A Perfect Circle, "Mer De Noms"

Phenomenal. I enjoy nothing more than to sit down, relax and sift through all of the melodic and lyrical variances of each song. Maynard James Keenan is an intellectual lyricist who discusses issues with perception that broadens horizons and leaves us thinking, "Why didn't I think of that?" Orchestrated with beautiful guitar riffs and the passionate voice of Maynard, this album is the perfect compilation to put you into a deep spell.

Flaw, "Through the Eyes"

Within Flaw's emotional power and honesty, captured by producer David Bottrill (Tool, Peter Gabriel), the atmospheric soundscapes flow forth relentlessly. Chris Volz expresses personal and provocative lyrics that make me feel right there with him. When I jam to this CD, I feel unstoppable! A powerful combination of vocal hooks and guitar melodies.

Kittie, "Funeral For Yesterday"

Can we give it up for metal goddesses here?! Kittie is definitely one of my biggest influences - they were one of the first female bands I ever heard scream and growl. This album opened my eyes to a completely new style and emotion. Kittie has released heavy-metal albums, but this one is more of a relaxed metal. There's more melodic singing on top of progressive choruses. With the cut-throat dark lyrics and edgy stories, I cannot help but to idolize this album. I love that this band is all women, and they rock harder than most male counterparts.

OnceOver, "Red Right Returning"

After Steve Dwyer took over vocals for OnceOver, their musical direction did a complete 180. It's heavy double-bass and all-around hardcore guitar riffs mixed with harmonies that blend ever so sweetly. This album has energy plus 10. It's definitely music for the animalistic side of your soul. You can certainly bang your head, cry, scream, laugh and feel almost every emotion in these tracks. Live, OnceOver are genuine in their efforts to give fans something epic.

Sighlo, "Shattered Pieces"

Much respect to Columbus' own Sighlo, a hard rock band filled with heavy emotions and memorable melodies. After four years of developing a strong foundation, the band continues to improve its writing and cover ground within several genres. Their latest, Shattered Pieces, is an influential masterpiece. The fact that Sighlo is another great Columbus band climbing the industry ladder right along with us makes this album all the more reassuring!