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Our latest album reviews, featuring the records we've most enjoyed (or not) over the past few weeks.

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Browse our album reviews according to score: Highest (9.5/10 or more) or Lowest (2/10 or less)

Big Eyes

Almost Famous
Grave Mistake (2013)

Seattle is made out to be such a dreary place. Big Eyes released a largely positive-sounding debut in Hard Life and the reviews basically talked about the band’s relocation from Brooklyn to Seattle. Now, with the release of sophomore full-length Almost Famous, the press sheet says things like “a bit of Seattle seeps in,” no doubt referring to some of the darker-tinged passages.The three-piece features guitarist/vocalist Kate Eldridge, formerly of Used Kids and Cheeky. While her voice is familiar, Big Eyes are truly their own band. The band takes a classic guitar-driven rock soil and has planted some punk rock that’s grown into a healthy, shimmering flower. Yes, I just used a gardening metaphor. It’s that punk rock. The overall sound is hard to pin down exactly, because it’s seems so clearly punk rock, but most of the descriptors come from an earlier era of straight-forward rock a la Joan Jett, where the guitar and vocal tone dominate far more than the lyricism. A danceable sway lies at the heart of the hooks, even while the songs explore less positive themes.The live show has been strong for Big Eyes due to their strong chops and relentless tour schedule—they’ve likely played … Read more

Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds

Push The Sky Away
Bad Seed LTD. (2013)

Nick Cave is an uncaring bastard.He doesn't care if you buy his new album Push The Sky Away, nor does … Read more

Grouper

The Man Who Died in His Boat
Kranky (2013)

The Man Who Died in His Boat (released February 2013) is a collection of songs by Grouper, a.k.a. Liz Harris, … Read more

Feral King

Self Titled
Last Anthem (2012)

Feral Kings' self-titled EP comes from a couple of guys that know how to do what they're doing and do … Read more

Off With Their Heads

Home
Epitaph (2013)

Maybe it’s because I caught Off With Their Heads live recently and maybe it’s because on Home, their third official … Read more

Henryspenncer

Saturn
Bookmaker (2013)

After enjoying the light, acoustic stylings of Seabuckthorn, I started checking out Bookmaker records for some similarly oriented artists. That's … Read more

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One from the archives

Manes

How the World Came to an End
Candlelight (2007)

Linkin Park, by and large, are looked upon as a joke. With few exceptions, they are loved solely by young fans who really don't know any better and are unable to find any other kind of "heavy" music at their local Wal-Mart in Smalltown, U.S.A. What does Linkin Park have to do with Norway's Manes, you ask? Well, they kind of sound like 'em, which is truly, truly most unfortunate. As an impartial third party who paid nothing for this promo copy of their latest effort, How the World Came to an End, I find it extremely difficult to not hold it against them because to do so just wouldn't be fair. Because let's face it, who the hell in their right mind would intentionally try to sound like Linkin … Read more

More album reviews

Vhol

Self Titled
Profound Lore (2013)

OK let the namedropping begin: Agalloch, Worm Ouroboros, Hammers of Misfortune, Amber Asylum, YOB, and more. That was probably enough to get your attention, right? So Vhol first came into this world by the twisted ideas of John Cobbett and Aesop Dekker and their aim was to create a band in the vein of the unbelievable Ludicra after they ceased … Read more

Paramore

Self Titled
Fueled By Ramen (2013)

It makes sense that this is Paramore’s self-titled album, even though it’s their fourth full-length. Everything you know or have heard about Paramore, put all of those pre-conceived notions in your time capsule for 2009, because that’s not them anymore. This is the two remaining original members’ (Taylor York joined the band after the Farro departure) time to show everyone … Read more

Power

Bremerton Zoo
Twelve Gauge (2013)

Old school hardcore punk has really found its feet in the last few years. Bands like Creem, Raw Nerve and Violent Reaction have brought innovation to the scene by utilising lesser heard influences ranging from street punk to crust, whilst reducing the songs to their bare bones; short, pissed-off and raw. With its vibrant artwork and blistering intensity (11 tracks … Read more

