My last 5
I know the title said 3, but I bought them all within the same week. From latest to earliest:
1. The Black Dahlia Murder - Miasma
I love this album already eventhough its only 30 mins long. Pretty intense Gothenburg influenced death metal, insane drumming and the vocalist is really something - he has a a deep guttural growl and a high pitched black metal shriek, I actually thought it was 2 vocalists. The contrast between the two styles actually works really well and keeps it from sound monotonous, which is a problem I have when I listen to most death/black metal albums.
2. Norma Jean - Oh God the Aftermath
Haven't had much time to listen to it. They are more hardcore than metalcore, and they have a few pretty cool tracks with crazy time signatures ala DEP. Only thing is after a while the songs kind of seem to sound the same.
3. In Flames - Come Clarity
Haven't listened enough to comment
4. Darkest Hour - Undoing Ruin
Great CD. Gothencore, but thankfully doesn't follow the now generic growl-clean chorus-solo-breakdown format that a lot of bands do to death now. They remind me of God Forbid as in technically not as impressive as some of the other bands - The vocalist is good but monotonous, ditto for the drumming. But the songs have really memorable riffs that just stick in your head the more you listen to it . Highly recommended!
5. Lamb of God - Sacrament
Honestly a bit disappointed, nowhere as good as their last 2 cds. The songs just not as memorable this time, nothing that makes me go wow like the last CD did. like the drumming on The Faded Line. Have to give it a few more spins.