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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)

Ignite

A War Against You
Century Media (2016)

Even after a decade, Ignite still managed to put out a record that was the logical step forward from Our Darkest Days. While it's not a "reunion" album, it certainly feels like it. Up until the last couple years, Ignite have pretty much been on and off when it came to performing. Front-man, Zoli Teglas, went on to join Pennywise for a couple years. Brett Rasmussen and Nik Hill formed Nations Afire with former Rise Against guitarist, Chris Chasse. Hill eventually left Ignite all together and started up Lucky Scars. Basically, the band was put on the back burner. Fortunately, they started to become more active in recent years. Between all the side-projects, Euro tours, and some shows in the States, they began writing some new material over the course of a few years which amounted to a laundry list of songs. This long writing process seems to be evident. Earlier tracks on the album bank more on the “Radio Rock” side, and the first half doesn’t come off as cohesive as the second. Once it hits its stride though, it’s all full steam ahead. A War Against You opens with “Begin Again.” Some, if not most, will probably be … Read more

King Diamond

The Spider's Lullabye (reissue)
Metal Blade (2015)

When King Diamond's album The Spider's Lullabye, his sixth, was first released in 1995, it was a unique entry in … Read more

Full Of Hell

Amber Mote in the Black Vault
Bad Teeth Recordings (2016)

Full of Hell remain successful in orbiting the broad domain of hardcore punk without becoming victims of convention or straying … Read more

Graves At Sea

The Curse That Is
Relapse (2016)

During the early to mid '00s, Graves at Sea had acquired a legendary stature. Their first demo, Documents of Grief, … Read more

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 … Read more

Tombs

All Empires Fall
Relapse (2016)

Since their inception back in 2007, Tombs have been in a phase of constant turmoil. Band members have been changed … Read more

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One from the archives

Sigur Rós

Með Suð í Eyrum Við Spilum Endalaust
EMI/XL Recordings (2008)

The consistently elusive Sigur Rós returns to bless our ears with more soft-spoken Icelandic genius. Is that too much? Perhaps, but this is coming off of their double-disc collection of b-sides Hvarf-Heim released barely a year ago, not to mention the extensive touring they have done in between. I first heard Sigur Rós being played in between sets of a high school production of "The Chocolate War," soon after the release of ( ). I was intrigued by the beautifully sparse melodies and fleeting vocals spoken in a foreign tongue, and they've been a long-time favorite since then. However, I have to admit, I've been a little bit behind the ball in the past few years. Sigur Rós has always walked a fine line between popular obscurity and super-stardom in … Read more

More album reviews

Various Artists

Crab Legs/Not Half Bad - Dorks/Nerds
Ocelot Records (2015)

Spanning the country’s geography north and south, this split from Fargo, ND’s Crab Legs and Fort Worth, TX’s Not Half Bad is a snippet of the varied sounds of the current DIY pop-punk scene and everything that unifies yet separates bands within it. Crab Legs play a coarse shout it out style that’s gruff yet melodic while partners in vinyl … Read more

Nevermen

Nevermen
Ipecac (2016)

The list of people that Mike Patton has collaborated with over the years is as long as it is diverse. Not so diverse however, that any of the co-conspirators were a surprise, be they Dan the Automator, Melt Banana, Rahzel or untold others.So when the Nevermen album was announced, featuring Patton, Anticon founder Adam ‘Deosone’ Drucker and Tunde Adebimpe from … Read more

Magrudergrind

II
Relapse (2016)

Fucking finally. It’s been six long years since we’ve heard from the Brooklyn via D.C. grind-brigade. This month marks the release of II, the only Magrudergrind record since 2010’s Crusher EP and a welcome relief to those only moderately pacified by Avi Kulawy’s (vocals) doom project, Ruine. II presents some major changes from Magrudergrind without exhibiting a substantial departure from … Read more

Wolvserpent

Aporia: Kala: Ananta
Relapse (2016)

When it comes to mystical vibes, few can challenge the music of Wolvserpent. The duo consisting of Blake Green and Brittany McConnell in the past six years has been putting out a series excellent works. From their debut, Blood Seed, their drone/doom vision started coming into view, a concept that felt finalized with the release of their latest album, Perigaea … Read more

