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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)

The Great Old Ones

Al Azif
Antithetic \ LADLO (2012)

The Great Old Ones hail from Bordeaux, France, and fuse a deep love and interest in the H.P. Lovecraft universe with the extremity of blackened metal. Forming in 2009 as a solo project, Benjamin Guerry soon added four other musicians to the fold and the band of today began to work towards their debut, Al Azif; an unyielding and assured beginning to the mythos of The Great Old Ones. Taking their name from the deities of Lovecraft’s work, The Great Old Ones are ancient gods and Al Azif is the sound of fury and might and a collective with a wonder for this world created so many years past. Title track “Al Azif” cuts with abstract flourishes and a tone that at times is reminiscent of Altar of Plagues – but don’t be mistaken, The Great Old Ones have a definite and unique creation here. The style is epic in the truest sense of the word, with a maelstrom of densely layered textures giving way to the light of sweeping melody that transports to hidden depths and outer-reaches. Serene moments lie in union with bursts of aggression and harshly orthodox vocals sit over washes of gorgeous progression. The Great Old … Read more

Torche

Harmonicraft
Volcom (2012)

Torche is back with their third official LP (Songs For Singles is officially an EP as far as the band … Read more

Rammstein

Made in Germany 1995-2011
Universal (2011)

I usually don't have the time to listen to all of the albums sent to us by every Tom, Dick … Read more

The Korea

Колесницы Богов
Independent (2012)

What do you expect a Russian band called 'The Korea' to sound like? I would've bet something like kitschy indy … Read more

ANATOMI-71

Från Primat till Reptil
Power It Up (2011)

Swedish purveyors of crust Anatomi-71 return with their latest injection into the overly congested genre that is D-beat—Från Primat till … Read more

Maruta

Forward Into Regression
Willowtip (2011)

The saying goes "the good ones always leave too soon". When it comes to the world of music usually the … Read more

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One from the archives

Protestant

The Hate. The Hollow.
Halo of Flies/Rust and Machine (2008)

Sometimes bands lose sight of what they originally set out to accomplish. They get whipped up in their popularity and compromise themselves, and in turn can pander to a wider audience for fear of losing their reputation. Protestant is not likely to be one of those bands. This Milwaukee hardcore crossover outfit promotes their DIY roots, and they have no intention of pandering to anyone. They stand by the spirit that drives their music; not the pointless sub-labeling that divides so many groups these days. And this specific context gives a whole new side to the group as I popped in their latest full-length, The Hate. The Hollow. Protestant plays an interesting mix of genres that brings obvious comparisons to bands like Tragedy and His Hero Is Gone. But where … Read more

More album reviews

Various Artists

Alpinist / Masakari - Split
Halo of Flies (2011)

Both Alpinist and Masakari have made alot of progress in becoming well known within the hardcore scene in a rather short period of time. Alpinist hail from Germany and over the course of 5 years have managed 2 full lengths and this split. While Masakari come out of Cleavland and have managed to release 2 EPs as well as a … Read more

Mean Jeans

On Mars
Dirtnap (2012)

Whoa, is it 1994 again and someone didn't tell me? Much in the way Teenage Bottlerocket appropriated the early to mid-‘90s Lookout bands like Screeching Weasel and the Groovie Ghoulies, which were puréeing the Ramones, Beach Boys and macabre cinema, you can't really credit Portland, OR's Mean Jeans for bringing anything new to the pop punk landscape whatsoever. In fact, … Read more

Drop Tank

Domina
Independent (2012)

Playing rock and roll, and playing it well, isn’t easy these days. So much has been produced and rehashed of the genre, its best days having existed mostly in the 60’s and 70’s. Don’t get me wrong; rock and roll is still very much alive. It’s the distinction between the plethora of bands playing for an audience of head scratchers, … Read more

Municipal Waste

The Fatal Feast
Nuclear Blast (2012)

Municipal Waste is a crossover band from Richmond, Virginia who has captivated audiences from all different scenes. Whether you’re into punk, metal, hardcore or any of the diluted sub genres concocted in the past decade, you probably have a vein that’s been pinched by Municipal Waste. “The Fatal Feast” is the 5th Full length release for Municipal Waste but it … Read more

