Here are a couple of mini-reviews to introduce you to something new material.

Architect - All is Not Lost

The cover and packaging is so misleading as to what's in store for the listener. When Metal Blade records sent this to me, I thought, “This doesn't look metal.” Boy, was I wrong. This disc is so heavy and the guitars are so thick and downtuned that I had trouble during the first few listens picking out what the band is actually playing. This extreme metal-core is intense and demands numerous listens to truly appreciate what is going on within the songs.

I'd compare them to another band to give you more of a direction, but I haven't heard a band that sounds quite like this. I'd also like to give you a website or Myspace to go to for samples, but there's very little of this band on the net right now. You can find a brief bio at www.metalblade.com, but that's about it. No links are working, no real media downloads and no tour dates listed. I find it very unusual for a band whose CD just came out.

The Network - This is Your Pig's Portrait

Another Metal Blade CD with another misleading cover. I thought I was going to get some emo band here but once again, I got an onslaught of interesting metal. According to their bio (and other reviews), if you like bands such as Coalesce, Deadguy, Converge, Bloodlet or Refused, you'll dig this.

I found that the band is metalcore but trying to put their unique spin on the genre. I found that the band's dual vocals were quite conflicting. System Of A Down does it well (having the high voice compliment Serge's screams and low approach), but here it just really makes you want whoever is doing the high vocals to shut it and let the death metal growling attack.

For free, it was nice, but if you're paying for it, I have to say that you should sample first at http://www.myspace.com/thenetworkmetal.