Jake Brown takes advantage of the 25th anniversary of Def Jam Records to present music fans with his appreciation of its co-founder, Rick Rubin.

Albert Mudrian’s Hall of Fame lineup of heavy metal Decibel masterpieces is the stuff of teenage delinquent dreams.

Bloodline (Candlelight). Review by Matthew Moyer.

Hordes of Chaos (SPV). Review by Matthew Moyer.

William Weikart , the mastermind behind the band Obscured by Clouds , is one literate and surprising person. Tim Wardyn unveils Weikart’s impressive cast of influences (including Chris Cornell and Baroque music), how ex-girlfriends contributed to one of the best songs on their album Psycheclectic, and how his bandmate Thee Slayer Hippy got his name.

While recognized more for their skin-crawling costumes than for their music, Slipknot are a speed metal band worthy of a little respect – as Jen Cray discovered recently at the Orlando date of the band’s current arena tour.

Matthew Moyer wonders whether Maybelline or perhaps a more sinister faction is responsible for Gorgoroth’s awesomeness.

Hammer Battalion (SPV). Review by Matthew Moyer.

D.E.V.O.L.U.T.I.O.N. (Candlelight). Review by Matthew Moyer.

A group of Iraqi youths learn English from Metallica and Slayer and form a head-banging band in the middle of a war. Carl F Gauze doesn’t need a translator for the universal language of metal.

Envoy of Lucifer (Regain Records). Review by Matthew Moyer.

Christ Illusion (Expanded Edition) (Warner Bros.). Review by Matthew Moyer.

Visqueen (Ipecac Recordings). Review by Jen Cray.

Dying is Your Latest Fashion (Epitaph). Review by Jen Cray.

Manifesting the Raging Beast (Southern Lord). Review by Matthew Moyer.

Season of Evil (Goodfellow Records). Review by Matthew Moyer.

Gail Worley caught up with talkative drummer Chris Adler in Florida the day after their last show of this summer’s Ozzfest tour and got some engaging insight into the very heavy metal world of Lamb of God.

Dimmu Borgir may have been the draw that brought in the crowd, but the night was stolen by openers Kataklysm and Unearth, according to Jen Cray.

In Sorte Diaboli (Nuclear Blast). Review by Jen Cray.

Open Fire (Relapse). Review by Jen Cray.