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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)

Fire on Fire

Five Song EP
Young God (2007)

I have never been to Maine, but the visual in my head is that the state is a quite tranquil location. I know they have cities and I'm sure some of them are fairly large, but I can't help but picture a vastly rural landscape and unindustrialized setting. Fire on Fire is a group of five individuals that all live together in one house in Maine. This five-song EP, to me, is the essence of Maine life captured in music. Fire on Fire deliver an acoustic venture of singer-songwriter, folk, indie, and even gospel over the course of this EP. But this is not your ordinary folk music, nor would you expect that from the label that brought you Devendra Banhart and Akron/Family. The members of Fire on Fire each trade off vocals throughout the songs, and the songs also feature a plethora of unique instrumental choices: banjo, accordion, jembe, nay, and many others. While this style of music isn't exactly my forte, I commend Fire on Fire for striking out beyond the typical boundaries of music with this EP. Give it a whirl if you're looking for a unique listening experience. Read more

No Apologies

Survival
6131 (2007)

Survival is the debut full-length from No Apologies. This five-piece outfit comes from the land of koalas and aborigines. This … Read more

Various Artists

Change!
Hopeless/Sub City (2007)

Change! is the latest compilation from the team of Hopeless/Sub City Records and Hot Topic. Included in this release are … Read more

Trash Talk

Plagues
Malfunction (2008)

2007 was a huge year for this group of young men from Sacramento. A relentless touring schedule in support of … Read more

Arms and Legs

Arms and Legs
Closet Trekkie (2007)

With today's music scene escalating into an ever-expanding number of sub-genres, it seems a little risky to invade a style … Read more

Darkthrone

F.O.A.D.
Peaceville (2007)

Those who know, love, and used to love this genuinely cult Norwegian band will probably know what to expect from … Read more

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One from the archives

Hanoi Rocks

Oriental Beat (40th Anniversary)
Svart Records (2023)

Hanoi Rocks has always been pigeonholed as a hair metal band along the lines of bands like Faster Pussycat, Poison, LA Guns, Ratt, Warrant etc.. However, their allegiance has always been more so with forefathers in the skin of the New York Dolls. Drawing from the Doll's panache for wearing women's attire, high heels and carefully fixated palate of pancake foundation, eyeliner and lots of cheap hairspray. Hanoi Rocks have always worn their influences on their sleeves as it is pretty easy to decipher and no secret which golden goblet they drink from. Some consider Hanoi Rocks as a second tier of wannabe disciples of David Johansen, Johnny Thunders, Arthur Killer Kane and Jerry Nolan. Coming from a rabid Dolls fan it is apparent that they are not a carbon … Read more

More album reviews

The Absence

Riders of the Plague
Metal Blade (2007)

The Absence hails from Tampa, Florida. Anyone with a sense of history knows that in the late eighties this meant something. Death, Obituary, Deicide, and Morbid Angel all hailed from Florida and significantly helped mold the clay into what we now know as death metal. The Absence are fully aware of their roots and have set forth to continue the … Read more

Have a Nice Life

Deathconsciousness
Enemies List (2008)

Have a Nice Life is a two-piece outfit from Connecticut that includes a member of the hardcore band, In Pieces; although, this double CD collection has nothing in the way of sound that can compare to that outfit in any sense of the word. Instead, Have a Nice Life actually has a sound that pulls from a variety of influences … Read more

Mouse Fire

Wooden Teeth
Lujo (2007)

Lakeland, Florida has given birth to spawn that has been attempted by many. Consisting of four members, Mouse Fire's debut album Wooden Teeth slices, blends, sometimes smothers, and completes the emo-pop sound forged in the beginning of the 2000's. Musically enchanting in its own right, every one of the twelve tracks contains a sense of musical prowess. Undoubtedly, the talent … Read more

Dub Trio

Another Sound is Dying
Ipecac (2008)

In the year 2008, one might question the relevancy of reggae and dub on today's music. When you take a closer look at things, you'd be very surprised at the answer. Sure, artists like Bob Marley and The Clash aren't around anymore. But others still carry the torch that they brought forth to the mainstream. Tim Armstrong released a reggae-based … Read more

Witchcraft

The Alchemist
Rise Above (2007)

If you have heard of this band recently then chances are that it will be related to a certain "southern super group" and their recent resurgence. These Swedes embrace the seventies and are said to be the sole reason that Down, with former Pantera screamer Phil Anselmo at the helm, were revitalized and released arguably their finest recording in 2007. … Read more

The Huguenots

Discography
Hydra Head (2007)

The Huguenots were a band that existed at some point during the late 1990's, or at least that is what I can conclude based on the limited information available on the band's history and their wardrobe in the select pictures available of the band - no offense. Members of the band have spent time in several popular acts, including Converge, … Read more

Robots and Empires

Omnivore
Trip Machine Laboratories (2007)

For a while it seemed like people in hardcore bands would undergo this metamorphosis that changed them from raging balls of adolescent angst into sensitive young adults channeling that angst with more subtlety in their music. This initially spawned the post-hardcore movement where bands like Into Another and Quicksand came into existence. This cycle seems to continue on in one … Read more

Miles Away

Rewind, Repeat...
6131 (2007)

If you were to listen to the latest offering from Miles Away, Rewind, Repeat , and yet knew nothing of the band, the last place that you would guess they were from would be Australia. If anything, you would have come up with either the Pacific Northwest or Boston. And while both are logical guesses based on the style of … Read more

Justice of the Unicorns

Angels with Uzis
Little Lamb (2008)

Yesterday, I received my bi-monthly batch of promos. While sorting through the records an album named Angels with Uzis by the band Justice of the Unicorns caught my eye. If the image on your right is a bit too small let me take the liberty of describing what's going on with the album's cover. Above a burning skyline is what … Read more

Attica! Attica!

Dead Skin / Dried Blood
Red Leader (2007)

If Disney were ever to make an animated movie that involved the protagonist turning Congress into an alcoholic shitshow, then taking his magic carpet over to Guantanamo Bay and seeing America's secret war on terror, and then completing his own personal heroic journey back in New York, Aaron Scott would provide the soundtrack, as well as most of the story. … Read more

So They Say

Life in Surveillance
Fearless (2007)

Before taking my first listen to Life in Surveillance, as a stranger to the band I deemed it only polite to do my homework. So They Say is a rock band, a quartet, hailing from St. Louis, Missouri. They signed with Fearless in 2005, released their debut in 2006. They were met with much acclaim and toured with Atreyu. Huh. … Read more

Jay-Z

American Gangster
Roc-A-Fella (2007)

In the rap world of 2007, is there a more polarizing MC than Jay-Z? Chances are you'd be hard pressed to find a rapper with more disparity between his supporters and critics. With that being said, perhaps it is extremely appropriate that his latest project would be in the form of the equally polarizing "concept album." When executed correctly, the … Read more

Young Widows / Plows

Split
Auxiliary (2007)

There are certain times when I enjoy championing bands, and Young Widows' cause is definitely one that I find myself really enjoying. This split, their latest recording and first since 2006's Settle Down City, is something that I have been waiting for since I last saw them play when the band performed some new material for the first time in … Read more

Perth Express

Discography
Teenage Disco Bloodbath (2007)

Perth Express is likely a band that you're unfamiliar with, but that's okay. Prior to being contacted by the label in regards to this discography release, I was totally oblivious to the band's existence. The world is a big place and you just can't be expected to know about every single band. Hailing from Germany, this discography encompasses the band's … Read more

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