, namely sexually, but also in a way that somehow compounds the amount of fun and innocent headbobbery that this album is absolutely filled to the brim with. Aye, this one's pure dead fuckin' brilliant.

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Red Fall - Para Los Muertos (2009)

Had Between the Buried and Me gone in a slightly less gay direction after Alaska, we might have had Para Los Muertos a few years earlier. Now, while these guys are quite a bit more focused on being downright technical, they retain those weird, almost uplifting climaxes that BtBaM likes to randomly sprinkle over their music. Add to that metal's new obsession with Meshuggah and a fucking killer variety of vocals, and you've got yourself one of the best EPs of last year.

A fella' named Elnimio over at RYM also compared Para Los Muertos to Necrophagist and All Shall Perish. Yeah, I can hear it.

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No Consequence - In the Shadow of Gods (2009)

This band has been touted in the same breaths as Born of Osiris and Veil of Maya, taking the poly-rhythmic groove-'Shuggahisms (Shahjizzgasms?) of the latter and infusing them with the weird note-suspending pzazz of the the former, but I'd like to instead compare them to The Arusha Accord, because that's what I do, apparently. They're Arusha's slower, groovier cousin, whilst also kind of having the same emphasis on desperate and not-so-desperate vocals.

For fans of the three aforementioned bands, Meshuggah, Sikth, and every band any of them have ever influenced.

Note: Judging from RYM reviews and Last.FM comments, a lot of people aren't too keen on this band's vocals, which I guess I can kind of understand. If you have an especial ear for--like I mentioned up there in the main paragraph--desperate vocals, you'll hopefully find something to like here.

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Myotonia - Myotonia (2007)

If The Arusha Accord's Nightmares of the Ocean was at the Sikth+The Dillinger Escape Plan end of the "fuck me" spectrum, then Myotonia would be at the DEP+Meshuggah end, or, in other words, the "I want to dance and headbang at the same time because this is so fucking groovy and heavy!" end.

I'd advise against jamming to this in your car because it directs all your attention directly to everything but the road as soon as it begins.

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Beecher - Discography (2003 - 2005)

Sure, both Botch and The Dillinger Escape Plan were huddled in vans writing brain-shattering arpeggios in non-existent keys long before these guys ditched their training wheels, but mother of fuck does this band get overlooked. Forget the two aforementioned fretboard magicians -- as far as aggressive-as-fuck old school mathcore and I are concerned , Beecher is king.

2005 - Breaking the Fourth Wall (Reissue) @V0: Part 1 & Part 2
2005 - This Elegy, His Autopsy @ V0: Part 1 & Part 2

The Arusha Accord - Nightmares of the Ocean (2008)

Ever since my favorite band, Sikth, gave up their monopoly on the UK's progressive metal scene, numerous smaller bands have been frantically trying to salvage their own sound from those charred remains. The Arusha Accord is the only band I've heard since that time that has the perfect amount of technical proficiency, songwriting ability, and pure zazz to possibly pull it off, even if it's almost like a rough interpretation of Britain's heroes in their wonder years. That last bit makes me sound like I'm some Alzheimer's-ridden old man being force-fed no-name LPs in his attic. I'm not (last time I checked, gangrene from 'Nam wasn't a terminal disease). I absolutely adore this EP. It's twenty times more coherent than any Sikth outing, and therein lies its only fault: Where's the charm?

They got the cover right. A ship, too-hard at sea, is one-of-one synesthetic image that springs to mind every time I spin this album. But is that it? Where's the charm, really? Sikth's music was over-burdened with chaotic and unorthodox, almost-outlandish hooks from start-to-finish. Arusha's got to have something going for them, right? Well yeah, they do. Those weird hooks are still here, and a lot less subtle than before. When this band hits, they hit really fucking hard. For anyone who loves Britain's brand of progressive metal and mathcore.

I wish I could really say something about this album. Writer's block is a fickle business.

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