My Dying Bride

A Map Of All Our Failures
Peaceville (2012)

My Dying Bride is over 20 years old. While most bands that would exist for this amount of time would notably mature in sound and style, it may be hard to convince people of that in regards to MDB. I say this because, stylistically, the band have always trudged through murky, doomy waters. This, in turn, did more to make … Read more

Wolves At Bay

Only A Mirror
Animal Style (2012)

Although Wolves At Bay have recently released a sparkly-fresh record, this review will cover their 2011 full-length debut on Animal Style Records, Only a Mirror. The band seems to have changed names and lineups during the course of their evolution, but here presents as a four-piece post-hardcore outfit, proud to hail from a suburb of New Haven, CT. The paper … Read more

husband&wife

Acoustic Recordings
Crossroads Of America (2013)

The beauty in acoustic albums usually comes from hearing a song you know and love take on a different resonance when it’s stripped back and unpolished. This is definitely the case for the songs on husband&wife’s Acoustic Recordings. All of the songs were recorded in the band members’ homes, which makes the songs sound quite homely and personal, as though … Read more

Aosoth

IV: An Arrow In Heart
Agonia (2013)

Aosoth is another example of how great the current black metal scene in France actually is. With their latest full length, they definitely claim their place next to great bands like Deathspell Omega and Blut Aus Nord. Formed by members of black metal titans Antaeus you get an idea of the quality of the music here.The cold, eerie atmosphere kicks … Read more

Aeon Zen

Enigma
Nightmare (2013)

Aeon Zen is one of the more recent progressive bands to work its way up to massive critical acclaim. Grounded by sole permanent member Rich Hinks and a reputation for unorthodox compositions, the quintet released their third studio album in four years this January, 2013's Enigma.Right off the bat, there's no denying that their reputation is well earned--literally no two … Read more

Worthwhile Way

Love Is All
ADD Records (2013)

Worthwhile Way play positive punk. No bones about it, the title Love Is All isn’t some ironic statement, the band brings an upbeat, happy sound that’s typically devoid from almost any subgenre of music. Mayu’s lead vocals convey a pep that meets the bouncy rhythms of Chege with some powerful ’77-style guitars to bring it all home.For a basic sound, … Read more

Riverside

Shrine of New Generation Slaves
Inside Out (2013)

Riverside is one of those surprise acts, emerging out of Poland to somehow join the ranks of Dream Theater and Porcupine Tree as one of the biggest progressive bands of the 00s. And with critically acclaimed albums like Second Life Syndrome and Rapid Eye Movement under their belt, they've proven time and time again that they can deliver powerful, complex … Read more

Lair of the Minotaur

Godslayer EP
The Grind House (2013)

Lair of the Minotaur is a band that managed to get their sound right and have stick with it since they first formed. With their doom/sludge/thrash hybrid they have managed to release four great albums: Carnage, The Ultimate Destroyer, my personal favorite War Metal Battle Master and their latest full length Evil Power. And now they are back with their … Read more

Cult of Luna

Vertikal
Density (2013)

These heavy bands are increasingly showing off their cultural literacy while still bludgeoning their listeners with a heady mix of loud guitars and cavernous sounding drums, and Cult Of Luna is in some ways one of the main culprits for pushing such intellectually studious music; the band’s return with their sixth studio has been presaged with a building excitement on … Read more

Cult of Luna

Vertikal
Density (2013)

Isis were the undisputed kings of post-metal, reaching levels of perfection with their music literally unheard of before. But even though they've been retired from the scene for a while, it's unclear whether or not there will emerge another band up to their calibre. If I can throw in my oar, I'd nominate Swedish metalheads Cult of Luna for the … Read more

HIM

Tears On Tape
Razor & Tie (2013)

HIM have been kicking about on the rock ‘n’ roll scene for as long as most of their fans have been alive, a terrifying thought in itself, and anything we needed to say about their love metal outlook or their relevance to the world of music in the 21st Century was said when we took a look at XX: Two … Read more

Reviews by score
Browse our album reviews according to score: Highest (9.5/10 or more) or Lowest (2/10 or less)