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Descendents

9th & Walnut
Epitaph (2021)

While I like new Descendents, their older stuff always had an intangible bite to it. The new stuff feels more sarcastic while their earlier material was pissed off underneath that playful disposition. And that’s what you get on 9th & Walnut which is billed as the band’s eighth studio album, though the timeline is more complicated than that. All 18 … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Sunshine Satellite

Sunshine Satellite
Snappy Little Numbers (2020)

Ah, an actual tape cassette…in a day and age where portable digital devices are ubiquitous, I find delight whenever an analogue tape pops up – even more so when the sound of the bands fits the medium. Case in point: Sunshine Satellite, a duo that channels its alchemy in sleek and powerfully compact garagey-pop-punk tunes, serenaded by female vocals in … Read more

Southpaw

Just A Spell of Feeling Nothing
Independent (2021)

There is a lot of productive ways to spend a pandemic lockdown: 1. Grow your own windowsill herb garden 2. Watch all the seasons of Law & Order and make note of how many episodes pass the Bechdel test (spoiler alert: it’s two). 3. Make an album with your mates. Ok, calling 1 and 2 “productive” is a bit of … Read more

NOFX

Single Album
Fat Wreck Chords (2021)

This record is honestly kind of painful. It’s meant to be, too. It’s about depression, drug abuse, death and all kinds of dark material. And it works on that level, but it’s also painful because the NOFX sound puts Fat Mike’s vocals so front-and-center in everything: It’s like watching somebody standing under a spotlight while hitting rock bottom. The lyrics … Read more

Weezer

Van Weezer
Atlantic (2021)

I expected every webzine, music mogul, and rock print publication to give the newest Weezer album a bad review. I figured that Van Weezer - titled in tribute to, well, you know - was next in a line of punching bags that were guilty of not being Pinkerton. Well, fuck me - most of the big-name publication reviews have been … Read more

Lingua Ignota

Sinner Get Ready
Sargent House (2021)

It is an act of courage to redefine oneself. Especially when the initial recipe and direction has been exciting and challenging. Yet, when a project is as intricate as Kristen Hayter’s Lingua Ignota there should not be any surprise when evolution is afoot. Hayter started in the underground, releasing the first two records of her project independently. Through the raw … Read more

The Obits

Die at the Zoo
Outer Battery Records (2021)

Die at the Zoo is a live recording from Obits, live in Brisbane, Australia, in 2012. There are 16 songs from the band’s catalog and it was recently released on limited vinyl by Outer Battery. There are probably two main angles for looking at a live record: is it capturing a time and place, or is it capturing an essence … Read more

Wills Dissolve

Echoes
Hypnotic Dirge Records (2020)

I think it’s a good rule of thumb to assume if some band has their album art done by Adam “Nightjar” Burke, it’s going to be at least a good album. While that could be an exaggeration, I’ve yet to see a bad record with album art made by that man, so that’s a good track record, right? Anyway, Wills … Read more

Silent Island

The Curse of Coleodeia
Independent (2020)

Hungarian musician Csarnogurszky István is quite prolific, helming Black Hill, musicformessier, Realm of Wolves, Stvannyr, and of course Silent Island. His most recent release is The Curse of Coleodeia under Silent Island. As it can be often witnessed with prolific bands and/or musicians, the output may tend to suffer in quality due to the quantity in which it comes about. … Read more

Impure Wilhelmina

Antidote
Season of Mist (2021)

My girlfriend asked me, earlier this year: “why does all music you like sound so bloody serious?”. At first I denied this and listed a couple of bands and albums that sound more party-like, but after giving it some thought I had to agree. I really lean towards the stuff that sounds bloody serious. In comes Impure Wilhelmina, who can … Read more

Bambies

Summer Soon
Spaghetty Town Records (2021)

The first song on Sumer Soon is titled “Dirty Taint.” And if that doesn’t put a taste in your mouth for what’s to come, well, keep reading then. There’s some trash rock influence, for sure, but it’s not that cut-and-dried. The Bambies also have some heavy Ramones influence that gives a more wholesome counter tone. It walks the trash punk … Read more

Voices

An Audience Of Mannequins
Church Road Records (2021)

The British prog-death metallers from Voices are back with some fresh material. It’s not much, but it’s something to hang on to until their next album. Formed alongside Akercocke, by some of their members, Voices deliver an interesting take on the genre and are definitely one of the better representatives of the niche. They’re also one of those criminally underrated … Read more

Clown Core

Van
Independent (2020)

Who are Clown Core? Long story short – no idea and no one really knows. There’s a lot of speculation online regarding the fact that the duo may actually be drummer Louis Cole and saxophonist Sam Gendel. Although, both have denied being part of the band. As Clown Core continue to skillfully keep their identities a mystery, we can only … Read more

200 Words Or Less

The Arson Choir

Invisible Monsters
War Against Records (2020)

The Arson Choir are another fine representative of the new wave of American mathcore. They’re a pretty young band, but they have a lot of power in them and they sure know how to lay it down. Their balls to the wall delivery paired with chunky and groovy riffs, as well as the classic dissonant screeches is very appropriate and … Read more

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