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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)

Defeater

Lost Ground
Bridge Nine (2009)

This is the latest EP from Massachusetts' Defeater, who had a little bit of notoriety by being a band that liked to travel in a van fueled by vegetable oil. Defeater play emotionally ridden melodic hardcore in the vein that I like but never really go out of my way to hear. They remind me of an exciting version of Modern Life is War or Have Heart at their most heart wrenching. As mentioned in the review of their full-length, Travels, the drumming is exceptionally well done as it propels the songs. Also, like Travels, this is a concept record. Travels told the life story of someone, Lost Grounds I think is about a homeless veteran and the desperation that comes with being without a home. Defeater is always wearing their hearts on their sleeve, but always have it in the right place. If Defeater keeps going, they will be the next big hardcore band you will probably hate in a year. Read more

200 Words Or Less

Crooked Ways

Crimes of Passion
Last Anthem (2009)

I have an unhealthy obsession with melodic hardcore bands and it's sad that when the term comes up in conversation … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Burning Empires

Burning Empires
Fuck City (2009)

I was admittedly pretty psyched about this as it marks Andy Hurley's (Fall Out Boy) return to hardcore. Unfortunately this … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Beartrap

Fueled by Self-Hate
Double or Nothing (2009)

This release blazes through the listener at a ridiculously fast clip. Eight tracks of fast punk styled thrash madness. The … Read more

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Backtrack

Deal With the Devil
6131 (2009)

This EP is fairly similar to another recent 6131 release from Bad Seed. This isn't a bad thing. This is … Read more

200 Words Or Less

As We Let Go

Above the Clouds
Six Feet Under (2009)

This EP makes sense to be released by Six Feet Under and hence a member of Blacklisted. This is essentially … Read more

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One from the archives

Thee Oh Sees

The Master's Bedroom is Worth Spending a Night In
Tomlab/Cast-Face (2008)

Stumbling upon this band after reading an intriguing interview (albeit several years after it was initially published), I popped The Master's Bedroom is Worth Spending a Night In from Thee Oh Sees in my stereo expecting some acoustic lo-fi recordings. Instead, what I heard was a hundred times better as the "Block of Ice" exuberantly bounced out of the stereo speakers. The groove that Thee Oh Sees drop on this song is absolutely great, and the energy is completely infectious to the point where whenever I play the record, I cannot help but listen to the song repeatedly. This song is rock perfection incarnate as so few modern songs come close; swagger abounds as the dual male and female vocals bellow sass and attitude over the music. This introduction obviously … Read more

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Bracewar

Whatever it Takes
The White Glove Group (2009)

I believe these four songs were released as a sampler for Bracewar's upcoming full-length. I could be wrong though. These demo tracks were released as a 7" at United Blood and hear it is playing through my speakers. Bracewar plays stompy angry hardcore with snarled vocals. There really isn't much to Bracewar's attack but it still hits in all the … Read more

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The Bonus Army

Negative Outlooks
Arrest (2009)

Well what do we have here? Ten songs on one 7", plus a cartoon image of a zombie getting their head lopped off by an axe. Yup, it's hardcore and the nastier side of it. Negative Outlooks reminds me of Think I Care with its heavy yet punishing fast hardcore with gruff shouted venom spewed vocals. Negative Outlooks is the … Read more

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Black Breath

Razor to Oblivion
Southern Lord (2009)

Holy Moses! Do you need a new recipe for a Molotov Cocktail of ROCK?! Mix one part Motörhead with two parts dirty, smelliest hardcore this side of Poison Idea. Shake vigorously. Then release it onto the headbanging masses. I am usually not into metal but when it is played with such vigor and with such a balls out attitude even … Read more

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Bane

Dublin 11:58 PM
Hurry Up! (2009)

