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)

Sundown

Keep Moving
Wise Blood Records (2022)

It’s interesting that Sundown calls this record Keep Moving because, in many ways, it feels stuck in 2005. It’s a mix of melodic and chugging hardcore, with dual vocalists and two very different styles to breathe some extra life into it the format. At its best, Keep Moving recalls Avail while, at its worst, I’m brought back to those screamo bands with one tough guy singer and another “emotive-type” vocalist. Most of this record falls somewhere in between those two descriptions and it neither hits the heights of Avail nor the lows of screamo. It has some real highlights, beginning with the opener “Don’t Ask Me,” with shouted, guttural vocals over brighter-tone guitars that waver between hardcore and post-hardcore like Hot Water Music. It has a sensitive side, but it’s much heavier overall. In “Searching” we find some emphatic and powerful group vocals with that same post-hardcore styling. “Peter Weller” balances the emotive middle point between Avail and screamo well and is a good sample for somebody needing a quick taste of the band, though it also highlights my personal distaste for that singing style, which seems to interrupt the flow rather than complement it. Musically, “Peter Willer” is one … Read more

Mickey Leigh’s Mutated Music

Variants of Vibe
Wicked Cool Records (2022)

Hey Mickey you're so fine, You’re so fine you blow my mind Hey Mickey, Hey Mickey. “Do You remember lying … Read more

Swami John Reis

Ride The Wild Night
Swami (2022)

Rock ‘n’ roll is full of clichés. It pretty much has been one about 50 years now. And the many … Read more

Loop

Sonancy
Reactor (2022)

The legends of old return! Loop were one of the visionaries acts of the late ‘80s, alongside other paragons like … Read more

Book Review

Oasis

Knebworth – Two Nights That Will Live Forever
Cassell Publishing (2021)

Indulging in the seductive lies of nostalgia often means that rough edges are taken from the brittle pages of the … Read more

La Armada

Anti-Colonial, Vol. 2
Mal De Ojo Records (2022)

I’ve been reading about the atrocities in Ukraine as I listen to Anti-Colonial, Vol. 2. Let’s just say that every … Read more

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One from the archives

Herra Terra

Quiet Geist
The Mylene Sheath (2010)

The Duo of Herra Terra seemed to come out of nowhere when their signing was announced by The Mylene Sheath. Seemingly no prior releases could be found and just the usual myspace was available to see online. What was noted early on is that Herra Terra were going to be the odd band out on the label. Known generally for thought out shimmering and heavy post metal and rock bands it is an odd catch on their part. Comparisons to Depeche Mode and Head Automatica were made and I'm here to say that neither are too far off in reality. While the duo to have vaguely post rock style builds and breaks the main concern is on the hook. Whether this means utilizing vocal overdubs or keyboard loops it is … Read more

More album reviews

Sum of R

Lahbryce
Consouling Sounds (2022)

Reto Mäder has always moved into the occult and mysterious spaces with his project, Sum of R. Since their inception, Reto Mäder has not been content in settling on a particular sound or scene. Instead, Sum of R have been roaming freely on many different aspects of dark, experimental music. Their initial outings through Utech records displayed that much. Doom … Read more

Book Review

Radiohead

Kid A Mnesia: A Book of Radiohead Artwork
Canongate Books (2021)

Kid A was Radiohead’s fourth studio album, following the wildly successful OK Computer full-length, the wake of which found Thom Yorke and gang in a state that led them down a path culminating in a willingness to diverge from traditional rock music – not only musically but also as far as packaging and artwork is concerned, the latter of which … Read more

Scrunchies

Feral Coast
Dirtnap (2022)

I'm new to writing actual reviews of records. Don't get me wrong, I have opinions and I share them openly with everyone, even if they don't want to listen. Until this record, I really couldn't find much out there worth reviewing. The name of the band caught me. The fact that they have a record coming out on Dirtnap Records … Read more

Pat Todd & The Rankoutsiders

There's Pretty Things in Palookaville
Hound Gawd! Records (2021)

“As the riders leaned on by him, he heard one call his name If you want to save your soul from hell a-riding on our range Then cowboy change your ways today or with us, you will ride Tryin' to catch the devil herd across these endless skies” Stan Jones Danny and the Juniors belted out that Rock and Roll … Read more

Nobro

Live Your Truth Shred Some Gnar
Big Scary Monsters (2022)

Sometimes I feel so incredibly dumb. I have a soft spot for Spanish punk bands and figured, based on the name, this could be filed as such. Sounded Spanish in my head at least. Until I came to their bandcamp, noticed this is a Canadian band and saw the band photo with four young women. I said the name out … Read more

The Ergs!

