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Red Sparowes

Every Red Heart Shines Toward the Red Sun
Neurot (2006)

When one listens to instrumental music, he or she has room to think. This is exactly why you should listen to Red Sparowes' sophomore release, Every Red Heart Shines Towards the Red Sun. In today's music scene, an addition of thought-provoking musicianship is extremely refreshing. Since 2003, this group of talented musicians has been creating far-from-succinct songs with far-from-succinct song … Read more

Send More Paramedics

The Awakening
In at the Deep End (2006)

The Awakening is the third offering from back-from-the-dead thrashers Send More Paramedics. Coming as a two CD set, the first disk is the same onslaught of thrash-punk that we've come to expect from our anthropophagic friends. The second disk, however, becomes the moody, brooding soundtrack to the coming zombie apocalypse of 2025. Send More Paramedics patented sound, zombiecore, is hard … Read more

Estradasphere

Palace of Mirrors
The End (2006)

For a newcomer to the weird and wonderful world of Estradasphere, Palace of Mirrors is as good a starting point as any. Though the album lacks the vocals featured on the bands previous releases, due to the departure of vocalist and contributing songwriter John Whooley, it is by no means weak as a consequence. The album works well as an … Read more

Sunn 0))) & Boris

Altar
Southern Lord (2006)

Have you ever wondered what happens when two heavenly bodies get too close to each other? Usually in the scientific world, if the bodies are of equal size, density, mass, etc, they tear each other apart. If one body is larger than the other, the smaller can be devastated. In lucky situations, the two bodies will (sort of) equalize and … Read more

My Chemical Romance

The Black Parade
Reprise (2006)

The first time I heard "Welcome to the Black Parade," the first single off of My Chemical Romance's new record, The Black Parade, I was certainly, for lack of eloquence, fucking confused. The intro was absurdly epic, a throwback to the simple "rock" music of the 70's, before kicking into the type of upbeat punk rock that My Chemical Romance … Read more

Wolf Eyes

Human Animal
Sub Pop (2006)

Torture is on everybody's lips these days. Our Vice President vaguely approves of hydrogen-based interrogation, and our anchormen volunteer to be waterboarded on the air as our cultural debate over instrumental dehumanization limps along. In our new and improved wars without borders against enemies without armies, we're running ourselves ragged trying to figure out how much pain it is okay … Read more

Gabriel Garcia

Crucifix My Baroquen Heart
Coming Home (2006)

I've always been interested in the correlation between hardcore and indie pop or folk music. Hrishikesh Hirway, playing under the moniker of The One AM Radio, has released numerous albums with Level-Plane, a label known mostly for their work with screamo and hardcore bands. Brandon Peck, singer of great hardcore band Wow, Owls! and now the soon to be great … Read more

...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead

So Divided
Interscope (2006)

In 2005, Texan art-rockers ...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead released World's Apart to critical acclaim and commercial failure. The unfortunate victims of a leak that saw the album seep onto the Internet months before its heavily delayed release date. At the time, Conrad Keely openly admitted that he'd considered to just packing it all in. … Read more

The Abi Yoyos

Mill Valley
Raccoon (2006)

In a town where the highlight of a night is loitering in front of 7-11 with the bipolar Marshall manning register, you can't help but wonder what these kids are going to produce. Surrounded by triumphant Redwood trees, aging hippies on oxygen tanks, a cloud piercing mountain, and bridges into concrete realities, The Abi Yoyos have self-released the sleeper hit … Read more

Giant Squid

Metridium Fields
The End (2006)

I've always been fascinated with oceanography, or anything related to the ocean for that matter. And with the oceans covering nearly three-quarters of our planet, there is a lot to be fascinated with. My quest to learn as much about the history of the sea and everything contained within will likely never be completely fulfilled. But, as I continue in … Read more

Multiple Authors

Heaven Shall Burn

Deaf to Our Prayers
Century Media (2006)

Apart from one of the best names a metal band can have, Heaven Shall Burn is one of the most consistently awesome and bulletproof metal acts around today. In a time where metal has slipped into trendiness and self parody thanks to bands like Dragonforce and The Sword, Heaven Shall Burn crush the poseurs and those of weak fortitude with … Read more

Multiple Authors

Heaven Shall Burn

Deaf to Our Prayers
Century Media (2006)

For the uninitiated, Heaven Shall Burn is a German metal band that is heavily influenced by Bolt Thrower. Deaf to Our Prayers is their fourth proper full-length, along with splits with Caliban and Fall of Serenity, as well as a rarities collection. This new album continues their hyper politicized message in their lyrical content that is informed by the vegan … Read more

The Decemberists

The Crane Wife
Capitol (2006)

A few eyebrows were raised on both sides of the divide when Capitol Records decided to sign indomitable indie heroes, The Decemberists. With nothing obviously commercial about their sound, musings varied from wonder to fear that The Decemberists were about to become just another pop-indie band. Most fears, however, were allayed when talk of The Crane Wife, an old Japanese … Read more

Vitality!

Introspection
Iron Mind (2006)

1988 has been heralded as the halcyon days of youth-crew hardcore. All the bands were posi and all the bands were...good? Okay let's not push it folks, for every Judge and Gorilla Biscuits there was a Wide Awake or an Up Front opening for them. By today's standards it's hard to believe that Youth of Today was allowed to put … Read more

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