Jar of Flies

"The big task for Alice in Chains on their 2009 comeback Black Gives Way to Blue was to prove they could carry on battered and bruised, missing Layne Staley but still in touch with their core. They had to demonstrate the band had a reason to exist, and Black Gives Way to Blue achieved this goal, paving the way for another record just like it. Enter The Devil Put the Dinosaurs Here, a record that is pretty close to identical to Black Gives Way to Blue in its sound, attack, and feel. Where it differs is in the latter, as the overall album feels lighter and, at times, the individual songs do, too.

Gothenburg, Sweden-based metal band MadMan's Choice present Vanity, a ten-track record of heaviness mixed with stoner rock chill and stunning vocal harmonies. Drawing from influences like The Smashing Pumpkins, Porcupine Tree and the Deftones, the group puts forth a cohesive, forward-looking sound with this release.