Recent reviews

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

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

Rise and Fall

Hellmouth
Surprise Attack (2005)

This quartet hails from Belgium and obviously has better taste in music than a good portion of the people I cross paths with each day. Whether it is through random conversation, looking at what others are purchasing at records stores, or just flipping through channels on the radio, I keep an ear open to what music people are into. And frankly, the people of today have shitty taste in music. Rise and Fall piece together ten tracks of aggressive metallic hardcore drawing influence from Ringworm, Killing Time, among other notables on their latest album Hellmouth. Rise and Fall kicks off the album with the track 'When They Come Down,' a two and a half minute cut of blistering guitars, pounding drums, throaty screams, and pissed off lyrics very much in the vein of the mid-90's Cleveland hardcore. One song in and I am in awe. It's been a while since I've heard a straight-up hardcore band that has floored me, but Rise and Fall have accomplished just that. The band plugs away with 'Bottom Feeder,' whose chorus is a great for sing-alongs, and 'Hellmouth,' an excellent song to light up the dance floor to. On the interlude-esque 'As the City … Read more

Ten 33

Nightmare on Grace St.
Blood & Ink (2005)

Yeah, I can get behind this. Speedy, straightforward hardcore punk with some youth crew influences and breakdowns. Sound like your … Read more

Small Towns Burn a Little Slower

Mortality as Home Entertainment
Triple Crown (2005)

I once spent a month sleeping in a cramped, musty basement that doubled as a practice space for Small Towns … Read more

Magnolia Electric Co.

What Comes After the Blues
Secretly Canadian (2005)

You would be hard pressed to come across a review of Magnolia Electric Co.'s What Comes after the Blues that … Read more

Baroness

Second
Hyperrealist (2005)

Baroness have been one of music's best kept secrets. With the release of their first record, an EP titled First … Read more

Meneguar

I Was Born at Night
Magic Bullet (2005)

Meneguar, formerly Sheryl's Magnetic Aura, hails from New York and has members of Books Lie, I Am the Resurrection, and … Read more

Browse our review archives

Reviews by year

Choose a year to view reviews of albums released in that year.

Reviews by artist name

Choose a letter to view reviews ordered by that letter (band name first).

Review categories

200 Words Or Less

749 reviews

Book Review

42 reviews

Classic Album

25 reviews

Multiple Authors

300 reviews

Review

4881 reviews

Video/DVD Review

19 reviews

One from the archives

Banner Pilot

Resignation Day
Go Kart (2008)

With a pedigree including Rivethead and Off With Their Heads there are certain expectations behind Banner Pilot's debut full length. In addition to their resume, the band has received a number of rave reviews that boost these lofty expectations. Resignation Day largely proves the buzz correct. What Banner Pilot delivers is nothing groundbreaking: they play rough pop-punk much like their former band Rivethead and its sister offshoot Dear Landlord. There are hints of East Bay melodies and basslines, but the reflective lyrics are purely Midwestern. Think Pinhead Gunpowder meets Dillinger Four, or Off With Their Heads if Ryan could write less depressing songs. There's also a bit of polished and easy to digest Screeching Weasel pop in the mix. The 90's pop-punk influence comes through on songs like "Milemarking," with … Read more

More album reviews

Tides

Resurface
Teenage Disco Bloodbath (2005)

Boring. Derivate. Crap. These are all words that I have heard individuals use when referring to the craze of post-rock/instru-metal that is sweeping our nation, not to mention the rest of the world. One could argue, for days or even weeks, and I'm sure many of you do, over topics such as this. And while I do enjoy a good … Read more

Some Girls

The DNA Will Have Its Say
Three One G (2005)

By now you know who's in Some Girls. The cred they've garnered through their previous bands at this point doesn't mean shit if the songs suck. Luckily for Some Girls, they don't suck. With each release they have gotten progressively weirder. The Rains was a grungy thrash EP. The Blues was similar to The Rains but offered a glimpse in … Read more

Sir Millard Mulch

How to Sell the Whole Fucking Universe to Everybody... Once and for All
Mimicry (2005)

If I had to nominate an album for the most bizarre and intriguing release of 2005 thus far, I would have no problem choosing Sir Millard Mulch's How to Sell the Whole Fucking Universe to Everybody... Once and For All for that award. This two disc album - marketed as a three disc venture for comedic purposes that I'll explain … Read more

