I’ve been reading about the atrocities in Ukraine as I listen to Anti-Colonial, Vol. 2. Let’s just say that every act of imperialism is unique but combining listening to this record definitely highlights the brutal impact when a state tries to conquer a people. This record isn’t just political hardcore. It seethes with anger and inherited trauma. It’s a fucking bloodletting. After a Spanish language spoken intro, we get a brutal, throat shredding English snippet to kick things into high gear: “Not here/ Never, never, never again.” La Armada have been playing music together since 2000, and the band has grown in that time (as well as relocating from their native Dominican Republic to Chicago, IL). Hardcore by genre, there are guitar-heavy moments, punk vitriol, Caribbean rhythms and more global sounds that make their presence known in between beatdowns. This is metallic, chugging hardcore: head boppers instead of frenzy. It’s sharp, it’s pointed, and it hurts your throat to listen to Casper Torres roar. The lyrics bounce between English and Spanish and, similarly, the melodic flow shifts frequently (but smoothly). It can be fluid and catchy, or harsh and unforgiving. Something about Torres’ delivery reminds me of Zach de la … Read more
I'm new to writing actual reviews of records. Don't get me wrong, I have opinions and I share them openly … Read more
“As the riders leaned on by him, he heard one call his name If you want to save your soul … Read more
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Tusk has long been a side project of the more and more highly esteemed band Pelican, but is much heavier and includes vocals at times. On The Resisting Dreamer, the normal members of Tusk are joined by Evan Patterson (Young Widows, Black Cross, Breather Resist, A National Acrobat) and Toby Driver (Kayo Dot). The Resisting Dreamer is meant to be one long song that Tusk has split into the four tracks for easier consumption and LP configuration. The opening salvo, "Everlasting Taste of Disguise," is recognizably touched by Patterson's vocals and guitar work; but, it also has at times atmospheric sections of music that trade with these really groovy pieces and discordant movements that all nicely contrast with each other. "Cold Twisted Aisle" is the second track on the CD … Read more
If you’ve been waiting years to hear Mikey Erg ask, “Who’s your daddy,” well, you’re in luck. The band is back with their first new material since 2016 – having only released a 2016 EP since their initial 2008 breakup. This time it’s a four song EP titled Time and the Season, named after their cover of The Zombies’ hit … Read more
The best band names are unique but not hard to remember. Funny, apropos or fierce, depending on the group’s take. Something somebody somewhere can proudly wear on a shirt, a patch or a pin. Something a new fan can easily tell a friend and then search on the internet. TV Moms did not ace these tests in my opinion. They’re … Read more
Sliding down a KY Musk Moonbeam with Merlin firmly tucked into the back pocket. Quantum Leaps of 10 million years thrusting handfuls of melted Reese’s Pieces into your Pac Man gobbling, gobsmacked. gargantuan armchair self-proclaimed expert in all areas that cross your throbbing thrusting Billionaire rocket mindship. Hail the great Zrek! Welcome to the Apocalypse Generation. Get ready to engage … Read more
Dead Best is a pandemic project featuring two friends and neighbors who play in bands…but never together until now. Brian Sorkey (AM/FM) and Adam Goren (Atom & His Package) have some crossover their scenes but play individually pretty different styles. Which makes it interesting to see where they come together on the 13-song debut album. The album kicks off with … Read more
I'll be completely honest with you I am a bit of an amateur when it comes to black and death metal. I am only really familiar with the more well known bands of the genre; Mayhem, Burzum, Darkthrone, Carcass, Entombed and so on. I'm slightly embarrassed to admit to knowing almost nothing about Black Altar or Vulture Lord until choosing … Read more
The first time I listened to this EP I was waiting for it to properly start. I was already halfway through the second track before realising this was it. I was clearly not in the mood for this type of spacey music. Trying it again a couple of days later gave some better results. American Klezmische is the second installment … Read more
Plosivs are a new band with a lot of familiar faces. And, consequently, familiar voices too. Comprised of John Reis (Hot Snakes/Rocket From The Crypt/Drive Like Jehu), Rob Crow (Pinback), Atom Willard (Against Me!) and Jordan Clark (Mrs. Magician), it delivers almost exactly what you’d expect. It has Reis’ entrenched rock ‘n’ roll sensibility and surf-tinged, hook-driven, punked-up power-pop with … Read more
Sonic maturity is not always reached by further augmenting one’s sound. It can also arrive when the artist understands what is important. What it is at the core of the project that makes it unique. Mark Nelson has taken such a journey with his project, Pan•American. In the early days, Pan•American relished the experimentalism of drone music, the ethereal quality … Read more
Amorphis as a band have been going for over 30 years and this is the year that they bring us their new album Halo, a worthy finale to the trilogy of Under The Red Cloud (2015) and Queen Of Time (2018) and the fourteenth studio album of their career. The 3 singles released from Halo were "The Moon", "On The … Read more
I was pretty into II, the last record by Hakan that I heard (apparently III slipped past me). And while I really dug it, Jeff Burke’s fingerprints were all over the production and it was impossible to listen without recalling The Marked Men. This time around, the Italian trio has enlisted Matt Bordin to record, mix and master, and the … Read more
Black Map came to be in a moment of synchronicity. Somehow at the exact time period, dredg, Far and The Trophy Fire were all put on hiatus. As a result, Mark Engles, Chris Robyn, and Ben Flanagan started to collaborate on their new project. And so Black Map’s debut record, …And We Explode arrived in 2014, with the band coalescing … Read more
Do you folks watch the show Queer Eye? Last season had an episode with a school. The kids that were graduating got to bury a time capsule. I have no clue when that capsule is supposed to be dug up. Listening to Salvations debut album Uncorrectable made me think of this episode a lot. The main reason being that Uncorrectable … Read more
Hunter Martinez is a scene vet, playing drums and/or guitar with Decent Criminal, Dwarves, and Slaughterboys, among others. In Human Issue, Martinez takes the lead. That’s not to say this is some dude-with-an-acoustic vanity project. Human Issue is a full-on punk band, with Martinez joined by a wide cast of collaborators on the 6-song EP: Rikk Agnew (Adolescents, Christian Death), … Read more
The first time I ran into Mire was about two years ago. I was looking for stuff that was at least somewhat adjacent to Gojira and a friend recommended Mire. At the time the band had an EP titled Shed which was released in 2018. For whatever reason, it seems that (mostly) all traces of it were scraped and there … Read more
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