Recent reviews

Our latest album reviews, featuring the records we've most enjoyed (or not) over the past few weeks.

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

Jet Lag Gemini

Fire the Cannons
Doghouse (2008)

Doghouse Records used to be one of my favorite labels. Their early roster included Endpoint, Falling Forward, Split Lip, etc. who in the 90's defined the vastly underrated Louisville/Midwest hardcore sound. It was emotive but heavy, melodic but hard; the sound was just everything great about the middle part of the country that happened in the last decade. Owner Dirk Hemsath expanded his roster and released awesome albums by Hot Water Music and the Get Up Kids. Hell even that Favez band wasn't that bad. Then the bigger bands went onto bigger and better things and Hemsath was stuck with a less than sub par lineup. Then one day an intern fished a demo tape out of the garbage, listened to it, and urged Hemsath to sign the band. She was onto something because that band was none other than the All-American Rejects - yeah, that band. The All-American Rejects with their overly sappy songs and videos about Def Leppard t-shirts saved Doghouse from mid-level indie rock nothingness. Now Doghouse goes out of its was to sign any band that might swing some beaucoup bucks their way by signing simmering slick pop acts like Meg and Dia and that God … Read more

Murder By Death

Red of Tooth and Claw
Vagrant (2008)

With their fourth full-length album, Murder by Death has finally brought all their varying influences together. Each of the band's … Read more

Earth

The Bees Made Honey in the Lion's Skull
Southern Lord (2008)

Luckily for fans of Earth, Dylan Carlson and company are very productive of late with Hex: Or Printing in the … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Basalt Fingers

Basalt Fingers
Three Lobed (2007)

This album definitely puts the "post" back in post-rock. The album consists of only two tracks, each clocking in over … Read more

The Carrier

One Year Later
Rock Vegas (2007)

Sometimes I wonder if there is any passion left in hardcore - and not passion to be popular, but a … Read more

Demiricous

Two (Poverty)
Metal Blade (2007)

These four hellraisers are, if not his new favorite band than, at least highly revered and recommended by Slayer's Kerry … Read more

Browse our review archives

Reviews by year

Choose a year to view reviews of albums released in that year.

Reviews by artist name

Choose a letter to view reviews ordered by that letter (band name first).

Review categories

200 Words Or Less

750 reviews

Book Review

42 reviews

Classic Album

25 reviews

Multiple Authors

300 reviews

Review

4948 reviews

Video/DVD Review

19 reviews

One from the archives

Los Morts

Slasher
Monsterbilly Records (2022)

Prolific Peruvian horrorpunk ghouls Los Morts released this 4 track EP, Slasher on the most sacred of horrorpunk holidays... halloween! The 31st of October is the day that many horrorpunk bands look to release material but the year that Los Mort do not, will always make halloween that little bit emptier so all praise to zombie Jesus that Los Morts have had something spooky for us these last few years. It may be that Slasher is a bit of a rehash of old material but for people who are unfamiliar with Los Morts this EP is a great showcase of the band and a fun taster of a vast back catalogue of singles. First track "Mort" was originally released as a single in August 2022 but deserves a second outing … Read more

More album reviews

Skullflower

IIIrd Gatekeeper (Reissue)
Crucial Blast (2008)

Skullflower is the long running project of Matthew Bower, but in its initial incarnation the band did have other members and was a bit more "rock oriented" than the cacophonous oppression of sound and noise that Skullflower is today with Bower as the (pretty much) sole member and driving force. IIIrd Gatekeeper is a re-release of the extremely difficult to … Read more

Lymbyc Systym

Love Your Abuser Remixed
Mush (2008)

Love Your Abuser was released in January 2007, just over a year ago. As an intermediary release (before their next full-length), Lymbyc Systym got some friends together to remix their previously released songs. I was very eager to lend my ears to this release as Love Your Abuser is a very eclectic album. The band's unique take on instrumental music … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Restrained

Restrained
Glory Kid (2008)

