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Various Artists

Sound City - Reel To Reel
RCA/Roswell (2013)

Sound City Studios was a recording studio located in the industrial heart of the Van Nuys district of Los Angeles and was the recent subject of a love letter of a documentary produced and directed by by rock deity (and apparent expert multi-tasker) Dave Grohl. The documentary covers the history of the studio and more specifically, the custom Neve 8028 … Read more

Isis

Temporal
Ipecac (2012)

I absolutely love Isis--I can't get enough of that perfectly executed ambient/sludge mix that they've come to be known for. And for someone like me who loves them enough to delve into the deepest corners of their catalogue, their 2012 rarities compilation Temporal came as a welcome entry to their discography.Disc one begins with your standard assortment of demo material. … Read more

Isis

Temporal
Ipecac (2012)

When Isis called it a day, it felt as if a part of me was ending in a similar manner as the band had meant so much to me over the course of their prestigious run; but hanging over their end statement was the promise of one last recording to be given to the band’s listeners, and, with Temporal, the … Read more

Deathstench

Massed In Black Shadow
Black Plague (2012)

Massed In Black Shadow is a fifty minute swirling vortex of harsh sound and painful noise imbued with a seething wretchedness that creeps and boils with a deeply unsettling pace. The duo that comprise this project are often found contributing to a multitude of other dirty and rotten bands, most notably Welter In Thy Blood, but also The Slaughtered Lamb … Read more

Old Wounds

From Where We Came is Where We'll Rest
Glory Kid (2013)

New Jersey's Old Wounds come out of the gate bolting for the finish. After a handful of eps and a few choice covers the band finally releases their full length debut on the public. The band play a style of hardcore that combines the demonic, metallic thrust of Disembodied and the barely contained rage and guitar noise torture of Kiss … Read more

Menace Ruine

Alight In Ashes
Profound Lore (2012)

Up until now I believed that Menace Ruine would not release anything that I would find mind blowing. Their three previous albums (Cult of Ruins, The Die Is Cast and Union of Irreconcilables), although good releases, could not prepare me at the slightest for what Menace Ruine was able to conjure with Alight In Ashes. The band brings together elements … Read more

Soen

Cognitive
Spinefarm Records (2013)

Albums from supergroups always make me feel torn. I am excited and worried at the same time whenever great musicians decide to collaborate, excited for obvious reasons but also worried because it would be a major disappointment listening to an album with a “dream come true” line-up that turns out to be mediocre. But with Soen there is no reason … Read more

The Avett Brothers

The Carpenter
Columbia (2012)

The Avett Brothers have become bonafide pros at releasing an album. With The Carpenter being their seventh full-length album and second major label release, the Concord, North Carolinians have a method to their folk rock madness, without it being boring. Rick Rubin helps with producing for the second time too. Rubin is the link that ties the band’s songs together … Read more

Low Culture

Screens
Dirtnap (2013)

Low Culture packs a punch. Not an angry punch, but one that, upon hearing it, your foot taps and your head bobs. The band, bringing ex members of Shang-A-Lang and Total Jock together, somewhat combines those sounds, but here they are growing in a cleaner sound that is more rooted in the melody. Oh, and they round out the group … Read more

Mental Architects

Celebrations
Independent (2012)

Though I hadn't heard of Bulgarian math rockers Mental Architects myself, as soon as I heard their 2012 album Celebrations, I knew they weren't your average math rock band. The key feature of Mental Architects' music is the impressive level of technical complexity that abounds in their music. But unlike most tech death or math rock acts, whose technicality can … Read more

Seabuckthorn

The Silence Woke Me
Bookmaker (2012)

I don't listen to folk music that often--not enough 7/8 if you ask me. But when I do make exceptions to that rule, it's usually for a very strong artist, and UK based artist Seabuckthorn (né Andy Cartwright), especially on his new release The Silence Woke Me, is one such musician.His style of music blends folk acoustic guitars with elements … Read more

fragment.

Home
Independent (2011)

Upon first hearing fragment. on the split / collaboration with Iroha entitled Bittersweet, I began a search for more to hear from this seemingly enigmatic French solo artist because the contributions to said record piqued my interest; but finding recorded material to listen to proved somewhat problematic, and then Home showed up in my mailbox with no real explanation as … Read more

Unsane

Wreck
Alternative Tentacles (2012)

Some days, I just can never get enough Unsane on my headphones, which is the method to which I listen to music while at work and might be a great explanation of why that a little Unsane is never enough as anyone with just a tinge of workplace angst might be able to empathize with me; and Wreck is one … Read more

Ancient Wisdom

Deathlike
Prosthetic (2013)

A lot has been said about Ancient VVisdom, not all of it positive, and for many just letting the music do the talking isn’t enough. Heck, it should be more than enough, because Ancient VVisdom’s second shot at the full length is a deadly and distressing thing of beauty. Deathlike does exactly what it says on the tin, and this … Read more

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