Recent reviews

Our latest album reviews, featuring the records we've most enjoyed (or not) over the past few weeks.

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

Attica! Attica!

Napalm & Nitrogen
Black Numbers (2011)

Before your red flag goes up, we are not talking about the "crab-core" group, Attack Attack. Don't worry; I was wary of the same thing. No, Attica! Attica! is the complete opposite. It's the moniker undertaken by De La Hoya and Marathon vocalist, Aaron Scott, for his solo folk-punk project. In September of 2009, he released his second full length, Napalm & Nitrogen, but it was only available digitally. Fast forward a year and a half and Black Numbers Records made it available to audiophiles everywhere on a limited run of color vinyl with the addition of a new song. Napalm & Nitrogen is about what you could expect from a folk-punk artist. However, Aaron's got a better grasp on melody than most these days and adds his own twist to it. He opens the album with "Elk Rock Island," where Scott sings of archaic and organic themes with a distinct voice to nothing more than the comforting tone of his guitar. He picks up the pace on the more aggressive "Five Year Plan," while "Hobo Chili" just calls for a room full of dancing and singing along. Following is "Catch Me if You Can" which has Scott returning to … Read more

Portugal. The Man

In The Mountain, In The Cloud
Atlantic (2011)

Few bands have the creative power, material, and time to put out an album annually since its inception. Portugal. The … Read more

Gridlink

Orphan
Hydra Head (2011)

My money is on the simple fact that it will take you longer to read this than it will to … Read more

Thievery Corporation

It Takes A Thief: The Very Best Of
ESL (2010)

Thievery Corporation has always been a bit of a musical Janus: one face obscured in the revolutionary stylings of Subcommandante … Read more

Something Fierce

Don't Be So Cruel
Dirtnap (2011)

Chalk up another one for the misleading band name file—Something Fierce makes me think violent and brutal, which definitely isn’t … Read more

Herra Terra

Quiet Geist
The Mylene Sheath (2010)

The Duo of Herra Terra seemed to come out of nowhere when their signing was announced by The Mylene Sheath. … Read more

Browse our review archives

Review categories

200 Words Or Less

749 reviews

Book Review

42 reviews

Classic Album

25 reviews

Multiple Authors

300 reviews

Review

4881 reviews

Video/DVD Review

19 reviews

One from the archives

Career Suicide

Machine Response
Deranged (2017)

Sometimes I love the predictable unpredictability of punk. You hear the name Career Suicide and think a certain sound and, well, they’re right in line with that. Here on Machine Response the band mixes ‘80s hardcore, snot-punk and more in a blitz of a record. It’s aggressive and relentless, but mired in a traditional sound that merges melody and anger, singing more than shouting. While it fits within a certain type, this record is still fresh and energizing.The band was founded by Martin Farkas (vocals) and Jonah Falco (guitar here, drums in Fucked Up. There are a few shades of Falco’s well known other band but, really, this record is more about bursts of speed than lumbering riffs. It’s 11 songs long and 25-minutes, but it almost feels like more … Read more

More album reviews

Gifts From Enola

Self Titled
The Mylene Sheath (2011)

Gifts From Enola should be fairly recognizable to anyone into the post rock scene at this point. The Virginia based band have been putting out music and logging road time for the better part of 6 years at this point. The band have worked hard to progress their dynamics-laden post rock sound. So it comes as little surprise that after … Read more

Caïna

Hands That Pluck
Profound Lore (2011)

Hands That Pluck is uncompromising. The final album under the Caïna name for (one man) band leader Andy Curtis-Brignell is intense. Vocally, musically, and lyrically. This is an album dealing with the subject of finality - even more so because it will be the last Caïna release - with ideas of religion and will making numerous appearances."Profane Inheritors" gives you … Read more

Iroha

Self Titled
Denovali (2011)

Admittedly, I was knocked off my seat when I first heard Iroha (their split with Fragment, Bittersweet was an engaging listen) and immediately began awaiting the release of their first LP; but herein lies the problem, there was waiting and waiting and more waiting until I literally forgot about this record coming out at all (which certainly is a shame). … Read more

