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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)

Container

Adhesive
Liberation Technologies (2014)

Combining throbbing electronic music with scratchy and crackly noise elements, Providence, Rhode Island’s Container has been getting more and more notice in recent years. Perhaps one reason for this is the fact that musician/producer Ren Schofield (who essentially is Container) has continued to improve, pumping out almost industrial-oriented tracks using conventional techno beats even as many electronic artists have been caught up in various flavor of the week “genres.” Container’s 2014 instrumental EP Adhesive doesn’t sound much different from the group’s immediately previous release Treatment, yet Adhesive is a better, more polished and precise effort that’s quite a bit more consistent than many of this year’s rather unwieldy electronic albums. “Glaze,” a track built around a pretty standard but punchy 4/4 kick drum beat, starts the album off with electronic toms cascading over screeching metallic accents during the track’s middle section. “Slush” sounds a bit more aggressive right off the bat, as high-pitched squeals erupt over crunchy percussion accents, but it eventually settles into a hypnotic main section pushed along by an unyielding drum roll. Increasingly frantic as it goes along, this second track gives way to the almost icy and trance-inducing “Complex,” possibly the track here that would be … Read more

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 … 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

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One from the archives

Death Before Dishonor

Better Ways to Die
Bridge Nine (2009)

Boston natives Death Before Dishonor really broke through with their 2007 full-length Count Me In. Like it's predecessors, it featured a punishing assault of metallic hardcore that captivated hardcore fans around the globe. In addition, the band infused their standard sound with some of their hometown punk upbringings, which - for me - brought up mixed reactions. Two years later Death Before Dishonor return with their second full-length effort, Better Ways to Die. "Peace and Quiet" doesn't waste any time dillydallying around. This is a minute blast of ferocious hardcore that is anchored by a truly dynamic drumming assault and the barking vocals of Bryan Harris. "Remember" follows and continues the assault, with a slow dirge of heavy riffs and a muted solo before quickening the pace to a punk … Read more

More album reviews

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 I thought that this heavy psychedelic doom/sludge band was on to something really great. The sonic experimentation and the insane weight of the band combined with sick riffs and screaming vocals was an unbelievable record to process. And when their … Read more

†††

†††
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

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