NEVER EASY - I STILL CARE (Prettyugly Records)

Combining nu-metal bounce with the lush soundscapes of modern shoegaze, never easy tap into 2000s nostalgia while breathing new life into the sound. Layered melodies with sweeping guitars, punchy percussion and showcase of shrewd songwriting make for a sophomore record that is impressively cohesive and well-constructed. An elegant take on heavy music, never easy are a band that deserve their flowers. 

HEALTH - R-TYPE II (Loma Vista Recordings)

The Los Angeles noise punk amalgam of HEALTH have followed last month's R-TYPE I remix EP project with a second installment, sourcing tracks from their Conflict DLC presentation for reimagined takes. Tapping in with the likes of Pixel Grip and Perturbator, the repurposed songs are intended to resonate, "from the dance floor to the killing floor," according to bassist/programmer John Famiglietti and no description seems a better fit. Weaving industrial. EBM, minimal, synthwave and beyond, HEALTH and their collaborative approach continue to keep the fans on their toes. 

LAMB OF GOD - INTO OBLIVION (Epic Records)

On the band's tenth album, Lamb of God assert their lofty rank in the hierarchy of American metal. Rather than relying on legacy, the Virginian collective continue to pursue new heights with the kind of scathing social commentary that goes hand in hand with the heaviest of American metal. Precision arrangements, fluid song dynamics and convincing battle cry of Randy Blythe complete a presentation that will no doubt become a crowning achievement in the band's already storied career. On Into Oblivion, Lamb of God remind the world they are here for the fight with a brusing soundtrack to match. 

NO/MÁS - NO PEACE (Redefining Darkness Records)

A potent meld of hardcore disposition, punk give-a-fuck and grindcore chops make No/Más the kind of band that stand out from the white noise in heavy music. Their latest, No Peace, is a furious, bulldozing assault that never lets up and yet still manages to be strategic in its pummel. Easing off the gas just enough to allow for a heavy groove or a weighty riff to open up, the band builds to a crescendo and unleashes chaos all over again. Less noise for spectacle, No/Más source various elements of heavy music to craft songs that are genuinely pissed off and yet skillfully measured in their attack. 

BOUND IN FEAR - A MIND TOO SICK TO HEAL (Unique Leader Records)

The UK deathcore collective have reemerged with their third and arguably their most complete presentation to date. The band's lumbering, Goliath-like take on downtempo deathcore translates as thunderous on record. Broken up by ominous atmospherics that serve to heighten the tension of the record, ultimately amplifying the all out clobber of tracks like "Sentenced" and "Scum". To call this album heavy doesn't even scratch the surface.