Shooter Jennings and Heirophant - Black Ribbons Waylon's son leaves most of his outlaw country roots behind and along with Heirophant and Stephen King for company crafts a rambling epic concept album that mixes and matches a variety of styles with King playing a fictional radio dj doing voice overs and introducing us to the greatest band of all time, Heirophant. This is some really good stuff.

Devendra Banhart - What Will We Be Trippy folk hippie music that's insanely catchy and very different soudning with everything from folk to 70s rock making an appearance. I liked this when I was stoned, will probably hate it when I'm sober.

Blood Revolt - Indoctrine Nemtheanga from Primordial and 2 guys from Axis of Advance and it should have been a monster but sounds like amateur night with Nemtheanga's vocals severely letting things down and the music sounding like a shambolic band making its nls debut. Very disappointing.

Draganauta - Cruz Invertida Very cool stoner doom from Argentina. Check it out people who like the stoner shit.

Hm the neo-folk thing has some terribly boring people as a part of it. There this idiot whose name I've forgotten who intends albums on all the American states. Another who is called Veshti Baniyan. The day people start naming themselves after what South Indian mama's wear on their day off, is the day I stop taking such an artist seriously.

SODOM- M-16 CD

MOONSPELL- IRRELIGIOUS CD
SIRENIA- AN ELIXIR FOR EXISTENCE CD

Slayer - World Painted Blood
Iron Maiden - The Final Frontier (Leaked Online) - Yes Ravi, I'm still gonna buy this one!
Ensiferum - Ensiferum

DRACONIAN- ARCANE RAIN FELL CD
QUEENSRYCHE- RAGE FOR ORDER CD

monday morning's industrial start...

GODFLESH- HYMNS CD
MINISTRY- PSALM 69 CD

Over the weekend

Swans - My Father Will Guide Me Up A Rope To The Sky Just managed to listen to this a couple of times over the weekend and so far it has some stuff which is terrific and some stuff that's merely good but very happy overall.

Lautsturmer - Depopulator Swedish D beat/crust that kicks some serious ass.

Dragonauta - Cruz Invertida This one gets better with every listen. Nothing new but awesome stoner metal fun with some kickass riffing.

Crash Test Dummies - Give Yourself a Hand A couple of albums after their one big hit and at the end of the 90s this is some laid back funky electronic pop rock.

Queen Elephantine - Kailash Liked this way more than I thought it would. Works really well as one long album and there's enough stuff happening right through these long songs so that it never becomes background music in spite of the drone that's front and centre.

Shooter Jennings and Heirophant - Black Ribbons Shooter and his band delve into every genre from pop to funk to alt rock and a radio friendly ballad but coupled with Stephen King's awesome narration, the only really bad song on this album is "Fuck You, I'm Famous" and it's annoying punk rock whatever. Otherwise there's a really strong sense of songwriting and a thoroughly enjoyable album.

Agrimonia - Host of the Winged This is some impressive doom metal from guys who've spent time in martyrdod. the music is sort of crusty and blackened at the same time and every now and then sounds like a slowed down Ludicra. Very cool.

Dax Riggs - Say Goodnight to the World Really solid new album. Dax Riggs somehow sounds less fucked up on this album and it's helping the songs I think.

Boris - BXI EP with Ian Astbury on vocals. Don't like the cure but a couple of songs here are pretty good even though Astbury occasionally sounds like he's forcing a melody but the good stuff is really good.

IMPETIGO- HORROR OF THE ZOMBIES CD
SUFFOCATION- PIERCED FROM WITHIN CD

BOLT THROWER- HONOUR.VALOUR.PRIDE CD

JUDAS PRIEST- BRITISH STEEL CD
MORBID ANGEL- BLESSED ARE THE SICK CD

Swans - My Father Will Guide Me Up A Rope To The Sky This is awesome. Most of the album plays out like an Angels of Light album except that the build ups and the slow clanging crawl and build ups are pure Swans. This might just be one of the finest Swans albums yet and that's saying a lot.

Agrimonia - Host of the Winged Terrific Swedish doom metal with crust and black metal influences. Occasionally reminds me of the first fall of Efrafa album but without the post metal moments. This is really impressive stuff.

SIRENIA- THE 13TH FLOOR Digipak
TRAIL OF TEARS- BLOODSTAINED ENDURANCE CD

Shaai'r + Func - Mantis

Warp Riders The Sword's latest album seems to be quite good on first listen. Less wonky than the sophomore release and more varied than the debut. Some great riffs, the vocals have improved and the guitar solos while nothing to get ecstatic about are still very pleasing.