The Biters
All Chewed Up
Underrated (2011)
I’m a sucker for punk/pop bands, but not just any crap. They have to have it all: great tunes, catchy hooks, and plenty of attitude. The Biters are just that kind of band, with a mix of power pop and punk with a dose of glam thrown in for good measure (think T-Rex). This is the third EP from the … Read more
The Black Angels
Passover
Light in the Attic (2006)
In retrospect, the sixties were a time of incredible music. While many aspects of the sound have influenced, been watered down, and filtered to fit the mainstream's acute taste of accessible blankness, some of the most important aspects of this era were quickly passed over. Bands like 13th Floor Elevators, Jefferson Airplane and Velvet Underground have been sucked dry in … Read more
The Black Atlantic
Send This Home
Five Point (2007)
Have you ever gone to a movie expecting to see an action movie, but as you watch it, you realize it's a drama? Not quite what you were expecting, but unless you're a meathead you take it for what it is and realize it's still pretty good. This is the case for The Black Atlantic's debut EP Send This Home. … Read more
The Black Black
Careful on Your Way Out
Ewel Records (2021)
If one were to define post-punk as the departure from the musical rawness and simplicity of punk rock and the adoption of dancey rock elements, Brooklyn-based The Black Black would fit the bill quite well. Their third long-player spans eight tracks, which sonically traverse bass-centric territory between 1980s sentiments left in the wake of Joy Division and the groovy end … 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
The Black Dahlia Murder
Nocturnal
Metal Blade (2007)
I cannot think of another record label that could have released The Black Dahlia Murder's new full-length Nocturnal. Sure, any number of labels could have released it financially, but it just would have seemed out of place. This is a metal album from start to finish, so it only makes sense for it to be released by the label that … Read more
The Black Dahlia Murder
Unhallowed
Metal Blade (2003)
There seems to be a horrible trend sweeping the lands of America like The Plague. Kids everywhere are going to salons to get their hair done, wearing silly white belts, and whining more than the emo kids we all used to hate two years ago. This trend has been labeled with the misnomer "metalcore." It seems that these bands fail … Read more
The Black Dahlia Murder
Verminous
Metal Blade (2020)
Humankind has always had an uneasy relationship with rats. Many people hold on to the belief that they are disease vectors, and they've been blamed for the spread of many awful maladies over the centuries, the black plague and leprosy being two the most famous and deadly. They also tend to like the same food as humans and don't mind … Read more
The Black Heart Procession
Six
Temporary Residence (2009)
Can anyone truly describe the sound of The Black Heart Procession? At times there is an audible melancholy that seems to wrap itself in the music, and at other times the band produces a bit more of a "poppy" feel, all the while still maintaining something more dark. Pointless as it is, in an attempt to describe the group's style … Read more
The Black Heart Procession
The Spell
Touch & Go (2006)
The Black Heart Procession has been producing challenging, dark indie rock for almost ten years now. Formed by members of the band Three Mile Pilot - who will also be releasing a new album sometime this year or next after an extended absence since 1998 - The Black Heart Procession have consistently released some of the moodiest sounding albums on … Read more
The Black Hollies
Casting Shadows
Ernest Jenning (2008)
The Black Hollies feature three-fifths of Jersey City's Rye Coalition, but don't expect Casting Shadows, the trippy-covered Ernest Jenning release to match Rye Coalition's dirty rock. The Black Hollies play a blend of psychedelic and 60's garage-pop, complete with flowery imagery, sweet harmonies, and fuzzy guitar interludes. The album shifts between fuzzed out psychedelic and group harmony pop, with the … Read more
The Black Keys
El Camino
Nonesuch (2011)
By now, the Black Keys have released enough material to seemingly exist since the early nineties. This is not the case, however, only having released their gritty debut, The Big Come Up, in May 2002. Since then, amidst a steady growth in production efforts and more polished recordings, The Black Keys manage to stay true to their simplistic form.Where the … Read more
The Black Widow's Project
Heavy Heart
Shitstem (2012)
Initially, I thought I had this band all figured out. From the obvious stoner metal influence and playful title of the lead track, “Ha ha ha uh”, I felt like I knew exactly what to expect. These guys were not interested in odd time signatures or complicated song arrangements. They were merely interested in having some fun with rock n’ … Read more
The Blackjaw
Burn The Artisan
White Russian Records (2019)
Some soft strumming on the guitar draws your attention. Post-hardcorish emo vocals ask you if you ever wondered what it is like to kill someone. Welcome to the wonderful world of The Blackjaw.The Blackjaw is Spanish quartet who recently released their fourth album unto an unsuspecting world. Well, it is either that or I have been living under a rock the … Read more
The Blackout Argument
Remedies
Lifeforce (2009)
Germany's The Blackout Argument are one of the many new hardcore acts being spawned in the scene today. In their short career as a band, they have already released three EP's and a full-length and they have been building their reputation as one of the hardest working bands out there today. They recently faced the challenge of finding a new … Read more
The Blank Fight
House Band Feud (Re-Issue)
Silver Sprocket (2012)
Aaron Cometbus, Rymodee of This Bike Is a Pipe Bomb, bikes, guitars…that seems a fitting intro for the reissue of The Blank Fight’s one and only album, House Band Feud. The cd was released in 2002 on Plan-it-X and, to steal a line from Silver Sprocket’s press sheet, many a songs have made it to mixtapes in the decade since. … Read more
The Blind Shake
Breakfast of Failures
Goner (2014)
The Blind Shake have been consistently banging out juicy, syncopatic jams for the better part of a decade now. Breakfast of Failures is their fifth full-length and, with it, continues the evolution. They’ve always been a concise group, focused on big stomping hooks within the confines of a pop structure, and they’ve slowly made their sound less homogenized in the … Read more
The Blind Shake
Celebrate Your Worth
Goner (2016)
I’ve covered The Blind Shake for most of their career so far. Over that time it’s been a steady growth often focused on syncopated and rhythmic rock: forceful, punchy, and precise. The kind of rock that you can set your watch to, while still angry and striking a deeper chord. They’ve taken some turns along the way: their collaborations with … Read more
