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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)

Bricheros

Live at Hensley
Snappy Little Numbers Quality Audio Recordings (2021)

I don’t know anything about Bricheros beyond what’s in the press sheet. Which has quite a bit of info, really, but in the spirit of due diligence, let’s just say I want a little more. The band plays Panic Button Records-style Ramones-core with a strong dose of Screeching Weasel. In fact, they cover both of those bands on side B. It’s hyper melodic and easy to singalong to, even on first listen – and that’s not counting the whoa-ohs that kick it up a notch. Live at Hensley was recorded at Bar Hensley in Lima, Peru. The group is based between their native Peru, Colorado, and California. The record is pressed on 10” vinyl and has 11 songs in total. At least two are covers. A few more feel like it, which is frankly just a knock on this style of pop-punk (which I generally enjoy in a live setting, so this record seems perfectly in tune to my tastes). As a live record, it’s a strong recording that skips the banter and focuses on the music. You occasionally hear some singing along in the background and such, but it’s generally crisp, clean, and energetic but not quite as clear … Read more

Tomoko Omura

Branches Vol. 2
Outside In Music (2021)

Today we’re looking at one lovely record - it’s Branches Vol. 2 by Brooklyn based Japanese violinist and composer Tomoko … Read more

ONETWOTHREE

ONETWOTHREE
Kill Rock Stars (2021)

The hook on ONETWOTHREE is the band is comprised of three bassists. Which, actually, means there are a ton of … Read more

Sweeth Teeth

Acid Rain EP
Lövely (2021)

If I tell you some band members from bands like Disfear, Dollhouse, Year Of The Goat, Tortyr and The Dontcares … Read more

Deafheaven

Infinite Granite
Sargent House (2021)

I never really thought in any measure that I’d be writing at any point in time a review of a … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Neon Belly

Self-Titled
Fort Lowell Records (2021)

Let’s call it like is it is. Punk rock has been too much of a boys’ club for far too … Read more

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One from the archives

Tangorodrim

Justus Ex Fide Vivit
Southern Lord (2007)

So what are we to think of this "pure, unholy black metal from Israel"? Well for starters, taking into consideration their country of origin doesn't mean a whole lot. Whether you're from Israel, South Africa, New Zealand or Paraguay, if you're black metal, you'll probably still sound Norwegian. Originality, you see, isn't one of the tenets of the black. Everyone roughly plays in the same fashion. High-end guitar production (and by high-end, I mean usually heavy on the treble), cymbal crashing blastbeats and grunts, screams and/or moans. Rinse. Repeat. By that standard, Tangorodrim measure up to others in the genre and as such, isn't bad. This just isn't to say that they're particularly good, either. For a band to stand out in the black arts takes dedication. Not necessarily to … Read more

More album reviews

Rivers Of Nihil

The Work
Metal Blade (2021)

The Work was one of the most anticipated metal records of the year. Let me start this review by curbing your enthusiasm and letting you know that this album is a bitter disappointment. It took me about sixteen listens (it was a fucking chore) to also find out that it’s ultimately not a legitimately bad album, but it isn’t legitimately … Read more

Rïcïnn

Nereïd
Blood Music (2020)

Where do you even start with an album like this? It’s been a while since it’s been released, so I definitely had time to immerse myself into it properly as well as getting the leverage of seeing how it aged, even if over a short period of time in terms of timespan when talking about albums. Rïcïnn’s latest record, Nereïd … Read more

Not On Tour

Outtakes EP
SBÄM Records (2021)

I can’t believe this is the first time Not On Tour is reviewed on this site. Not On Tour is a skate punk band from Tel Aviv, Israel. This band is insanely melodic and catchy. Not On Tour is one of those bands that master a certain art: they seem to effortlessly combine speed with catchy melodies. The band nailed … Read more

Band of Bastards

DELETE. REPEAT.
Redacted Records, SilverDoor Music (2021)

