Recent reviews

More album reviews

Ultra Dolphins

Why Are You Laugh
Robotic Empire (2006)

Prior to receiving this album, I was only aware of Ultra Dolphins by name. I'd seen their name plastered on various websites and heard a few mentions from friends of mine. But outside of that, I was clueless to what they were about. Perhaps you are in the same situation right now. Well, then Why Are You Laugh is a … Read more

Rise and Fall

Into Oblivion
Deathwish Inc./Reflections (2006)

On last year's Hellmouth Rise and Fall showed obvious signs of influence from metallic hardcore acts Integrity, Leeway, and Ringworm. With their new full-length, the Belgian punkmetal outfit have taken that sound and built on it by incorporating more rock and metal aspects to their sound, resulting in a sound that is louder, fuller, and more intense. "Forked Tongue" serves … Read more

Engineer

Reproach
Hex (2006)

Hot off the heels of their split with labelmates Achilles, Engineer serves up Reproach. This album was born from the varying manners of hardship and adversity that forced the band to hole up and dig in. The resulting months of being locked up together was spent hammering this record into submission through countless hours of writing, honing, practicing... All the … Read more

The Hidden Hand

Devoid of Color
Southern Lord (2005)

Being the latest creative outfit of one Scott "Wino" Weinrich (formerly of The Obsessed, St. Vitus, Spirit Caravan, and more), people have a sound and musical quality that they have come to expect. The Hidden Hand has delivered much more thus far with Divine Propaganda and Mother, Teacher, Destroyer. With that fact in mind, the band drops Devoid of Color, … Read more

Ceremony

Ruined
Malfunction (2005)

Ceremony is hateful and unrelenting hardcore/punk from California. Why people from California are so angry is beyond me, but since it results in hardcore as stellar as this, I'll let it slide. Ceremony formed from several mid-level (in notoriety) hardcore bands in the Bay Area a couple years back, and have since transformed themselves into one of the most promising … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Stop This Fall

Scream Till You're Free
Independent (2005)

Stop this Fall performs a unique mix of melodic hardcore and punk. The closest contemporaries that come to mind are The Suicide File and With Honor, but even those are somewhat of a stretch. The songs are structured like the rock/hardcore hybrids that have become increasingly popular recently, but Stop this Fall still finds ways to incorporate more traditional aspects … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Rubikon

The Hollow Men
Category 5 (2005)

Mainstream music is constantly changing. Congruently evolving with it are the numerous bands attempting to make it big by cashing in on whatever sound is currently popular. Assuming it is Rubikon's intention to make it big, they might need a little help from a time-machine to accomplish that task. Rather than trying to fit in with the countless bands that … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Norma Jean

O' God, the Aftermath
Solid State (2004)

Norma Jean went through a googolplex of vocalists between their last album and O' God, the Aftermath. After choosing one, the band took to the studio with Matt Bayles. Apparently they picked him because they love Botch. Funny, I remember this band being nu-metal with a DJ. The album opens with typical moshy metalcore, nothing surprising. On the second track, … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Neglect

The Complete Don Fury Sessions
NGS (2005)

Neglect are one of those bands that I always heard about, but never really took the time to listen to. Musically, they are on par with the mid-ninties hardcore bands that leaned towards the metal approach as opposed to those that were punk oriented. The lyrics of are very disturbed, often filled with hateful sentiments and pessimistic attitudes. Apparently they … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Mouth of the Architect

Time and Withering
Translation Loss (2004)

It is quite likely that Mouth of the Architect has been flying under your radar for quite some time. This is unfortunate, for both them and you. The Dayton, OH outfit's debut offering is four songs tracking in at an impressive forty-three minutes, with three of them clocking in past the ten minute mark. The songs that make up this … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Kasabian

Kasabian
RCA (2005)

There was a slight revival in retro rock-n-roll a few years ago with the breakout albums from The Strokes and The White Stripes. But in the last year, we have seen a different take on this revival trend come to light. But rather than being limited to simply rock-n-roll, this second wave shares as much in common with New Order … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Gratitude

Gratitude
Velvet Hammer Music/Atlantic (2005)

Those among the cult fanbase of former Far frontman Jonah Sonz Matranga were likely shocked when they heard that his latest project, Gratitude, would be signing with a major label. Matranga is well known for the personal relationships he has developed with his fans through intimate recordings and performances. Signing to a major label seemed to go against everything he … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Dälek

Absence
Ipecac (2004)

There's rap and there's hip hop, or at least that's how things used to be. Now there's Dälek and there's everything else. Dre, Outkast, and Lil' Jon aren't worthy enough to share a mixed tape with this trio. Collectively known as Dälek, Dälek, Oktopus, and Still work together to create an original recipe of hip hop that at times shares … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Armor for Sleep

What to do When You are Dead
Equal Vision (2004)

Armor for Sleep is a band that for me failed to live up to the potential they were capable of on their debut album, Dreams to Make Believe. They had recorded a great demo, but when the record came out those re-recorded songs were the only shining moments. A few years have passed and now we have a new album … Read more

• First
• Previous
• …
• 260
• 261 (current)
  Page 261 of 301
• 262
• …
• Next
• Last