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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)

Cult of Luna

Somewhere Along the Highway
Earache (2006)

Cult of Luna is a guilty pleasure of mine. They are a good band that has the tendency to get hammered by the music press for being derivative of Isis and Neurosis, in essence a third generation Neurosis influenced band. Prior to this album, the band's sound has progressed along the same general game plan that was set up by Neurosis (to an extent, although wholly without intention) and then followed by Isis. "Marching to the Heartbeats" is a calm, bleak opener for Somewhere Along the Highway. It is mellow sounding and the vocals have a depressed tone to them. "Finland" explodes from the speakers as Cult of Luna has established themselves to do before falling into a Panopticon-esque calm, almost shoegaze passage with a complete lack of vocals. From there, Cult of Luna moves the song through a strummed droning part before bringing the growled vocals back into the mix. This definitely has the feel of being heavily influenced by Panopticon (which has been the Cult of Luna MO for quite some time) almost to the point of it being an outtake of that album. "Back to Chapel Town" begins with a slow organ like introduction with electronic treatments. … Read more

Foot Foot

Snaggle and Buck
Oedipus (2006)

When it comes to folk music, I'm pretty clueless. Wikipedia tells me there's neo-folk, folk punk, jazz folk, folk metal, … Read more

Nadja

Bodycage
Profound Lore (2006)

There aren't many drone and ambient bands out there that can hold my interest for more than a couple of … Read more

Souvenir's Young America

Souvenir's Young America
UndeRadar (2006)

When one's prerogative is to spend half their time chilling out and the other half flying to Jupiter, there is … Read more

New York Dolls

One Day it Will Please Us to Remember Even This
Roadrunner (2006)

Okay, let's run down the list, shall we? Billy Murcia (1951 - November 6, 1972) Johnny Thunders (July 16, 1952 … Read more

Learn

Life and...
Malfunction (2006)

If we at Scene Point Blank believed in short reviews I could easily wrap this up by saying, "More sweet … Read more

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One from the archives

Kaada & Patton

Bacteria Cult
Ipecac (2016)

John Erik Kaada and Mike Patton. Two great tastes that taste great together. It's been twelve long years since the pair released Romances - a sometimes lush sometimes harsh always beautiful collection of soundscapes.Bacteria Cult is the sum total of two artists that have grown into their own and are completely at ease with what they each can bring to the table. Both are now coming into the collaboration with much more soundtrack experience and it shows in the cinematic scope of the album.Whereas Romances consisted of ambient ideas, Bacteria Cult has more defined themes with each song painting their own crystal-clear visage.Rarely quotes in promo materials are accurate, but Kaada has described the album as residing "in the twilight zone where spooky and seductive meet". This serves as a … Read more

More album reviews

Death is Not Glamorous

Death is Not Glamorous / Undercurrents
State of Mind / Dead & Gone (2006)

I know very little about the country of Norway. Sure, I could hit up Google or Wikipedia and shoot off some facts about their leading exports or how many Olympic downhill skiers were born there, but it would be nothing more than useless information. All you need to know, my faithful readers, is that Death is Not Glamorous calls Oslo, … Read more

Guns Up!

Outlive
1917 (2006)

Sure Madball is still kicking, but let's face it, they have already been around the block and back several times over. Cleary they are juggernauts of their style but one day they're going to have to relinquish their title as the undisputed kings of hardcore; but who will be the heir? Meet Guns Up!, one of the Merrimack Valley's best … Read more

Cameran

A Caesarean
Innocent Words (2006)

Apparently best described as "encapsulating the sonic blend of Jack Kerouac's contagious zest for life and Yves Klein's wild and reckless attempts of jumping out of windows," Cameran are probably closer to a severe mix of the art-noise of early …Trail of Dead, Sonic Youth et al, and the irreverently hushed, thunderously deafening post-rock of the Mogwai of old. Moments … Read more

The Vows

The Vows
Indecision (2006)

