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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)

Rocky Votolato

A Brief History (Reissue)
Second Nature (2007)

It is real nice that Rocky Votolato's A Brief History is available again. With the original label - Your Best Guess Records - going the way of the Dodo, this underappreciated gem went out of print. Second Nature, thankfully, has the foresight to make this available for people again, and just in time for the release of Votolato's forthcoming new album, The Brag and Cuss. "One More Work Song Blues" is a slow, mellow beginning to A Brief History. It has a clean electric guitar tone that excellently accompanies the interesting vocal arrangements while the drums lay a relaxing backbeat. The section where Votolato seems to be wailing away off microphone makes for a great effect. "Silent" drops listeners into an acoustic song. Votolato's laid-back vocals work real well in the confines of this track; they do not come off as pleading or whining just real chill. "These Old Clothes" pick the pace up for the album a bit. This piece also utilizes a clean electric guitar tone and tasteful drumming. The melody of the song is almost chromatic sounding and lends a strange element to the song. "Temperate" drops the pace a bit but while still maintaining the momentum … Read more

Multiple Authors

Rocky Votolato

A Brief History (Reissue)
Second Nature (2007)

A Brief History is Rocky Votolato's second full-length, originally released in 2000 after his hard-to-find self-titled debut in 1999. At … Read more

Fake Problems

How Far Our Bodies Go
Sabot (2007)

The comparisons are going to be made so let's just get them out of the way right now. As Against … Read more

Ryan Adams

Easy Tiger
Lost Highway (2007)

The artist of the album I reviewed made it difficult to include his name in the opening sentence without thinking … Read more

Irepress

Samus Octology
Translation Loss (2007)

Instrumental music that doesn't bore one to death is hard to come by, especially in a world like today. There … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Misericordiam

Unanimity and the Cessation of Hostility
Twelve Gauge (2007)

Unanimity and the Cessation of Hostility is six tracks of blistering death metal that lasts a mere fourteen minutes. And … Read more

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One from the archives

Test Icicles

For Screening Purposes Only
Domino (2005)

If you believe the hype currently going around then you must think that the UK music scene is at its strongest since Oasis and Blur fought over the Brit-pop crown or perhaps even when The Stone Roses and The Happy Mondays were teaching the kids to take drugs and dance. Test Icicles are seen to be one of those leading the charge; however it really is hard to take a band with a name like that seriously when looking over the shelves of your local independent record store. At least they aren't called The Arctic Monkeys (seriously, WTF?) I guess. Whatever the awful band name makes you think, ignore it For Screening Purposes Only is a superb album. It's a dirty punk come indie scenester come metal album. The frantic … Read more

More album reviews

200 Words Or Less

Crowd Deterrent / Creepout

Split
Hard Ass (2007)

Two of the world's most underrated hardcore bands team up for fourteen tracks of no-frills and no-fuss hardcore. First up is Crowd Deterrent from Youngstown, Ohio. The band has been going strong for ten years now and during their tenure the band has relentlessly delivered straight-up hardcore that draws from the heyday of the New York scene - early Madball, … Read more

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The Homefront

Sacrifice
Detonate (2007)

Massachusetts-based hardcore outfit The Homefront has quite a pedigree of previous bands: Have Heart, Guns Up!, and Verse. And if you've enjoyed the output of any those bands, you'll be greatly pleased with The Homefront's debut offering, Sacrifice. The Homefront play highly energetic and powerful hardcore with a melodic twist - not unlike With Honor or Modern Life is War. … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Limbeck

Limbeck
Doghouse (2007)

The fact that Limbeck call Orange County, CA home is a bit of a head-scratcher. Based on their home, you'd be more likely to expect a hardcore or punk band as opposed to an alt-country outfit. On their fourth full-length effort (third for Doghouse) the band continues to deliver a fun and upbeat mix of pop, country, and Americana. And … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Grave Robbers

Hell to Pay
GNP (2007)

