Recent reviews

Our latest album reviews, featuring the records we've most enjoyed (or not) over the past few weeks.

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

A Wilhelm Scream

Ruiner
Nitro (2005)

A few names come to mind when you hear the term technical punk: Strung Out, Bigwig, and Propagandhi. These bands started off as scrappy punk rockers whose talents progressed as their members became more and more skilled at their craft. A Wilhelm Scream fit perfectly in this category. Formerly known as the band Smackin' Isaiah, A Wilhelm Scream changed their name in 2003 to reflect a definite change and progression in their sound. Mute Print, the band's first release in 2004 on Nitro Records, was a maelstrom of incredibly catchy melodies, assassin-like guitar work, and an awful lot of aggression. Ruiner completely destroys the foundation set by Mute Print and builds it anew, stronger than ever. The album kicks off with a quiet intro before going full speed ahead into 'The King is Dead,' a song featuring a bridge with guitar work that would make Buckethead's well, head, spin. 'The King is Dead,' along with the rest of the album, brings a semi-dark and lonely tone upon itself as the album is peppered with lines like 'I traded my life for art and the guilt is weighing down my arms.' The intensity of the album is turned up a notch, … Read more

Various Artists

Generations: A Hardcore Compilation
Revelation (2005)

I turned 31 about a month ago and at my age a person tends to finally want to "grow up" … Read more

Minus the Bear

Menos el Oso
Suicide Squeeze (2005)

Let's play a game. It's called 'name a better band than Minus the Bear.' Ready, go! Wrong! Ok, you might … Read more

The Fall of Troy

Doppelganger
Equal Vision (2005)

'The Fall of Troy is everything you wish your band could be - younger, faster, louder, and well'better looking. These … Read more

In the Crosshairs

Partners in Crime
Blood Money (2005)

Partners in Crime opens up with a sound byte of god only knows what (I don't know, maybe something eastern-influenced? … Read more

Dragonland

Starfall
Cleopatra (2005)

I'll be honest. I expected certain things when I attended Yngwie Malmsteen's Rising Force show at the Hammersmith Apollo this … Read more

Browse our review archives

Reviews by year

Choose a year to view reviews of albums released in that year.

Reviews by artist name

Choose a letter to view reviews ordered by that letter (band name first).

Review categories

200 Words Or Less

754 reviews

Book Review

42 reviews

Classic Album

25 reviews

Multiple Authors

300 reviews

Review

5029 reviews

Video/DVD Review

19 reviews

One from the archives

Horseback

Half Blood
Relapse (2012)

I remember distinctly the first time I was introduced to Horseback. It was by their 2012 album Half Blood, and I'm told that my experiences were pretty standard. For the uninitiated, your first few seconds of listening to Horseback will inevitably go something like this:"Hm. This is some pretty interesting post-rocky stuff. Oh, hold on, something's messed up with this audio. I keep hearing this static thing, like someone is using sandpaper to scourge the inside of my speakers and--wait, those are the vocals? "Let's just say Horseback's most noticeable feature is that they take what folks might normally consider acceptable limits for black metal vocals's, er, blackness and then proceed to go so far beyond them that they're actually recorded with a two hour delay to account for the … Read more

More album reviews

Kanye West

Late Registration
Roc-A-Fella (2005)

'So good!' I've had those two words typed at me too many times in the past few weeks. Any time the subject of Late Registration comes up, there it is. 'So good!' When I actually bought the damn CD, I was surprised there wasn't a little sticker on it saying 'So good!' Apparently, the cashier at the store noticed this … Read more

Sigur Rós

Takk
Geffen (2005)

It must be a truly horrible feeling to have the heart and soul you pour endlessly into your music summed up by thousands in one singular, horrendously monotone phrase: 'bath music.' No matter how many hours you bleed emotion into your chosen art form; to many that art will simply be regarded as something to stick in their stereo system … Read more

Death Cab For Cutie

Plans
Atlantic (2005)

With their fifth full-length, indie music darlings Death Cab for Cutie make the jump from 'the little engine that could,' Barsuk Records, to the big-time of Atlantic Records. But don't pick up that rock just yet. Death Cab isn't deserving of the bludgeoning reserved for traitors. With their latest release, Plans Death Cab stick to what they do best as … Read more