Isle of View

Gentle Firefly Radio
Undecided (2005)

Before I get to the review of Isle of View's Gentle Firefly Radio, I must state the following. This is by no means whatsoever a biased review. I like pop-punk music. I love The Descendants, earlier New Found Glory, Blink 182, and so on. But I don't like this band. Gentle Firefly Radio is very boring, and the singer's voice … Read more

Stars are Falling / Skylines

Split
Blood & Ink (2005)

Is this what you kids call "screamo" nowadays? I don't know and I don't care. As far as I'm concerned all music should be split into two genres: the one I like and the one I don't. This album would then fall under the second category, well the first band at least. The album is a split between two bands: … Read more

Frostmourn

Fall of Lordaron
Independent (2005)

Contrary to what anyone may think, writing an unbiased review is actually a pretty difficult process. I mean, when it comes to certain bands that you may have liked for years, that whole impartiality thing is a lot harder to come by than for a band you've never heard of before. What's worse is that when Frostmourn's Fall of Lordaron … Read more

Pelican

The Fire in Our Throats Will Beckon the Thaw
Hydra Head (2005)

"Evolution is the key to survival." I don't know which famous individual stated this, but I am quoting them both out of respect as well as out of fear of getting sued. Whoever that wiseman was, he was absolutely correct. History has taught us that a failure to evolve - no matter what the context - results in certain doom. … Read more

The Lost Patrol

The Lost Patrol Band
Burning Heart (2005)

The Lost Patrol started up as Dennis Lyxzen's solo project with the help of his close friends. Unlike the innovative post-hardcore act Refused and 60's throwback retro-punk outfit The (International) Noise Conspiracy, The Lost Patrol is less aggressive and makes use of layers of melody and acoustic guitars. Lyxzen's solo debut under the moniker was Songs of Key Resistance, which … Read more

Multiple Authors

Modern Life Is War

Witness
Deathwish Inc. (2005)

Let me say this right off the bat: this album is perfect. Modern Life is War has created a record that, at least to this reviewer, ranks right up there with Bane's Give Blood and American Nightmare's Background Music. The sound is actually remarkably similar to Background Music, however not in any way that My Love, My Way wasn't. I … Read more

Multiple Authors

Modern Life Is War

Witness
Deathwish Inc. (2005)

There are undoubtedly many of those who claim that hardcore is a dull, stagnant genre in serious need of a quick, timely death. It's easy to see from where they draw their argument, because hardcore is a hugely popular genre that has simply refused to evolve for far too long. Fortunately for the hardcore aficionado with discerning taste, there have … Read more

Xiu Xiu

La Forét
5 Rue Christine (2005)

Xiu Xiu is one of those bands you either love or hate. They are hard to get into; they talk about some of the most socially taboo topics, and in general are just out there. To me, their music is a cacophony of amazing music. On their latest outing, La Forét, meaning 'the forest' or 'the drill', the band returns … Read more

Names for Graves

Worst Kid Ever
Triple Attack (2005)

Sandusky, Ohio is home to Cedar Point Amusement Park, the rollercoaster capital of the world. About 45 minutes due east is the blue-collar city of Cleveland, whose hardcore scene has seen it's fair share of ups and downs that rival that of 'The Magnum' and 'Millennium Force.' During the span of the 1990's Cleveland was home to one of the … Read more

The Red Chord

Clients
Metal Blade (2005)

Since the release of 2002's Fused Together In Revolving Doors, The Red Chord has slowly but surely become one of the most popular and respected bands throughout the hardcore/metal scene. Fusing together an amalgam of various styles of heavy music, the band's sound refuses to be typecast into any one specific genre. Drawing influences from hardcore, thrash metal, and grindcore … Read more

Idlewild

Warnings / Promises
Parlophone (2005)

In 2002, Bob Fairfoul walked out of Idlewild with a rain of misdirected punches. From that moment, it seemed impossible that the next album would be anything other than either a return to an older, easier sound, or a radical change. When bassist Gavin Fox from Irish band Turn and long-term tour guitarist Allan Stewart were drafted into the new … Read more

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