It’s nice when artists get back to their roots. There’s a time and place for growth and exploration. But there’s also a time and place to let the rage loose, and that’s what’s happening with Band of Bastards on their debut twelve-song slab of blistering hardcore. That’s probably not what you think about when you heard band names like ...And … Read more

Descendents

9th & Walnut
Epitaph (2021)

While I like new Descendents, their older stuff always had an intangible bite to it. The new stuff feels more sarcastic while their earlier material was pissed off underneath that playful disposition. And that’s what you get on 9th & Walnut which is billed as the band’s eighth studio album, though the timeline is more complicated than that. All 18 … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Sunshine Satellite

Sunshine Satellite
Snappy Little Numbers (2020)

Ah, an actual tape cassette…in a day and age where portable digital devices are ubiquitous, I find delight whenever an analogue tape pops up – even more so when the sound of the bands fits the medium. Case in point: Sunshine Satellite, a duo that channels its alchemy in sleek and powerfully compact garagey-pop-punk tunes, serenaded by female vocals in … Read more

Southpaw

Just A Spell of Feeling Nothing
Independent (2021)

There is a lot of productive ways to spend a pandemic lockdown: 1. Grow your own windowsill herb garden 2. Watch all the seasons of Law & Order and make note of how many episodes pass the Bechdel test (spoiler alert: it’s two). 3. Make an album with your mates. Ok, calling 1 and 2 “productive” is a bit of … Read more

NOFX

Single Album
Fat Wreck Chords (2021)

This record is honestly kind of painful. It’s meant to be, too. It’s about depression, drug abuse, death and all kinds of dark material. And it works on that level, but it’s also painful because the NOFX sound puts Fat Mike’s vocals so front-and-center in everything: It’s like watching somebody standing under a spotlight while hitting rock bottom. The lyrics … Read more

Weezer

Van Weezer
Atlantic (2021)

I expected every webzine, music mogul, and rock print publication to give the newest Weezer album a bad review. I figured that Van Weezer - titled in tribute to, well, you know - was next in a line of punching bags that were guilty of not being Pinkerton. Well, fuck me - most of the big-name publication reviews have been … Read more

Lingua Ignota

Sinner Get Ready
Sargent House (2021)

It is an act of courage to redefine oneself. Especially when the initial recipe and direction has been exciting and challenging. Yet, when a project is as intricate as Kristen Hayter’s Lingua Ignota there should not be any surprise when evolution is afoot. Hayter started in the underground, releasing the first two records of her project independently. Through the raw … Read more

The Obits

Die at the Zoo
Outer Battery Records (2021)

Die at the Zoo is a live recording from Obits, live in Brisbane, Australia, in 2012. There are 16 songs from the band’s catalog and it was recently released on limited vinyl by Outer Battery. There are probably two main angles for looking at a live record: is it capturing a time and place, or is it capturing an essence … Read more

Wills Dissolve

Echoes
Hypnotic Dirge Records (2020)

I think it’s a good rule of thumb to assume if some band has their album art done by Adam “Nightjar” Burke, it’s going to be at least a good album. While that could be an exaggeration, I’ve yet to see a bad record with album art made by that man, so that’s a good track record, right? Anyway, Wills … Read more

Silent Island

The Curse of Coleodeia
Independent (2020)

Hungarian musician Csarnogurszky István is quite prolific, helming Black Hill, musicformessier, Realm of Wolves, Stvannyr, and of course Silent Island. His most recent release is The Curse of Coleodeia under Silent Island. As it can be often witnessed with prolific bands and/or musicians, the output may tend to suffer in quality due to the quantity in which it comes about. … Read more

Impure Wilhelmina

Antidote
Season of Mist (2021)

My girlfriend asked me, earlier this year: “why does all music you like sound so bloody serious?”. At first I denied this and listed a couple of bands and albums that sound more party-like, but after giving it some thought I had to agree. I really lean towards the stuff that sounds bloody serious. In comes Impure Wilhelmina, who can … Read more

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