Recent reviews

Our latest album reviews, featuring the records we've most enjoyed (or not) over the past few weeks.

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

Theo Young

Tales From The Inland Sea
Independent (2022)

I don’t get to say this every day, but one of my favorite indie artists dropped new material after basically seven years of radio silence. My entire body lit up with excitement when I saw in my inbox that Theo Young is releasing a new album. Shadowplay, his debut EP, was something I had on heavy rotation a few years ago when I first discovered it and it became a staple of many of my playlists. It’s by far one of my favorite instrumental prog records. It boasts a vibrant and energetic delivery, rife with scintillating glimmers and basically everything you can associate with a positive vibe in that stylistic area of music. In a way it can be tiring to keep listening to a thing (which you love) and thinking that a follow up may never see the light of day. I can’t even count how many times I’d be staring at the song titles, wistfully and loudly exhaling, muttering under my breath something around the lines of “Soo…new album? When, if ever?”. It’s one of the rare and honestly, fantastic circumstances when that ‘prayer’ got an answer so concrete. Without further ado, Tales From the Inland Sea is … Read more

BÖRN

Drottningar Dauðans
Iron Lung (2022)

It seems like genre definitions change based on the era. I swear people were calling Sonic Youth post-punk for a … Read more

The Carvels NYC

In Real Life b/w Feelin’ Stabby
Independent (2021)

The Carvels NYC still exist! And from what I heard it is only thanks to perseverance from their side. Like … Read more

Patrick Mackie

Mozart in Motion - His Work and His World in Pieces
Allen & Unwin (2021)

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart is widely portrayed as a self-contained musical genius, a prodigy that effortlessly managed to pump out an … Read more

Sonata Arctica

Acoustic Adventures: Volume One
Atomic Fire Records (2022)

Finnish melodic metal quintet Sonata Arctica started out in the mid 90s as hard rock band Tricky Beans releasing 3 … Read more

The Copyrights

Alone In A Dome
Fat Wreck Chords (2021)

It’s been so long since The Copyrights put out an album that I kind of forgot they’re still active: seven … Read more

Browse our review archives

Review categories

200 Words Or Less

750 reviews

Book Review

42 reviews

Classic Album

25 reviews

Multiple Authors

300 reviews

Review

4948 reviews

Video/DVD Review

19 reviews

One from the archives

Integrity

Walpurgisnacht
A389 (2008)

Ah, Dwid, where have you been hiding your mischievous and malevolent musical vehicle Integrity for the last five years? Ever since 2003's To Die For, Integrity's absence hangs over the hardcore scene like a looming spectre waiting to strike down pretenders and infidels alike. Sure the usual re-issues of Integrity's back catalog and singles as well as live records continue to stream out and taunt people at somewhat erratic intervals, but many still clamor for new material. Well, Walpurgisnacht is a teaser single that may or may not foretell what can be expected of the next Integrity album (The Blackest Curse is due sometime on Deathwish Inc); the two songs on this 7" are wickedly grinning appetite whetters that only heighten anticipation for the next album from Dwid and his … Read more

More album reviews

Soup

Visions
Crispin Glover Records, Glassville Music (2021)

My first contact with Soup was somewhere in late 2020 towards early 2021, so it hasn’t been long since I’ve been following the band. I was really taken with Remedies, falling in love with the epic post rock passages and the sweet and easy-going delivery of the rest of the elements. Not long ago we got a follow up to … Read more

The Carvels NYC

I Want You Around b/w My Little Troll
Independent (2021)

The Carvels NYC released a little single for the holiday season. I know that the season is already over, but this single still deserves to get a little attention from you. So pay attention! On the A-side of this single we find “I Want You Around”. The name might sound familiar. This is a cover of one of their influences: … Read more

Be’lakor

Coherence
Napalm (2021)

I’ve been trying for years to get into Be’lakor. A lot of friends and acquaintances liked to throw their name around as a solid recommendation for prog death. I just couldn’t buy into it for whatever reasons. I firmly believe that Coherence is the record which finally sold me on the band. Be’lakor amassed quite a following, with a steady … Read more

Naked Raygun

Over The Overlords
Wax Trax! Records (2021)

