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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)

American Steel

Destroy Their Future
Fat Wreck Chords (2007)

It's crazy how many bands have reunited lately. If you'd asked me a few years ago what I'd be listening to in 2007, I never would've guessed "the new Lifetime and American Steel records." But I'm not complaining, because in my eyes American Steel did no wrong. (And the Lifetime reunion album is so good.) The last American Steel LP, Jagged Thoughts, was the best record the band ever made, a literal rainy day gem full of dynamite, instantly memorable songs. It should've been huge. But there's also no doubt that it was different, straying pretty far from the band's Gilman Street dumpster-pop roots: Jagged Thoughts sounded more like The Pogues or late period Clash (except way, way better) than Crimpshrine. Destroy Their Future, American Steel's comeback record, purports to offer the best of both worlds: the band has returned to the headlong punk rock of their earlier material, but without abandoning the polish and nuance that characterized Jagged Thoughts. Of course, such attempts to have it both ways usually blow up like a failed chemistry experiment; most bands who try to "go back to their roots" while stubbornly clutching to their "maturity" end up losing sight of both. American … Read more

Coalesce

Salt and Passage
Second Nature/Blue Collar/Crash and Bang (2007)

It scares me to think that some people reading this were still in grade school when Coalesce put out their … Read more

Foo Fighters

Echoes, Silence, Patience and Grace
RCA (2007)

In their twelve or so years as a band, Foo Fighters have had a more than respectable career. This is … Read more

Joy Division

Unknown Pleasures / Closer (Reissues)
Warner Bros. (2007)

With the imminent release of Control the bio-pic of frontman Ian Curtis, the death of Tony Wilson, and former members … Read more

Unholy

Blood of the Medusa
Lambgoat (2007)

Unholy first appeared on the hardcore radar in late 2004 when demo recordings from the band surfaced on the Internet. … Read more

Death Breath

Let it Stink
Relapse (2007)

Alright, let's look at the stats: Name: Death Breath. A truly ridiculous name for a band of any genre Albums: … Read more

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One from the archives

Swans

The Glowing Man
Young God (2016)

Bands returning after a prolonged hiatus, or re-forming after a break, are rarely able to recapture the essence and/or quality of their earlier existence. When Michael Gira announced the return of Swans it seemed that it would solely be a repeat of the band's earliest style at best. My Father Will Guide Me Up A Rope To The Sky came fourteen years after Soundtracks for The Blind, and it was an album that stood with grace next to historic releases such as White Light From The Mouth of Infinity or Children of God. It was at the time the best one could hope for, a slightly different sound from a beloved band, and a certain drive for something more. However, what followed was beyond anyone's expectations.With their new line-up, featuring … Read more

More album reviews

200 Words Or Less

Hellhole

Hellhole
Off the Books (2007)

With the release of their first 7", New Jersey's Hellhole demonstrates just what it means to be pissed off and brooding in America today. Channeling the spirit of fellow Jersey natives, Tear It Up, the band shreds through a few tracks of speedy, cathartic hardcore only to knock you flat on your ass with a couple of slower numbers that … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Living Hell

Pavor Nocturnis
Rock Vegas/A389/Lockin’ Out (2006)

Last year I declared this release from Living Hell as one of the top demos that got upgraded to an actual release. After seeing a release via Rock Vegas Records on CD and A389 Records on vinyl format last year, the album has been re-released as a 7" again, this time by the good people at Lockin' Out. If you're … Read more

200 Words Or Less

The Cancer Kids

The Possible Dream
Youth Attack (2006)

The Cancer Kids call Massachusetts home. But unlike many of the artists from the state, they don't play tough-guy hardcore of Death Before Dishonor or over-the-top melodic hardcore of Have Heart. Instead The Cancer Kids opt for fast-paced hardcore punk with hints of technical flare and grindcore. If you put Infest, The Dillinger Escape Plan's first EP, and Black Flag … Read more

200 Words Or Less

La Piovra

La Piovra
Youth Attack (2006)