Brendan Kelly & The Wandering Birds

I'd Rather Die Than Live Forever
Red Scare Industries (2012)

I’ve never thought of Brendan Kelly as much of a singer. Sure, I’ve followed his career—hell, Slapstick played at the first real DIY show I ever saw—but he’s always been in that category of “punk vocalist,” who relies on attitude far more than vocal chops. As such, I had pretty mixed feelings coming into his solo project Brendan Kelly & … Read more

Dragonforce

The Power Within
Roadrunner (2012)

Okay, I'll just come out and say it--I like DragonForce.I know, I know; just saying 'DragonForce' is a one-liner joke in of itself. Whether its the plague of terrible performances that prevailed during the Inhuman Rampage tour, or the observation that the band can only play at two speeds: metal and ballad, or simply the fact that fantasy-based power metal … Read more

Jack White

Blunderbuss
Third Man (2012)

Ever notice the similarity between Jack White III and the modern-day Willy Wonka, portrayed by Johnny Depp? Put a top hat on Jack White and suddenly to the eye he appears to be this musical magician. Pulling stunts like launching 1000 helium balloons tied to flexi-discs containing the Blunderbuss highlight, “Freedom At 21”, to his left-field performances with the likes … Read more

High on Fire

De Vermis Mysteriis
E1 (2012)

California’s High On Fire let loose an album of gargantuan proportions with De Vermis Mysteriis, the follow up to 2010’s massive Snakes For The Divine. Similarly huge, De Vermis Mysteriis is a much dirtier affair; pummeling riffs and absolutely gigantic swells of sound make up this mystical journey into darkness. Based loosely on a grimoire written by Robert Bloch (the … Read more

Multiple Authors

Meshuggah

Koloss
Nuclear Blast (2012)

*Reviewers disclaimer – This is the most Meshuggah I have ever heard, so here you get two viewpoints – a fan perspective and, well, mine. Sweden’s Meshuggah (literally meaning “crazy” in Hebrew/Yiddish) have been the backbone of the extreme/technical/progressive death metal scene since their inception way back in 1987 and are usually credited with coining the term “djent” to describe … Read more

Anathema

Weather Systems
Kscope (2012)

Liverpool's Anathema are a curious entity. Starting life as a death-infused doom band full of intense lamentation and a deep-seated despair they struck a path that no-one could see coming. Eternity heralded a change in direction for Anathema in 1996 and ultimately led them to the stratospheric height of We're Here Because We're Here in 2010, a record of loss-filled … Read more

Black Breath

Sentenced To Life
Southern Lord (2012)

Black Breath came out of the depths of the Seattle hardcore scene about 6 years ago and released a sole demo before getting the eyes and ears of the infamous Southern Lord. Since then they have managed to make a name for themselves playing a well thought out mix of hardcore and classic metal (in this case meaning Motorhead and … Read more

Multiple Authors

Meshuggah

Koloss
Nuclear Blast (2012)

Meshuggah is one of those bands I have an unnatural reverence for. Ever since I first heard Nothing, I've been in perpetual awe of their musical virtuosity and incredible technicality. Needless to say, when I heard they had a new album out, I emerged from my room, boldly risking such dangers as human interaction and contact with direct sunlight to … Read more

Pick Your Side

Let Me Show You How Democracy Works
A389 (2012)

Pick Your Side came out last year seemingly out of nowhere. The band was merely touted by many as the return of Beckman. The man best known as the throat that drove the infamous Haymaker. While this alone doesn't make the band It still is basically a who's who of the Toronto area metal and hardcore scenes. So when their … Read more

The Mars Volta

Noctourniquet
Warner Bros. (2012)

There are few bands as polarizing as The Mars Volta. And while I've found both good and bad in the band's discography, their recent release Noctourniquet unfortunately lies firmly on the weak end of the spectrum.The big issue? The songwriting is absolute aimless tripe. "Empty Vessels Make the Loudest Sound" just kind of plods along without really accomplishing anything, especially … Read more

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