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200 Words Or Less

Ancient Sky

Ancient Sky
The Perpetual Motion Machine (2009)

Ancient Sky is a fairly new group of individuals with impressive musical resumes with members having performed in City of Caterpillar, Darkest Hour, and Majority Rule, among others. This is their seven-song, self-titled debut. Musically, Ancient Sky shows little influence from the members other projects. In fact, my listing them may have done you a disservice because you might be … Read more

200 Words Or Less

The Taxpayers

A Rhythm in the Cages
Useless State/Quote Unquote (2009)

The Taxpayers are a three-piece punk outfit from Portland, OR. A Rhythm in the Cages is their second full-length, with twelve songs that run the gamut of punk styles. Opener "Never Getting Warm" brings to mind the recent influx of groups like Against Me! and Defiance, Ohio. Meanwhile "White Walls" is a ruckus-raising punk cut akin to early Anti-Flag. Then … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Litany for the Whale

Dolores
Teenage Disco Bloodbath/Perpetual Motion Machine/Molsook (2009)

John Cage was an avant-garde composer, poet, music theorist, artist, printmaker, etc. that was popular in the early part of the 20th century. "Litany for the Whale" was one of his many compositions. While I'm not certain this is where they draw their namesake from, California's Litany for the Whale offer up atmospheric, noisy, hardcore that pushes the limits of … Read more

200 Words Or Less

MGR y Destructo Swarmbots

Amigos de la Guitarra
Neurot (2009)

Amigos de la Guitarra is a collaborative effort from MGR - the solo project of Mike Gallagher of Isis - and Destructo Swarmbots' Mike Mare. The two have come together, focusing their collective minds on one forty-two minute song, "Amor en el Aire." If you have been following MGR's body of work to date then you have a good idea … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Explode and Make Up

Some Kind of Diplomat
Underground Communiqué (2009)

Any band that names themselves after a Sugar song automatically wins major points with me. And it doesn't hurt the band's cause when you hear names like Dag Nasty and 7 Seconds batted around in reviews either. Explode and Make up features the singer of 88 Fingers Louie as well as members from The Bomb and The Suicide Machines. And … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Downpresser

Age of Ignorance
Triple B (2009)

Hailing from Santa Barbara, CA is the metallic hardcore attack of Downpresser. Six tracks of down-tuned, head cracking, thick skulled hardcore in the vein of early Merauder or any other band that you wouldn't be surprised supporting thick hair braids, bandannas, and stomach tattoos. Age of Ignorance toes the "Slayer-line," an imaginary line in which a band straddles being a … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Defeater

Lost Ground
Bridge Nine (2009)

This is the latest EP from Massachusetts' Defeater, who had a little bit of notoriety by being a band that liked to travel in a van fueled by vegetable oil. Defeater play emotionally ridden melodic hardcore in the vein that I like but never really go out of my way to hear. They remind me of an exciting version of … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Crooked Ways

Crimes of Passion
Last Anthem (2009)

I have an unhealthy obsession with melodic hardcore bands and it's sad that when the term comes up in conversation I am bombarded with bands named Modern Life is War, The Carrier, and Killing the Dream. Although these bands are melodic and yes, they are hardcore, however this isn't exactly what I'm thinking about when it comes to melodic hardcore. … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Burning Empires

Burning Empires
Fuck City (2009)

I was admittedly pretty psyched about this as it marks Andy Hurley's (Fall Out Boy) return to hardcore. Unfortunately this ends up sounding like Misery Signals and Darkest Hour joined together to make something incredibly tepid. The musicianship is definitely top notch but the songs don't seem to go anywhere, ever. The riffs are catchy but not anything special. As … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Beartrap

Fueled by Self-Hate
Double or Nothing (2009)

This release blazes through the listener at a ridiculously fast clip. Eight tracks of fast punk styled thrash madness. The label compares them to Trash Talk and Black Flag; I can't really disagree. I could see some craziness going down to this. They leave the experimentation to the last song which truly sets it apart almost seemingly written for a … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Backtrack

Deal With the Devil
6131 (2009)

This EP is fairly similar to another recent 6131 release from Bad Seed. This isn't a bad thing. This is a renaissance of sorts for heavy NYHC. Where Bad Seed seems to fail for most is that they don't exploit the grooves they can get into. On the other hand, Backtrack has yet to find a groove they don't like … Read more

200 Words Or Less

As We Let Go

Above the Clouds
Six Feet Under (2009)

This EP makes sense to be released by Six Feet Under and hence a member of Blacklisted. This is essentially a Japanese version of that band. Mind you there's nothing wrong with that, it just seems there is nothing to set them apart from that assessment either. I could see this band killing stages the world over with a plethora … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Bracewar

Whatever it Takes
The White Glove Group (2009)

I believe these four songs were released as a sampler for Bracewar's upcoming full-length. I could be wrong though. These demo tracks were released as a 7" at United Blood and hear it is playing through my speakers. Bracewar plays stompy angry hardcore with snarled vocals. There really isn't much to Bracewar's attack but it still hits in all the … Read more

200 Words Or Less

The Bonus Army

Negative Outlooks
Arrest (2009)

Well what do we have here? Ten songs on one 7", plus a cartoon image of a zombie getting their head lopped off by an axe. Yup, it's hardcore and the nastier side of it. Negative Outlooks reminds me of Think I Care with its heavy yet punishing fast hardcore with gruff shouted venom spewed vocals. Negative Outlooks is the … Read more

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