Chimaira

On their fifth album, Cleveland's metalcore mainstays explore the devastation of an epidemic. The sad, forewarning intro of "The Venom Inside" builds a feverish suspense that breaks with a deep, guttural announcement before marrying a slow-crawl tempo with repetitive melody. Offering non-metalcore-standard song structures throughout, the abstract story continues to unfold through pace-setting standouts "Secrets of the Dead" and "Destroy and Dominate," before concluding at an emotional pinnacle with the gripping, lengthy instrumental "The Heart of It All."