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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)

Various Artists

Our Roots Our Pride
Still Life/Youth Crew (2008)

This is a piece of history, as the name of the album might suggest. Our Roots Our Pride: History of Italian Positive Hardcore and Straight Edge Movement 1989-1995 contains thirty-two songs by six different artists that were all prominent during Italy's straight edge hardcore movement from the early-to-mid 90's. All of these bands are a completely new introduction to me. The straight edge scene from over a decade ago had its beacons but most of the time they came from U.S. - here we have a collection of now defunct Italian straight edge hardcore bands to show what was thriving musically even in southern Europe. Italy's musical history is in no way insignificant though; back in the early 80's the country had some superb punk and hardcore bands but most of the attention was direct to either America or England. A lot of the Italian bands instead hold a dear place in the heart of every record collector geek from this era. However, Still Life and Youth Crew Records have done a good deed by putting this compilation out. There are still geeks like me out there that want obscure records with bands from other countries in their collections but … Read more

Aussitôt Mort

Montuenga
Level Plane (2008)

I've been waiting to hear Aussitôt Mort's first full-length since this spring. Montuenga's release kept getting pushed back, but at … Read more

Vessels

White Fields and Open Devices
Cuckundoo (2008)

Post-rock is a peculiar beast; it's seemingly very difficult to achieve a unique sound in the field, especially after the … Read more

Zozobra

Bird of Prey
Hydra Head (2008)

Originally planned as a whole other project of Caleb Scofield under the moniker Heatseeker, Bird of Prey is instead the … Read more

Aughra

Proof of Dark Matter | Light the Lights
Magic Bullet (2008)

Ambient music is (in the words of one Brian Eno who is usually credited with coining the term) music that … Read more

The Wayward

Overexposure
Magic Bullet (2008)

Overexposure should be listened to with a) an instrument in hand, b) a beer in hand/several beers in your stomach, … Read more

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One from the archives

Brainworms

II: Swear to Me
Rorschach (2009)

There is a caustic, angry, and somewhat aimless feel permeating Swear to Me that convinces me that Brainworms is a good name for the band. They remind me of a lot of 80s punk where the band does one dissonant thing while the singer goes off into his own world. Every so often the two different styles converge, bringing a powerful nexus as a result, but in the meantime what you hear is a meandering wall of anger. The record generally utilizes this approach in every song, but Brainworms keeps from redundancy with an instrumental track in the middle and "Whatever, That's How You Get Famous," in which singer Butler begins the song with a spoken word delivery that falls between Jello Biafra and Lee Raback of Warsawpack, continually speeding … Read more

More album reviews

Day Without Dawn

Understanding Consequences
Fallen Empire (2008)

I remember The Postman Syndrome; their lone full-length, Terraforming is a hidden gem chock full of references to the landmark Japanese anime Neon Genesis: Evangelion and intricate songs which contain equal parts fret board gymnastics and melody. Day Without Dawn is the product of that band minus one member and quite a bit of a challenge, which a band can … Read more

Bridge and Tunnel

East/West
No Idea (2008)

If there has ever been a band that you would expect to be on No Idea Records that doesn't feature any bands that were ever on the No Idea roster than it would be be Bridge and Tunnel. Honestly, this co-ed four-piece from New York City doesn't even sound like any band on No Idea besides some gruff vocals belted … Read more

The Measure [SA]

One Chapter in the Book: A Collection of Standard Waits and Measurements
Kiss of Death (2008)

New Brunswick, NJ seems to be bringing the rock lately. The Measure [SA] is one of the town's hard working bands with a slew of releases. One Chapter in the Book: A Collection of Standard Waits and Measurements compiles many of them in one place, with the album title being nearly as long as the record itself. What follows is … Read more

Suicide Note

Empty Rooms
Hawthorne Street (2008)

