In 2011, a new chapter is about to come to the more than legendary UK Death/ Thrash Metal band, Onslaught! The Sound Of Violenceis extremely violent and back to the bands roots in many ways, but also sounding very contemporary in its entirety. Guest appearances on the song Bomber (Motörhead cover) by Phil Campbell (Motorhead) & Tom Angelripper (Sodom). Let there be death and let there be thrash.

Lifelover, one of extreme metal's best-kept secrets, return to stake their claim for supremacy with the dark and defiant "Sjukdom" (english: disease). Following their critical acclaim afforded 2008's cathartic "Konkurs", these elusive and mysterious misanthropes venture down an even more daring path with "Sjukdom" whereby the extremes of the characteristically idiosyncratic Lifelover sound are pushed to their utmost limit: the bittersweet melodies become more beautiful whilst the pulsing, coal-black heaviness becomes uglier. What results is a slit-wrist adventure deeper into the unknown, with only Lifelover as the guide…

Despite the efforts of conductors such as Roger Norrington and John Eliot Gardiner from the 1980s onwards, period instrument performances of Berlioz in general and the Symphonie Fantastique in particular are relatively rare on disc; currently, the only rivals to Jos van Immerseel's new version with his Bruges-based orchestra seem to be those by Gardiner and Norrington themselves. Immerseel's approach, his choice of tempi and phrasing, are relatively conservative – the account of the exuberant Roman Carnival overture is positively staid – but the raw edge that the period instruments bring to Berlioz's soundworld is often ­viscerally exciting, with a pair of ophicleides adding a feral growl to the brass bass lines.

Standing Alone, a scorching hot recording featuring the blistering guitar and smooth vocals of Don Griffin backed by Johnny B. Gayden on bass and Ray "Killer" Allison on drums. Standing Alone pulsates with hard edge blues, plenty of rock and funk with burning, screaming, peaking guitar work and vocals.
Chicago's famed blues-rock guitarist, Don Griffin, grew up on the south side of Chicago enabling him to hone a deep, dark gritty style of blues uniquely his own…

”Elephant” is the fourth album by the American alternative rock band The White Stripes. The album debuted at number one in the United Kingdom and reached number six on the Billboard 200 in the US. The album won Grammys for Best Alternative Album and Best Rock Song ("Seven Nation Army"). In 2003, the album was ranked number 390 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time. Recently, Rolling Stone called Elephant the 5th best album of the decade, and Seven Nation Army the 6th best song of the decade.

On paper, the teaming of Latin-jazz veteran Poncho Sanchez with Stax legends Eddie Floyd, Booker T. Jones, and Steve Cropper on two Floyd classics may have looked like a nifty way to expand Sanchez's audience while promoting Concord's re-launch of the Stax and Volt labels. But the cover versions of "Knock on Wood" and the title track are little more than agreeable (Sanchez handles lead vocals, with Floyd in support). And if you're looking for a lively remake of the Motown classic "Shotgun," you're better off with jazz upstart Don Byron's recent version than the one here featuring onetimes James Brown saxist Maceo Parker. The rest of the album mainly sticks to the pop-influenced sound in which the conga-playing Sanchez has long specialized–a sound that in combining airy melodies and arrangements and tight grooves reflects both his California roots and his debt to New York greats including onetime labelmate Tito Puente. A solid guest vocal by salsa and salsatron star Andy Montanez might have been even better had he recorded with the band rather than back home in Puerto Rico.

The world's top Latin jazz ensemble comes roaring back with this exciting new release, which finds them going back to their roots with excellent new treatments of jazz and Latin jazz classics, such as Herbie Hancock's "Cantaloupe Island," Freddie Hubbard's "Crisis" and a medley of classics from Willie Bobo. Also features a pair of brand new originals written especially for this album.

Germany's Long Distance Calling approaches post-rock from a prog metal perspective. Avoid the Light, their second album, offers six mid-length pieces…
These guys have a good idea, and good chops to support it. As it is, Avoid the Light is a strong attempt at an alternative form of instrumental rock.

~ Francois Couture. cduniverse.com