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Alexisonfire

Old Crows/Young Cardinals
Vagrant (2009)

I've always considered Alexisonfire one of the "better bands" in the whole "post-hardcore" scene or whatever you want to call it. However, their last album, Crisis received a lot of mixed reactions among fans with a lot of them believing that the band had lost their fire and were aiming for a more "commercial appealing" album. While that may be … Read more

Wrnlrd

Oneiromantical War
FSS (2008)

Wrnlrd drops a dense black metal album on listeners with this limited LP and digital album, Oneiromantical War - which I believe is the sixth album from the outfit. Now, in my growing education in black metal, this is my introduction to Wrnlrd, and it certainly provides me intrigue as the record mastering is the work of Bob Weston of … Read more

Paint It Black

Amnesia
Bridge Nine (2009)

I hate to be that guy, but I got to admit that it's getting more and more difficult to find an impressive hardcore album these days. I'm not talking about that record you listen to several times, really rock out to during the first week, rag on your friends for having never heard of it, and then retire it to … Read more

Geisha

Die Verbrechen der Liebe
Crucial Blast (2008)

What a weird mix (sound wise this is really thin sounding without much bottom end) for the opening track to a record because I really was hoping to be immediately crushed by Geisha's Die Verbrechen der Liebe, and instead, "Prelude to Amber Pays the Rent" is a bit of thin riffage being pushed through a thick haze of white noise, … Read more

Anti-Flag

The People or The Gun
Side One Dummy (2009)

It takes a lot for me to completely lose faith in some of my favorite bands, and I came pretty close to completely giving up on Anti-Flag after the disaster that was The Bright Lights of America. My faith was then restored a bit after hearing that they left RCA Records and joined the ever growing roster at Side One … Read more

Foundation

Chimborazo
Paper + Plastick (2009)

I like to refer to Foundation's self-titled record as campfire punk. It takes basic punk songs (often from the Ann Beretta catalog) and strips them down to the acoustic basics. In the process, Rob Huddleston doesn't run them through the genre-grinder and spit out new alt-country or folk versions of old songs so much as he creates Ann Beretta Unplugged … Read more

Pulling Teeth

Paranoid Delusions | Paradise Illusions
Deathwish Inc. (2009)

Pulling Teeth continues to be an extremely active and productive group - touring the world and releasing three full-lengths and several singles since their inception. Paranoid Delusions | Paradise Illusions marks the band's third full-length effort, though I use that term loosely as the length of this recording is a bit on the short end for a "long player" (though … Read more

Chickenfoot

Chickenfoot
earMUSIC (2009)

The reviewer of the following album would like to invite his readers to participate in the following drinking game: grab a shot glass, grab a bottle of whatever alcoholic beverage you wish to imbibe (for those in AA or under 21 years of age, feel free to use whatever is handy - remember, thumb off the carb) and take a … Read more

Coliseum

True Quiet / Last Wave
Deathwish Inc. (2009)

Yes, a new Coliseum record! Although they are not as prolific as they used to be, Coliseum continues to give listeners new music at least semi regularly. And even though we are still quite a ways away from hearing a new full-length from this touring machine, they still drop this single in an attempt to tide us all over. Although … Read more

The Mongoloids

Assorted Music
Eulogy (2009)

My review of the Mongoloids last full-length, Time Trials, was probably one of the worst reviews I have ever written. I had the vinyl version of the album and for some reason my record player wasn't working and everything sounded sloppy and off time. Don't ever buy record players from Target. Anyhow, I found a copy of Time Trials on … Read more

Transit

Stay Home
Run for Cover (2009)

Just as a clock comes full circle, so does the music world. Every couple of years the music cycle rotates back around from a previous time as it highlights a specific style, sound, or message of influence. Transit is part of the new wave of melodic punk bands that draw heavily from the 90's emo scene. Imagine tidbits pulled from … Read more

Empty Promise

Start from the Ground
Independent (2009)

Austria, the home of some of my ancestors and one of my favorite finds of the year, Empty Promise. This four-piece melodic punk band definitely took me by surprise and are sure to do the same to more listeners. Already having an impressive demo EP on their resume, Empty Promise continue to come out strong with their debut album, Start … Read more

Coalesce

Ox
Relapse (2009)

As much as I may or may not be completely objective when attempting record reviews, I must admit that this is probably not capable of happening when it comes to Coalesce's new album, Ox. Quite literally ten years in the making, Ox is the band's first new album since 0:12: Revolution in Just Listening and the subject of much anxiety … Read more

Multiple Authors

Rancid

Let the Dominoes Fall
Hellcat (2009)

I could write a thousand words on Rancid here if I wanted. I spent the better part of the 90's defending them amongst the punx, though my enthusiasm for the band has waned markedly as the current decade has passed. It's been a few years since their last release: Tim Armstrong's divorce is history, The Transplants experiment is over, and … Read more

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