Fates Warning – FWX (2004: Metal Blade)

clean and textured prog

runs lil’ lite on rockin’ out

falls to same sameness

http://www.fateswarning.com/Discography/Albums/FWX.aspx

Morgion – Relapse Collection (2008: Relapse; reissues of 2 lps and an ep from the late 90s)

stateside Dying Bride

brings joy through slow-drip sorrow

great deal for so much

http://www.zenial.nl/html/morgion.htm

http://www.morgion.com/

Edguy – The Hellfire Club (2004: Nuclear Blast)

best when tempo rips,

ballsy ‘rÿche cross pumpkins’ fare

flawed but still fine

http://www.edguy.net/eng/music/HellfireClub.php

Abigor – Satinized (A Journey Through Cosmic Infinity) (2001: Napalm)

Austrians go black,

offer little beyond norms

response is tepid

http://www.abigor.at/

Trees – Lights Bane (2008: Crucial Blast)

near thirty minutes

of drone, screech, and noise clamor

art as root canal

http://www.crucialblast.net/trees_lightsbane.html

Poison – Poison’d! (2007: EMI/Capitol)

‘nother covers comp

shows nothin’ but a meh time!

open up - say blah

http://www.poisonweb.com/

Wendy O Williams – W.O.W. (1984: Jem/Passport)

Plasmat-Kiss lets Gene

declaw Wendy, dumb it down

less than her grand stand

http://www.wendyowilliams.com/

http://www.nolifetilmetal.com/wow.html