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All the Saints

Fire on Corridor X
Touch & Go (2009)

Fire on Corridor X, the debut full-length from this Atlanta, GA three-piece swirls up their influences in a Bass-O-Matic and shotguns the remains. I hear some Ride, some Swervedriver, even a little Jesus and Mary Chain. "Sheffield" starts this one off with a bang, and the band just let the tides flow. "Hornett" builds up the tension with some cool … Read more

Buried Inside

Spoils of Future
Relapse (2009)

Twelve years into their existence, Buried Inside are just now releasing their fourth album, Spoils of Failure. The practice of allowing four years to go by between releases can be a dangerous one, possibly causing your ear for quality to decline or a perfectionism to conquer your logic. This has not been a problem for Buried Inside in the past, … Read more

Heavy Hearted

Overcast
Detonate (2008)

Disappointment once again rears it's ugly unexpected face at me. Heavy Hearted (who should not be confused with Wholehearted from Wisconsin, or Have Heart from Massachusetts, or even Heart from Washington) proudly announces that at one time or another someone played some sort of instrument in the Upstate New York hardcore stalwarts, Buried Alive. Once I read that bit of … Read more

Final Fight

Half Head, Full Shred
Gobias Industries/Panic (2009)

Final Fight finally return with their second full-length. After releasing the acclaimed Under Attack in 2005 the band signed to Deathwish Inc. with promises of new recordings. They soon released a split 7" with Life Long Tragedy but then the wait for the band's next studio effort seemed to last forever. After parting ways with the label, Final Fight finally … Read more

Helms Alee

Lionize/Truly
Hydra Head (2008)

Hot on the heels of their full-length, Night Terror, Helms Alee provide this two song slab of a record to those who might be infected with the weirdly catchy and infectious sounds of their music. This band plays music not completely dissimilar from that of guitarist and vocalist Ben Verellen's previous outfit, Harkonen; only, Helms Alee seems to wield quite … Read more

Lamb of God

Wrath
Sony (2009)

Virginia metalheads Lamb of God have been a very inconsistent band as of late. They struck gold six years ago with their sophomore effort, As the Palaces Burn but they seemed to have stumbled a bit with their past two records. Their latest offering, Wrath has been hyped by the band as a "rawer and real sounding" record and that … Read more

Wholehearted

Reclaim
Volatile (2008)

What do we have here? You mean there are actually some youths from that godforsaken cheese covered land of Favre that actually don't want to play 2002-era metalcore or "Yo Motherfucker" bro hardcore? This is almost worth a trip to Wisconsin to check these kids out. Luckily, Wholehearted live close enough to the Mississippi that play here in Minnesota almost … Read more

Ben Nichols

The Last Pale Light in the West
Rebel Group (2009)

The Last Pale Light in the West is the solo EP (or apparently what is being called a "mini-album" by the record label) by Lucero frontman Ben Nichols. The album is based on the novel "Blood Meridian" by Cormac McCarthy. For those of you who aren't familiar, that's the same man that wrote "No Country For Old Men." "Blood Meridian" … Read more

Child Bite

Fantastic Gusts of Blood
Suburban Sprawl (2008)

There are different kinds of eccentric bands - the parody and weird bands like Ween or Beck or They Might Be Giants, and there are the faster, heart attack drumming sort schooled by the likes of Mr. Bungle and methamphetamine. Detroit's Child Bite are somewhere in the middle ground of this movement. They play eclectic music, often at a fast … Read more

Memorial

The Creative Process/Berlin
Flight Plan (2008)

Some of you may recall a band by the name of Renee Heartfelt. They were a fairly short-lived group that released an EP and a full-length before abruptly disbanding a few years back; an unfortunate happening as their 2005 release Death of the Ghost was absolutely stunning. Well, vocalist Pete Appleby has returned with Memorial; so now we can feel … Read more

Tombs

Winter Hours
Relapse (2009)

Following their promising self-titled debut and their split with the European band Planks, Tombs drops Winter Hours (their debut for new label Relapse Records) onto an increasingly anticipatory public. Mike Hill (guitarist and vocalist) assembles a new lineup for this album, possibly out of necessity due to attrition or maybe just to possibly add different sounds to the band's palette. … Read more

Cursive

Mama, I'm Swollen
Saddle Creek (2009)

I first got the chance to interview Tim Kasher directly after the release of Cursive's Happy Hollow. A friend and I drove two and a half hours to Buffalo, NY and caught up with the band in the lobby of a Best Western Express not far from the venue. Their tour manager told us that they needed to soundcheck soon, … Read more

Try Me Bicycle

Voicings
Independent (2008)

Try Me Bicycle's Voicings is a dreamy and delicate offering, even when it tends towards the brooding and melancholy. Such a balance is difficult to strike - in less capable hands, the elements can threaten to weigh themselves down - but the Phoenix-based quartet unquestionably achieves it. Andrew Naylor (vocals/guitar) Jay Novak (bass), Jacob Koller (piano) and Laraine Kaizer (violin) … Read more

The Appleseed Cast

Sagarmatha
Vagrant (2009)

It's been almost three years since we were last graced with an album from The Appleseed Cast, 2006's much more straightforward Peregrine. This is the second album lacking original drummer Josh Baruth, being replaced by former The Casket Lottery member Nate Richardson. Anyone who had the privilege of seeing The Appleseed Cast live with Baruth on percussion understands the raw … Read more

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