Seven Rounds in the Mag

I’m cheating and not giving you a single song today. Instead, you get a whirlwind tour of the heavier side of metal the Derek doesn’t wander down. (Derek Edit: Because The Brother was so prolific with his song choices, there aren’t lyrics for these.)

Clawmaster by Ghost Brigade

Closer to last week’s Insomnium with gloomy, melodic sound. A soft one to get you started.

Cry of Black Birds by Amon Amarth

Masters of Viking Death Metal! Catchy, heavy, and consistently great.

Autotheism by The Faceless

The Faceless‘s earlier albums were a more brutal form of Technical Death Metal, but 2012’s Autotheism was a masterpiece that brought in more progressive sensibilities.

A Vow to Conquer the Ocean by In Mourning

In Mourning are an amazing band, kind of a like a blend of Opeth and Insomnium and last year’s The Weight of Oceans was their best album in my opinion.

Forsaker by Katatonia

Back to the softer side, Katatonia started out as a basic death metal band but have become the masters of their own breed of heavy, depressive metal. Their last four albums have been exemplary.

Winteryear by Maitreya

Holy crap I wish Maitreya had released more than just 2007’s New World Prophecy. Both the songs and the album as a whole swings from quiet and calming to hammering and violent.

Lightning & Snow by Woods of Ypres

2012’s Woods 5: Grey Skies and Electric Light was Wood’s of Ypres‘s last album due to mastermind and frontman David Gold’s death. Though Wood‘s whole catalogue is solid, Woods 5 was a masterpiece.