Until Your Heart Stops

Errors
Creator-Destructor (2011)

This album begins with a short acoustic introduction. With tense melodic vocals leading to background screaming. this song lasts for under a minute and does little to really prepare one for the rest of the record. This California band tends to traffic in semi melodic hardcore blasts. This belies their name for certain as most would attribute the band name … Read more

Symphony X

Iconoclast
Nuclear Blast (2011)

Dream Theater is beginning to stagnate. Queensrÿche has jumped the shark. Nobody even knows what Devin Townsend is on anymore. In fact, it would certainly seem that Symphony X is one of the gracious few progressive metal acts that's actually been getting better as of late. While The Divine Wings of Tragedy or V: The New Mythology Suite will always … Read more

Various Artists

Spraynard & Sundials - Split
Evil Weevil (2011)

Spraynard hail from Pennsylvania and they play a style of punk that blends the varied melodic subgenres of punk rock (East Bay, beard punk, pop punk) to create their own identity—there’s a familiarity from their influences, but it doesn’t squarely pigeonhole them under a specific label. The band utilizes up-front bass that delivers the melody while the gruff, gruff vocals … Read more

Various Artists

Backslider & Nimbus Terrifix - Split
Give Praise (2011)

I have long been a fan of the split record format for a few reasons. The simplest one being a matter of attrition—two bands, one record. Sometimes it is seasoned vets paired with upstarts, like Misery and Hellspawn. Other times it’s the covers idea—each band's songs being covers of songs originally performed by the other bands, like the BYO Records … Read more

Planning For Burial

Untitled
Music Ruins Lives (2011)

Do you listen to music that reflects your mood, or do you listen to music to alter just how you are feeling? A simple question really but one that means serious implications for people’s listening habits, it certainly goes back to what Rob Gordon says in High Fidelity, “What came first, the music or the misery? People worry about kids … Read more

Random Axe

Self Titled
Duck Down (2011)

After a few years of anticipatory mixtapes, the debut album by Radom Axe has finally seen the light of day. A multiregional supergroup of sorts, Random Axe is comprised of three men who have cut their teeth in the hip-hop underground: Detroit’s Black Milk and Guilty Simpson and NYC’s Sean Price. Individually, these three carry lavish resumes, but as a … Read more

Balance and Composure

Separation
No Sleep (2011)

Separation is not a complicated album nor is it very diverse, yet Balance & Composure have managed to create a record that truly sets them apart from their peers. While that in itself is quite an accomplishment, what is astonishing is the fact that this is the bands debut full length. Though the name Balance & Composure may not stir … Read more

Cannabis Corpse

Beneath Grow Lights Thou Shalt Rise
Tankcrimes (2011)

You may think you know everything there is to know about Cannabis Corpse. Which is two things (maybe three if you're into Municipal Waste - as they share Philip "Landphil" Hall in common).They love Cannabis And Cannibal Corpse. Whilst these two statements are more than true, Cannabis Corpse are a damn fine band in their own right and Beneath Grow … Read more

Keith Canisius

This Time It's Our High
Darla (2010)

Keith Canisius is a lesser known musician who managed to be born in the USA and move himself out to Denmark. This album is not his first for certain. In the time between albums he has made a mark on the growing dream-pop and shoegaze scenes. The man has clearly been able to create a fan base using a backing … Read more

Various Artists

Homewrecker & The Love Below - Split
A389 (2011)

A389 Records announced earlier this year the signing of Homewrecker. The band play a nasty style of hardcore with nods to powerviolence and straight out heavy hardcore. While this may sound awkward the band work in these influences in a rather seamless manner. Those who have been paying attention to the site have probably heard of The Love Below. Having … Read more

40 Watt Sun

The Inside Room
Cyclone Empire (2011)

40 Watt Sun were borne from the ashes of English band Warning, a band that ceased to exist after only two full length albums (albums separated by seven years and an extensive hiatus). Their demise was much mourned in doom circles, and then this little gem came along to brighten the day. If slow, down-tempo riffs are the kind of … Read more

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