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Bad Astronaut

Twelve Small Steps, One Giant Disappointment
Fat Wreck Chords (2006)

Before the release of Twelve Small Steps, One Giant Disappointment, frontman Joey Cape willingly admitted that the record does not measure up to what it should have been, and not many bands would ever publicly admit something like that, but not many bands have experienced the tragedy that befell Bad Astronaut. The band's co-creator, drummer, and one of Cape's best … Read more

Gorgoroth

Ad Majorem Sathanas Gloriam
Regain (2006)

Disclaimer: Whenever a reviewer has no idea how to end a review - a more common occurrence than the reader might think - the reviewer is forced to employ the cheapest of literary tricks: the disengage. By taking the reader out of the narrative flow with an aside that is thought to be clever, but in reality is fooling no … Read more

Lifetime

2 Songs
Decaydance (2006)

Everyone into hardcore over the age of twenty-five reeled in shock and horror when they found that the newly reunited Lifetime had signed with Decaydance Records, the label that Pete Wentz of Fall Out Boy owns. No, Lifetime, say it isn't so. Fall Out Boy? The marbled-mouth teen pop-punk mega-stars bassist signs the most revered melodic hardcore band of all … Read more

Kingdom

Kingdom
Independent (2006)

After the 90's, it seems that any vegan straightedge band seems hell-bent on pigeonholing itself into being a metalcore or melodic death metal band, with good reason, too. Abnegation's foray into death metal, Verses of the Bleeding, sucked and Earth Crisis's attempts to become like Pantera were lukewarm at best. Kingdom tries their hand at stepping outside of the box … Read more

Girls Aloud

The Sounds of Girls Aloud: The Greatest Hits
Polydor/Universal (2006)

In this day and age of "indie" bands selling to kids and having number ones left, right, and center, one could be forgiven for thinking that pop music in the form we saw for most of the mid 90's and early noughties is a thing of the past. Luckily, with this collection of singles Girls Aloud have reminded us of … Read more

Microwaves

Contagion Heuristic
Crucial Blast (2006)

I don't think I've ever heard an album come from this far out in left field and still come together flawlessly. The general consensus seems to be that you can either have a totally bizarre album or a catchy, cohesive album, but you can't have both. But Pittsburgh, PA's Microwaves is living proof that they don't have to be mutually … Read more

Greg Graffin

Cold as the Clay
Anti (2006)

Nearly a decade ago Bad Religion's Greg Graffin released his first solo effort, the miscellaneous American Lesion (miscellaneous because you can only find it online), and it was a definite departure for the punk rock icon. He slowed it down quite a bit and explored a different side of his musical roots, as well as lyrical themes not present in … Read more

Woods

How to Survive In/In the Woods
Release the Bats (2006)

How to Survive In/In the Woods isn't the easiest CD to review, because to put it bluntly, it's not the easiest CD to listen to. How to Survive In/In the Woods is thirteen tracks of experimental, lo-fi, noisy folk music distorted and amplified beyond comprehension. The result is both beautiful and frightening, calming and disturbing, and ultimately one of the … Read more

Brand New

The Devil and God are Raging Inside Me
Interscope (2006)

Reviewing albums isn't an especially technical task. Anyone can do it. But, when you are piecing together your thoughts for an album review, there is a lot to be concerned about. Mainly, will the words put down on paper (or in this case, a computer screen) be an adequate representation of the music contained on the album? More times than … Read more

Kaada

Music for Moviebikers
Ipecac (2006)

There are few artists from the last few years that I have enjoyed more than John Erik Kaada. Woefully under-informed was I of his band Cloroform that had apparently been rocking the shit out of Norway and other more fortunate countries than ours for years. It was not until the release of his first solo album, Thank You for Giving … Read more

Crime in Choir

Trumpery Metier
GSL (2006)

Remember the days when you and your buddies would get together in your mom's basement to play Dungeons & Dragons? You'd clear the table of Radical Software magazines, set your game up and to make everything perfect you'd put on some King Crimson, Yes, or Goblin records. Don't remember those days? Well that is because you are a twenty-something year … Read more

mewithoutYou

Brother, Sister
Tooth & Nail (2006)

Is every member of mewithoutYou of the Christian faith? Beats me. I know that the lyrics portray the group as a Christian band, but said term manifests nothing of the actual music. So what does Christian music sound like? Jesus harmoniously praying to his Father? Dead Poetic? Christmas carols? Fuck, man. I don't know. mewithoutYou's music has always attracted me … Read more

Shook Ones

Facetious Folly Feat
Revelation (2006)

2006 has seen the release of plenty of outstanding records from melodic hardcore bands, and as the year is coming to a close you might think the best of the best have already graced us with their presence. If so, then think again. Shook Ones' Facetious Folly Feat has defied all expectations and lands at the top of the heap … Read more

Up and at Them

Demo
Independent (2006)

Up and at Them are four kids playing hardcore music. No frills, no fashion, no hideous lyrics about suicide or emotions. Just straight-up hardcore; it recalls Sick of it All and Comeback Kid and is delivered with a distinct lack of irony that is strongly welcome in a music world where "irony" is so often used to excuse poor musicianship … Read more

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