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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)

Old Accusers

Of And Beyond
Independent (2011)

Technical prowess and hardcore usually do not go hand in hand. It seems that many bands in the genre succumb to the generic characteristics of heavy music, both musically and lyrically. However, on rare occasions there are bands that come along and throw out all modern convention and really think outside of the mosh pit. Sharon, Pennsylvania’s Old Accusers is one of these bands that turns the hardcore scene on its head. From the first few seconds of the band’s debut EP, Of And Beyond, you know that this band is not fooling around. “The Wait” starts off as heavy as you can imagine, throwing a doom metal riff and almost beatdown-worthy palm muting over slamming and relentless drum patterns. This isn’t ordinary for the band, and their main influences of Coalesce, Botch, and The Jesus Lizard shine through on many other parts of the song. The use of choppy time signatures and intricate and dark guitar work really helps “The Wait” set the stage for the six-song album. The second track, “Green As Ever”, starts out very spacy and effects-driven. With the bass leading the charge, the guitars and drums accompany enough to maintain the dark tone. The song … Read more

Underground Railroad To Candyland

Knows Your Sins
Recess (2011)

Considering that Underground Railroad to Candyland was formed, in large part, to be a party band, and combining that with … Read more

Criaturas

Aranas en el Corazon
Lengua Armada Discos (2011)

Austin, TX—wich recently shed its longstanding slogan “The Live Music Capital of the World” in favor of the less desirable … Read more

The Dead Milkmen

The King In Yellow
Independent (2011)

Who would have thought that after 16 years The Dead Milkmen would release a new album? The band went their … Read more

Victims

A Dissident
Deathwish Inc. (2011)

You know how after your favorite bands have been around for a while they eventually make that back-to-our-roots kind of … Read more

Lucinda Williams

Blessed
Lost Highway (2011)

Over twenty-two years and ten studio albums Lucinda Williams has made a name for herself. She has a number of … Read more

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One from the archives

Bloody Hammers

Lovely Sort of Death
Napalm (2016)

Bloody Hammers hail from North Carolina and specialize in doom. The band was founded by Anders Manga, who remains the main songwriter and performer - recruiting others only for tours. Manga's partner-in-dirge is keyboardist, Devalia and while she has been with Manga since the beginning, it would seem she is poised to assume a larger role with the band's music.Providing atmospheric accompaniment in the past, Devalia's keyboards are in the forefront of almost every song on the album. While it helps to flesh out the more sparsely arranged tunes like "Shadows Out Of Time", they can come across a bit superfluous on the denser arrangements.This is Bloody Hammers 4th album and I'm gonna be honest with you - it's really about time more people took notice, because there's some great … Read more

More album reviews

Rival Schools

Pedals
Photo Finish (2011)

Have you ever been so excited to hear that a record is coming out after a long wait only to have it delayed longer to the point of it actually kind of sneaking out below your musical radar so to speak? Even in this modern internet age, this scenario still occurs; and honestly it drives me nuts trying to pay … Read more

Mamiffer

Mare Descendrii
Conspiracy (2011)

Every once in a while, after listening to literally hundreds of records, that one record will come along where, when you put it on the stereo, everything seems to melt around you and all that there is that is important at that moment is that record; I can count on one hand just how many times this has happened to … Read more

Thursday

No Devolución
Epitaph (2011)

It’s comforting when a band can successfully progress. Some stay stagnant—resulting in some stale and boring music. Thursday’s a band that has been progressing since they started writing Full Collapse. Slowly, they’ve been redefining what Thursday should sound like. With their sixth studio album, No Devolución, not only has the band’s songwriting gotten even better, but they’ve taken their biggest … Read more

Cobra Skulls

Bringing The War Home
Fat Wreck Chords (2011)

The Cobra Skulls are certainly not new to the punk scene. The band has made a name for themselves in the post Against Me! style of punk rock. While not nearly as folksy as that description would offer there are certain similarities. The politics are there as well as the slightly gruff vocals. Where they differ is where Cobra Skulls … Read more

Foo Fighters

Wasting Light
RCA (2011)

Dave Grohl is a man of the people. For the last 16 years he's been one of the most endearing figures in hard music. Terminally cool, brutally honest and adept at the seemingly impossible – being able to walk that most tenuous of lines between artist and everyman. No one ever has or ever will accuse/congratulate the man for reinventing … Read more

Bright Eyes

The People's Key
Saddle Creek (2011)

When word broke out that Bright Eyes would be writing one final album before retiring the moniker—expectations were set pretty high. Since then, the band has retracted that statement. However, if The People’s Key ends up being the last we hear of Bright Eyes, then they conclude the story with a highly refined final chapter.The album opens with the first … Read more

Seven Sisters Of Sleep

Self Titled
A389 (2011)

Have you ever heard the expression, “where were you when…” relating to certain events in history, or have you heard people say, “I remember where I was when Kennedy was assassinated” or “I remember where I was when the space shuttle Challenger exploded?” Well, not that it is anywhere near as historically significant (at least for the United States), I … Read more

True Widow

As High As The Highest Heavens And From The Center To The Circumference Of The Earth
Kemado (2011)

True Widow are one of the many bands that gets lumped into the burgeoning new school of shoegaze. While shoegaze bands of the past played their own style and created something different many newer bands are acting as though having an array of pedals and knowing Loveless front to back warrants having a band. The good news is Dallas, Texas' … Read more

The Great Whiskey Rebellion

The Whiskey Trail
Independent (2011)

When I first caught The Great Whiskey Rebellion live, I was immediately drawn to the amazing energy they bring to their live show. Bringing a Celtic and Americana fusion to the table this band can be counted on to bring a good time with them as well. The EP On The Whiskey Trail is an eight-song blend of both genres … Read more

Ruined Families

Four Wall Freedom
Independent (2010)

Ruined Families are another band entering the hardcore sweepstakes. The band hailing from Greece carries the torch that Cursed carried. Meaning you're in for heavy nasty sounding hardcore with metal influence. The band stay fast and gritty throughout the album leaving little doubt that they are beyond pissed. Much like the aforementioned Cursed the lyrics stay on a more personal … Read more

Korperschwache

Evil Walks
Crucial Blast (2011)

Korperschwache may seem like a new band. In many ways this is true. This being their first widely available album after years of putting out limited run cds. This band hails from Texas and there is very little to connect their sound with any worldly surroundings. The band play a mix of heavy industrial, black metal and sludge to create … Read more

Bad Mask

Strange Phrases
Independent (2011)

Bad Mask are a fairly new band hailing from New Jersey. The band deals in semi technical Metal. While not being as technical as some bands they tend to carry the torch of early Dillinger Escape Plan. Meaning that they go through more than a few time changes within their songs. There is a heavy focus on dissonant riffing and … Read more

Me First and the Gimme Gimmes

Go Down Under
Fat Wreck Chords (2011)

Well they’re back with a vengeance, the punk supergroup coverband known as Me First and the Gimme Gimmes with the release of their eighth album the Australian tinged EP entitled – Go Down Under. For a band that started out as a side project for fun these guys have worked up a great formula. Take the cheesy pop songs and … Read more

The Pauses

A Cautionary Tale
New Grenada (2011)

Remember when you were a little kid getting tucked into bed? Then someone would reach for a thin book with a shiny gold spine, and they would read you a bedtime story? Well, I don’t, but I certainly remember the books. It was my affinity for those books that drew me towards The Pause’s debut album, A Cautionary Tale, which … 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)