Melvins/Le Butcherettes

For 30 years now, the Melvins have operated on the fringes of both the indie and alternative rock worlds. Too heavy to be indie and too weird to really fit in with what passes for alternative, they influenced many of the Seattle bands that emerged in their wake but never quite reaped the dividends (though they did land a major-label record deal for a short time in the '90s). Their new album is as heavy as anything in their repertoire. It commences with "Bride of Crankenstein," a sludge-y song that features hoarse vocals and distorted guitars. (Niesel)