Tigershark
Demo
Self-Released
Street: 10.10
Tigershark= Isis + Doomriders + Black Flag
She slipped down the white sands of the beach, headed for the crisp cool water. She plunged in and was enveloped by do it yourself packaging, a spray-painted cover and handwritten words. As she swam about in the waters she realized something heavy approaching. There was a chill in the water, there was a swell next to her, and before she could let out even the beginnings of a scream a wave of stoner-like riffs and punk mentality bit into her right leg. The blood and the trauma only seemed to make the Tigershark more ravenous, changing styles and riffs in a frenzy that frothed the water in a red foam. As she gasped her last breaths she noticed the roughness of Tigershark, it wasn’t streamlined like other members of its species, it was created in the basements of boys with too much to say to worry about polishing their sound or to be released by anyone but themselves. She closed her eyes and let the riffs consume her and she sank into the dark bowels of the beast that lay below. – Peter Fryer

V/A
Masters of Horror II
Downtown
Street: 10.24
Masters of Horror II = metal bands + pop bands + indie bands – scary
Another compilation that doesn’t meld well together at all, and ultimately doesn’t even make for a scary soundtrack, which it is supposedly for. Compilations usually are about making money and this ones so called “exclusive,” tracks with one exception, Wounded Cougar, are stupid live acoustic versions of songs coming from the likes of craptaciluar bands, Seether and Shinedown whoop dee doo! There are also tracks from the newest outings of the ultimately boring bands Hatebreed, Cradle of Filth, All that Remains, Chimaira and The Smashup. The track from Lacuna Coil is okay, though obviously a reject from their Karmakode album. The Eagles of Death Metal are always cool. Compilations like this are horribly annoying wastes of time because generally if you like a band you will own their CD and if you are a crazed enough fan to get the unreleased or exclusive stuff you’ll just end up getting a downloaded version of it anyway. – Bryer Wharton

Uglyhead
From Time to Time
Automation Records
Street: 12.12
Uglyhead = Pailhead + Leech Woman
When was the last time you heard anything in the “industrial music” vein (ala Ministry, not Neubauten) that got you really excited? Something that resonates like “Thieves” or “Tin Omen” (if you have to ask who wrote those and you’re listening to CombiChrist, stop reading right now)? While most of the greats have either retired or moved on to make a buck via shitty EBM, Uglyhead is willing to pick up the torch of early 90s guitars/meets electronics, self-described as “the raw sound of garage rock/heavily layered electronic sequencing”. This astoundingly produced live recording was captured (by guitarist/label-head Jeremiah Smith) over a series of nights in front of the Seattle drag queen troupe Vicious Dolls, a fitting venue and audience for the band’s thrashing debauchery. The quintet cycles through this set of half-unreleased material, grinding guitars, pounding acoustic drum kits, working intricate digital programming, sprinkling in a little jazz and drum ‘n’ bass here and there (check out the Mingus-esque bass breakdown on “Yes”) and focusing on solid textures of miniature chromatic harmonic progressions while vocalist/programmer Jake Alejo screams and growls above the pandemonium. The songs are as relevant as they are nostalgic and form the perfect mix of dynamic shifts for those who still care about musicianship while banging their heads. – Dave Madden

Unearth
III: In The Eyes of Fire
Metal Blade
Street: 08.08
Unearth = Hatebreed + Darkest Hour + Lamb of God
I may be one of the few that thought Unearth’s last record The Oncoming Storm was pretty damn bland. Thankfully, they have rectified that and released something that is more than just a bunch of breakdowns. Though there are plenty of those to speak of. With the new record it is just the fusion of every aspect of metal and hardcore that these fellows use that make III: In The Eyes of Fire so freaking catchy. There is your simple go-ahead thrashing, your pleasantly bashing breakdowns and tight melodic lead work. My only complaint is the vocals. A problem I have with many of the newer heavy American metal acts is that they sound so forced and lack that angry spirit that heavy music requires at it’s utmost core. If the guy just shut up or didn’t try so hard at sounding like vocalists before him this album would be damn near perfect. – Bryer Wharton