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

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

Masakari

Eden Compromised
Halo of Flies (2009)

After one listen to Eden Compromised, it's not surprising to find that Masakari take their name from a battle-axe used in ancient Japan. The four songs that make up this debut 7" are as destructive as a blow to the skull with such a weapon. "The War Within" is a thundering, metallic slab of meaty riffs and pummeling, chaotic drums. I hear a lot of d-beat and crust influence in this song, and the others as well. Obviously Masakari take heaps of influence from giants of the genre His Hero is Gone. But Masakari are not a knock off; there is some nice mid-tempo open-chord riffing going on too, which is quite cool. "Forever Cursed" takes a slightly more hardcore approach with its use of gang vocals and a breakdown. "Vanquish" and "Egoism in Harvest" round out the EP and are equally as heavy - the production of Bill Korecky (Keelhaul, Integrity) suits the band well. The former opens with ultra heavy slow riffs, the latter features impeccable drumming on display. If I had one complaint, it's that nearly all the bands playing this style sound consistently similar, Masakari included. There isn't much variation, which can get a bit monotonous. … Read more

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Oak & Bone

Oak & Bone
Hex (2009)

Oak and Bone hail from upstate New York, but when you listen to their debut 7" you would definitely not … Read more

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Higher Giant

The First Five
Runner Up (2009)

Kid Dynamite. Grey Area. Paint it Black. Lifetime. Warzone. Yeah, these guys were in more than just a few quality … Read more

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Mirrors and Wires

Colourized Audio Transmission
Headcount (2009)

Well. Colourized Audio Transmission from Mirrors and Wires is the most random album that I've received to review thus far … Read more

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Zhenia Golov / Botox Party

Split
Railroaded (2009)

Railroaded Records teams up two Eastcoast acts on this limited split 7" release: Zhenia Golov from New Brunswick, New Jersey … Read more

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Adams Dagger

The Ripper
Durty Mick (2009)

Adams Dagger - California by way of Florida. This reminds of the 80's hardcore scene when bands moved from all … Read more

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One from the archives

Gospel Gossip

Dreamland
Guilt Ridden Pop (2009)

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Having never heard of this band before, I had no idea what to expect. Thankfully I was pleasantly surprised by the music on this EP length release. Taking the best guitar effects from 80's pop and welding it to a fierce backbeat, this one emerges from the morass and rises above. Lyrics you can make out and actual songwriting chops-absolutely amazing! "Nashville" rocks along gleefully to start out. But "Pre-Med (Just In Case)" is the true gem here. If Pylon and Wire Train had recorded a record together, it may have sounded something like this. So buy Dreamland and maybe we will get a chance to see how they bring it live. Top notch. Read more

More album reviews

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Child Bite / This Moment In Black History

Split
Forge Again (2009)

A couple of the rust-belt cities connect themselves through this new split 7" release. Detroit's Child Bite and Cleveland's This Moment in Black History each offer up one brand new song on this vinyl. Child Bite bring forth "Mammal Manners" in just under three minutes. The eccentric five-piece sounds like Secret Chiefs 3 fronted by Fred Schneider. It's bizarre, and … Read more

Drag the River

Bad at Breaking Up
Suburban Home (2009)

"I know I'm not the easiest lover," Drag the River admits in "Jeff Black Song." That honest and simple line over a minimal acoustic track tells you as much as you need to know about Drag the River. The alt-country band started as a side project, grew into a full-time band, and fell apart as band members went in different … Read more

Mike Hale

Lives Like Mine
Suburban Home (2009)

In the Red frontman Mike Hale recently made the decision to be a musician full-time and he's been very busy at work considering that his solo record, Lives Like Mine, was recorded only two weeks after In the Red's second album was released. One would think that the album may have been rushed and the quality of the songs may … Read more

Pelican

Ephemeral
Southern Lord (2009)

I'll be honest. I hadn't really listened to Pelican all that much since City of Echoes was released in 2007. In fact, I think I gave that album two or three plays total; since then their discography has seen limited plays. I really have no logical explanation for my lack of listening. I think the "post-metal" craze got overblown and … Read more

