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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)

Engineer

The Dregs
Black Market Activities (2007)

The first time I saw Engineer was when they opened for fellow New Yorkers Another Breath. I had anticipated another youth crew styled band to be playing and I was absolutely astonished when they turned out the lights and performed the loudest set I'd ever seen. From then on I was a fan, no question. For those of you unfamiliar, Engineer carries on in a similar fashion to Breather Resist, Deadguy, and Botch...but in a non-imitative sort of way. To be succinct, these guys aren't Norma Jean or anything. Their debut LP Reproach definitely had a lot more of the odd-time signature pull offs of We Are the Romans, but they seem to have evolved past that into more diverse territory. While they retain certain qualities of that sort of signature sound, mostly affected by the solid and inventive drumming of Mike AuClair, there are a lot more straightforward chord progressions than you typically find in "noisecore" bands. They infuse melody into their riffs without having the good cop/bad cop dynamic of more sophomoric bands, which for me is the subtlest dynamic on the record and provides the most depth. I mean, everyone wants something loud and heavy sometimes, but … Read more

Old Sun

Old Sun
Faux Fetus (2006)

I received this release and was intrigued by its DIY packaging: card stock covered in some kind of blue block … Read more

Love, Hope and Fear

Fate's Frowned on Us
Escapist (2007)

Love, Hope and Fear are not what they used to be. And I mean that literally as well as musically. … Read more

Black Cross

Severance Pays
Auxiliary (2007)

What's wrong with more of the same, especially when what you've got is solid? If you're dating Scarlett Johansson, is … Read more

Black Cross

Severance Pays
Auxiliary (2007)

Where the hell have you been for the last four years Black Cross? The circumstances that have hampered this woefully … Read more

Torche

In Return
Robotic Empire (2007)

Without a doubt, this just might be one of the more beautifully packaged records to come out in recent memory; … Read more

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One from the archives

Buñuel

Mansuetude
Overdrive, SKiN GRAFT (2024)

With a stellar line-up featuring vocalist Eugene S. Robinson (ex-Oxbow), guitarist Xabier Iriondo (Afterhours, A Short Apnea), bassist Andrea Lombardini (The Framers) and Franz Valente (Il Teatro Degli Orrori), Buñuel return with their sophomore record, Mansuetude. A true follow-up to Killers Like Us, Mansuetude further exposes Buñuel's dark, twisted noise rock, from the get-go with "Who Missed Me." The dark sinister demeanor collides with the sparse progression, crafting a dark, asphyxiating ambiance where Robinson's delivery thrives. And while Mansuetude features many twists and turns, this gnarly feeling stays with you for the near-hour-long ride through noise rock and avant-rock mazes. Soon enough "Who Missed Me" exposes the full extent of Buñuel's protean form, as it bounces between many sounds and styles. The crazed rhythms provide volatility, and coupled with the … Read more

More album reviews

Public Enemy

How You Sell Soul to a Soulless People Who Sold Their Soul???
Slam Jamz (2007)

Soul (noun) : A sense of ethnic pride among Black people and especially African Americans, expressed in areas such as language, social customs, religion, and music. relevant (adjective) : Connected with or saying something important about what is being spoken about or discussed It's been twenty years since the release ofYo, Bum Rush the Show and Public Enemy are still … Read more

Burden of a Day

Pilots & Paper Planes
Blood & Ink (2006)

It might say something for my enthusiasm for this record that it has sat for almost a year in my 'to review' pile since first receiving it. While I do attempt to avoid at least complete bias in my reviews, in the case of Florida's Burden of a Day, I knew exactly what I was going to hear when I … Read more

Never Looking Back

Fragile Hearts
Detonate (2007)

Here we go again. Once again we have yet another young hardcore band, this time hailing from Tacoma, WA, playing overly sincere emotional overcharged hardcore. If you have heard Modern Life is War, Comeback Kid, or maybe Shai Hulud you get the gist of what Never Looking Back is trying to accomplish. If you can sense my boredom right now, … Read more

The Good Life

Help Wanted Nights
Saddle Creek (2007)

