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OC Rippers

Wasteland Blues
Ruined Records (2022)

“Fear is a hungry beast. The more you feed it, the more it grows” J. Ripper Tenebrific cloaked figures flutter in the darkest corners amongst the dustballs. They lurk with us appearing weak or feigning injury much like the most outstanding actor of the wildlife…The Killdeer. The aegis crooked hand of doom reaches out to lovingly unsuspecting sacrificial lambs led … Read more

Love Forty Down

Don't Be A Stranger EP
SBÄM Records (2022)

I don’t come across a lot of punk bands with “love” in their name. Whether it’s justified or not, that led me to expect something a bit more dramatic and heart-on-sleeve than this. The music is more post-hardcore meets melodic punk, a la Hot Water Music meets Iron Chic. It’s built around singalong, harmonized choruses with some build-up and progressions … Read more

Double Cheese

Thee Black Album
Dirty Water Records (2022)

Royale With Cheese! Brie De Meaux, Pyrénées Sheep Fromage, Comté, Bleu d'Auvergne, Époisses de Bourgogne, Le Chevrot. So much French Cheese and so little time. Nothing like a fine aged cheese that has the aroma of a baby’s shit-filled diaper accented with the smell of unwashed construction worker's feet and top offed with the ripe order of a hippie full-flavored … Read more

Rip Room

Alight and Resound
Spartan Records (2022)

San Francisco trio Rip Room play a meandering art-punk style that’s forceful but equally unpredictable, largely built around bass licks and rhythm switches that give it an off-kilter dance vibe complemented by some angular guitar riffs that serve more as accent than lead. Musically I hear a good chunk of early post-punk meets math rock, but simplified into a 3-piece … Read more

Up For Nothing

Escape Route
It's Alive (2022)

While Up For Nothing has apparently been around since 2002, this is my first exposure. It’s interesting to learn about a band after listening on repeat, as I had the impression they were young ‘uns. They should take that as a compliment. Rather than sounding jaded, it sounds vibrant. Up For Nothing is a punk band from Brooklyn. The style … Read more

NYIÞ

᛬ᚢᛁᛋᚿᛁ•ᚼᛆᛏᛁ•ᚼᚱᛅ᛬
Cyclic Law (2022)

In recent years the Icelandic black metal scene has produced a stunning array of artists. From the dissonant majesty of Svartidauði, to the immediacy of Misþyrming and the psychedelic edge of Wormlust, the scene has truly blossomed. As it is usually the case, this tendency towards the extreme and experimental has not been isolated to the black metal form. Other … Read more

Partial Traces

Lost In The Days / Shallows EP
Independent (2022)

Open chord guitar and warm synth start the single in a typical indie manner. The poetry that fills the space is earnest and serious, beaconing the listener to keep up. When the small drum machine picks up you feel a sense of relief. References to travel, reflections and an illusive love are all present again, but don’t feel too overused. … Read more

Tim Kasher

Middling Age
15 Passenger Records (2022)

Tim Kasher has released four solo albums and another 10 with Cursive (and still more with The Good Life). I won’t pretend to know the full catalog -- my exposure has been more along the “best of” lines. This review isn’t a comparison or “where does it fit” essay. It’s a standalone review. I felt like I needed to get … Read more

Various Artists

Forever Reigning - A Tribute To Slayer
Satyrn Studios (2022)

Forever Reigning - A Tribute To Slayer is the debut release from US based Satyrn Studios. It features 8 up and coming underground metal acts covering 12 of Slayer's best tracks and really is a true celebration of heavy metal! After their arrival on the scene in 1981 Slayer have been the real titans of thrash metal, smashing their way … Read more

The Anomalys

Glitch
Slovenly (2022)

The first song I listed to from Glitch was the single “Anomalys Rise,” which is an instrumental garage-surf burner. It’s definitely emblematic of the band’s sound and the record overall, yet I’m mildly surprised at the full-length because the vocals play such a role in the overall experience. Not a knock, but it feels like a curious single to release … Read more

The Slackers

Don’t Let The Sunlight Fool Ya
Pirates Press (2022)

Forget all the silly fourth wave hashtags for a minute. The Slackers have been playing old school ska/dub/rocksteady since 1991 now. Don’t Let The Sunlight Fool Ya is their whopping 15th album (depending how people count the early self-released material). They’re not “prolific,” though. They’re hard workers. There is a clear working-class New York vibe that permeates their every song, … Read more

Captain Asshole

Successfully Not Giving Up
Say-10, SBÄM Records (2022)

I was coming off a Jawbreaker high when I first heard Captain Asshole at The Fest 18. I liked what I heard, but I also didn’t know if it was because of the music or simply the time and place. Fast forward through a couple years that most of us want to forget and the band has a new album … Read more

Sundowning

In The Light Of Defeat, I Cease To Exist
Isolation Records (2022)

At times I get a bit carried away by hypes or trends in the music business. One such trend was the whole sludge trend. I loved it, especially when it was mixed with post-metal influences. At the height of this trend it seemed you could not turn a corner without seeing a new band playing that style. This is when … Read more

Nestter Donuts

Flamenco Trash
Voodoo Rhythm (2022)

It is believed that the first insulin-pumping bloated, exploding vein party pop a balloon tragedy was when The Dutch brought over their oil cakes in the 1700s to North American soil. Thus creating a nation of obese, scooter riding, Walmart-loving, toothless flag-waving donut lovers. Sickly sugary death coma slithering in the puddles of pop-rock misfortune. If it is good enough … Read more

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