Bane are currently not on Equal Vision Records so they decided to release a crop of 7"s on different labels throughout the world, each one with a different photo. The title comes from when the photo was taken. It is a cool undertaking if you ask me. Not like you would ask me. Anyhow, we have the Dublin 11:58 PM … Read more

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Bad Seed

Bad Seed
6131 (2009)

Members of Title Fight do a hardcore band, neat. The four songs on this platter remind me of early Merauder crossed with Cold World for a knockdown drag out testosterone fueled mosh fest. The songs themselves aren't bad as who ever writes the riffs is either brilliant or just knows what songs to rip off. If you enjoy NYHC played … Read more

Pelican

What We All Come to Need
Southern Lord (2009)

Pelican's new record What We All Come to Need is a gorgeous journey through sludge rock with some moments of beautiful calm. But does it hold your attention enough to be a repeated listen? I got into Pelican when I purchased 2005's The Fire in Our Throats Will Beckon the Thaw. Overall it was a great album, but few songs … Read more

Jodis

Secret House
Hydra Head (2009)

Jodis is finally making its way onto stereos after a bit of a wait since the group announced its existence. Jodis is a three piece outfit consisting of James Plotkin (Khanate, Khlyst, Atomsmasher, The Lotus Eaters, House of Low Culture), his former compatriot in Khanate Tim Wyskida, and Aaron Turner (Isis, Old Man Gloom, House of Low Culture, The Lotus … Read more

Pyramids with Nadja

Pyramids with Nadja
Hydra Head (2009)

How does a group of people who make a decent first album top that album (or theoretically top that album anyway)? Pyramids must have similar thoughts regarding sophomore records considering that their debut sparked much conversation and brought them a decent amount of attention. And when the time came for them to follow up their own record, they brought in … Read more

The Low Anthem

Oh My God, Charlie Darwin
Nonesuch (2009)

There where a few things that caught me about this between the record itself and the press release given to me with it. First, this release makes a great issue for continuing to buy records - the CD itself is packaged in a silkscreened cover that looks exactly like a gatefold LP cover. It definitely helps to convey the folky … Read more

Rot in Hell

Hallways of the Always
A389/Grot (2009)

If you're not familiar with Rot in Hell, then this collection of recordings is a great place to start. Hallways of the Always compiles all the recordings the U.K. hardcore band has in one package. This compilation includes their demo 7", split 7" recordings with Brain Dead, Hordes, and The Process, as well as additional tracks not found anywhere else. … Read more

The Guilt Show

Before They Know We're All Dead
Refoundation (2009)

Now this is more like it. After the slow burn of the opening track "Raise My Flag," The Guilt Show go for the throat with a violent thrashing attack of blitzkrieg type hardcore that reminds me of a cross between The Suicide File and Striking Distance. How awesome is that? Well yeah, it is awesome. The Guilt Show, like their … Read more

Hallowed Butchery

Funeral Rites for the Living
Vendetta (2009)

Funeral Rites for the Living kicks off in just the right way, as "Wake for the Human Race" opens with this absolutely guttural voice until the grand entrance of the rest of the music; admittedly, I had no idea what to expect of this album by Hallowed Butchery because of a complete lack of hearing of this solo outfit of … Read more

Myles Deck and the Fuzz

Police Cops
From Here To There (2008)

I guess Myles Deck and the Fuzz deliver what they promise on Police Cops. With a name referencing fuzz and a title copped from The Simpsons, the band offers three anti-police songs that I can throw on top of the landfill-size pile of similar-themed songs in my library. The lyrics are juvenile and anthemic, which I also probably should have … Read more

Jesu

Opiate Sun
Calo Verde (2009)

Now, here we are. Opiate Sun is yet another EP by Jesu, which seems to be a recurring theme lately with this outfit of Justin Broadrick's (in addition of course to oft times contributors Diarmud Dalton and now Phil Petrocelli). A pre-release teaser song, "Deflated" (with its awfully catchy gloom), was offered to the sometimes insatiable and growing Jesu fan … Read more

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