Napalm Death
Scum (Reissue)
Earache (2007)
Surely by now, almost everyone within the underground music community has heard of Napalm Death. If you have not yet (what rock have you been living under?), check out Albert Mudrian's Choosing Death: The Improbable History of Death Metal and Grindcore for a bit of a history lesson. This book gives an excellent synopsis of the early history of Napalm … Read more
Narrows
Narrows
Deathwish Inc. (2008)
The first mentions of Narrows are enough to give someone chills, particularly if that individual is a fan of any of the groups from which this outfit sprang. Thinking on the possibilities from the membership roster (former members of Botch, Unbroken, Some Girls, etc as well as a current member of These Arms Are Snakes) alone brings much speculation as … Read more
Nas
Hip Hop is Dead
Def Jam (2006)
A hip hop album hasn't sparked this much controversy in years. The title led to many rappers taking great offense. Specifically, southern artists like D4L and Young Jeezy got heated over the title, questioning whom Nas was to make such a declaration. The publicity generated, along with the loyalty of Nas fans, helped Hip Hop is Dead debut at #1 … Read more
Nathan Ellis
Self Titled
No Sleep (2012)
Mr. Ellis has already accomplished a great deal in his musical “career” (I say it this way because somehow I doubt Nathan Ellis is rolling deep in the dough from his various musical endeavors) that has carved a unique and impressive path amongst his myriad of projects which have included being one of the bassists in the ground breaking hardcore … Read more
Nathan Xander
The Fear
Deep Elm (2009)
Every once in awhile you try out an album and it becomes a happy accident. These albums become special to you because you just took a chance and found something special. I was hoping for this when I picked this from the promo pile. I had high hopes as this was compared to Ryan Adams primarily. While this comparison fits … Read more
Native
Orthodox
Sargent House (2013)
It's been a while since I've been this interested in a post-hardcore record. Native seem to have that effect on me. As a band, they're too often overlooked, brushed aside by most as another one of the many cardboard cutout bands watering down a once innovative music scene. Indiana post-hardcore powerhouses Native play a distinctly groovy and angular take on … Read more
Natterers
Head In Threathening Attitude
Boss Tuneage Records (2018)
Sometimes I like my punk straightforward. Give me some power chords, play them high speed, high energy for one to three minutes and I’m a happy man. Sometimes I like my punk a bit different. One thing I enjoy is a guitarist who dares to play something different. Just to give an example, one thing I dig is more surfy … Read more
Nazoranai
The Most Painful Times Happens Only Once Has It Arrived Today?
Editions Mego (2014)
The guys participating in Nazoranai, do not really need much of an introduction. Stephen O’Malley of drone doom overlords Sunn O))), Australian guitarist Oren Ambarchi (who acts as the drummer in this case) and the maestro himself, Keiji Haino, collaborate to bring a terrorizing album of experimental free rock fury and improvisation. The free rock form of Nazoranai give a … Read more
Neal Eles
As Night Sinks
Independent (2006)
Neal Eles sounds like Jose Gonzales. It's that simple. Maybe Jose Gonzales sounds like Neal Eles, or maybe they both sound like someone else? Who knows? It's that gentle singer-songwriter formula all played on pianos and acoustic guitars with some melancholic vocals. Neal Eles chooses to beef up the archetype with drums and increased timbres, however, and even has a … Read more
Nebelhexë
Essensual
Candlelight (2007)
For those who find Evanescence's Amy Lee too goth and Sarah Brightman not quite goth enough, we have Norway's Andrea Haugen a.k.a. Nebelhexë. Now, "Neb," as we'll call her, is, according to her bio, "a warrior with never-fading energy and she fights with passion for individual and spiritual freedom; animal rights, awareness for ecological food, recognition for ancient goddess worship … Read more
Nebelung
Palingenesis
Temple of Torturous (2014)
Nebelung's gorgeous Palingenesis is born of melancholy and sadness and the themes of an approaching finality coupled with the knowledge of rebirth echoes throughout a work that is layered and coloured with shades of autumn and the coming winter. Palingenesis is a moody work and its textures flow through beautiful acoustic guitars and Stefan Otto’s emotion-laden voice. He moves from … Read more
Necrophobic
Satanic Blasphemies
Regain (2009)
Necrophobic are one of the classics of the legendary old school Swedish death metal scene, along with underground titans such as Entombed, Dismember, and Carnage. They remained slightly less known then the aforementioned compatriots but nonetheless command great respect in underground circles and bring a lot of history with them. If you are at all familiar with and love old … Read more
Need
Need
Independent (2016)
Some bands just make things difficult for those interested in the band. Some bands do so by making complicated music. Need is not one of those bands. Need makes things unnecessary complicated by choosing a name that will not soon pop up after searching for it online. And by making a self-titled album they are not making the search much … Read more
Needles//Pins
Goodnight, Tomorrow
Mint/Dirt Cult (2017)
Needles//Pins are one of those hard bands to pin down. They just sound like what rock ‘n’ roll is supposed to be, you know? It’s catchy, gritty, relatable, and working class. It’s to the point without being mindless or jingoistic. Goodnight, Tomorrow is their second LP, the follow-up to Shamebirds (2014). The first record is an enjoyable romp, but it … Read more
Needles//Pins
Needles//Pins
Dirt Cult (2021)
Needles//Pins have all the familiar elements of pop-structured punk. Yet, at the same time, it’s hard to distill their sound to a single scene or subgenre. It’s melodic; it’s gruff; it’s sing-along. But it’s not really angry, fist-in-the-air cynicism. There’s an uplifting vibe underneath the coarse offering that soars instead of cycles. Off the top of my head, there are … Read more
Needles//Pins
Shamebirds
Dirt Cult (2014)
Needles//Pins are something different in the punk rock realm. Well, that’s not true. They’re entirely familiar and warm, yet they have that pizzazz—that’s what the kids are calling it these days, if you didn’t know. They play familiar-ish DIY punk with some pop sensibility, but there’s a little more attitude, a touch of that first person rock star swagger that … Read more
Negative Plane
Stained Glass Revelations
Ajna Offensive (2011)
Negative Plane are certainly not a new band. Having released their prior full length 5 years ago the band seemed to have disappeared for quite some time. Many times when this happens bands tend to forget their original purpose or just forget music altogether. Thankfully for us, the music consuming public, the band have returned to become something stronger. The … Read more
Neighborhood Brats
Claw Marks
Dirt Cult (2018)
I’ve always liked Neighborhood Brats, but I don’t remember the band having so much variation in sound. Over 11 songs, this record maintains their melodic and forward-moving punk but with ominous foreboding organ, and even banging piano at times. While this growth stands out, it also doesn’t change who the band is. These details add depth, not a change of … Read more