Music from foreign countries is something that I always find interesting, especially when they sing in their native language. La Piovra takes its name from a series on Italian TV about the Mafia - essentially the original version of The Soprano's. The band hails from Italy and play fast-paced hardcore punk. This one-side 12" is made up of six songs. … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Sadville

Make Ready the Cross
Inkblot (2006)

Tennessee natives Sadville without a doubt could be the biggest misnomer for a group. These dudes don't play sad bastard emo at all. Instead they play stoner metal with elements of doom and hardcore punk. You can only imagine the relief when I heard the music after looking at their name. Make Ready the Cross is seven tracks long, but … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Brainworms

Which is Worse
Rorschach (2007)

Brainworms hail from Richmond, VA, a city with a rich hardcore/punk history. So it's not a surprise that the members of Brainworms have made waves with several other bands. Which is Worse combines up the band's original demo and cassette only release Is it Weird? Musically, Brainworms is teetering on the line between hardcore and indie rock, so I guess … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Rampage

Limit of Destruction
Lockin’ Out (2007)

Boston-based hardcore outfit Rampage unleash thirteen tracks of thrash influenced hardcore on Limit of Destruction. Some of the cuts here take on a definite New York hardcore vibe, while others incorporate a more tharshy and early crossover sound of D.R.I. The title-track was definitely my favorite song on this 12", it had a good groove and nice 90's styled breakdown. … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Four Days to Burn

Lieutenant/Casino Bitch
Dada Drumming (2006)

Looking at the cover art to this 7" I was anticipating one of two things: stoner metal or art-metal akin to the Hydra Head roster. What I got was not too far off. Texas natives Four Days to Burn churn out two cuts of stoner metal with flairs of southern rock and metalcore. On side A we're treated to "Lieutenant." … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Kids Explode / Dialogues

Split
Rome Plow (2006)

Rome Plow Records serves up another offering of under the radar music on this split 7". This time around we've got two bands that draw influence from the post-punk scene of the 90's. Kids Explode hail from Germany and offer up one song, "A Romance in Alcohol." The music sounds like a mixture of guitar-driven indie rock like Minus the … Read more

200 Words Or Less

The Mall

Emergency at Everyday
Discos Huelga (2006)

The Mall plays post-hardcore with aspects of screamo and indie rock. But the most identifiable characteristic of their music is the use of keys. The have an 8-bit feel at times, and definitely dominate the musical landscape of the songs. Without the use of keys I would say that there is really nothing about these songs that stand out. I … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Iamb / Candle

Come Back Home
Real Love (2007)

Two artists from California team up for a split 7". Iamb is the work on single individual - Ross Major - with the help of several friends. On this 7" he offers two songs. The first, "Three Years," is a mixture of indie rock and folk, not unlike the artists of Saddle Creek Records. "One Afternoon," on the other hand … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Foot Foot / Casiotone for the Painfully Alone

Split
Oedipus (2006)

Los Angeles-based label Oedipus Records is an independent label run out of an apartment. As an individual doing the same thing with my label, I have admiration for the people of Oedipus. The latest release from the label is a split 7" from two folk/indie artists: Foot Foot and Casiotone for the Painfully Alone. Casiotone for the Painfully Alone lead … Read more

Thieves and Assassins

Martyr Brigade
Iron Pier (2007)

Everything I get in for review goes through the same process. The first thing I do after I greedily rip into the manila envelope like a kid on Christmas is check out the layout. You can tell a lot just from a cover of a CD. Usually if the cover depicts a scene of armored knights upon horseback fending off … Read more

The Degenerics

Generic Record Collection
Soulrebel (2007)

Our recent Scene Point Blank reader's poll told us at least two things about you, the reader: (1) you want to see less reviews of "generic hardcore", and (2) hardcore is your favorite genre. (If this doesn't apply to you, sorry; you should've chipped in!) So you love hardcore, but also hold high standards for it; maybe you're sick of … Read more

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