Psyopus
Ideas of Reference
Black Market Activities (2004)
If legendary musicians were born today, what would they pursue? Would Buddy Rich attempt to create the fastest blast beats, rivaling even those of drum machines? Would Jimi Hendrix attempt to front a metal band and shred like none other? Would Bach sit behind a computer composing epic masterpieces for ravers to "roll" to? Most "musical legends" had no problem … Read more
Psyopus
Our Puzzling Encounters Considered
Metal Blade (2007)
Tech-metal reached perfection with The Dillinger Escape Plan's Calculating Infinity. That is my opinion, and you may argue that it is wrong or that my definition of tech metal is incorrect. But I don't care; I will argue right back that you're the one that is, in fact, wrong. I do not see any album in the realm of technical … Read more
Public Enemy
How You Sell Soul to a Soulless People Who Sold Their Soul???
Slam Jamz (2007)
Soul (noun) : A sense of ethnic pride among Black people and especially African Americans, expressed in areas such as language, social customs, religion, and music. relevant (adjective) : Connected with or saying something important about what is being spoken about or discussed It's been twenty years since the release ofYo, Bum Rush the Show and Public Enemy are still … Read more
Public Speaking
An Apple Lodged In My Back
Whited Sepulchre (2023)
It is always difficult to balance between creativity and immediacy. For Jason Anthony Harris, and his project Public Speaking, this is a much-welcomed challenge. Indeed, Harris’ new work An Apple Lodged In My Back does not shy away from its pop sensibilities. As “Swollen Feet” comes in, the soulful and intimate approach usually produced by mainstream artists comes through. It is catchy … Read more
Pujol
Kludge
Saddle Creek (2014)
Daniel Pujol is prolific and ever changing. The leader of Pujol continues to release records at a rapid pace, successfully switching up his backing sounds in the process. While early material was a lot more garage in style, the overall tone on Kludge is quirky and rock-based, but it ranges from sauntering slower material (“Spooky Scary”) to minimalist electropop (“Small World”) to … Read more
Pujol
United States Of Being
Saddle Creek (2012)
Pujol seemed like an odd pairing with Saddle Creek when I first heard of the signing last year. In 2011, the band released X File on Main Street a surprise find that got me interested not only in the band, but in the Nashville scene as a whole, playing lo-fi garage rock with a rough, dirty edge. Well, United States … Read more
Pujol
X File On Main St.
Infinity Cat (2011)
There’s no wasting time on X File on Main St. Within the first few lines, singer Daniel Pujol has taken his stance on careers, art, children, and life in general. I don’t know much, if anything, about his previous acts Meemaw and Saigon Baby, but Pujol plays noisy, stripped down garage that celebrates a DIY punk ethic. His vocals are … Read more
Pulling Teeth
Funerary
A389 (2011)
Pulling teeth have always taken the term metalcore to an almost literal degree. Much like Integrity has done in the sense that for every breakdown there is a strong guitar solo or heavy thrash riff. The band found more than a couple detractors with their last release Paranoid Delusions | Paradise Illusions . While im not certain if that was … Read more
Pulling Teeth
Martyr Immortal
Deathwish Inc. (2007)
Pulling Teeth have quickly emerged as one of hardcore's most respected groups following their formation a couple years back. With a steady supply of releases coming in their short lifespan - a self-released demo, last year's Vicious Skin, and a split 7" with U.K outfit Frightener earlier this year - they've garnered the attention of just about every individual that … Read more
Pulling Teeth
Paranoid Delusions | Paradise Illusions
Deathwish Inc. (2009)
Pulling Teeth continues to be an extremely active and productive group - touring the world and releasing three full-lengths and several singles since their inception. Paranoid Delusions | Paradise Illusions marks the band's third full-length effort, though I use that term loosely as the length of this recording is a bit on the short end for a "long player" (though … Read more
Pulling Teeth
Vicious Skin
Chainsaw Safety (2006)
Baltimore based Pulling Teeth released an extremely impressive demo and all expectations of what a proper release would be are exceeded on this recording. Vicious Skin is eleven tracks of fast-paced hardcore and crossover goodness served up over the course of fourteen short tumultuous minutes. On Vicious Skin, Pulling Teeth draw heavily from two schools of thought, paying homage to … Read more
Puppy and the Hand Jobs
I Hate Everything
Black Gladiator / Slovenly Recordings (2019)
It'd be quite easy to write off (the fantastically named) Puppy and the Hand Jobs for making self-described “trash rock and roll.” Much as is the case with bands like The Dwarves however, while the band does produce vulgar rapid-fire punk music that seems to have been recorded as “hot” as possible, there’s an undeniably catchiness to their music. 2019’s I Hate Everything demonstrates … Read more
Purson
The Circle and the Blue Door
Metal Blade (2013)
Retro-lust is fucking brilliant. For the past years, unbelievable bands have shown their musical endeavors by wedding the psychedelia of the 60s with the heavier rock of the 70s. Artists such as Jex Thoth, The Devil’s Blood and Blood Ceremony are showing the way, to be quickly followed by dreamers of the same utopic principle. Bands such as Jess and The Ancient Ones and now Purson came … Read more
Puscifer
Conditions of My Parole
Puscifer Entertainment (2011)
You can stop staring at your watch with misplaced optimism; there's still no news from Tool on their fifth album, and A Perfect Circle have reiterated their vow not to work on an album-length project again. So then what exactly, you might ask, is everyone's favourite rock-star-turned-vintner doing, if not fronting one of his established bands? As it turns out, … Read more
Puscifer
Donkey Punch The Night
Puscifer Entertainment (2013)
I first became aware of Maynard James Keenan's solo work through his latest studio album, Conditions of My Parole, which immediately sold me with its incredibly pleasant meanderings through light-rock post-industrial soundscapes (with a fair amount of his trademarked humour mixed in). So, of course, I scooped up his new EP, Donkey Punch the Night, as soon as I saw it.The EP … Read more
Puscifer
V is for Viagra: The Remixes
Puscifer Entertainment (2008)
Remix album - blah blah - no one buys them - yadda yadda - only useful for DJs - hamana hamana hamana. Now that that's out of the way, we can talk about this Puscifer release. For anyone not in the know, Puscifer is a solo-ish project by Maynard James Keenan of Tool and A Perfect Circle fame. To those … Read more
Pusher
Pusher
Auxiliary (2007)
Pusher hails from Louisville and features an impressive cast of ex-members as Steve Sindoni (vocals) comes to the band after handling vocals in Breather Resist and Matt Jaha (drums) comes from his former drumming duties in Black Cross and Coliseum. Unfortunately this release is a posthumous document of a short-lived group that just could not keep it together, but at … Read more
Pussy Cactus
HE'S FAST
Independent (2014)
Connecticut musician Pussy Cactus is more than just another quirky and boisterous noise pop girl. With her new five-track EP entitled He’s Fast, Pussy Cactus shows that she can lyrically be very wise and philosophical.On her glum “I Call My Dick Cheney,” Cactus preaches to the human race that “we are all a baby/ we are all a teenager/ we … Read more
