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Himsa

Hail Horror
Prosthetic (2006)

In 2003 Himsa dropped Courting Tragedy and Disaster on an unsuspecting hardcore and metal scene. It was an intense follow up to and a major stylistic shift from their first full-length album, Ground Breaking Ceremony. The five piece went through a bit of lineup shuffling (Nothing new to a band that has replaced everyone but the bassist at least once … Read more

Death is Not Glamorous

Demo
Independent (2005)

Death is Not Glamorous comes at you from the swamps of...Oslo, Norway? Yes, that's right, Norway. The country most well-known for producing myriad Black Metal bands has given us one of the best up and coming melodic hardcore/punk bands currently going. Having released this demo in late 2005, the band has since gained quite a following here in the United … Read more

Queens of the Stone Age

Over the Years and Through the Woods
Interscope (2005)

Live albums aren't worth purchasing 99% of the time due to two reasons: 1) the band doesn't deserve it; 2) the recording quality is atrocious. Over the Years and Through the Woods defies both of those with ease. Josh Homme and his current cast of Queens of the Stone Age, in my opinion, are the best rock band playing out, … Read more

Jenny Lewis and the Watson Twins

Rabbit Fur Coat
Team Love (2006)

Rabbit Fur Coat is the first solo album by Jenny Lewis, the former child actress who also fronts indie darlings Rilo Kiley. Taking a break from her aforementioned band, Lewis has crafted a pop album full of alt-country leanings with the help of the Watson Twins. The album is co-produced by M. Ward and Mike Mogis (stalwarts within the Omaha/Saddle … Read more

Liars

Drum's Not Dead
Mute (2006)

Tonight I watched The Blair Witch Project on television for the first time in quite a while. Before you read on, you should know that I may possibly spoil some of the film if you've never seen it before. But really, where the fuck were you in 1999? Anyway, the closing sequence: crazy irritating woman runs around frantically in a … Read more

Ryan Adams

29
Lost Highway (2005)

Ryan Adams is about as prolific as a songwriter can be. 29 is the latest of the three albums he released in 2005, Cold Roses and Jacksonville City Nights being the other two. 29 is also his most varied of the three, containing elements of ballsy blues rock-n-roll as well as flamenco influences, which is kind of shocking to hear. … Read more

86 Mentality

Goin' Nowhere Fast
Grave Mistake (2005)

Washington D.C. is known for putting out some of the best punk/hardcore bands of all time. If you were to simplify their history into Minor Threat and Bad Brains that would already be the type of track record that any respected trainer strives for. More recently though, D.C. hasn't been putting out as many head turners, that is until you … Read more

Set to Explode

Set to Explode
Grave Mistake (2005)

Sometimes the Internet can be a glorious thing, and we can all thank Al Gore for that... It is because of the glorious invention that I first became aware of this DC group that featured former Striking Distance frontman Dave Byrd, among other past and present players I the D.C. hardcore and punk scenes. And after hearing Set to Explode … Read more

Mass Movement of the Moth / Polar

Split
Discern Direction (2005)

I've heard many people blaming over saturation for many of the problems associated with punk/hardcore: too many bands and too many labels. The overabundance of bands and labels can lead to streets filled with diarrhea. But for every toilet brimming with brown stains, there's a white alligator stalking the sewers. Such is the label Discern Direction and their release of … Read more

Fall River

Lights Out
Thorp (2005)

I have come to the realization that if any band has Sean Ingram sing on their record, it will make that band sound stronger than they do normally. That is not a cut on those bands. It is simply a testament to the unique and powerful vocals of Ingram. Unfortunately for Fall River (or fortunately, depending on how one looks … Read more

Scissorfight

Victory Over Horseshit
Tortuga Recordings (2006)

I'm going to jump right to the point; if you don't like rock-n-roll music, you're not going to like Scissorfight. This New Hampshire outfit plays gritty rock music - this is music for the blue collar working man. So if that is you, grab a case of your favorite beer, crack one open, and turn up the volume. Victory Over … Read more

Good Clean Fun

Between Christian Rock and a Hard Place
Equal Vision (2006)

I can't think of one person out there that doesn't like to laugh. However, not everyone likes to laugh at the same things. Some people think Adam Sandler is funny; I don't. Some people think Robin Williams is a hoot; I don't. Hell, some people think American's Funniest Home Videos was the greatest show in television history; I... well, who … Read more

Ruiner

What Could Possibly Go Right...
1917 (2005)

When I hear the term "melodic hardcore" I think of something in between 7 Seconds, Gorilla Biscuits and Lifetime. But there's a new brand of melodic hardcore that strays from those influences while still being melodic and hardcore. Bands like Final Fight and Life Long Tragedy seem to be pushing this style with great guitar harmonies, driving punk beats and … Read more

Some Girls

Heaven's Pregnant Teens
Epitaph (2006)

Some Girls is an enigmatic conglomerate of musicians that produce incredibly grating and challenging pieces of music. Considering the pedigree of this band, expectations for its output have consistently run high. Seriously, what would a listener expect from a band comprised of members of Unbroken, Swing Kids, The Locust, American Nightmare (Give Up the Ghost), and more? Most would probably … Read more

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