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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)

Ensemble Economique

Melt Into Nothing
Denovali (2014)

I became familiar with Ensemble Economique back in 2010 when they released their album Psychical, with Bryan Pyle (formerly of Starving Weirdos) combining world music with a very intriguing soundtrack type of feeling. Even though the original incarnation of the band with their fascinating influences was monumental, Ensemble Economique has crossed into darker territories. Pyle has reduced this act to its essential, exposing its core and steering the wheel towards a more experimental and dark version of itself, reminiscent of the earlier releases of 4AD.The trippy beginning of “Your Lips Against Mine” sets thing off in the most suitable way. The intro of the track slowly creeps up on you with its slow progression and ethereal melodies, allowing you to escape reality. As the addictive vocal lines come in, Ensemble Economique secure the hold that they have on you, and from that moment forward you will be unable to escape their dark maze and their unearthly trance. And to make things even more interesting, the band uses excellent guitar effects to introduce “Make-Out in the GDR,” and is capable of awakening a mixed feeling of grandeur and melancholy. From that point on things start to get even more mysterious and … Read more

Jon McKiel

Jon McKiel
Independent (2014)

An old, black-and-white photo depicts five dilapidated homes slowly crumbling away on an island in the middle of a vast, … Read more

Mike "McBeardo" McPadden

Heavy Metal Movies
Independent (2014)

According to Mike "McBeardo" McPadden's Heavy Metal Movies, Stanley Kubrick's 1968 film 2001: A Space Odyssey"profoundly influenced" a yet-to-be-named Black … Read more

Benjamin Shaw

Goodbye, Cagoule World
Audio Antihero (2014)

The UK is a miserable place at times, more often than not in fact, and artists such as Benjamin Shaw … Read more

Pixies

Indie Cindy
Pixies Music (2014)

Indie Cindy is the first new Pixies full-length since 1991 (Trompe le Monde). After the band reunited a few years … Read more

The Atlas Moth

The Old Believer
Profound Lore (2014)

I still remember when I first listened to the Atlas Moth debut album, A Glorified Piece of Blue Sky. Instantly … Read more

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One from the archives

The Architects

Vice
Anodyne (2008)

You know that Less Than Jake song, "All My Best Friends Are Metalheads?" Well, just keep that in mind for a minute. On The Architects' third release, Vice, there are catchy, group-sung choruses that spring images of dudes in leather jackets walking in synch down a dark street. This, however, is not an ironic project. The Kansas City group features three former Gadjits members, including vocalist Brandon Phillips who both shares names with an all-star caliber Cincinnati Red as well as runs Anodyne Records. The Architects see themselves as pure rock-n-roll, rejuvenating the Detroit sound while invigorating it with a country outlaw mentality. The record kicks off with "Cold Hard Facts," which has flashes of the gritty The Clash/Replacements everyman rock the band aims for. Unfortunately, the sound shifts quickly, … Read more

More album reviews

†††

†††
Sumerian (2014)

The latest in a series of side projects from Deftones vocalist Chino Moreno, ††† (pronounced “crosses”) takes much of its somewhat spooky iconography from the weird world of witch house (ooo look – every ‘T’ is replaced with a †), yet probably has more in common with Nine Inch Nails than any of the here-today-gone-tomorrow genuine witch house groups. Formed … Read more

Death Grips

Niggas On The Moon
Harvest / Third Worlds (2014)

Death Grips have been making a strong and confrontational statement in music since their inception. Zach Hill (Former drummer extraordinaire for Hella), Stefan "MC Ride" Burnett, and Andy "Flatlander" Morin have been making caustic rap punk that always leaves first-time listeners at a loss for words. Their self-described "accelerated music" contains samples that range from "Up The Beach" by Jane's … Read more

Clad In Darkness

Decathect
Independent (2014)

Good things come to those who wait. It's a cliché, yes, but for Clad in Darkness that old adage rings wholly true. Having formed at least fifteen years ago, the band have taken their sweet, sweet time in releasing their debut record. A couple of EPs have seen the light but for this Chicago based band, a full length was … Read more