Some things just get better with age. Suicide Note is one of those things. As the band has progressed over the past ten years they are gradually refined their sound and improved their songwriting. With each new release came another step forward. And now with the release of their latest full-length, Empty Rooms, the band is nearly at the pinnacle … Read more

IAMX

Kiss + Swallow (Reissue)
Metropolis (2008)

When a press pack goes on and on about an artist's former band and all you can remember about them is a single that maybe cracked the Top 20 (but you're not sure), you know they're clutching at straws. So it is with Chris Corner, former member of Sneaker Pimps and the mind behind IAMX. Kiss + Swallow, his debut … Read more

Crime In Stereo

Selective Wreckage
Bridge Nine (2008)

If Selective Wreckage would have came out after the Troubled Stateside instead of ...is Dead no one would of batted an eye. Most of the songs on Selective Wreckage are more in the vein us Crime in Stereo fans were used before the band decided to take an unexpected turn into brand new (ha ha ha) territory of emotive pop … Read more

Shorebirds

It's Gonna Get Ugly
Rumbletowne (2008)

When you consider the potentially high profile of Shorebirds, it's surprising how quietly they operated. Singer/guitarist Matt Canino was in the much-loved Latterman and bassist Chris Bauermeister played in Jawbreaker. With all the hype this could have created, Shorebirds instead laid low, putting their records out on Canino and co-owned label and establishing almost no presence on the Internet. And … Read more

Banner Pilot

Resignation Day
Go Kart (2008)

With a pedigree including Rivethead and Off With Their Heads there are certain expectations behind Banner Pilot's debut full length. In addition to their resume, the band has received a number of rave reviews that boost these lofty expectations. Resignation Day largely proves the buzz correct. What Banner Pilot delivers is nothing groundbreaking: they play rough pop-punk much like their … Read more

Gods and Queens

Untitled
Robotic Empire (2008)

Following the untimely demise of Versoma, Gods and Queens springs forth from those ashes (Tombs is another band which formed in the wake of Versoma's death) to create another logical progression within a similar vein or style of musical sound. In fact, prior to Versoma forming, Gods and Queens had a short existence which resulted in a nascent version of … Read more

Overcast

Reborn to Kill Again
Metal Blade (2008)

I would say ninety percent of the fans of the current bands (Shadows Fall, Killswitch Engage, Seemless) that the members of Overcast are in weren't even out of diapers when these metalcore rippers were originally in action. While the members have seen significant success with their current musical endeavors, it is the time spent crammed into a van touring the … Read more

Crime Desire

Crime Desire
Life Is A Rape (2008)

The singer of Crime Desire is dead ringer for Rasaraja/Robert Fish of 108/Judas Factor fame. So I can't help to think that Crime Desire is either a Krishna band or some post hardcore unit from the Revelation catalog in the early part of this decade. I probably couldn't be more wrong. Musically Crime Desire reminds of those type of bands … Read more

Multiple Authors

Thursday / Envy

Split
Temporary Residence (2008)

Envy is having an extremely busy year in 2008: re-releasing much of their back catalog, the Abyssal EP, a split with Jesu, and now a split with Thursday (actually, between the two splits and the EP, Envy could very well have released a new full-length on their own). Thursday, on the other hand, is in the midst of a fairly … Read more

Multiple Authors

Thursday / Envy

Split
Temporary Residence (2008)

The pairing of a so-called emo band from New Jersey and a screamo/post-rock band from Japan may seem odd. But for those well versed in the recordings of both Thursday and Envy, this partnering of punk-minded individuals makes a lot of sense. Thursday begin the split with "As He Climbed the Dark Mountain." The sound set forth by the New … Read more

Grails

Doomsdayer's Holiday
Temporary Residence (2008)

Having only just been introduced to the wonder and at times awe inspiring music of the outfit known as Grails, I may be privy to not having my opinions of their records tainted yet by the "their first or early records were better" attitude. Thankfully so because their fifth album, Doomsdayer's Holiday, might just be the band's best record to … Read more

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