1. Alice In Chains – A Looking In View
◦ Where to download it: .aliceinchains.com – AIC's official site. You'll need an e-mail address, as a link to the song will be mailed to you after registration.
◦ What to expect: Fret not, o ye of the AIC cloth. William DuVall has Jerry's mid-range and Layne's gravelly swagger. The harmonies are good, the heaviness is right up with – if not above and beyond – anything found after 1992. They have returned and seemingly not lost a single step. This is Alice In Chains as we loved it.
2. Megadeth – Headcrusher
◦ Where to download it: http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/headcrusher/ - Roadrunner Records' (Megadeth's US label) site.
◦ What to expect: “United Abominations” seemed to get Megadeth back on track in the damned-hard-to-please metal world. Mustaine opens things up here at full blast – literally – before eventually settling into a more groove-oriented chug. Don't let that bridge fool you, however, Shawn Drover is absolutely killing it throughout this track. The momentum from “Abominations” is carrying over to the new stuff, rest assured.
3. Buckethead – The Homing/Lading Beacon
◦ Where to download it: /bucketheadland.com - There's a link above the hand-drawn image. No personal information required for this one.
◦ What to expect: An acoustic instrumental paying tribute to Michael Jackson and paralleling Jackson's life, it seems (if not also evoking memories of Queensryche's “Silent Lucidity”). There's a sense of wonderment proceeding a darker (albeit brief) crescendo, all cut off by a sudden harmonic. Note that the site has it dubbed “The Homing Beacon”, while the actual mp3 download and ID3 data lists it as “The Landing Beacon”. Take your pick for the time being.
4. We Are The Fallen – Bury Me Alive
◦ Where to download it: www.wearethefallen.com – E-mail and other miniscule info required; this one's a limited deal, so if this option's not available as of press time, don't fret. Ben Moody's on record as saying more songs are en route in similar fashion. If you're really up for hearing it and don't care to have an actual file, check out their MySpace page: http://www.myspace.com/wearethefallen
◦ What to expect: Carly Smithson – yes, from American Idol – takes Amy Lee's position alongside Ben Moody, John LeCompt, Rocky Gray & Marty O'Brien. All but O'Brien were members of Evanescence, and you're getting a slightly more energetic version of their former crew when checking this song out, right down to the vocal acrobatics and faux strings.
5. Drew Copeland – No Regrets
◦ Where to download it: Amazon - No information needed, though Amazon requires you to login, download and install their mp3 downloading software. Won't remove the mp3s once you've uninstalled the program, however.
◦ What to expect: A full album, m'friends. Drew is a multi-instrumentalist from Sister Hazel. Keep in mind that this album is technically from 2004, but has recently been posted in full for free via Amazon. It's as you would expect from a Hazel alumnus: a bit of energy, but more or less a bit of fun for people sitting around and listening.
6. Suicide City – The Best Way
◦ Where to download it: ShockHound.com, registration required.
◦ What to expect: Biohazard and Kittie meet as Billy Graziaedi and Jennifer Arroyo get together for a punk endeavor. It should come as no surprise that these guys have influence from Mindless Self Indulgence, as the best word for them is “crazy”. Karl Bernholtz is an energetic frontman through-and-through, and while the band may be a bit all over the place for some, it's likely they could not care less.