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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)

Versoma

Life During Wartime
Robotic Empire (2006)

With Versoma's debut offering, Life During Wartime, it would be extremely easy to make assumptions about the sound based off the previous bands of its members (having done time in Anodyne and Lickgoldensky, amongst others). But that would be a huge disservice to this short and sweet EP. This record is chock full of noise laden guitars that establish an interesting backdrop for the more melodic guitar parts. The vocals are peculiarly absorbing and give another layer to the band's overall sound. "Gods and Queens" is a good song. The music is thick sounding but very noisy sounding at the same time. The bridge has a really good groove and changes the feel of the track real well. The vocals fit nicely with what the music is doing, giving the track an urgent feel. "Symbols and Abbreviations" features the deeper vocals of the other vocalist. The music has a more relaxed mood than the first song. There are some interesting melodic guitar passages that Versoma produces that provide some ear catching sounds while at the same time maintaining that noisy edge that is evident throughout the Life During Wartime. "November 2004" is even more laid back sounding than the previous … Read more

The Falcon

Unicornography
Red Scare Industries (2006)

The Falcon is here, so ready your crusty, unpolished, dull silverware and let a knife sink through the skin of … Read more

Lemuria

Lemuria
Art of the Underground (2005)

I have a bottomless love for Discount that no one I've ever met has matched. Together with Lifetime, they were … Read more

Neal Eles

As Night Sinks
Independent (2006)

Neal Eles sounds like Jose Gonzales. It's that simple. Maybe Jose Gonzales sounds like Neal Eles, or maybe they both … Read more

Eye of Judgement

The New Crusade
New Eden (2006)

Let's face it, since the departure of Earth Crisis in 2001, there hasn't been a prevalent force in the vegan … Read more

Few and the Proud

Stampede
Organized Crime (2006)

Few and the Proud really needs no introduction other than the fact that they are, and always will be, straightedge. … Read more

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One from the archives

Notwist

Different Cars and Trains
Domino (2003)

In many cases, EPs of new material from bands who have released prolific albums in the last couple of years are enfuriating teases and rehashes that offer the faithful listener little new material if any at all. It's also difficult to accept an artist's re-rendering of some of your favorite songs. In most cases, tracks are placed in unfamiliar hands and the results are unpredictable, and usually unsatisfactory. The Notwist have done the same with Neon Golden, except this time the tracks are given to familiar bands such as Four Tet, Manitoba, and The Notwist themselves. That doesn't suggest, however, that actual members of the Notwist crew don't do more damage to their tracks than the artists to whom songs that aren't theirs are entrusted. The best part about 2002's … Read more

More album reviews

Gnarls Barkley

St. Elsewhere
Atlantic (2006)

Six months later... what can I possibly say about St. Elsewhere that hasn't already been ejaculated from the unnecessarily verbose ink-members of numerous self-indulgent online music critics? Yes, it's the best album of the year; it rests securely in the top-ten for this decade. It has been praised by critics, certified platinum, and can easily be found on the iPods … Read more

Thumbscrew

Within Hearts of Redemption
Imagine It (2006)

There are a million and one spazz/metalcore bands around nowadays. And I can't name any of them besides Ed Gein, whose first record was what initially turned me off from the whole style. The bands that play this style of music are obviously apt at their instruments, but the focus is more on showing five seconds worth of technical prowess … Read more

Samiam

Whatever's Got You Down
Hopeless (2006)

Samiam have been around since the birth of time, big in Europe, and just happen to be one of my favorite bands ever. They did break up in 2001 after the release of Astray. However Samiam mainstays Jason Beebout and Sergie Loobkoff decided to get Samiam back together by finding some new members and put out their seventh album. Needless … Read more

Deathspell Omega

Kénôse
Norma Evangelium Diaboli (2005)

One of the things I love about reviewing is that sometimes I come across bands that are real gems that I would never have known about otherwise. Deathspell Omega is one of those bands. These mysterious Frenchmen stay true to the spirit of traditional, raw black metal, but at the same time manage to put their own genuine spin on … Read more

Planes Mistaken for Stars

Mercy
Abacus (2006)

Mark this down. This is the comeback record of the year for me. Planes Mistaken for Stars dropped the ball with Up in Them Guts right when they seemed poised to take the indie scene by storm. It was so lackluster for me that I did not have especially high hopes for this new record. With Matt Bellinger jumping ship … Read more

Sparrows Swarm and Sing

Untitled II
The Perpetual Motion Machine (2006)

I was able to listen to Untitled II on my way up to visit friends at James Madison University, about a two hour ride north from where I go to college. Driving straight through the heart of the Shenandoah Valley of southwestern Virginia, with fall in full bloom and trees seemingly on fire with the changing color of their leaves, … Read more

Deathcycle

Deathcycle
Chainsaw Safety/Lifeline (2006)

With poverty becoming a fashion statement (I'm sure some Vice or Pitchfork contributor has ditched the birth-control glasses and bangover for bike hats and bandanas) and crust bands taking the place of the In Flames sound-alikes, it's nice to see a band like Deathcycle is actually catering to the hardcore aspect of the music. While still intensely political and fast, … Read more

Multiple Authors

These Arms Are Snakes

Easter
Jade Tree (2006)

I'm sure there are a lot of kids out there who refuse to move on and listen to the bands that have formed from the ashes of one of the greatest hardcore bands in history, but that's to their loss and my credit. Minus the Bear isn't bad, Roy is okay for me, but These Arms Are Snakes, well, they … Read more

Multiple Authors

These Arms Are Snakes

Easter
Jade Tree (2006)

Easter, the second and highly anticipated full-length from These Arms Are Snakes, is finally upon us. But just how anticipated was this album? Well it is no coincidence that the album leaked to the Internet three months prior to its official release date. It's also no coincidence that every review that I've read has been written by a journalist smitten … Read more

The Blood Brothers

Young Machetes
V2 (2006)

The Blood Brothers are one of those bands that can get you into shit with people. Not that anyone should have to appease anyone else with his or her musical interests and fancies. But, lets be honest, there is a very pronounced dividing line between people who enjoy The Blood Brothers and people who detest them. One reason for such … Read more

Xasthur

Subliminal Genocide
Hydra Head (2006)

If you ate nothing but the guts of ravens, the shells of beetles, and the wax from vinyl, your shit might slide down your pants dense and black as night. Assuming shit doesn't have the connation of something bad, this soulless turd sums up Xasthur's newest full-length, Subliminal Genocide, in how it sounds, the way it makes you feel, and … Read more

Fucked Up

Hidden World
Jade Tree (2006)

By now, you've probably already heard Hidden World. It leaked months ago, and the band even posted a link to one of its downloading proxies on their blog. Before long the Internet was awash in reactions, most grouped along two polarities - while plenty of listeners thought they were hearing something important, just as many others lamented that "the drums … Read more

The Mars Volta

Amputechture
Universal (2006)

Have The Mars Volta finally become predictable? Were they already? Are they still churning out jaw-droppingly unexpected music? Did they ever? All these questions and more probably won't be answered in this review. Amputechture, the fairly quickly-released third full-length from the El Paso, Texas group, is in some ways a sequel to 2005's Frances the Mute, but still retains some … Read more

Phillip Roebuck

Fever Pitch
Manual (2006)

Phillip Roebuck will never be explained in writing. Writing does no justice to what Phillip Roebuck does. He plays a banjo at breakneck speed. He is a one-man band that bashes away at a bass drum and tambourine on his back. See, it just doesn't sound right, does it? It conjures images of Groundskeeper Willy yelling, "I'm a maniac, MANIAC!" … Read more

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