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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)

Blaqk Audio

Material
BLQNOIS/Kobalt (2016)

Davey Havok and Jade Puget (you may recognize them from AFI) are back this year with a new Blaqk Audio album. Because the duo is constantly putting out music through multiple outlets, you wouldn't believe it's been 4 years since the last one, but here we are. Material is the Electro-duo's third album, and it may be their most accessible record yet. At times it's a good thing, and sometimes it's its downfall. Among the multitude of varying tracks is a polarizing record. It ranges anywhere from Synthpop to Electro-Rock. Puget's influence comes from all corners of the spectrum, so there’s no surprise that so many can be heard on the album. In one sense, it can make the album feel sporadic, but it also leaves something for everyone. Odds are you'll find at least one song that meshes with your specific taste of Electronica, while expanding your horizons to others. A track like, "Ceremonial (Burst into Stars)" might be more appealing to fans of Electro-House but may be turned off by the darker tone of "Black at the Center." However, Jade doesn't delve deep enough into the many number of Electro-genres out there to tear away from Blaqk Audio's … Read more

Dälek

Asphalt For Eden
Profound Lore (2016)

Dalek has long been a group for outsiders. Embracing noise, industrial and ambient genres while still holding a tenuous grip … Read more

The Dandy Warhols

Distortland
Dine Alone (2016)

The Dandy Warhols new release Distortland is a trippy foray into pop that should not only garner new fans but … Read more

Marissa Nadler

Strangers
Sacred Bones (2016)

Marissa Nadler has been releasing albums since 2004, and her meticulous constructions of dream states has been astonishing since the … Read more

Music Band

Wake Up Laughing
Infinity Cat (2016)

Music Band, along with JEFF the Brotherhood and Diarrhea Planet, forms the Infinity Cat triad, the latest representatives of the … Read more

Explosions in the Sky

The Wilderness
Temporary Residence (2016)

It’s been five years since Texas post-rock outfit Explosions in the Sky released Take Care, Take Care, Take Care, which … Read more

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One from the archives

The Hussy

Looming
Dirtnap (2019)

It’s been fun watching The Hussy grow. All those scuzzy, dirty licks and rough-and-tumble beats of their early work is still present, but on Looming the now-trio lets the once understated melodies take the lead. It’s driving rock with some notable grooves, but it’s also singalong with shades of ‘60s garage, psychedelia, and even hints of pop.Looming contains 16 songs in total, alternating vocals between drummer Heather and guitarist Bobby -- and sometimes sharing those duties through melodic trade-offs. To generalize, Heather’s songs lean a little more pop while Bobby-sung songs get a little rougher with psych elements seeping tastefully into the mix. While there is a lot of classic influence going on from the likes of the Nuggets sets, the songs are concise and punchy without bloat. Overall, The … Read more

More album reviews

Corrective Measure

Demo 2015
Independent (2015)

Five song ripper from this quartet out of Maine. If the cover art is any indication these guys wear a lot of Nike. A cartoonish drawing of a baldy wearing both a Nike tee shirt and Nike sneakers adorns the J-card. Anybody who’s seen my recent drawings knows I can get down with that. The artists name is Chris X, … Read more

Lord Mantis

NTW
New Density (2016)

Line-up changes are a scary thought. When it was first announced that vocalist Charlie Fell and guitarist Ken Sorceron were leaving Lord Mantis, it indeed felt like a devastating blow for the band. And the timing was just so depressing, just a little while after the band had released its most complete work in Death Mask? However, Lord Mantis seamlessly … Read more

The Falcon

Gather Up the Chaps
Red Scare Industries (2016)

The Falcon are a curious band: a collection of rogue Chicagoans (now with Dave Hause as well), lead vocalist Brendan Kelly (The Lawrence Arms) seems to get the most attention but teammates Dan Andriano (Alkaline Trio), Neil Hennessy (also The Lawrence Arms), and now Hause carry some impressive resumes on their own. It’s a loaded band, one that rips out … Read more

Wrong

Wrong
Relapse (2016)

