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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

Rise and Fall

Faith
Deathwish Inc. (2012)

Rise And fall are a hardcore band from Belgium formed in 2002 out of the ashes of bands The Deal and Kingpin. One of the more successful European hardcore bands, Rise And Fall have been consistently putting out albums since their conception. Faith is their 4th full-length album.Right off the bat with this album, you are pelted with some of … Read more

L'Assassins

7 PM Go!!!
Big Action (2012)

Big Action Records’ latest release, 7pm Go!!! from L’Assassins is definitely in line with their recent catalog. Instead of throwback garage, however, L’Assassins have a surf-rockabilly sound that’s takes inspiration from the original genre instead of the bastardized psychobilly that rules punksubgenreland today. This sounds like the kind of record your parents (or, for you younglings out there, your grandparents) … Read more

The Sidekicks

Awkward Breeds
Red Scare Industries (2012)

Cleveland, Ohio's The Sidekicks have always had it in them to make a record like this. It’s their most polished, mature, and best to date. There is not one bad track out of the eleven here. It’s musicality at its most honest.Taking the influences from past acts like The Replacements and Elvis Costello, The Sidekicks created 2009’s Weight of Air … Read more

Video/DVD Review

Iggy & The Stooges

Raw Power: Live In The Hands Of The Fans
MVD Visual (2011)

I am a monster Stooges fan, particularly from the Raw Power era on to their incendiary demise (not a long time period in any case, I know), and was immensely elated to hear that the reformed Stooges mark II lineup was playing in my back yard. I purchased tickets with quickness and spent several months chewing on my arm and … Read more

Pink Floyd

The Wall (Experience Edition)
Capitol (2012)

The last of the three major Pink Floyd albums to be expanded and reissued is their 1979 double-album opus The Wall. If you haven't heard of this album already, then...well, you're probably lying. I'm willing to bet that, when I type "WE DON'T NEED NO EDUCATION", literally all of you now have "Another Brick in the Wall, Pt. 2" stuck … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Shambles

Self Titled
Independent (2012)

Shambles is a pop-punk band from Boston, with a love for melody, circle pits and post ironic song titles. On the surface, they seem to be a fairly generic pop-punk band and I won’t completely dismiss that but there’s a lot of great aspects to this self-released EP. The best thing about this album is the honestly that really comes … Read more

The Love Below

Every Tongue Shall Caress
A389 (2012)

California's The Love Below seemed to sadly fly under the radar upon the release of their last EP. Said EP "Reproductive Rights" played a speedy yet heavy style of hardcore the record benefited from grungey production and equally grimy lyrics. This trend continued on their split with Homewrecker last year managing to add slight touches of sludge to further accentuate … Read more

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