Rather than delve into the history books and deep cuts of Naked Raygun’s discography, I’m mostly going to focus on the present in this take on Over The Overlords, Naked Raygun’s latest -- and their first full-length since 1990 (their sixth overall). The heavily influential Chicago band was born in 1980, disbanded in 1991, and been in semi-active reunion mode … Read more

Militarie Gun

All Roads Lead to the Gun
Alternatives Label (2021)

Southern California’s Militarie Gun is a newcomer with extensive experience in the field of hardcore punk. Multi-instrumentalist Ian Shelton started this project alone early in the pandemic, later recruiting four others to accompany his sing-scream vocals: guitarist Nick Cogan (Drug Church), guitarist William Acuña, drummer Vince Nguyen (Modern Color), and bassist Max Epstein. They released two EPs this year: All … Read more

Sodom

Bombenhagel
SPV, Steamhammer (2021)

For Sodom, 2021 has been a pretty productive year, as well as bringing out a mega remastered bells and whistles boxset of M-16 on its 20th anniversary they have also brought us this new EP. In their current line up as a 4 piece (since 2018); original member Tom Angelripper (bass/vocals), Frank "Blackfire" Gosdzik (guitar), Yorck Segatz (guitar) and Toni … Read more

BaK

Crater
Independent (2021)

It’s not often that I get random recommendations (without asking) from friends which turn out to be something very cool. So, whenever that happens, I really cherish said moment and discovery. You probably already guessed the rest of this preamble. One of my best friends recommended this band to me. I was practically sold once I saw it was an … Read more

Portico Quartet

Monument
Gondwana Records (2021)

For whatever the reasons at play, the UK has a bristling jazz scene that’s rife with all sorts of amazing bands. The nu-jazz corner seems to be specifically prolific and forward thinking, embracing the limitless medium of electronic sounds. Portico Quartet are no strangers to experimentation, basically looking in a new direction over the course of each album. I had … Read more

Kanye West

Donda
Def Jam (2021)

In June 2020, Kanye began dropping breadcrumbs to hype an upcoming full-length. First, a single with Travis Scott accompanied a tweet announcing the song would be on his next album, God’s Country. Neither that track nor album title made it to the final release. A stream of tweets with false titles, artwork, and release dates followed. After Kanye’s third high-profile … Read more

Lars Frederiksen

To Victory
Pirates Press (2021)

When the pandemic first struck and musicians were stuck in their homes, this is exactly the kind of record I expected everyone to make: solo, acoustic, redoing old songs and favorite covers. Ironically, Lars’ solo project started prior to Covid and was meant as a live thing, which was subsequently kicked to the curb like everything else set in public … Read more

Warren Ellis

Nina Simone’s Gum
Allen & Unwin (2021)

Chewing gum is not the most distinguished habit to have, which is probably why I loved doing it in the most unsuitable places as a prepubescent before it was taken over by the despicable indulgence that is smoking, which in my book looked way cooler, preferably in combination. The core protagonist of this book used to indulge in both as … Read more

Nala Sinephro

Space 1.8
Warp (2021)

I’m a real sucker for any records that are themed somewhere in the vicinity of space/cosmos area of things. So, naturally, I just straight up check anything that seems at least decent in that zone. I had virtually no expectations when diving into Nala Sinephro’s Space 1.8, with the exception of thinking that I will meet a familiar sound. By … Read more

Demonztrator

Sinister Forces Of Hatred
Ossuary Records (2021)

Sinister Forces Of Hatred is the second album from Helsinki-based thrash metal ensemble Demonztrator. Formed in 2016 as a covers band, their aim being to revive Finnish speed/thrash metal from the late '80s and '90s. Their first album Forgotten Acts Of Aggression, released in 2017, is a collection of covers and is their love letter to fellow Finns Brainwash, Dementia, … Read more

Frontierer

Oxidized
Independent (2021)

So, here’s the new Frontierer. I’ll cut it as is right out of the gate – it’s a disappointment. I’ve seen the backlash at people criticizing the record, but they’re few in between and most seem to praise it to high heaven, which…is honestly mystifying to me – but – to each his own. I’ll level with all of you, … Read more

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