Various Artists

Radon/Worthwhile Way - split 7"
No Idea/Eager Beaver (2015)

Radon has never really done a lot for me. The melodies are nice but it really never strikes a chord one way or the other. In “Headaches and Bullshit,” it’s 2:29 of their traditional sound, melodic and emotional, delivered via Dave Rohm’s Greg Attonito-styled (Bouncing Souls) vocals over melodic hardcore with an emphasis on the melodic. It does feature a … Read more

Oranssi Pazuzu

Värähtelijä
Svart Records/20 Buck Spin (2016)

Värähtelijä marks Oranssi Pazuzu’s fourth foray into the outer reaches and the Finnish band pull no punches in creating a record that melds tripped out cosmic rhythms with the distinct aesthetics of modern black metal. Oranssi Pazuzu aren’t your typical Finnish black metal band and with their music they set out to push the boundaries of what the genre should … Read more

Bunnygrunt

Vol. 4
Happy Happy Birthday To Me (2015)

St. Louis indie pop band Bunnygrunt will probably always be stuck with the 90s cuddlecore label, as much as they may hate it. The lovable duo Matt Harnish (guitars/vocals) and Karen Ried (drums/vocals) specialize in fun, disposable - and dare I say cute - punk rock, Bunnygrunt reliably delivers the ephemeral sound of what their label Happy Happy Birthday to … Read more

Emmy The Great

Second Love
Bella Union (2016)

Finding an anchor in your life is one of those inevitabilities that is constantly chattering away in the back of your head; you're trying to figure out where you should be and where you should stay. If your 20s are there to discover what you're doing with your life and which space on this planet is most homely to you, … Read more

Iggy Pop

Post Pop Depression
Loma Vista Recordings (2016)

When Iggy pop parted ways with The Stooges in the mid-seventies, no one really knew what to expect from the man next. If they had been taking bets in Vegas, the highest odds would have gone to: Moving to Berlin to collaborate with David Bowie. Nevertheless, that's exactly what happened, and the result was his first solo release, The Idiot. … Read more

The Body

No One Deserves Happiness
Thrill Jockey (2016)

Since 2010 and the release of their album All The Waters of the Earth Turn to Blood, sludge outfit The Body have really taken off. Originally found back in 1999, the band from Oregon did not seem to be very active, releasing a good debut album in 2004, but it would take six years until their next full-length. However, since … Read more

Agoraphobic Nosebleed

Arc
Relapse (2016)

It’s not often a band whose tenure spans as long as Agoraphobic Nosebleed’s makes such a successful effort in redefining their sound without conjuring notions of desired mass appeal. More importantly, it’s not often a band as influential to heavy music as Agoraphobic Nosebleed creates what is easily their most accessible effort without sacrificing their abrasive integrity. We see an … Read more

Agoraphobic Nosebleed

Arc
Relapse (2016)

Led by Scott Hull, Agoraphobic Nosebleed is one of the quintessential grindcore acts out there, and probably the most prominent band in the genre to make use of a drum machine, leading to hundreds of followers. Their style is dictated by ferocity and speed, albums filled with bursts of violence and constant pushing of your mental state. From Honky Reduction … Read more

Kindling

Galaxies
No Idea Records (2016)

Debuting in 2014 and quickly releasing the surprisingly outstanding Spike & Wave 7”, Easthampton, Massachusetts-based Kindling has undergone a substantial metamorphosis over the past few years. The original duo of Stephen Pierce (he of Ampere) and Gretchen Williams have been joined by drummer Andy Skelly and bassist Andrew Farr, allowing the group's initially rather sparse material to be fleshed out … Read more

Shadow in the Cracks

Shadow in the Cracks
Goner (2015)

What does it mean when a three-piece band has a spin-off two-piece? While the premonition is that drama is afoot for member number three, that’s probably overthinking it. At least in the case of Shadow in the Cracks, a side project of The Blind Shake where brothers Blaha split off from their main gig for a more ambient approach at … Read more

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