We always get one of those best of topics after a year is over, and I thought it would actually be more useful and cooler to have a topic where we discuss and recommend good releases through the whole year. Given the inactivity, it's pretty obvious that people don't really feel like posting topics about every cool new band and album they discover so hopefully this will get activity instead. It's okay to post your favorite releases so far but try to describe the bands/albums a bit so it won't become a list which no one really cares about in the end.

~I Shall Start~

Textures - Silhouettes


Textures isn't a very well known band and they aren't the kind of band anyone would enjoy either, but I like them a lot and I think some people here would as well. They sound a lot like Meshuggah but have much more melodic parts in their music and clean vocals too. They sound like Devin Townsend at times (I swear to god every review calls them a mix of Meshuggah and Devin) and they are just really cool and good. I'm still new to the band so I haven't really formed final opinion of them or their records, but I love their previous album, Drawing Circles. I don't like the new album as much yet but I still think it's great, and it reminds me of SikTh too (man, just listen to the first song) which is all but a bad thing.

Basically if you dig good metal check them out. You can stream the whole new album on their myspace which is pretty neat.

~More To Come~

Dude, Textures is awesome. I haven't gotten around to listening to the new album because I'm catching up on some other releases. But Drawing Circe's was pretty great. I'm going to have to get my hands on this one.
I guess I should contribute at least. So, um... okay since you mentioned meshuggah

Meshuggah - Obzen

So Meshuggah is back and man are they back. I am going to be honest, if your expecting something brand new by Meshuggah, this album might disappoint, but if you just want to hear good ol Meshuggah do what they do best, this album if for you. One of the main noticeable differences in Obzen is that the thrashy elements of their previous albums have been brought back. Its like if Chaos Sphere and Catch 33 had a baby. That is really the best way I can describe this album. The pummeling riffs are still there and everything about this album is awesome. Its really just one sweet metal album. Just listen for yourself.
Combustion
Again, its not something completely different, but its still one hell of an album. Honestly, if some one asked what Meshuggah album they could get to help them get the band's general sound, Obzen would my top recommendation.

Well, one place would probably be Rate Your Music's top albums of 2008 list. It doesn't have everything and it's hard to find some really obscure stuff on the list but it has a lot of albums so it's pretty good even though they aren't in alphabetical order.

Also tomohawkjoe yeah, new Meshuggah is really good. Combustion actually reminds me of Tool a bit (because of how the guitar sounds i think), and Bleed is one of Meshuggah's best songs imo.

is there a place I can see what came out in 2008 so far?

you can try search wiki for 2008 releases as well and they have a big list


That is a cool meshuggah cover! I really like it.

Man, I think that Meshuggah cover art is really bad.

Man, I think that Meshuggah cover art is really bad.

i like that its cheesy and low budget looking rather than a glossy piece of art

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2008_in_music
a little ways down the page is a list of 08 releases and upcoming releases, as well as TBA releases.