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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)

Shipwreck

Shipwreck
Deathwish Inc. (2007)

Shipwreck burst onto the scene last year with their debut 7" on Rumble Records. The four-song release was an instant hit and eventually brought them to Deathwish's door. This release, another self-titled affair, is comprised of two new cuts and a reworking of "Heated" from their debut. "Mirage" kicks things off. The song is a rager deeply rooted in 90's metallic hardcore and fueled by dismal lyrical content. "Squall" takes a slightly slower approach, almost brooding. It reminds me quite a bit of the sound utilized by Integrity on Seasons in the Size of Days. Shipwreck close things out with "Heated," which is a tweaked version of the song from the band's previous 7". Musically the song is pretty much identical to the original. The only real difference is the inclusion of Pat Flynn of Have Heart sharing vocal duties. This quick 7" is really nothing more than a tide-over for Shipwreck's debut full-length. And based on the songs we've heard thus far from the band, Abyss is going to be a contender for album of year. Read more

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War of Ages

Fire from the Tomb
Facedown (2007)

Erie has a long-standing tradition of hardcore: xDisciplex A.D., Brothers Keeper, Shockwave, and Abnegation. Continuing that tradition is War of … Read more

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Daymares

Cant Get Us All
Self Made God (2007)

Daymares hail from Poland. Yes, that Poland. Prior to this release, the band had nothing more than a roughly mixed … Read more

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The Fire The Flood

Truth Seekers
No Sleep (2007)

The Fire The Flood hails from North Carolina, a state home to metalcore greats Prayer for Cleansing. Unfortunately, the music … Read more

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Lewd Acts

Dark Days
Independent (2007)

Dark Days is a discography release that compiles the San Diego-based hardcore outfits previous material into one neat package. The … Read more

Mekons

Natural
Touch & Go (2007)

Some critics may think that their age gives them more credit and validates every opinion they have. I am on … Read more

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One from the archives

The Deathray Davies

Midnight At the Black Nail Polish Factory
Glurp (2003)

This Dallas based band made their own bed and now they have to lie in it. Their press releases and website state that their latest effort Midnight at the Black Nail Polish Factory sounds like: "The Pixies at their tightest and The Beach Boys at their loosest." We interrupt this broadcast for a healthy and much deserved scoff. There might, and I use that "as loosely as The Beach Boys," be one song that even mildly touches on a surf rock influence on this record, and the pop sensibilities aren't really even close to either of the afformentioned band's brilliance. Upon first listen the band (the primary musical vehicle of DRD's do-it-all guy John Dufilho) sounds like Nada Surf with more instrumentation and Superdrag, who they toured with, at their … Read more

More album reviews

One Starving Day

Broken Wings Lead Arms to the Sun
Planaria (2007)

Hailing from Italy, One Starving Day are a four-piece band that, at times, sounds more like ten or fifteen people playing music. Their sound is full and emotive conveying enough raw moods and feeling in each musical piece that begs for one to pay attention. The only time prior to Broken Wings Lead Arms to the Sun that I have … Read more

Municipal Waste

The Art of Partying
Earache (2007)

Municipal Waste likes to party. How do I know this? Well, there's the album title. Couple that with songs like "Beer Pressure," "Born to Party," and "Chemically Altered" and you don't exactly have to be Veronica Mars to connect the dots. It also goes without saying we're not exactly dealing with subtle music open to the interpretation of the listener … Read more

Breakfast

Six Packs Classic
625 Thrashcore (2007)

Westerners tend to love Japanese pop culture almost as much as Japanese kids love western (read: American) pop culture - especially rock and roll. And punk is no exception to this phenomenon, as each side doesn't hesitate to make a fetish out of the other: American punks work themselves into a lather bidding on GISM LPs, while Japanese punks go … Read more

Under Pressure

Come Clean
Escape Artist (2007)

