Enabler - All Hail the Void (2012)

Artist: Enabler
Album: All Hail the Void
Country: USA (Milwaukee, WI)
Release Date: July 17th, 2012
Genre: Hardcore/crust punk

Extremely heavy, hard-hitting, downtuned, very well-executed hardcore/crust punk from the great state of Wisconsin. Honestly, there's not a lot more to say here (or maybe I just don't currently have the attention span to say it). Get this.

Tracklist, sample song, and link can be found after the jump 

REVIEW: Toluca - Act I (2012)

Artist: Toluca
Album: Act I
Country: Russia (Moscow)
Release Date: October 12th, 2012
Genre: Atmospheric black metal/screamo

Summary: "Act I" is not only surprisingly good for such a new and underexposed band: it's also a standout among its renowned stylistic peers.

Review, tracklist, sample song, and download are after the jump. 

Deftones - Koi No Yokan (2012)

Artist: Deftones
Album: Koi No Yokan
Country: USA (Sacramento, CA)
Release Date: November 13rd, 2012
Genre: Alternative metal/shoegaze

It's finally here, people.

Sample song, tracklist, and link can be found after the jump. 

Voting ist krieg

Do it, brethren. Vote. Do it now.

Anberlin - Vital (2012)

Artist: Anberlin
Album: Vital
Country: USA (Winter Haven, FL)
Release Date: October 16th, 2012
Genre: Alternative

And now for something completely different... Vital, the sixth full-length from Florida-based alternative rock stalwarts Anberlin, is one of the better things to come out of the genre this year. Combining the emotion of Cities (the Anberlin album considered by many to be their best work) with the maturity of 2010's Dark is the Way, Light is a Place, this album is probably the best thing they have put out since Cities. Opener and single "Self-Starter" is one of the catchiest alt-rock tracks of the year, while penultimate track "Modern Age" benefits from an absolutely fantastic chorus. Closer "God, Drugs, and Sex" brings to mind Cities closer "(*Fin)," and while it doesn't surpass that absolutely incredible track, it's still one of the more emotional and heartfelt things Anberlin have done in a while. Aside from minor gripes like a couple filler tracks and some very annoying production at times, especially with the vocals (see "Modern Age:" while it has one of the best choruses on the album, the vocals sound like they're underwater), I wholeheartedly recommend that you give this album a shot, even if it's not the sort of thing you normally listen to.

Track list, sample song, and download are after the jump

Toluca - Act I (2012)

Artist: Toluca
Album: Act I
Country: Russia (Moscow)
Release Date: October 12th, 2012
Genre: Atmospheric black metal/screamo
REVIEW

A short, emotional, 25-minute voyage of atmospheric black metal, screamo, post-hardcore, and post-rock, Act I is not a release that has received any attention, but it is one that deserves it. There's not much more to say about this except that its short duration and the fact that it's free from their Bandcamp page should mean that you have no excuse not to give this a go.

Track list, sample song, and download are after the jump.

SotW 11/5/12: Amenra - Boden-Spijt

Artist: Amenra
Song: Boden - Spijt
Album: Mass V (2012)

If you know anything about Amenra, then you'll already know that Mass V, due for release November 26th on Neurot Recordings, will be one of the best post-metal releases of the year. "Boden - Spijt" only reinforces this view, showcasing the band's characteristically dark, bleak, and foreboding brand of post-metal. Although very similar in style to the band's previous releases, this song is just as excellent, if not better, than anything else Amenra have done, largely due to a particularly stellar, bass-heavy production job that is an improvement upon their previous releases. The video is also very dark and creepy, becoming one of the most fitting music videos of the year.