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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)

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 the part of its faithful, but perhaps the idea of another “concept” album from the Swedish behemoth is another important aspect for the non-slavering devotee that holds interest for something new from the outfit.Vertikal is an interesting animal for two seemingly disparate reasons on the surface, but upon rectifying the idea that the album is based in large part upon the amazing silent film Metropolis by Fritz Lang with some of the new sounds that Cult Of Luna incorporate, you might get the idea that these new aural colors are a direct result of that self same film (film and science fiction aficionados surely recognize the robot from the movie); listening to songs such as “The One” (which sounds most akin to an outtake from the Blade Runner soundtrack than a Cult Of Luna song) and “The Sweep” (the heavy … Read more

Multiple Authors

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 … 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 … Read more

They Might Be Giants

Nanobots
Idlewild Recordings (2013)

When I first heard these guys in the late ‘80s or early ‘90s, there wasn’t really a name for this. … Read more

D.O.A.

We Come In Peace
Sudden Death (2012)

in·sti·tu·tion noun \?in(t)-st?-?tü-sh?n, something or someone firmly associated with a place or thingThere are few bands around that can be … Read more

The Strokes

Comedown Machine
RCA (2013)

The Strokes have paved way since brushing the scene in 2001 with their instant garage pop classic, Is This It. … Read more

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One from the archives

The Black Keys

El Camino
Nonesuch (2011)

By now, the Black Keys have released enough material to seemingly exist since the early nineties. This is not the case, however, only having released their gritty debut, The Big Come Up, in May 2002. Since then, amidst a steady growth in production efforts and more polished recordings, The Black Keys manage to stay true to their simplistic form.Where the former release, 2010’s Brothers, exposed the world to a band comfortable with the nuances of classic blues and soul, El Camino an entire devotion to rock and roll. This is a straightforward record consisting of fast paced, hook driven tunes that ring with the delightful pop sensibility and swing of early rhythm and blues. The reuniting of the Keys (guitarist and vocalist Dan Auerbach and drummer Patrick Carney) with Brian … Read more

More album reviews

Altar Of Plagues

Teethed Glory and Injury
Profound Lore (2013)

Often an album comes along that defies all genre constraints and challenges your own perception on life and reality. Sometimes that album makes you delve deep within the self and question your own outlooks. Teethed Glory and Injury is that album. And oh, how it ravages your being.With Teethed Glory and Injury Altar of Plagues have created a work of … Read more

The Scutches

Ten Songs, Ten Years
Bright & Barrow (2012)

The Ramones were, and still are, such an influence on music. These days, they’re garnered as a genre all on their own, known simply as, “Ramones-core.” Right now, bands like Teenage Bottlerocket are running things, but perhaps you haven’t given The Scutches a chance? The Scutches have been churning out Pop-Punk ditties for ten years now. Their latest album‘s title, … Read more

The Mount Fuji Doomjazz Corporation

Egor
Denovali (2012)

As the sister group of The Kilimanjaro Doomjazz Ensemble This group treads similar waters. While not a new group by any stretch this, their most recent full length of new work continues their original routing. The question many people would have is "what exactly is doomjazz?". The easy answer would correlate to the genre name itself. While it contains pieces … Read more

Iggy & The Stooges

Ready To Die
Fat Possum Records (2013)

The death of Ron Asheton in 2009 was a sad day in music. Considered by this critic and many others to be one of the best guitarists of all time, with his work on the first 2 Stooges album becoming the stuff of legend over the years. Having rejoined with Iggy and the Stooges a few years prior and appearing … Read more

Zozobra

Savage Masters
Brutal Panda (2013)

Zozobra returns five years after their excellent previous full length Birds of Prey; and now, Caleb Scofield (of Cave In and Old Man Gloom) brings forth Savage Masters. If you are not familiar with Zozobra, try to imagine Old Man Gloom covering Cave In tracks: in essence you get straightforward songs, with quite catchy riffs and nice groove which on … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Various Artists

Closure / Moloch - Split EP
King Of Monsters (2012)

closure and moloch sit on diametrically opposed sides of the same scene in the same country. They share in the metal/hardcore scene within the UK and they manage to bring their differing outlooks to this split. This makes for a different type of split. While most bands would be happy to just play something similar to the band on the … Read more

Aidan Baker

Closure Axioms
The Miskatonic Sound Lab (2012)

For as prolific as Aidan Baker is (besides his most known musical endeavor Nadja, he is involved in a slew of other projects as well such as Arc and Infinite Light), his solo material seems criminally overlooked by some (which includes my own self in this group); though maybe this is not a case of overlooking so much as potential … Read more

The Tossers

The Emerald City
Victory (2013)

The Tossers top out my list of Celtic punk bands. Dropkick Murphys turned into cartoons long ago and I’ve just never been that big a fan of Dave King’s (Flogging Molly) voice. The Tossers, who call Chicago home, bring a mix of emphatic punk energy a la Flogging Molly, but blend it with a traditionalist sense found in, who else,The … Read more

Soror Dolorosa

No More Heroes
Northern Silence/Beneath Grey Skies (2013)

They say that imitation is the best form of flattery, and France’s Soror Dolorosa, in choosing to name their sophomore record after a Stranglers album (due to a badge depicting the album appearing on a jacket used for the cover art) manage to wear their hearts on their leather sleeves and show exactly what they’re about in one fell swoop. … Read more

Inter Arma

Sky Burial
Relapse (2013)

If there is any definitive point to life, certainly it must involve leaving something behind that has a positive impact that is discernible well after you are gone. While most of us will ultimately fail to have that kind of effect, we all have the great privilege of being the affected. Inter Arma are a band that have obviously been … Read more

Cnoc An Tursa

The Giants of Auld
Candlelight (2013)

I'll admit, I was intrigued by the idea of Scottish Pagan Metal. Even with the full understanding of Pagan Metal by definition of the more extreme metal using folk instruments from any religion or culture, the ole' noggin still tends to default to the Norse code. Cnoc An Tursa hail from the lowlands of Scotland. Falkirk, to be exact. They … Read more

Drivin' N Cryin'

Songs From The Psychedelic Time Clock
New! (2013)

The new release from Drivin’ N Cryin’ is the third EP of an anticipated four, each dedicated to a different genre that has shaped the foundation of the band’s sound over the last 25 years or so. While the previous EPs have been stellar, this one is by far the best of the bunch. With each song drenched in psychedelia, … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Ensemble Pearl

Self Titled
Drag City (2013)

There's soundtracks to the apocalypse and then there's soundtracks to everything afterward. Ensemble Pearl provides the latter. The din and drone as your mind takes in the ruins of its surroundings, the dissonant fear of realization and finally the despair of acceptance. Stephen O'Malley has provided many a piss shiver in his work with Sunn O))) - a deliberate, almost … Read more

Multiple Authors

Ensemble Pearl

Self Titled
Drag City (2013)

It's genuinely hard for me to get excited about supergroups in general--they're almost never as good as the sum of their parts. And unfortunately, despite the calibre of the musicians involved, that seems to be exactly what has happened to post-everything supergroup Ensemble Pearl on their eponymous 2013 debut.Anchoring this band of notably crazy musicians is Stephen O'Malley, known best … Read more

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