Indian

Slights and Abuse / The Sychophant
Seventh Rule (2008)

"Apocalyptic" is a word thrown around a lot in reviews, to the point where readers could really stop putting any stock in it. But many genres, like black metal, drone, and probably even folk, really do have a few artists deserving of this most serious adjective because of their unnerving atmospheres and epic, timeless approaches. For the doom metal genre, … Read more

GREYMACHINE

Vultures Descend
Hydra Head (2009)

What do you get when you toss members of Jesu, Isis, Godflesh, House of Low Culture, The Lotus Eaters, Mamiffer nevermind ask the same question but change it to Aaron Turner and Justin Broadrick and his compatriots from Jesu (Dave Cochrane and Diarmud Dalton). In case you have yet to hear, GREYMACHINE (yes, all in caps) is the name of … Read more

Swamp Thing

In Shame
6131 (2009)

Rob Gordon's first lines uttered in High Fidelity are What came first, the music or the misery? People worry about kids playing with guns, or watching violent videos, that some sort of culture of violence will take them over. Nobody worries about kids listening to thousands, literally thousands of songs about heartbreak, rejection, pain, misery and loss. Did I listen … Read more

The Mars Volta

Octahedron
Warner Bros. (2009)

Throughout their eight-year tenure as a band, The Mars Volta has never been timid about doing whatever they please. The collaborative duo that is The Mars Volta - guitarist Omar Rodríguez-López and vocalist Cedric Bixler-Zavala - have tried it all, and yet they continually make it a point to find new ways to express themselves. Full-length album number five, Octahedron, … Read more

The Red Baron

My First Love
Blood & Ink (2009)

Christian hardcore isn't exactly my thing but I was willing to give The Red Baron's debut album, My First Love, a fair, unbiased listen only to find out that the record is everything I'd fear it would be: preachy, generic and forgettable. What we have here is twelve tracks of straight-edge and Christian-inspired hardcore songs where the band isn't afraid … Read more

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Comadre

A Wolf Ticket
Bloodtown (2009)

Ever since their conception in 2004, Comadre has been a ridiculously prolific punk band. They tour constantly and release a new album or EP practically every year. You'd assume that it wouldn't give enough time for the band's sound to change and evolve, but I'm impressed with the growth in each of their releases. Their latest EP, A Wolf Ticket … Read more

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Everyone Everywhere

A Lot of Weird People Standing Around
Evil Weevil (2009)

Everyone Everywhere is a relatively new group from Philadelphia that loves to wear their influences plainly on their sleeve. Sounding somewhere between Nothing Feels Good-era Promise Ring and the bouncy guitars of Braid, they bring us four tracks of this 90's style that I don't hear very often anymore. This seven-inch turns out to be an interesting exploration of a … Read more

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The Stills

Oceans Will Rise
Arts & Crafts (2008)

The third record finds this Canadian five-piece returning to the smooth atmospheric rock of their debut. But with more songwriting maturity to show for it, this is actually a stronger release. "Snow in California" and "Being Here" are the stand out songs, but really this CD works well as a whole. I've never been to Eastern Europe, but I think … Read more

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Robyn Hitchcock & The Venus 3

Goodnight Oslo
Yep Roc (2009)

On this outing Robyn Hitchcock is backed by Scott McCaughey (Young Fresh Fellows) on bass and vocals, Peter Buck (some big band from Athens?) on guitar and Bill Rieflin (Ministry) on drums. A lush recording with a lot of texture makes this record a lot to take in. But once you enter, you may never want to leave. "Saturday Groovers" … Read more

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Outclassed

This Might Be Coincidence...
Forcefield (2009)

Outclassed's This Might Be Coincidence is a five-song escape from tranquility. Their satisfyingly raucous punk is filled with energy and misshapen tempos. Song titles like "Kick God in the Face, Hail Satan" and "Fuck Mark" are almost impossible to hate. Their label Forcefield Records is also home to City of Ships, Triac, and Cannabis Corpse. The one-sided LP release 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)