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)

The Reds

Fugitives from the Laughing House
Tarock (2008)

Fugitives from the Laughing House comes twenty years after The Reds released their first single. Despite such a history, the band is not a household name and, with Fugitives from the Laughing House being only the band's second full-length since 1984 (sixth total) it's not that they've been overly prolific. While I am unfamiliar with most of the band's releases, they are a two-piece ensemble on their latest. Early The Reds played an electronic-fused punk precursor to New Age and somewhat similar to early The Cure. As the years have progressed, the band has mellowed a bit. The poppiness of their first record has been replaced with a grim 60s-influenced rock with electronic flourishes, mostly in the form of keyboard-enhanced beats, such as in the rastafied "Ringing the Bell" and the dub-influenced "Gunn's Suicide." The flourishes are mostly boring and repetitive, reminiscent of lesser The Clash reggae songs. I have trouble getting into this, as it sounds like a pretty plaincut garage band for the most part. There are a lot of rhythmic hooks and repetitive choruses, but it all sounds rather run-of-the-mill and forgettable. Even the closer drags on with a repetition of the title track over and over … Read more

The Night Marchers

Scene Report
Swami (2008)

So I finally get to see the new band that has been consistently pumping through my stereo, MP3 player, computer, … Read more

U.S. Christmas

Eat the Low Dogs
Neurot (2008)

Eat the Low Dogs is a beautifully dark and medicating record that fewer ears will hear than it deserves. It … Read more

Daturah

Reverie
Graveface (2008)

Hailing from Germany, the "post-rock" sounding Daturah offer Reverie, as their first full-length (following a self-titled EP which they self-released … Read more

Fallen from the Sky

Tonight We Radiate
Eulogy (2008)

Florida's Fallen from the Sky have been on the upward trend since releasing their debut EP, Tune Out the World, … Read more

Stove Bredsky

The Black Ribbon Award
Hydra Head (2008)

No, that is indeed the correct name for this latest album by one, Stephen Brodsky (Cave In, Pet Genius, Kid … Read more

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One from the archives

Slowdive

Slowdive
Dead Oceans (2017)

Why do bands or musical partners decide to reconvene to see if the magic can still be conjured? There a slew of bands that have reunited for various reasons (cash grabs, nostalgia trips, etc) over the last five to ten years that range from exciting to shaking one’s head as to why reunions take place, and then, every once in a while, there is that collective of individuals that feels that they have some unfinished business that was left when the initial split occurred; and Slowdive always struck me as one of the latter that split for some unanswered reason where it seemed that their music was still vital when they hung up the guitars and synths, and for me, there was a genuine wonder if they would produce something … Read more

More album reviews

The Endless Blockade

Primitive
20 Buck Spin (2008)

I don't know how much of it has to do with the fluctuation of my own tastes, but I have found A LOT of really good power violence records this year - either ones that have come out recently or that I missed the boat on slightly. And at the top of that pile is The Endless Blockade. From Toronto, … Read more

Batoche

Terra Incognita
Independent (2007)

Batoche is a fast-paced, self-proclaimed DIY hardcore/metal band from Vancouver, Canada. They have released three records independently (and changed their name) all before releasing their most recent, Terra Incognita. They boast that "new elements of chaos, atmosphere, flow and power" are found in their music, which is accompanied by insightful lyrical thought. Terra Incognita, the Latin term for "unknown land," … Read more

Indian Summer

Science 1994 (Reissue)
Future (2008)

Following up the recent release of their live "discography", Hidden Arithmetic, Indian Summer is re-releasing their "studio" discography to make available just about everything that this outfit put to tape and thankfully so since their original versions can be known to fetch decent sums of money on the collector's market. This band is a much lauded and revered group by … Read more

Lords of the North

Lords of the North
Radio Optik (2008)

Ah, the sludge. The slow and heavy beats that make you want to grow out your hair just to make head-banging that much better. One of most recent additions that can fall under this category is Seattle's Lords of the North. Dripping in epic imagery and determined to bring blues sensibilities to a metal sound, Lords of the North catches … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Inhuman

Last Rites
I Scream (2007)

Inhuman have been around since the dawn of time. Well okay, fifteen years. They are always pegged as "The Most Underrated Band in NYHC". Quite a feat considering the number of bands that hail from the five boroughs that have been around for a decade and never got their comeuppances. I honestly haven't heard much from Inhuman besides a couple … Read more

200 Words Or Less

History

Ghosts in the City
24-Hour Service Station (2007)

I hate being lied too. I remember wanting this CD for review because the one-sheet was all about this Orlando, Florida band being a "Dischord-Style" punk band. Well I can tell you right now that they don't sound anything like Minor Threat. They do however try and co-opt a very vague 90's Dischords sound. If I really stretch my listening … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Ocrilim

ANNWN
Hydra Head (2008)

Metal is constantly making relatives with classical and orchestra. Sometimes though, you have to remember why they are separate. Mick Barr is a very gifted individual; Wikipedia calls him "an American avant-garde metal guitarist." Though I would say his ability to shred with a relentless speed make him more than just that. He is more notably the second half of … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Ability

Expired
Fineprint (2008)

Ability is a five-piece hardcore band from the Northern outskirts of Los Angeles. Expired is their debut effort and the 7" features five cuts of solid mid-tempo hardcore. Musically the band mixes together the guitar tones of Bad Brains with the thick rhythm sounds of Burn. "Work of Ages" is a good example of what the band has to offering. … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Police & Thieves

Amor Y Guerra
Youngblood (2008)

It must have been two or three years ago now that I received Police & Thieves demo in the mail. I think it came with record I ordered from Youngblood actually; I can't remember. Anyway, that demo was pretty darn good; I was actually more impressed with it than the members' previous outings - Worn Thin, among others. Well the … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Coptic Times

Temptation
Youngblood (2008)

Coptic Times is the latest output from the Texas hardcore scene, but after repeated listens to Temptation that might be one of the last places you'd think they were from. Featuring members of Iron Age and Drop Out, Coptic Times doesn't really fit in with their Texan peers. Rather, the sounds of these fives tracks would be better suited to … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Pitfall

Another Day at the Zoo
Neutral Territory (2008)

Massachusetts is always churning out quality hardcore and Pitfall is no exception. Another Day at the Zoo is the band's first official release following a promising demo. The band delivers punishing and relentless hardcore that draws similarities to Outbreak and Think I Care. The band sums things up best on the track "Edge of the World" with the lines, "These … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Counting the Days / Hollywood

Split
State of Mind (2008)

Counting the Days is back with two new tracks following an LP release in 2006. These songs are very much in line with their previous ventures. They mix melodic hardcore of Champion and Reach the Sky with the faster style of American Nightmare. "Tonight" is the better of the two tracks. The songs should provide a holdover until the band's … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Braindead / Blackbirds

Split
Burn Bridges (2007)

The split effort from Burn Bridges teams up two underrated bands that definitely deserve more attention. Pennsylvania's Braindead and Michigan's Blackbirds each deliver original songs as well as covering classic The Stooges songs. Braindead offers up three originals of melodic hardcore that draw influence from the likes of Turning Point and Kid Dynamite. In between the two "songs" is an … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Pressure

Beasts
Burn Bridges/High Fidelity (2006)

So we normally stick to reviewing albums that have been released within the last six months, but sometimes we make exceptions. I don't know why we didn't cover Pressure's Beasts already, but we haven't. So I apologize. This LA outfit pretty much destroys all on this six-song 7". Over the course of the record the band unleashes an off kilter … Read more

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