Between The Buried And Me are seasoned vets to the progressive metalcore, electronic, prog (whatever other genre they bend) scene and continue to drop album after album. Their career started back in 2000 from the ashes of one of the greatest metalcore bands of all time (in my humble opinion), Prayer For Cleansing. As the band has progressed over the years, one thing remains the same: they are phenomenal musicians. Almost to the point that it makes me either want to practice my guitar more or just throw it away. The Blue Nowhere is the band’s 11th studio album, excluding a cover album and an EP. This 10-track full-length is the first release with their new label home Inside Out Music. Despite the grandiose and epic sound of this album, it’s also their first album playing as a four-piece band. However, there’s no way you could ever tell due to how big it sounds. BTBAM manages to mesh electronic overtones while almost teetering into the industrial genre territory at times, all while keeping the progressive metal –- almost nu-metal -- vibes they’ve been known for these past few years. The mixed time signatures and constant shifts from almost electronic circus … Read more
Who would’ve thought that from the land of lobsters and blueberries, you’d find a punk band? East End Redemption is … Read more
Pretty Bitter is a 5-piece band originating in 2017 and hailing from Washington, D.C. It was formed by Mel Bleker … Read more
I'd call Jason Paul + The Know It Alls happy punk except, well, it ain't. The lyrics are somber and … Read more
When I saw this split 7” announced, I genuinely got excited. I love both bands. I knew that when you … Read more
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I believe Christian Scott aTunde Adjuah requires practically no other introduction than his name – especially for people savvy within the realm of jazz. The award-winning musician along with his band has managed to throw together a marvelous collection of songs as his third live album, titled succinctly, Axiom. This all went down across four days during March last year and we saw the finished product at the end of August. The few lucky ones that participated at the show at the famed Blue Note in NYC definitely had the prime cut of this experience. Stretching across a solid one hundred something minutes (with the bonus tracks), Axiom is one hell of a ride. I’m still digesting the contents to varying extents even after a lot of spins, not to … Read more
Theatre Of Shame is the third LP from Bay Area band Middle-Aged Queers, a band whose moniker definitely gives away the plot. The band celebrates community with party punk songs like "Glizzies Banging" and "Pajama Party," but it also has pointed political commentary about the dangers of a bigoted society. In equal parts, Theatre Of Shame is about celebration and … Read more
You can always tell when a band contains seasoned musicians. They give off a different aura through their music and it sounds complete. It just meshes better. The songwriting is well done, the vocal melodies are catchy, and the transitions from verses, choruses, and bridges are complex but accessible. That is the case with this band. Let me introduce you … Read more
I’m instantly drawn to bands that have intriguing or long names. Without even listening to the first note of the band, I know it’s going to be pushing the boundaries of normalcy in music. Which is why it should be no surprise that TWIABP, in certain spots through this album, remind me of the band ...And You Will Know Us … Read more
Press release says this came out May 30th so I’m even more behind than usual… Blame summer! I did get an advance download which instantly caught my attention and I’ve listened many times since then. The guitars are shredding. The quick turn around in the chord progression from “Hey You” could or may have inspired Greg Ginn on the early … Read more
Hopefully everyone reading this already knows that Eater was one of the early British punk bands. Forming in North London in 1976, Eater was one of the youngest bands in the burgeoning UK punk scene, with the members being aged 14-17 at the band’s inception. Eater issued a series of singles and one album for The Label between 1977-1978 before … Read more
Spark Of Life hails from LA and has been around since the early 2000s. Their debut album dropped in 2003, but it took almost two decades to drop their newest album titled Plagued by the Human Condition. This album was released through New Age Records out of southern California, and it is worth checking out. If you’re familiar with New … Read more
Sunshine, Lollipops & Rainbows is a live studio recording from 1989, released on picture disc earlier this year on limited vinyl for Record Store Day. Given that it came shortly before the release of Blood, Guts & Pussy, it's no surprise that it's heavy on songs from that record (10 of 14, if I've counted correctly). It's more primal than … Read more
Osmium brings together four artistic heavyweights, united not just by a shared experimental ethos, but by a love of bespoke and often self-made instruments. On their debut record, Hildur Guðnadóttir harnesses the unstable feedback of the halldorophone, a cello-like instrument designed by Halldór Úlfarsson. James Ginzburg (emptyset) contributes tamboura-like drones using a monocord of his own design. Sam Slater operates … Read more
Lutheran Heat have one of my favorite band names, a distinctly Minnesota tongue-in-cheek nod to local culture and mannerisms. But while I dig the band name, that's not really relevant to the rest of this review. Hi Again is their first record in 9 years, but it continues their garagey indie-punk tones. Expect garage rock guitar tones, slacker indie rock … Read more
Huma Utku is an explorer. From her early days under the R.A.N (Roads at Night) moniker, she displayed a deep appreciation for experimental electronic music. From the outset, Utku wove together dark ambient motifs, industrial themes, and post-club abstraction into a minimalist yet holistic vision. Since adopting her own name, that same sonic excavation has continued, with a sharpened focus … Read more
Ava Mendoza appeared in the avant-rock scene in the '10s, and throughout the decade, she defined many works with her adventurous guitar playing and tonality. She made her mark through projects like Unnatural Ways, the trio with Tim Dahl and Sam Ospovat, and her split release with Sir Richard Bishop of Sun City Girls, Ivory Tower. Along her journeys, she … Read more
Calling themselves "Fevermooon," FVRMN is led by J Holmes and Suicides is the second album in as many years. In a broad summary, I thought Back To The Whip was like a drawn out Leatherface or Jawbreaker record. Similar gruff vocals, personal lyrics, but paced with slower tempos and longer songs. Jumping to the present, Suicides has captured the tone … Read more
I ramble, at length, about basically everything. Word limits fear me. My friends dnf my texts. I think I may have single handedly crashed Twitter. Straight to the point, I am not. However, in the spirit of things, I’m going to dive right in. Who Let The Dogs Out is Lambrini Girls’ first full length album. 11 tracks, 29 minutes, … Read more
Best thing about writing reviews is finding out about new stuff that I otherwise might not have heard. Also writing reviews for bands that aren’t friends of mine is pretty cool but when I hear a band I really like, like Sex Faces, it makes me want to be friends with them, I can't help it! I’m not even halfway … Read more
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