Beastmilk
Climax
Magic Bullet / Svart (2013)
Having appeared on our Top 5 Modern Goth Records list for 2013, it seems only right that we talk a little bit as to how bloody good Climax is. Because it is good. Really bloody good. Beastmilk aren’t breaking the mould with their cold, goth-tinged rock and roll but they sure are making it feel fresh and intoxicating. The Finnish … Read more
Beaten Awake
Thunderstroke
Fat Possum Records (2009)
Some bands exist both inside a scene and outside the sound of the given scene. Beaten Alive are one of those bands. They are a band from Ohio identifying with the garage scene of their state sharing friend The Black Keys. This is where most of the normal characteristics end. While there is a touch of garage rock and some … Read more
Beaten To Death
Agronomicon
Mas-Kina Records (2018)
Does fun belong in music? Or more specifically: does fun belong in grindcore? And I don’t mean the porn or gore variant (I admit, some of those guys make me smile occasionally), just your regular meat and taters grindcore. The crazy heavy metallers of Beaten To Death seem to think so. How else to explain this album title of song … Read more
Beck
Guero
Geffen (2005)
For over a decade, Beck Hansen has staked his name as one of music's most eclectic and eccentric songwriters. Since his 1994 breakthrough record Mellow Gold , made famous by the living-room-recorded "Loser," Beck has continued to push the boundaries of experimental pop music. While Mellow Gold was an amazing record, it wasn't until 1996's masterpiece Odelay that Beck's true … Read more
Beck
Modern Guilt
Interscope (2008)
Beck has been releasing music for going on twenty years now. Since his first release, the multi-talented musician and songwriter has been labeled everything from an underground sensation and an alternative rock phenom to a one-hit-wonder and a mainstream sellout. Throughout the years and the labeling - which has included on more than one occasion the above - Beck has … Read more
Beck
Morning Phase
Capitol (2014)
Many musicians can write a sad song. But a sad song is just that. It’s one note - one emotion. Sad-verse-sad-chorus-sad-verse-end. Rare artists can take you on an emotional journey through the changing moods of an album. Even rarer artists can do so in the same song.It’s been six years since we last heard from the likes of Beck Hansen. … Read more
Becoming the Archetype
Dichotomy
Solid State (2008)
So after receiving the Becoming the Archetype full-length Dichotomy, I checked out the CD book before listening to it, remembering great tracks like "One Man Parade" off of Terminate Damnation, I immediately went to the last page of the album art to check the credits and see if there were any worth-while guests, only to find that Devin Townsend produced … Read more
Beex
The Early Years: 1979-1982
Beach Impediment (2021)
The beak is a feature predominantly found in birds but not limited to. A beak could also be located on a turtle or rarely in a band of early fundamental punk rock anthropomorphic specimens. A beak is a functional tool with varying degrees of use depending on the embodiment or representation called into question. Primarily the beak is used for … Read more
Behemoth
I Loved You at Your Darkest
Nuclear Blast (2018)
The fanfare that surrounded 2014s The Satanist was not an unwarranted reaction and for Behemoth it marked a significant turning point. Hailed as a modern classic almost immediately and allowing the Polish band to reach the upper echelons of the extreme metal scene with huge tours both in Europe and America, headlining festival appearances where they played the record in … Read more
Behexen
Nightside Emanations
Debemur Morti Productions (2012)
Oh Behexen....what the hell (pun intended) happened? It was all going so well. My Soul for His Glory was a definite career high....those classic Finnish riffs, the evil sound, demonic undertones and the sense of something quite frightening occurring. Skip forward four years and we have Nightside Emanations – a record so mediocre that even the cover art looks second … Read more
Bell Witch
Four Phantoms
Profound Lore (2015)
Getting it right when it comes to extreme doom/death is a very tricky business. It is quite a misconception that as long as a band is able to play really, really slow and have heavy riffs, they can be considered successful and good at what they do. Bell Witch know better. The duo from Seattle is relatively new to the … Read more
Bell Witch
Mirror Reaper
Profound Lore (2017)
Beginning the dissection of a record is often the most difficult thing to do when it comes to writing a review. Knowing how to start, to draw in your reader and keep them interested is tough; you know what you want to say, how the record makes you feel and you may even have an insight into the intentions of … Read more
Bell X1
Chop Chop
Belly Up (2013)
Before delving into the intricacies of Bell X1's latest release Chop Chop, it is important to note that they have written what is arguably one of the best songs to come out of the Irish indie music scene in recent years. "In Every Sunflower", from 2007's Music in Mouth, is the kind of song that if you're not on the … Read more
Belushi Speed Ball
What, Us Worry?
SonaBLAST! Records (2022)
"All the burgers, all the fries, Daniels got tater tots for his eyes!" - Belushi Speed Ball Formed in 2013 in Louisville, Kentucky Belushi Speed Ball unashamedly crashed the thrash metal crossover band wagon with their take on speed induced party metal. To date What, Us Worry? is their second full length album. Prepare For Trouble was their first coming … Read more
Ben Harper
Give Till It's Gone
Virgin (2011)
This is Ben Harper’s 10th studio album; his last contractual obligation for Virgin and it comes after his split with his wife actress Laura Dern. All of these events lead to a compilation of emotional songs that bring out a different Ben Harper than most of his other albums. Joining him on this one are his mates from the Relentless … Read more
Ben Kweller
Ben Kweller
ATO (2006)
The refreshing thing about Ben Kweller is that every album he comes out with has a different sound that doesn't alienate any of his fans. His mixture of classic rock and alternative rock keeps fans old and young listening. At first, Ben Kweller's third full-length, a self-titled effort, sounds feebler than his previous works. And it's true, Ben Kweller doesn't … Read more
Ben Kweller
On My Way
ATO (2005)
Why do we like this guy so much? He is a horrible songwriter, he has a mediocre voice, and the instrumentation on his albums is decent at best. After a few agonizing hours of thinking, while sitting uncomfortably cramped in the seat of plane, I came up with this conclusion: Ben Kweller reminds us of someone we know- he is … Read more
Ben Nichols
The Last Pale Light in the West
Rebel Group (2009)
The Last Pale Light in the West is the solo EP (or apparently what is being called a "mini-album" by the record label) by Lucero frontman Ben Nichols. The album is based on the novel "Blood Meridian" by Cormac McCarthy. For those of you who aren't familiar, that's the same man that wrote "No Country For Old Men." "Blood Meridian" … Read more