The People's Temple

Musical Garden
Hozac Records (2014)

It may be an antiquated notion, but there are just some names that you can trust. Names that were built by years of fostering goodwill and established by years of putting out the very best. If it's groovy rock and roll that you seek then Hozac Records is one of those names. It's one of those things where even if … Read more

Rabbit Holes

Rabbit Holes EP
Big Action (2014)

Big Action Records doesn’t pump out a ton of releases and, when they do, they run the geographical gamut. The label is based in St. Paul, MN but releases come from across the country. Still, within that, there’s a well defined style that tends to dominate: pop-tinged, melodic garage rock. The debut from Minnesota’s Rabbit Holes fits well within those … Read more

Street Eaters

Blood::Muscles::Bones
Nervous Intent (2014)

Bands are seemingly judged differently on their sophomore outings: where does it change, does it meet expectation, does it show growth, and the like. Well, writing about a band the second (or third) time is kind of the same thing. With Blood::Muscles::Bones, Street Eaters haven’t changed up their sound drastically or reworked their well-oiled machine. They’ve just written another bundle … Read more

Diarrhea Planet

Yama-Uba EP (Reissue)
Infinity Cat (2014)

Showing up a few years after the group’s 2009 debut Aloha, Diarrhea Planet’s 2011 three-track EP Yama-Uba is a more consistent release, with a sound that’s similar to that of 1990s pop-punk group The Queers. Infusing singalong vocal harmonies, intricate guitar work, and soaring solo lines into familiar, old-time rock song formulas, opening tracks “Hot Spit” and “Mutt-Feast” show that … Read more

Diarrhea Planet

Aloha (Reissue)
Infinity Cat (2014)

Formed in 2009, Nashville, Tennessee’s Diarrhea Planet initially were known for their goofy name more than anything else, but with the 2014 reissue of their first EP Aloha, it becomes possible to see why their reputation has only grown over the past few years. A full on assault of wicked, snarling guitar licks, punchy rhythms and amusingly vulgar lyrics, this … Read more

Olekranon

Danaus
Inam Records (2013)

When a band or label is as difficult to track down as Olekranon or Inam Records, then you know you're in for an experience. The chap behind Olekranon - Ryan Huber - is also the chap behind the label but getting a hold of them via the magic of the internet has proved to be a fruitless endeavour. There's a … Read more

Ulver

Messe I.X - VI.X
Jester (2013)

It has been quite a time since one could easily quantify Ulver and what they do as a unit. Garm has made no secret that he remains generally uninterested in what Ulver began as and remains focussed on following whatever muse may take him. So for the early years when there was an emphasis on Black Metal to the middle … Read more

Gholas

Litanies
Dullest Records (2014)

Taking their name from the universe of Dune, this intriguing band releases its latest record, Litanies. Post metal might be the easiest way of describing Gholas but that would be unfair to their much deeper and more complex nature.The beginning of the album comes in and hits you straight in the face with “…And the Lives Come Flooding,” as the … Read more

Eyehategod

Eyehategod
Housecore (2014)

With their first full-length album in 14 years (save for an EP of sorts in 2005 and a 7" in 2012), it's almost one's gut instinct to remark that Eyehategod haven't missed a beat in all that time and sound as lethal now as they did on 2000's Confederacy of Ruined Lives. However, to gloss over those nearly 15 years … Read more

White Lung

Deep Fantasy
Domino (2014)

Deep Fantasy is pissed off, but it could still use a good angry howl every so often.The record, the third from Vancouver’s White Lung, is their first on Domino Records and was recorded as a trio (though they still tour as a quartet). The band has seen its fair share of comparisons to Pretty Girls Make Graves and this release … Read more

Northless

World Keeps Sinking
Gilead Media (2013)

Milwaukee's Northless have long been trudging within their brand a somewhat sprawling sludge. The band have consistently input further measures of post rock textures into their sound to create something a little bit more different from the norm. While still remaining mostly true to sludge on the whole the band seem to create something a little bit more tuneful and … Read more

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