Horror-influence hardcore-punk from Texas. That is something that I can get behind. Grave Robbers blast through eight songs in just under thirty minutes. While the majority of today's horror-influenced bands come off as nothing more than a second rate knockoff of The Misfits, this is not the case here. Grave Robbers do claim the mighty Danzig and company as a … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Taken Under

Silence Your Enemies
High Fidelity (2007)

Tennessee hardcore. I know what you're thinking; you thought everyone from Tennessee that was into music plays country. Well you're wrong. Although, the five gentlemen that comprise Taken Under may also dabble at playing country as a side-gig for all I know. Silence Your Enemies is the band's debut effort and is six songs (one intro and five actual songs) … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Sound the Alarm

Stay Inside
Geffen (2007)

Sound the Alarm is the latest in a crop of super-young musicians getting a major label deal. And on their debut full-length effort, Stay Inside, they serve up twelve tracks of pop-rock with an emo tinge that bring to mind acts like Jimmy Eat World and The All-American Rejects. And while the first couple of songs of this album had … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Spires

Spires
Independent (2007)

Spires hail from Oakland, CA and deliver a punishing blend of hardcore, metal, and grindcore, not unlike like The Number 12 Looks Like You and Pig Destroyer. But unlike most bands of this spectrum of music, Spires infuse their chaos with moments of melody, including post-rock inspired moments. The first track, "Burnt Offerings of a Poor Idea" is a perfect … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Step Forward

10 Song EP
Painkiller (2007)

I know it may be news to some people out there, but Mental broke edge. However, not all members did as Dance Floor Justin drums for yet another Boston straight edge hardcore band. Fast and (10 songs, no shit?) furious 80's styled hardcore that will bring as many circle pits as it will mosh pits. Every song seems to have … Read more

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Soul Control

Soul Control
Rivalry (2007)

Hardcore likes to recycle and reinvent itself about every decade, so yup, 90's hardcore is back. Soul Control sounds like every great 108 riff jammed into every wonderful Quicksand back beat. You know I just love this. Heavy melodic groove orientated hardcore done masterfully. The best thing is when hardcore bands like Soul Control decide to redo the past they … Read more

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Red Handed

Red Handed
Rivalry (2007)

Red Handed plays fast angry hardcore with pissed off lyrics about being pissed off about being pissed off. Red Handed isn't your regular emotional hardcore output you'd expect from Rivalry. This 7" is the perfect soundtrack for drained swimming pools and grinding curbs. Void cover included. I have no idea why hardcore kids aren't talking more about this band; this … Read more

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Meltdown

Demolition
Closed Casket Activities (2007)

Maybe the kids are just too young to remember, but back when hardcore bands were crossing over to metal and vice versa the hardcore kids hated it, really hated it. It was all poseur shit, bunch of fucking longhairs ruining the scene and what not. The worst thing a band could do was sign to Metal Blade or Megaforce. Having … Read more

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Get the Most

Common Goals
Crucial Response (2007)

From the German label that has been specializing in generic youth-crew since the early 90's comes yet another five song 7" of finger pointing stage diving positive hardcore that will have you singing along in no time. Ray Cappo yelps included. Get the Most has ex members and current members of Blue Monday and Go It Alone for those keeping … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Fired Up

When the Lights Go Out
Youngblood (2007)

Recently Youngblood Records expanded their roster by adding the metallic Iron Age and the Bad Brains influenced Lion of Judah but got back to what they are famous for by signing Fired Up. Connecticut's Fired Up is what I come to expect from Youngblood: fast, '88 influenced, positive hardcore with sweet breakdowns. Sure you know what you are going to … Read more

200 Words Or Less

The Draft

Stop Wastin' My Time/Up All Night
No Idea (2007)

As much as I have been disappointed with most of The Draft's output I really like this two song platter. "Stop Wastin' My Time" recalls mid-period Hot Water Music mixed with any number of rocking Springsteen hits. The B side "Up All Night" has a bouncy rhythm and almost as catchy as the A Side. This 7" is what all … 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)