The Time And The Season EP
Dirtnap (2022)

If you’ve been waiting years to hear Mikey Erg ask, “Who’s your daddy,” well, you’re in luck. The band is back with their first new material since 2016 – having only released a 2016 EP since their initial 2008 breakup. This time it’s a four song EP titled Time and the Season, named after their cover of The Zombies’ hit … Read more

TV Moms

Buzz Mallory
Independent (2021)

The best band names are unique but not hard to remember. Funny, apropos or fierce, depending on the group’s take. Something somebody somewhere can proudly wear on a shirt, a patch or a pin. Something a new fan can easily tell a friend and then search on the internet. TV Moms did not ace these tests in my opinion. They’re … Read more

Stoner Cop

Government Shutdown
Independent (2021)

Sliding down a KY Musk Moonbeam with Merlin firmly tucked into the back pocket. Quantum Leaps of 10 million years thrusting handfuls of melted Reese’s Pieces into your Pac Man gobbling, gobsmacked. gargantuan armchair self-proclaimed expert in all areas that cross your throbbing thrusting Billionaire rocket mindship. Hail the great Zrek! Welcome to the Apocalypse Generation. Get ready to engage … Read more

Dead Best

Dead Best
Don Giovanni (2021)

Dead Best is a pandemic project featuring two friends and neighbors who play in bands…but never together until now. Brian Sorkey (AM/FM) and Adam Goren (Atom & His Package) have some crossover their scenes but play individually pretty different styles. Which makes it interesting to see where they come together on the 13-song debut album. The album kicks off with … Read more

Black Altar/Vulture Lord

Deathiah Manifesto
Odium Records (2022)

I'll be completely honest with you I am a bit of an amateur when it comes to black and death metal. I am only really familiar with the more well known bands of the genre; Mayhem, Burzum, Darkthrone, Carcass, Entombed and so on. I'm slightly embarrassed to admit to knowing almost nothing about Black Altar or Vulture Lord until choosing … Read more

Solilians

American Klezmische
I Heart Noise (2022)

The first time I listened to this EP I was waiting for it to properly start. I was already halfway through the second track before realising this was it. I was clearly not in the mood for this type of spacey music. Trying it again a couple of days later gave some better results. American Klezmische is the second installment … Read more

Plosivs

Plosivs
Swami (2022)

Plosivs are a new band with a lot of familiar faces. And, consequently, familiar voices too. Comprised of John Reis (Hot Snakes/Rocket From The Crypt/Drive Like Jehu), Rob Crow (Pinback), Atom Willard (Against Me!) and Jordan Clark (Mrs. Magician), it delivers almost exactly what you’d expect. It has Reis’ entrenched rock ‘n’ roll sensibility and surf-tinged, hook-driven, punked-up power-pop with … Read more

Pan American

The Patience Fader
Kranky (2022)

Sonic maturity is not always reached by further augmenting one’s sound. It can also arrive when the artist understands what is important. What it is at the core of the project that makes it unique. Mark Nelson has taken such a journey with his project, Pan•American. In the early days, Pan•American relished the experimentalism of drone music, the ethereal quality … Read more

Amorphis

Halo
Atomic Fire Records (2022)

Amorphis as a band have been going for over 30 years and this is the year that they bring us their new album Halo, a worthy finale to the trilogy of Under The Red Cloud (2015) and Queen Of Time (2018) and the fourteenth studio album of their career. The 3 singles released from Halo were "The Moon", "On The … Read more

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