Bands evolve and the fans have to deal with it. Their musical palette expands and the records change. This holds true with Cursive frontman Tim Kasher's music catalog. However, one aspect never changes, his bleak outlook on the world. It's always cynical, full of sarcasm, and consistently heartbroken. No matter what musical guise he wears, these sentiments are expressed through … Read more

Wisdom in Chains

Class War
Eulogy (2007)

A lot has been made lately of the throwback sounds that are ultra popular in hardcore these days. It seems that if you're not biting from the likes of Integrity, then you're probably ripping of Lifetime. Or, if neither of those are your cup of tea, you'll stealing a page from the early Revelation bands like Burn. Well, keeping with … Read more

Shipwreck

Shipwreck
Deathwish Inc. (2007)

Shipwreck burst onto the scene last year with their debut 7" on Rumble Records. The four-song release was an instant hit and eventually brought them to Deathwish's door. This release, another self-titled affair, is comprised of two new cuts and a reworking of "Heated" from their debut. "Mirage" kicks things off. The song is a rager deeply rooted in 90's … Read more

War of Ages

Fire from the Tomb
Facedown (2007)

Erie has a long-standing tradition of hardcore: xDisciplex A.D., Brothers Keeper, Shockwave, and Abnegation. Continuing that tradition is War of Ages, though they definitely mix their hardcore influences with a significant amount of metal riffage. Fire from the Tomb is actually a re-recording of the band's debut effort. Some might question the band's decision to go back and re-do their … Read more

Daymares

Cant Get Us All
Self Made God (2007)

Daymares hail from Poland. Yes, that Poland. Prior to this release, the band had nothing more than a roughly mixed demo, which mixed 90's metallic hardcore with brooding metal. And here's why you should take notice Can't Get Us All is the band's debut full-length. Comprised of eleven songs, three of which are re-recorded from their demo, Can't Get Us … Read more

The Fire The Flood

Truth Seekers
No Sleep (2007)

The Fire The Flood hails from North Carolina, a state home to metalcore greats Prayer for Cleansing. Unfortunately, the music that makes up Truth Seekers is nothing worth mentioning in the same sentence as one of the purveyors of modern metalcore. Truth Seekers is comprised of thirteen tracks, of which only two clock in over the two-minute mark. Musically, the … Read more

Lewd Acts

Dark Days
Independent (2007)

Dark Days is a discography release that compiles the San Diego-based hardcore outfits previous material into one neat package. The CD opens with "The Bridge," one of three new cuts. The song is fast-paced hardcore song that is centered on individuals that travel to The Golden Gate Bridge only to commit suicide. "Holy Hands" and "Fun in Funeral" follow in … Read more

Mekons

Natural
Touch & Go (2007)

Some critics may think that their age gives them more credit and validates every opinion they have. I am on the lower end of the age spectrum when it comes to critics, but that doesn't mean I have no clue what I'm talking about when it comes to music. Hey, I'm not a worldly expert but I think I can … Read more

One Starving Day

Broken Wings Lead Arms to the Sun
Planaria (2007)

Hailing from Italy, One Starving Day are a four-piece band that, at times, sounds more like ten or fifteen people playing music. Their sound is full and emotive conveying enough raw moods and feeling in each musical piece that begs for one to pay attention. The only time prior to Broken Wings Lead Arms to the Sun that I have … Read more

Municipal Waste

The Art of Partying
Earache (2007)

Municipal Waste likes to party. How do I know this? Well, there's the album title. Couple that with songs like "Beer Pressure," "Born to Party," and "Chemically Altered" and you don't exactly have to be Veronica Mars to connect the dots. It also goes without saying we're not exactly dealing with subtle music open to the interpretation of the listener … Read more

Breakfast

Six Packs Classic
625 Thrashcore (2007)

Westerners tend to love Japanese pop culture almost as much as Japanese kids love western (read: American) pop culture - especially rock and roll. And punk is no exception to this phenomenon, as each side doesn't hesitate to make a fetish out of the other: American punks work themselves into a lather bidding on GISM LPs, while Japanese punks go … Read more

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

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