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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)

Hoor-paar-Kraat

In Eros Veritas
KNVBI (2008)

There is a fine line between noise and music. Notice that I didn't say art, because in all honesty, art is pretty much anything you want it to be. But music, well, music and noise and two totally different things. Case in point, Hoor-paar-Kraat. Hoor-paar-Kraat is the "brainchild" and "creation" of full-time painter recently turned musician Anthony Mangicapra. Prior to this LP, Mangicapra released a slew of extremely limited CD-R's we're talking quantities limited to as few as eight. I guess the people at KNVBI were fascinated enough with one of those to re-release it on vinyl. So what you have here on In Eros Veritas is a collection of noises that have been tweaked, looped, reverbed, and altered in God knows how many different ways and put to wax. There is no structure. There is no form. There are no instruments. Basically, it's noise. You remember that Mike Patton album where he just tweaked his voice with a four-track in hotel rooms while on tour? This makes that look like The White Album. Read more

Skin Like Iron

Amalgamation II
Free Cake (2008)

Amalgamation II compiles together the three self-released cassette recordings from Skin Like Iron. These recordings were originally released separate from … Read more

Good Riddance

Remain in Memory: The Last Show
Fat Wreck Chords (2008)

Good Riddance has always been just another one of those "Fat" bands that started in the early 90's and put … Read more

The Night Marchers

See You in Magic
Vagrant/Swami (2008)

So, John Reis is making his "return" to the indie music with his new outfit, The Night Marchers, following the … Read more

Cavity

Laid Insignificant (Reissue)
Hydra Head (2008)

Cavity is another one of those criminally underrated bands that toiled for years in obscurity while a select few found … Read more

Kurt Cobain: About a Son

DVD
Shout Factory (2008)

Documentaries in this day and age have become a dime a dozen. Gone are the days of documentaries as an … Read more

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One from the archives

Clouds

Legendary Demo
Hydra Head (2007)

It's quite an interesting experience to hear the whole of Cave In broken down into its different parts, in a manner of speaking that is. Since the band has gone on hiatus, the members of Cave In have continued their musical outfit through a variety of sources. Vocalist Stephen Brodsky has been continuing to release material under his solo name as well as The Octave Museum. Earlier this year, bassist Caleb Scofield teamed up with his Old Man Gloom co-conspirator Santos Montano to release Zozobra's debut full-length. And here we have guitarist Adam McGrath's new project, Clouds, and their debut full-length, Legendary Demo. And while combining all the recent "solo" efforts of the members of Cave In may not yield the musical ideals of the whole, the sound of the … Read more

More album reviews

Turbonegro

Ass Cobra (Reissue)
Cooking Vinyl (2007)

As you examine the naked body of Hank von Helvete in the Ass Cobra liner notes, notice the sleek but powerful tone of the thighs, the unwavering comeliness of the face and neck, the body hair - the intoxicating and formidable figure as a whole. Indeed, as Hank lay there with a snake draped over his fair body, it does … Read more

Today is the Day

Supernova (Reissue)
SuperNova (2008)

Supernova is the first album from Today is the Day, which was originally released in 1993 on Amphetamine Reptile Records. Being out of print for quite sometime, Steve Austin (vocalist, guitarist, main songwriter of Today is the Day and producer of Converge, Lamb of God, and others) is re-releasing this on his own label, which interestingly enough is named from … Read more

Today is the Day

Today is the Day (Reissue)
SuperNova (2008)

Today is the Day provide us with another reissue of an out of print album, their third full-length, Today is the Day. This album is also significant because it is the first one that the group produced on their own at Austin Enterprises (the recording studio of the group's mastermind, Steve Austin). This self-titled effort also marks a significant lineup … Read more

