ARTICLE JUMP
- Alpha & Omega - Devil's Bed (6131)
- This Time Next Year - The Longest Way Home (Run for Cover)
- Minus the Bear - Acoustics (Tigre Blanco)
- One Day as a Lion - One Day as a Lion (Anti)
- Forfeit - Visions (Reaper)
This California outfit launched onto the scene with this debut 7". Alpha & Omega delivers a punishing concoction of metallic hardcore that gets you into a debate on whether you should bang your head or just tear it up on the dance floor. Either way, you're energized and ready to let loose. Their debut full-length is amongst my most anticipated albums of 2009.
Straight up energized pop-punk - in the vein of Blink 182 and New Found Glory - that you'll pogo your legs off to. Also an acoustic version of "Sweetest Air" which is literally magnificent and a Kid Dynamite cover. Look out for their debut full-length in 2009.
Perhaps my favorite current band going, Minus the Bear decides to go unplugged... and I love it. In spite of the acoustic ventures placed on this disc, Minus the Bear still creates textured and layered music that is beautiful. More like "Amazing" the Bear.
Zach De la Rocha marked his return to the music world following the break-up for Rage Against the Machine (who reformed this year as well) with this EP. It's an interesting mixture of hip-hop, noise, trip hop, avant-garde rock, and music scores. Still waiting on that solo effort though Zach...
Love the first Blacklisted EP? What about Integrity? Then you're going to love this EP from Forfeit. This Syracuse five-piece destroys all with these five songs (the CD features some bonus cuts). I highly suggest you pick this up and seeing them live if you get the chance - complete mayhem.
(Michael)
