[FireGuy]

Of that Tech DM list I prefer The Flesh Prevails by Fallujah.   I'll be exploring more of them soon.

Here's a  release from BE'LAKORs new album.  Exceptional MDM... music is layered nicely and near perfection is it's delivery.   I can definately sense some Opeth influence.   Outright absorbing.  Had the Omegas cranked a little beyond tradition and they handled it beautifully.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vSvUsx3ksxI

[FireGuy]

Be'lakor - Of Breath and Bone (2012) ... Insanely good.

[HAL]

Mastodon : Once More 'Round The Sun

[JoshK]

I absolutely love Be'lakor.  They have been on my high rotation list for quite a few months now.  Can't wait till June 24th when the new one is released.  The preview track they released is really good!  I pre-ordered it along with Gojira's upcoming release. 

[JoshK]

Went to see Amon Amarth on Saturday with opener Entombed A.D.   I like AA a bit, they are a bit of a gimmick but a fun one.  However, I was very impressed with the show.  They had a cool stage setup (giant viking helmet) and they played really tight.  It was a sold out show in a former opera hall so the sound was good too.   The mosh pit was insane, but I'm too old for that now so I was upstairs in balcony seated with a good view.

[undertow]

I just went thru some of my rarest, and best original metal pressings on vinyl. One that most people will never hear on the original German press, and is literally shocking how good it is -

1 - Meshuggah / Contradictions Collapse

It seriously might be their best album to date, and in the top 5 metal pressings quality wise I ever heard.

Also 2 more killer original pressings -

2 - Blind Illusion / The Sane Asylum- Les Claypools first band, it's 100% metal, and why Metallica had him audition for them, and absolutely nothing like Primus. Another one that music like that was mostly crap pressings at the time, this one is excellent if you care about real sound quality.

3 - Prong / Beg to Differ - U.K. Pressing again just excellent beyond what most good pressings at the time offered.

Side note :

I have not heard a single Mastodon pressing yet that does not suck. You gotta go CD / Digital on that one to make it worthwhile.

Any on CD will work if that is your thing for these bands!

[FireGuy]

Ambient Black Metal.  Rather intriguing metal sub genre. 

Eldamar - The Force Of The Ancient Land
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RaoVdzo00lI

[JoshK]

Wow, that really is interesting!  Very hypnotic. 

Just picked up that album off their bandcamp page.  I like how a lot of metal musicians, usually on small labels, are using bandcamp.  You get to download in flac directly or mp3, multiple times even if need be, plus stream on your devices which I use at work.   

Edit:  I just saw the description on the BC page.

Eldamar started in summer of 2015. It is a solo Project that is Atmospheric Black Metal and Ambient. Very Inspired by J.R.R Tolkien, Heathenism, Elven Magic and Nature. Living in Askim Norway. The whole reason behind Eldamar is that the listener can connect with the music in a very emotional way and combine it with nature. Then you will drift away in Your own dreams

[HAL]

Elder : Lore  and Vokonis : Olde One Ascending

Stoner Rock with twists.

[JerryM]

UNEARTH - Never Cease - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-UUBShPhuLA

[JoshK]

Gojira released another song from the upcoming album.  Its fantastic!

http://magma.gojira-music.com/   (scroll down and you can watch the video Silvera)

[Folsom]

Ambient Black Metal.  Rather intriguing metal sub genre. 

Eldamar - The Force Of The Ancient Land
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RaoVdzo00lI

Wow I like that! The screamo thing is just ambiance... That's an actual good use for it.

[milford3]

Wow I like that! The screamo thing is just ambiance... That's an actual good use for it.

I'm on this tonight with my new Meze 99 Classics headphones.  Just brilliant.

https://www.mezeheadphones.com/

[FireGuy]

Gojira released another song from the upcoming album.  Its fantastic!

http://magma.gojira-music.com/   (scroll down and you can watch the video Silvera)

Like some MDM bands it takes a little patience and time and digest the music.  Metal can be like that.   For me Opeth was a prime example with phenom results.    Gojira (for me) has not been an exception.    Spinning for the past month or two I'm finding this band to be exceptional.  Sophisticated metal core with unbelievable song structure with undeniable execution.   This thread continues to be a gem.

[JoshK]

Your right Fireguy.  I think really good metal is usually not super accessible, that is if it is quite innovative.  There are some bands that you click with right away if it is a style you are already accustomed to, but if it is truly innovative, like Gojira it takes some time.    It took me a bit to warm up to Gojira, but they are now one of my highest played bands.

Came upon another milder (clean vocals) band called Torche.  They have a stoner rock feel to them but peppier.  Worth having a listen.

[FireGuy]

Opeth - Heritage (2011).  Non-metal ears should road test this work.  Old school progressive.  Brilliant.

[Zero]

Tis' a good morning for some Kamelot.   

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h6LF_OyVrTo

[JoshK]

Opeth - Heritage (2011).  Non-metal ears should road test this work.  Old school progressive.  Brilliant.

Opeth is one of my top 3 bands.  I really like Heritage while many/most metal fans shun it.   I think Pale Communion though was a bit better overall in the old school prog revival effort. 

[FireGuy]

Tis' a good morning for some Kamelot.   

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h6LF_OyVrTo

Yes indeed.  The Black Halo prob their best, to my ears.

[JoshK]

I am pretty sure this is the genesis of the extreme side of progressive metal, i.e. progressive death metal.

Death - Story to Tell
https://youtu.be/LqbBZ4umzE8

An amazing album, that and Symbolic had a enormous influence on the future of metal.