Holy Roman Empire

Lost in Landscapes
Hewhocorrupts Inc. (2005)

Do you remember Ashes? Junction? Hell, even Samuel for that matter? Have your ears ever had the chance to listen to Beta Minus Mechanic? Copper? Idle Hands? Well maybe it's all little rusty for you hardcore kids in the 25 and older age range, so let me refresh your memory. Holy Roman Empire as well as all the bands listed … Read more

Day of Contempt

The Will to Live
Epitaph (2005)

Goddamn! You're more than likely speculating that this record is going to be one of two things because of the profane first impression. It's either going to be an over-the-top, album of the year deal, or just another record you stop halfway through setting aside to collect dust. However, Day of Contempt's The Will to Live is neither of the … Read more

Psyclon 9

I.N.R.I.
Metropolis (2005)

Look in the middle of the booklet of I.N.R.I.. Right there in the center of the middle page, staring up at you is a little caption. This little caption says, 'Why should I believe if God's not here to save me?' This is how the album begins, with multi-repetitions of this same line. The anti-Christian platitudes don't stop there, though, … Read more

Internal Affairs

Internal Affairs
Malfunction (2005)

Corey Williams scares me. Now, this isn't anything bad because Williams is a great guy. But add a microphone and a stage - or maybe just a microphone - and this man turns into someone that you probably don't want to meet in a darken alleyway. If Mr. Williams is scary, Internal Affairs frightens me to death. After several prominent … Read more

Xiu Xiu / Devendra Banhart

Split
5 Rue Christine (2005)

Take two of the indie music world's hottest acts, stick them together on a split release on one of the best record labels in America, make the vinyl any number of pretty colors and patterns and you have a recipe for success. Along with a ridiculously predictable, by numbers, 'I can't be bothered thinking too hard' way of opening a … Read more

Foetus

Love
Birdman (2005)

Fire extinguishing foam, cortisone and physostigmine. All highly relevant in today's society and all created by one man, a man you've never heard of. Clint Ruin, Baby Zizanie, Manorexia, Steroid Maximus, Scraping Foetus off the Wheel, Foetus Inc., The Foetus All-Nude Review and all derivations of Foetus' music are also the creations of another man you've probably never heard of,. … Read more

Akron/Family

Akron/Family
Young God (2005)

Michael Gira is a genius. Swans and Angels of Light will undoubtedly be remembered as great bands years from now. Playing music is not all Gira is good at though. Discovering talent is another of Gira's gifts and if he keeps up with his track record, it might even become more renowned than his songwriting abilities. You may know the … Read more

The Black Dahlia Murder

Miasma
Metal Blade (2005)

I spent a good year learning the guitar arrangements, melodies, and riffs of The Black Dahlia Murder's Metal Blade Records debut, Unhallowed. It was certainly a fun, morbid, and visceral expedition into the world of melodic death metal, a la Gothenburg, Sweden. After having seen the phenomenal live show that this band put on, including the mind-bending drumming of Zach … Read more

Lights Out

Overload
Youngblood (2005)

Overload, Lights Out first full-length, is nothing less than amazing. Honestly I was not expecting this from the band because after listening to Get Out so many times, it got rather old. But this new album still hasn't gotten old and I've listened to it every day since I got it. And the reason is that on Overload, Lights Out … Read more

This Moment

Finding a Voice in the Dark
Uprising (2005)

Playing music in a genre like metalcore is a difficult thing. You've got to do what you do very well to separate yourself from the rest of the pack. Even then, odds are you will be tagged as such and thrown in with the rest of the pack of 18 Visions', Atreyu's, and Unearth's. Finding a Voice in the Dark, … Read more

Back When

We Sang as Ghosts
Shock Value (2005)

Escaping cliches can be difficult. In 2005 the instrumental metal band has become its own cliche, along with their album's reviews. Being referred to as a Neurosis-rip off or an Isis-wannabe has become a formality for these bands, and sometimes it isn't even the bands fault. Reviewers are often guilty of only looking towards the genre defining or benchmark bands/albums … Read more

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