The Armed Forces

Modern Gospel for Modern Men and Women
Goldtooth (2008)

wan•na•be [won-uh-bee, waw-nuh ] noun. Informal. One who aspires, often vainly, to emulate another's success or attain eminence in some area. The Armed Forces are a Nashville, Tennessee quartet that purports to be cool. They have shaggy dark hair ala The Strokes (or the Ramones if you're keeping it old-school) and consider themselves 'power pop." Believe me when I say, … Read more

Amebix

Monolith (Reissue)
Moshpit Tragedy (2008)

Seriously, Monolith being reissued in a digital format on a donation basis is an incredibly important occasion for several reasons that are worth being mentioned. But instead, let us focus on two particular ones here for the time being rather than run through some silly list. First, allow me to digress a bit. My first exposure to the strange and … Read more

Torche

Meanderthal
Hydra Head (2008)

By now, most people that care enough to know that Torche's point of origination begins with the fall of Steve Brooks' former band, Floor. Torche has certainly done enough differently to explicitly set itself apart from the former group, but it seems as though now they are coming full circle with the second Torche LP, Meanderthal. Following the excellent In … Read more

Ween

La Cucaracha
Rounder (2007)

If you don't know Ween at this point, it's difficult to sum them up in a few words. Eclectic, genre hopping, and parody come to mind, but they don't adequately explain the band and their dedicated cult following. The duo of Gene and Dean formed Ween in 1984. La Cucaracha is the band's tenth full-length studio release, in addition to … Read more

Mike Patton

A Perfect Place
Ipecac (2008)

It's been no secret that for quite some time now, Mike Patton has wanted to broaden his ever-widening horizons into the world of film scoring. Now, with Ipecac's 100th release, we now have the first film score composed by Mike Patton, and it's a doozy. A Perfect Place is a twenty-five minute black-and-white icy-cool neo-noir film directed by Derrick Scocchera … Read more

End of Level Boss

Inside the Difference Engine
Exile on Mainstream (2007)

It's all about the riffs for these English lads: big, thick, rumbling and sometimes peculiar riffs. I have to say that I have always had a deep affinity and a strong weakness for this kind of music. There has always been a warm and cozy feeling to music that takes a lot of influence from the stoner and doom genre, … Read more

Culprits

Demo
Independent (2007)

Culprits is a band that you've likely never heard. What the hell is wrong with you? This New Mexico four-piece serves up five tracks of fast-paced and in-your-face hardcore in less than six minutes. The music is intense and the words are penned with quite the chip on the shoulder. "January 15th" is a minute blast of high octane hardcore … Read more

Radio War

The Rising of the Talentless
Copper Lung (2008)

Richmond has always had an impressive hardcore scene, so it's no surprise to hear good things from the city in Radio War. The Rising of the Talentless is the band's first label release and the second for upstart Copper Lung Records. This 7" comes packed with four tracks of gritty and groove-heavy hardcore punk. "The Boy Gangs of Richmond" is … Read more

Title Fight

Kingston
Flight Plan (2008)

Title Fight is the latest pop-punk/melodic hardcore outfit to emerge from the school of Saves the Day/Lifetime. The three songs that comprise this 7" are rooted in the sound of early Saves the Day, but they've also got a bit of a post-hardcore vibe going on as well. Musically I suppose this could be loosely described as pop-punk, but it's … Read more

Insurrect

Fucking Infinity
2012 (2008)

I've lived in Cleveland for most of my life and I've come to know the city as quite the haven for metal. I guess there is just something about this city that breeds the urge to grab a guitar and tear it up. Insurrect is easily the best-kept secret of Cleveland's metal scene. But, while other bands have garnered much … Read more

Alone

Kiss Dreams Goodbye
Refoundation (2008)

Kiss Dreams Goodbye is the newest offering from Alone, a melodic hardcore band hailing for Italy. This release is the band's follow-up to a split and features five brand new songs. Alone have a fairly unique sound as they're deeply rooted in the melodic hardcore, but they've also got a little bit of an indie/emo thing going as well. "Viva … Read more

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