Recent reviews

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)

Barren Earth

The Curse Of The Red River
Peaceville (2010)

Barren Earth is like an ex-members of who's who. Sporting members from Swallow The Sun, Amorphis, and Moonsorrow among others. The band is veritable Swedish metal powerhouse. The band makes the most of the sum of their parts. Cultivating parts of melancholic metal of Swallow The Sun and the metal with Swedish folk touches of Amorphis. They songs have a folky feel while still being metal first and foremost. That is not to say they're making metal for the Korpiklaani crowd. This is most certainly a melodic metal album with strong ties to their Swedish heritage. The vocals are what really feel special in this. Being that Swallow The Sun may be one of the best depressive metal bands of the last decade it is of little surprise that Mikko Kotamäki shines. The vocals alternate from demonic grunts to calm yet soaring melodic vocal turns. This is all done with a strong sense for what will make the song flow. The melodic parts add a strong sense of drama to each song floating above the mix enough to create a spotlight rather than just be a part of the song. The guitar part are very well written as they make … Read more

Trent Fox & The Tenants

Mess Around
Kind Turkey (2011)

There’s a garage-pop movement afoot in Wisconsin and Trent Fox & the Tenants are just one of the torchbearers. Their … Read more

Hellmouth

Gravestone Skylines
Paper + Plastick (2010)

Much can be said on the history of Hellmouth. The band led by former Suicide Machines vocalist Jay Navarro and … Read more

Old Man Markley

Guts N' Teeth
Fat Wreck Chords (2011)

Fat hasn’t been releasing many new bands lately. Thus, when they do expand the roster for a debut, it draws … Read more

Captain, We're Sinking

...With Joe Riley
Evil Weevil (2011)

Captain, We're Sinking don't reinvent the wheel with their new 7" release. They aren't pushing any boundaries. Hell, they essentially … Read more

Hank & Cupcakes

Self Titled EP
Independent (2011)

It’s time to loosen up because Hank & Cupcakes are looking to get you out of your chair and out … Read more

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One from the archives

Big City Rock

Big City Rock
Atlantic (2006)

As the saying goes, honesty is the best policy. Honestly, if Big City Rock continues to produce albums like their self-titled debut, they better stick to their day jobs. Lead vocalist Nate Bott must have been a Bon Jovi fan because he sounds like his reincarnate, adding a dramatic "uh" to the end of every line with a low, raspy voice that screams, "I'm full of myself." Sadly, Bott has nothing to be cocky about. The album bulges at the seams with sappy, mediocre love songs. The second track on the album, "All of the Above," highlights this. Bott uses the chorus to show his lyric-writing skills as he bellows, "All of the above, I'm falling in love." Good job, did you write that all by yourself? As for the … Read more

More album reviews

Less Than Jake

Hello Rockview (Reissue)
Sleep It Off (2011)

It has been nearly 13 years since Hello Rockview was first released, and the album still holds up. Like with the first couple of re-releases, Sleep It Off have redesigned the original cover and coupled the original album with a live recording of it in its entirety.There isn’t much left to be said about the studio recording of the album … Read more

PJ Harvey

Let England Shake
Vagrant/Island (2011)

I got into a discussion with someone recently over the validity of this latest release from Polly Jean Harvey. They seemed almost offended that PJ would use the overall theme of war in writing her new release as if it were some sort of parlor trick to try and make “important music”. I argued that Roger Waters has built an … Read more

Sims

Bad Time Zoo
Doomtree (2011)

Six years is a long time between a freshman and sophomore release. Granted, that length isn’t entirely accurate—Sims has been involved in a number of Doomtree records, from the False Hopes mixtape series to appearances on various crew records. Still, he has been patient as Doomtree has released solo records for nearly everyone else in the collective since 2005’s Lights … Read more

Deadlock

Bizarro World
Lifeforce (2011)

Deadlock has been around the block awhile as a band. Gone through member shifts as well as shifts in sound and "artistic vision". The band caught alot of flack with their last album, putting more focus of melodic parts and techno breakdowns than the metalcore they were previously known for. Thus comes from gaining a female singer with a decent … Read more

Jesu

Heartache & Dethroned
Hydra Head (2010)

Do you ever remember when you first purchased a record by a band or individual (does not have to be their first record by any means) that turned out to be a huge door opening into their music (whether that even be bad or good is probably up for debate)? Well, this is the case for me with several different … Read more

Omnium Gatherum

New World Shadows
Lifeforce (2011)

As I listen to New World Shadows, the latest opus from Finland's Omnium Gatherum, I am awash in triumphant and majestic riffs that are far prettier than anything that a sub-genre of death metal should ever produce. But therein lies the rub. The reason I stay up at nights listening to New World Shadows followed by Scream Bloody Gore. These … Read more

Crowbar

Sever The Wicked Hand
E1 (2011)

What can be said about Crowbar that hasn't already been said? Easily one of the heaviest band's in modern metal the Louisiana band has persevered for two decades. While most bands would go through various phases or at least get more mellow through the years Crowbar remains a sludgy standard bearer. The metal press has talked much about leader Kirk … Read more

Broken Gold

Recovery Journal
Volcom (2011)

When a band names their record Recovery Journal it should come as no surprise that the dominant impression is one of earnestness. Broken Gold is the Riverboat Gamblers’ guitarist Ian MacDougall’s project, drawing from varied personal experiences with recurring themes of alienation, heartbreak, and addiction—some drawn from his experiences after his bicycle was hit by a car in October 2009, … Read more

Austerity

Self Titled LP
Deathsmile (2010)

After some blind stroke of luck and the whims of fate, I picked this cassette tape up along with another because I saw it was available and had heard some whispers about the sheer magnificence of this release on the world wide interwebs (a few cryptic reviews and blubbering nonsense about its amazing-ness had me intrigued at least and now … Read more

The Last Felony

Too Many Humans
Lifeforce (2010)

This band is what one supposes would be the great Canadian deathcore hope. That is to say they follow in the footsteps, at least in theory, of Despised Icon. While I'd be the first to say that those are pretty big boots to fill in reality. So you know in basic terms what to expect, a little tech, heavy moshable … Read more

Bob Mould Band

Live At ATP 2008
Granary Music (2010)

A new live record finds the artist covering all phases of his storied career with whiplash intensity. Husker Du, Sugar and his solo career material are all represented. Mould brings his usual passion and emotion to the proceedings. But the band’s performance here is just as crucial. Richard Morel’s keyboards add depth but don’t overtake the mix. Jason Narducy adds … Read more

LEADTHEWAY

And In Vengeance We Strike
Not Shy Of The DIY (2011)

LEADTHEWAY has been around since 2002, but they broke up once in 2004. By 2009, they were back together and self-released their debut full length, And In Vengeance We Strike, through online music outlets. After nearly a decade since their incarnation, the band finally found a label to give their debut album a proper release. They open the record with, … Read more

Hotels

On The Casino Floor
Hidden Shoal (2011)

On The Casino Floor is the newest album from the Seattle-based band Hotels, this release is a seven-song concept album that tells the story of a secret agent and his attempts to save the world from an evil galactic prince. Overall the album has a more refined sound than “Where Hearts Go Broke” their previous release, gone are the Devo … Read more

As They Sleep

Dynasty
Solid State (2011)

This album starts with a quick drum blast jumping right into the sort of melodic death metal that was popular a couple years ago. Apparently As They Sleep is pretty consistent in their style. The band is part of the recent signings to Solid State Records and seems like a perfect fit. This is heavy spirit filled metal to put … Read more

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