CD Review: New Music From Black Crown Initiate, Silvertung, (hed) p.e. & Austin John

American progressive metal band Black Crown Initiate will be releasing their second album on the eOne Music label on July 22nd. The new album titled "Selves We Cannot Forgive" features eight tracks of epic, intense music that is sure to take you on a sonic journey. Beginning with the nearly seven-minute, thunderous delivery of "For Red Cloud," which will blow you away with its powerfully exciting musicianship and howling vocals. They welcome you with the mainstream prog-metal piece "Again," before delivering the nine-minute aggressive epic story of "Belie The Machine." The slow build up of the title song, "Selves We Cannot Forgive" displays the band's softer side before finishing the album with the high-powered energy of the "Matriarch" and the dark, moody tones of "Vicious Lives." To find out more about Black Crown Initiate and their latest release "Selves We Cannot Forgive," please visit their Facebook page at facebook.com/BlackCrownInitiate.

From Maryland comes the latest release titled "Out Of The Box" from heavy metal band Silvertung. The new album will be released on July 8th through Pavement Entertainment and features six new tracks. Beginning with "Face The Music," the band have taken the strength of their live act and certainly incorporated into this latest release. The music is intense, as lead singer, Speed's vocals bring out the energy of their overall sound. They pull back the reigns on the rhythmic delivery of "Never Too Late," before picking up the pace again on the aggressive flavor of "Devil's Advocate." The short album closes with the metal ballad "You & Me." To find out more about Silvertung and their latest release "Out Of The Box," please visit silvertung.com.

Veteran rock band (hed) p.e. will be releasing their tenth studio album "Forever!" on July 22nd through Pavement Entertainment. Their unique brand of music finds it hard to place them in one music genre and this new thirteen-song album continues that trend. Beginning with the hardcore, nu-metal sounds of "Live" and the rapcore of "Pay Me," (hed) p.e. still carry that chip on their shoulder to prove they are one of the premier metal bands in the world. They infuse reggae into the monstrous metal guitar riffs of "Closer" and bash away any doubt on the punk fury of "Waste." They begin "One Of A Kind" with a reggae groove before its gets taken over by a hardcore metal chorus, then repeat the formula for "Shawdowridge." The album finishes up with the hip-hop flow of "Always" and the island flavor of "Ganja." To find out more about (hed) p.e. and their latest release "Forever!," please visit hedperocks.com.

Former Hinder lead singer Austin John Winkler is returning after a three year absence with a new album titled "Love Sick Radio." He has toned down his heavy metal sound to develop a new country sound that artists like Kid Rock and Uncle Kracker have helped bring to the mainstream. The new six-song release begins with the country/pop beats of "Clique 2 Follow" that have a great up-tempo, addictive rhythm that should easily find it's way to country radio. Winkler gets a little help on his new album from pop artist Sophie Summers and rising country star Jessie James Decker. Summers lends her angelic voice to the chorus of "The Plague" and Decker duets with Winkler on the emotional delivery of "Howlin'." The album finishes with the reggae-pop of "Road To Paradise" and the countrified, hip-hop/pop tones of "Hate That I'm Loving It." To find out more about Austin John and his latest release, "Love Sick Radio," please visit his Facebook page at facebook.com/AustinJohnWinkler.