Winnipeg's Under Pressure is a dirty 80's sounding hardcore band with a dude singing like he's trying to hold in his bong hit for the longest time while gargling glass. Saying he sounds a little gruff is like saying the people that have smoked Pall Mall Non-Filters for thirty plus years are a little raspy. Musically, the band either goes … Read more

The Swede

And the Swede
Shoddy Merchandise (2006)

God bless Matthew William Kohnle. Kohnle is The Swede. While I'm not sure if the name is a reference to his nationality (or if he is in fact a root vegetable), this project is solely his. With the exception of some bass clarinet by Todd Knapp and some vocals by Mrs. Kohnle, all songs are written, performed, and even recorded … Read more

Foo Fighters

The Colour and the Shape (Reissue)
RCA (2007)

The Colour and the Shape was the Foo Fighters second full-length release, though it was the first album in which Grohl enlisted a full band to back him in the writing and recording of the album. Grohl gathered an ensemble of musicians to surround him for what would become the band's breakthrough album: bassist Nate Mendel of Sunny Day Real … Read more

Year of No Light

Nord
Crucial Blast (2007)

As our global society is brought closer and closer as a result of the Internet and other lightning fast communicative technologies, the influx and exposure of foreign bands and musicians continues to increase in frequency at an unprecedented rate; one label that has fully embraced this global mixing is Crucial Blast who bring the United States the domestic release of … Read more

Happy Mondays

Uncle Dysfunktional
Sanctuary (2007)

This review is dedicated to Anthony H. Wilson. Fuck Keith and Mick, Fuck the Toxic Twins of Aerosmith, and fuck Britney Spears. The greatest rock and roll survivor of all time is one Shaun William Ryder. Here is a man that hasn't made a penny since he was sued by his former managers, a man that helped introduce ecstasy into … Read more

Stalaggh

Projekt Misanthropia
Autopsy Kitchen (2007)

When John Zorn released his Kristallnacht album, it contained one track of sheer horror, anger, and sorrow all rolled into one. Entitled "Never Again," Zorn did his utmost to convey his interpretation of the "Night of Broken Glass." The track is essentially just that: over eleven minutes of the unbearable sound of glass shattering. Zorn even went so far, though … Read more

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J Church / Flamingo 50

Split
Los Diaper (2007)

Oh J Church how I love you and your noisy simple pop-punk brilliance. And thank-you for doing a good cover of The Car's "Just What I Need." Flamingo 50, you on the other hand and side, are completely new to me and are apparently from the UK. You remind of a Screeching Weasel mixed with early Discount for a decent … Read more

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I Rise / Soul Control

Split
Eightfold Path (2007)

This split 7" features two of the most exciting hardcore bands that have been hitting the fest circuit this Summer. Soul Control sounds like 108 mixed with Quicksand and it's all awesome. "Focus" is one of my favorite songs of 2007. This song just fucking jams in all its noisy post-hardcore brilliance. I Rise also play melodic post hardcore with … Read more

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The Ergs! / Lemuria

Split
Art of the Underground (2007)

More of The Ergs for you. More pop-punk. More songs about girls and this time a rather decent cover of the 90's rock staple "Hey Jealousy." Lemuria are on the poppy side but a tad inclined to the indie rock thing with male and female vocals. Both bands give that "Aw shucks" feeling when you listen to them and that's … Read more

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I Adapt

From Town to Town
Six Feet Under (2007)

When I think of Iceland I don't think of hardcore bands. Actually, I don't think I ever thought about Iceland for anything musically besides Björk and The Sugarcubes. I Adapt sounds nothing like that schizophrenic ageless midget but they do sound like The Hope Conspiracy and other Deathwish Inc. type hardcore bands. It's an emotional outpouring over pounding rhythms and … Read more

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Attitude

Turn into Stone
1917 (2007)

Turn into Stone is a new three-song platter from the upstate New York hardcore band. "Turn into Stone" has decent Supertouch type intro that busts into a manic throbbing piece of melodic hardcore gristle to gnaw on for a couple of minutes. "Somebody Up There Likes Me" is a rocking little tune with a huge skate rock riff, which seems … Read more

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