Coming out of Miami, Wrong rose from the ashes of hardcore/punk band Capsule, who released a couple of great albums, including their self-titled record and Blue, before calling it quits. Well, Eric Hernandez (guitars and vocals) bounced back brilliantly, forming the new band, with the inclusion of Ryan Haft (previously of Torche) on guitars, Andres Ascanio on bass and Brian … Read more

Cobalt

Slow Forever
Profound Lore (2016)

The future looked very dark for Cobalt, following the release of 2009's Gin. Wunder and McSorley seemed to have perfected their recipe for the black metal outfit, following the release of their debut album, War Metal, and especially their sophomore full-length, Eater of Birds. The band seized activities, and time went by. McSorley left the band, re-joined and left again, … Read more

Tim Hecker

Love Streams
4AD (2016)

Since 2001 Tim Hecker has been exploring the more adventurous sides of electronic music. The experimental scope of the artist has moved through dark territories, taking on elements of drone, noise, power electronics, constructing unique soundscapes of immense beauty. Haunt Me, Haunt Me Do It Again, Ravedeath, 1972 and 2013's Virgins are just some of the essential work of Hecker, … Read more

Moñecho

Past Waters/Fever Lives
Self Released (2015)

In a past life – OK, like eight years ago - I found myself working at a furniture factory in small town Pennsylvania. While I've found worse methods of employment from time to time, this job was, to put it mildly, not an ideal use of my time and talents, revolving around strenuous manual labor and a generally mind-numbing work … Read more

Endless Mike and the Beagle Club

St. Paul
A-F (2016)

Endless Mike and the Beagle Club are from Johnstown, PA (about an hour outside of my second home, Pittsburgh), and their album St. Paul (produced by Anti-Flag's Chris Baker, adding some Pittsburgh history) embodies the DIY PA punk aesthetic that I’ve come to love over the years. Around since 2003, the band is more or less lead-singer Mike Miller’s solo … Read more

Ignite

A War Against You
Century Media (2016)

Even after a decade, Ignite still managed to put out a record that was the logical step forward from Our Darkest Days. While it's not a "reunion" album, it certainly feels like it. Up until the last couple years, Ignite have pretty much been on and off when it came to performing. Front-man, Zoli Teglas, went on to join Pennywise … Read more

King Diamond

The Spider's Lullabye (reissue)
Metal Blade (2015)

When King Diamond's album The Spider's Lullabye, his sixth, was first released in 1995, it was a unique entry in the catalog as it was the first of Diamond's albums since his Fatal Portrait debut that was not a full concept album. It also marked the debut of a whole new band, with the exception of guitarist Andy La Roque, … Read more

Full Of Hell

Amber Mote in the Black Vault
Bad Teeth Recordings (2016)

Full of Hell remain successful in orbiting the broad domain of hardcore punk without becoming victims of convention or straying from ethic. With the release of Amber Mote in the Black Vault via John Hoffman’s (Weekend Nachos) Bad Teeth Recordings, “stagnation” simply does not appear to be a part of the Maryland/Pennsylvania outfit’s vocabulary. The group grows more and more … Read more

Graves At Sea

The Curse That Is
Relapse (2016)

During the early to mid '00s, Graves at Sea had acquired a legendary stature. Their first demo, Documents of Grief, revealed a band that had an exceptional handle on sludge, retaining the weight and extremity of the genre, combined with a sickening perspective. A single, Cirrhosis/Atavist Arise, was released the following year through Southern Lord, and the most revered release … Read more

Kaada & Patton

Bacteria Cult
Ipecac (2016)

John Erik Kaada and Mike Patton. Two great tastes that taste great together. It's been twelve long years since the pair released Romances - a sometimes lush sometimes harsh always beautiful collection of soundscapes.Bacteria Cult is the sum total of two artists that have grown into their own and are completely at ease with what they each can bring to … Read more

Tombs

All Empires Fall
Relapse (2016)

Since their inception back in 2007, Tombs have been in a phase of constant turmoil. Band members have been changed multiple times, with mainman Mike Hill the only original member still in the band. A similar sort of change has been undergoing along the works of the band, with their style. Starting out as a post-black metal act with the … Read more

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

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