Last year this California five-piece released a heck of a demo tape; one that had me quite excited to hear more from them. Well here we are in 2008 and what I have before me is the brand new 7" from Restrained. Like their previous release, the songs on this EP are filled with short, raw, and pissed off hardcore … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Defiant Hearts

Arlington
6131 (2007)

Massachusetts has pretty much been a breeding ground for hardcore bands since well hardcore started. Defiant Hearts is yet another in the long line of bands to come from the state, and they're armed with a new record. From the get-go of Arlington with "Ghost" it is quite evident what kind of a record you are in for. "Ghost" is … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Where it Ends

Resonate
Surprise Attack (2007)

When I listen to Resonate from South Carolina's Where it Ends I immediately think of individuals my own age that were spinning Strife and Trial records in their bedrooms ten years ago. It's obvious from these seven songs that the members of Where it Ends grew up on the metallic hardcore of the 1990's. "Timeline" kicks things off and definitely … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Brothers

Black Friday
Assault (2007)

It is a shame when a band like Brothers goes unnoticed. This five-piece outfit hails from Michigan and Black Friday is their debut offering. The album is filled with eleven hardcore songs just begging for you to sing-along to. The opening combo of "Beginnings" and "The War at Home" kick things off with fast-paced hardcore akin to Comeback Kid and … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Just Went Black

Embracing Emptiness
Assault (2007)

Hamburg, Germany is a city that is known more for its architecture than it is for its musical output. In fact, if you were to ask anyone about the music of Hamburg, they'd probably start talking about some classical composer from the 1800's and not a hardcore band of today. And while I'm sure they are popular in their native … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Short Fuse

Blight
Assault (2007)

Short Fuse is a hardcore punk outfit from Münster, Germany. The four-piece outfit delivers six tracks of fast and raw hardcore punk. "Blight" packs a mean punch with its gritty guitars and Seb's yelled vocals, which reminded me a little bit of Fucked Up's Pink Eyes. The majority of the songs on this 7" occupy the territory of mid-tempo hardcore, … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Anti-Flag

A Benefit for Victims of Violent Crime
A-F (2007)

Anti-Flag has always been a band about raising awareness, but usually the subject is tied to our country's government in some manner. The band continues on with this EP, but instead of enlightening Americans about the evils of the U.S. government the band is raising awareness and monetary funds to help victims of violent crimes, something that hits close to … Read more

The Mountain Goats

Heretic Pride
4AD (2008)

After hearing The Sunset Tree, I was certain that John Darnielle was incapable of writing songs that even hint at happiness. Hope is abundant, but joy is absent. His songs are stories of lives endured. Each album is an anthology of damaged characters trying to survive unfortunate circumstances. Heretic Pride makes that leap from hope to joy, the overall mood … Read more

Asbestoscape

Asbestoscape
Independent (2007)

Now here is an album that deserves some attention. This review was actually a long time in coming because I originally discovered it via a blog as early as last October. It quickly became a staple soundtrack for long, mind-numbing walks I would have to make on chilly autumn nights. It has a somewhat gloomy atmosphere, but it is by … Read more

The Steal

The Steal
Get Outta Town (2007)

Fast, melodic, hardcore punk infused with melody. That is the short and sweet description of what you can expect from The Steal's debut full-length, The Steal, which is a fourteen-track effort that clocks in at just over twenty minutes. The Steal begins with "Breakout," a near two-minute slab of melodic hardcore that draws equally from the likes of Kid Dynamite … Read more

Desoto Jones

Aurora
Deep Elm (2007)

Before I even really get into this review, I just need to let everyone out there in Scene Point Blank-land know that this album actually contains the lyric "You are speed bump in everyone's life." Not only is this line in the chorus which makes it repeated a few times, it's also the opening track under the same name. Speed … Read more

Collapsar

Integers
Escape Artist (2007)

Let's be honest here, if a band is going to be an instrumental group that is completely devoid of vocals than they need to be pretty damn impressive to make up for that obviously lacking human element from the group's oeuvre. Collapsar are an entirely instrumental group that I have been drawn to checking out because of their usually eye … Read more

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