Slayer - South of Heaven (1988: Def Jam)

Mix gives layers but
tones lack cohesion/Reign threat;
falls short of the hype.

http://www.slayer.net/us/music/south-heaven

Thy Serpent - Lords of Twilight (1997: Spinefarm)

By the books blackness
with some atmosphere thrown in;
Fine for what it is.

http://www.thyserpent.net/discography.asp

Stratovarius - Intermission (2001: Nuclear Blast)

Hyper-clean and nice,
sounds too safe to register;
big name, small impact.

http://old.stratovarius.com/index2.php?section=discography

Absu - S/T (2009: Candlelight)

Texans hone tech-black
buzzing riffs, whir without quit;
no complaints at all.

http://www.myspace.com/absu

Kittie - In the Black (2009: E1 Distribution)

More clean than growl, song
than snarl, buy-it than bullshit;
decent but not grand.

http://www.kittierocks.com/news

Stephen Pearcy - Stripped (2006: Sidewinder)

Ratt-tracks unplugged like
old dog trying past tricks; old
joints just don't comply.

http://host.pappapak25.com/~stephenp/item_13/Stripped.htm

Jaguar - Power Games (1998: Metal Blade - a reissue of 1983: Neat)

Blunt speed from before
double kicks rolls ran amok;
product of its time.

http://www.jaguar-online.com/?q=node/16