The Vows is the latest hardcore "super-group" to include Rob Moran of Unbroken. After his departure from the impressive Some Girls, he moved to Seattle, Washington and began this band. In the sparse liner notes, the band thanks old Seattle hardcore band Brotherhood and another older group, Amenity, for bringing them together; this is a good indication of the musical … Read more

Daughters

Hell Songs
Hydra Head (2006)

Man, The Jesus Lizard really left their mark. And as funny as it seems for such a quaint little band from Chicago, to this very day they're still firmly imprinted and can be spotted ever so clearly within modern music all across the board. Maybe its just that David Yow & Co.'s expansive sound was such a mishmash of punk, … Read more

Heideroosjes

Royal to the Bone
I Scream (2006)

If the name didn't clue you in, Heideroosjes ("the Meadow Flowers") are one of those oft-mentioned European punk bands; they're the kind who sell thousands of records but you've never heard of them. The sticker on the front of the CD case says, "Over 200,000 units sold in Europe," as an apparent selling point, followed by "For fans of Anti-Flag, … Read more

Black Hell

Deformers of the Universe
Hater of God (2006)

I'm from Arizona, so I'm not jumping at the chance to describe Black Hell as "crawling out of the sandblasted wastes" or any such thing; it's not as exotic for me. But they do in fact come from my beautiful and notoriously dry home state, hitting hard with their debut Deformers of the Universe on the always-reliable label Hater of … Read more

The Pipettes

We are The Pipettes
Memphis Industries (2006)

Sometimes the best way to create something new and fresh is to look to the past and try to bring it back from the dead. It seems that almost all music is in some way looking 20 years earlier for it's style and sound. The Pipettes however are looking even further back for their inspiration; back to when Phil Spector … Read more

Regret

Misery Brigade
Organized Crime (2006)

Organized Crime Records is branching out these days with the release from a band that isn't from the Chicago metropolitan area. Jokes! Jokes! I'm aware the label has released bands from outside of Chicago. This isn't a knock at the label; they just love their hometown bands. But you can't really blame them. I'm sure working face-to-face with bands and … Read more

The Format

Dog Problems
The Vanity Label (2006)

In all honesty, I chose to review The Format's Dog Problems simply to avoid reviewing a hardcore album, which is often difficult to complete cliché-free, and I would have just said each song makes me want to head-butt the steering wheel of my car. I had little to no interest in this band, or any expectations for this album to … Read more

Multiple Authors

Cursive

Happy Hollow
Saddle Creek (2006)

Cursive is one of my favorite bands. I was highly anticipating the release of their sixth LP, Happy Hollow. It had been over a year since their fifth release, The Difference Between Houses and Homes, a collection of b-sides, and over three years since the highly acclaimed The Ugly Organ. With all this time, I was sure Cursive would release … Read more

Multiple Authors

Cursive

Happy Hollow
Saddle Creek (2006)

After completing their tour in support of the 2003 release The Ugly Organ, Cursive went on what many fans feared to be an indefinite hiatus. During the break lead vocalist Tim Kasher and guitarist Ted Stevens took time to focus on their other projects, releasing The Good Life's Album of the Year and Mayday's Bushido Karaoke, well the rest of … Read more

Outkast

Idlewild
LaFace (2006)

Andre Benjamin and Antwan Patton have reached an interesting point in their careers. After a handful of exceptional albums, Outkast have finally hit their slump. Since their music is essentially created by two people, it is easy to look at their history as a relationship. Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik was their awkward but promising first date. ATLiens marked the moment they realized that … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Turn It Around

These Days
This Blessing, This Curse (2006)

It's been a while since Sacramento churned out a new band worth hearing, but Turn it Around is that band. Their four-song 7" is chuck-full of fast-paced hardcore with a dash of melody. "Live it Up" kicks things off in a sound that is reminiscent of Comeback Kid, which is ironic given the band's name in correlation to Comeback Kid's … Read more

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