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)

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 prove perfect for practicing the HB Strut. While most of the record comes at a thrash-like speed, the overall sound is still heavy enough to damage your eardrums if played too loud. Sonically the instruments are overdriven and bass heavy, calling to mind the work of many d-beat bands mixed with earlier Black Flag. For those less involved in underground hardcore punk, imagine the sound of Outbreak or Paint It Black down tuned, sped up, and played through shitty speakers. While this sounds unpromising, a few spins of this record will leave you ravaging for more of the rawness they construct. The only downside to this release is that it's only available on vinyl, which is a bummer because Hellhole is perfect to skate to. The band only pressed 500 of these. So get on it before they sell out. Read more

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 … Read more

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 … Read more

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 … Read more

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 … Read more

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 … Read more

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One from the archives

Regret

Misery Brigade
Organized Crime (2006)

Organized Crime Records is branching out these days with the release from a band that isn't from the Chicago metropolitan area. Jokes! Jokes! I'm aware the label has released bands from outside of Chicago. This isn't a knock at the label; they just love their hometown bands. But you can't really blame them. I'm sure working face-to-face with bands and people that you see on a regular basis makes putting an album together a hell of a lot easier than a cross-country relationship that relies solely on phone-calls and emails. So who is the lucky band from outside the Chicago-land area? Regret from the great state of Minnesota, of course. And this is their debut EP, which follows up an impressive demo released last year - it saw a re-release … Read more

More album reviews

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

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

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

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

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

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

New Idea Society

The World is Bright and Lonely
Exotic Fever (2007)

For The World is Bright and Lonely, New Idea Society's Mike Law walks a fine line between poetry and prose. The lyrical structures are simple and for the most part unchanging, and there is a more simple pattern within it all, almost every line the start of a new thought or idea. But herein lies the genius and creativity that … Read more

The Black Atlantic

Send This Home
Five Point (2007)

Have you ever gone to a movie expecting to see an action movie, but as you watch it, you realize it's a drama? Not quite what you were expecting, but unless you're a meathead you take it for what it is and realize it's still pretty good. This is the case for The Black Atlantic's debut EP Send This Home. … Read more

Weedeater

God Luck and Good Speed
Southern Lord (2007)

When a band's name makes reference to sinful pleasures, especially of the herbal nature, it's a sign their sound will be akin to Black Sabbath; the emphasis on slow riffing that sounds even heavier due to down-tuned instruments. Weedeater is a perfect example, taking the suggestive themes of drug abuse and sacrilege made famous by Sabbath to new heights but … Read more

Caïna

Mourner
Profound Lore (2007)

This is the kind record that I enjoy from time to time, a big surprise; it is not what I expected in any way, shape, or form and caught me completely off guard. Mourner is the second full-length, first on Profound Lore, from Caïna, the solo project of Andrew Curtis-Brignell - a twenty-year-old who already has a strong grasp on … Read more

New Found Glory

From the Screen to Your Stereo Pt. 2
Drive-Thru (2007)

Last year I interviewed New Found Glory drummer Cyrus Bolooki about the possibility of another cover album in similar fashion to the band's From the Screen to Your Stereo. He stated that it was a possibility... Well here we are a year removed from said interview and sitting before me is From the Screen to Your Stereo Pt. 2 And … Read more

Die! Die! Die!

Die! Die! Die!
S.A.F. (2007)

I don't know why, but there is something really unsubtle about naming a band Die! Die! Die!. It's like using a nuke to kill a mouse, just a bit too over the top to really ever be needed. It also means that the band has got to do an awful lot to live up to the name, so you can … Read more

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