Glasgow instrumentalists Mogwai return with an album full of beautiful minor-key epics-including a few seriously heavy tracks like "Batcat," which nicely contrasts "I'm Jim Morrison, I'm Dead," the album's droning, thudding, tinkling opener. Sporting a still-life portrait of a bald eagle's mug on the cover, The Hawk is Howling is one of Mogwai's most diverse releases this decade, possibly since Rock Action or EP+6 2001.

*Read Drew Fortune's lengthy feature on Mogwai in ALARM 33, available soon.

Mogwai: \"The Sun Smells Too Loud\"

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God of Shamisen: Dragon String Attack (Reptile)

If you're into the fusion of metal with traditional Japanese music (and who isn't?), pick up Dragon String Attack by God of Shamisen. Shamisen master and Estradasphere member Kevin Kmetz leads the group with his acrobatic finger work on the fretless Japanese instrument, infusing said sounds with any other genre that feels appropriate (reggae, Gypsy, jam rock, funk). The shredding riffs of guitarist Karl Schnaitter and the detonating beats of fellow Estradasphere cohort Lee Smith also propel the band, which you know will be good given that two of Kmetz's listed influences are ultra-heavy death metallers Cryptopsy and classical legend J.S. Bach.

God of Shamisen: \"The Science Fiction of Ray Bradbury Attack\"

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Lymbyc Systym: Love Your Abuser, Remixed (Mush)

As Lymbyc Systym, brothers Mike and Jared Bell released a beautiful 2007 debut full-length, Love Your Abuser, on Mush Records. The album's heartening tunes used piano, synthesizers, organs, xylophones, brass instruments, and much more to provide a gorgeous multi-layered mix. Now the album gets a remix treatment with clicky electronic beats and thematic revamps by The One AM Radio, The Album Leaf, This Will Destroy You, Daedelus, and others. Magic Bullet Records will also soon release a This Will Destroy You / Lymbyc Systym split 10"/CD as well as re-release Lymbyc Systym's first studio EP, Carved by Glaciers.

Lymbyc Systym: \"Fall Bicycle\" (The Album Leaf Remix)

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Genghis Tron: Board Up the House, Remixes Vol. 1 LP (Temporary Residence)

Normally on the Relapse roster, electro-metal trio Genghis Tron has its crushing sci-fi sounds reworked as part of a five-label LP project that includes 20 mixologists. This first volume has been available for a few months, but now it has its official release, featuring renderings by Steve Moore, Justin K. Broadrick, Rob Crow, and Eluvium.

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Ten Kens: Ten Kens (FatCat)

The debut album from this Toronto-based quartet is an eclectic combination of power pop, folk, and droning, experimental rock.

This Orange Tulip Conspiracy debut, the first solo album / side project from Estradasphere guitarist Jason Schimmel, has been available for a little while. However, with the recent availability of its MP3s on Amazon and the little exposure it has received, it warrants a spot in this week's list. Schimmel is an immense talent, and his far-reaching compositional skills help make Estradasphere the mind-blowing classical/Gypsy/metal/cinematic fusion that it is. This album leans more on traditional jazz parts, metal riffs, and psychedelic jam sounds, and it comes highly, highly recommended.

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Burst: Lazarus Bird (Relapse)

Hailing from Gothenburg, Swedish metal group Burst strays from the city's well-known black-metal sound. Like previous works, Lazarus Bird worms its way through much of the rock spectrum, alternating between palm-muted chugging, pretty clean-channel melodies, and high-string metal squeals. The harmonized reverb-heavy ending to "Cripple God" is awesome (listen below).

Burst: "Cripple God"

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John Zorn: Filmworks XX: Sholem Aleichem (Tzadik)

When does legendary experimental composer John Zorn get a chance to sleep? His latest release, the 20th in his Filmworks series, is a disc of gorgeous songs often infused with Eastern European style. Featuring talented harpist Carol Emanuel, accordionist Rob Burger, and the Masada String Trio, the album acts as a soundtrack for a documentary on 19th-century Jewish writer Sholem Aleichem.

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Soundgarden: Badmotorfinger [ecopak] (A&M)

Do you remember how great the big riff on "Jesus Christ Pose" is? If you're under the age of 20, chances are that you don't. Problem solved: a re-release of Badmotorfinger came out this week. Chock full of sweet fret work from guitarist Kim Thayil and ridiculously high-pitched screams from front man Chris Cornell, Badmotorfinger rivals Superunknown as Soundgarden's most seminal work. If you're uninitiated to this album, pick it up.

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Fight the Big Bull: Dying Will Be Easy (Clean Feed)

The brain child of jazz guitarist and songwriter Matt White, Fight the Big Bull is equal parts a compelling standalone venture and homage to legends of the genre. The four songs on Dying Will Be Easy were composed and arranged by White, but his instrument typically isn't the focus as influences from Duke Ellington and Charles Mingus come through. The distorted brass slide on the opening and title track steals the early spotlight, and the rest of the brass and woodwind section — more than half of the nonet — carries the load for much of the remainder.

Fight the Big Bull: \"Dying Will Be Easy\"