God War Blood Metal

Vikings and metal tend to go together very well, and the idea of combining the two has obviously been made popular by the likes of Swedish melodic death metal band Amon Amarth and German power metal band Rebellion, and now a new challenger has arrived to prove themselves worthy of fighting for Odin. That band is Brothers of Metal, from Sweden, and they have unleashed their debut Prophecy of Ragnarok, which is not only an incredibly addictive power metal album, with varying influences from other genres and a ton of different exciting elements, but it also happens to be perhaps the very best Viking themed metal album I’ve ever heard, as the band takes familiar ideas and mashes them together perfectly, while also managing to create their own distinct sound that really has to be heard…

Dutch death metallers GOD DETHRONED released their new album, "The World Ablaze", on May 5 via Metal Blade Records. The band's first disc since 2010's "Under The Sign Of The Iron Cross" is the third (and final) part of the World War I trilogy.

World Painted Blood is the eleventh studio album by American thrash metal band Slayer. It was released through American Recordings and Sony Music on November 3, 2009 and was produced by Greg Fidelman and executively produced by Rick Rubin. It is the band's only album produced by Greg Fidelman and the last with guitarist Jeff Hanneman. There were four different artworks released for the album, each of which completed one-fourth of a map that when put together illustrates the earth painted with red. There are eleven tracks on the album, with origins illustrating death and destruction, war, serial killers, and the Apocalypse. World Painted Blood is the final Slayer studio album to feature their full original lineup with drummer Dave Lombardo before he departed from the band, and guitarist Jeff Hanneman before his death, both in 2013. It is also the band's final album to be released through American Recordings, as well as the final collaboration between Slayer and label owner Rubin, who had worked with the band as their producer or executive producer since Reign in Blood (1986).

If ever a metal band deserved the box set treatment, it's Slayer. Love them or hate them, their accomplishments in the thrash metal subgenre is pretty much unequaled. For over 20 years, Slayer have remained doggedly and stubbornly persistent in their approach to playing the heaviest, loudest, and darkest metal in America…

Gods of War is the tenth album by heavy metal band Manowar, released in 2007. It is a concept album centered on Odin, King of Gods and primary god of war in the Norse Mythology. Gods of War was supposed to be the first of a series of concept albums dedicated to different war gods from various mythologies, but eventually its sequels were not released.Cover art is painted by Ken Kelly. It is the last studio album to feature Manowar drummer Scott Columbus, who died in 2011.

Extensive lineup changes have caused some metal bands to fall apart creatively, while others have a way of bouncing back; it's safe to say that Exodus falls into the second category. The Bay Area thrash veterans have had their share of lineup changes over the years, but thankfully, Exodus have demonstrated that even when they stumble, one should never count them out…