Recent reviews

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)

Grischa Lichtenberger

Works for Last Work
Raster (2023)

Grischa Lichtenberger’s works are defined not only by their experimental foundation but also by relentless energy. Be it through glitch and EBM components, or jazz injections, there always is a volatile core. This is now changing with Works for Last Work. While the abstract mindset still defines Grischa as an artist, this time around it is applied over a minimal and ambient offering. The slow turns of opener “0515_15_beginning 2_sk1” reveal this cinematic essence, the repetitive progression giving birth to an ominous moment. It is this expectation, the calm before a storm, which never truly breaks. Instead, it is a meditative quality that prevails, in a variety of takes and flavours. Works for Last Work takes on various forms. The opener’s threatening promise melts into an eerie presence with “0515_14_duo cs_fl,” a journey through a jungle of hazardous noise effects. But from there on the shifts are even wilder. Light comes into the fold with “1011_11104_v_re_61011s1b,” as the stripped-down approach and radiant noise additions complete this ethereal setting. Even more fierce is the collection of mutilated voices of “0315_23_dancers voices_mel_1_re eq” drive into the drone territory. This otherworldly throat singing is pivotal. A sound that is at the same time … Read more

The Stargazer's Assistant

Fire Worshipper
House of Mythology (2023)

Making their first appearance in 2007 with The Other Side of the Island, it felt like The Stargazer’s Assistant would … Read more

Spanish Love Songs

No Joy
Pure Noise (2023)

I saw Spanish Love Songs before I ever dove into their catalog. And it was immediately clear they’re the type … Read more

Public Speaking

An Apple Lodged In My Back
Whited Sepulchre (2023)

It is always difficult to balance between creativity and immediacy. For Jason Anthony Harris, and his project Public Speaking, this … Read more

Bankrupt

Illiberal Holiday
Independent (2023)

There can be many reasons to pick an album to review. Sometimes it is the description, sometimes it is a … Read more

Les Lullies

Mauvaise Foi
Slovenly (2023)

I’m not going to pretend I know any French, but I can tell you that the rhythm of the language … Read more

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One from the archives

Unholy

New Life Behind Closed Eyes
Prosthetic (2009)

Unholy returns with a brand new full-length effort, and with it comes a number of new beginnings. First off, the band has seen a major lineup shift, trading out vocalists and its rhythm section. Secondly, the band has upgraded to a more high profile home at Prosthetic Records. In spite of these changes, Unholy has continued to deliver a quality product worthy of your notice. The most notable change for those previously familiar with Unholy is going to be the vocals. New Life Behind Closed Eyes is the first recording with new vocalist Billy Price. From his opening screams on "Seeker Immortal" it's obvious that Price is a commanding figure. His deep-throated barks bring a much more aggressive nature to the Unholy sound. This is matched with the songwriting duo … Read more

More album reviews

Be Your Own Pet

Mommy
Third Man (2023)

Retrospective genre creation by both grizzled music critics and TikTokers has had many victims, from the constituents of Twee to Yatch Rock; however, the rebranding of 2005 garage rock and punk to indie sleaze has to be one of the more egregious. Half aesthetic movement and half musical umbrella for any 2000s band with smudged eyeliner (that hadn’t already been … Read more

Redshift

Worst Timeline Possible
Boss Tuneage Records (2022)

Wax the boards, Everybody Lets Go Surfing, Surfing US-DECAY. On the crest of a sea of plastics, discarded textiles. Built to replace and ready to feed the ever-reaching loving chubby sweaty dirty fingernailed hands of many a landfill. Discard, Destroy and Forget and repurchase. Articles of Waste Forget Faith! Bondi spits shards of coloured sea glass upon canvas recreating, rebirthing, … Read more

Worriers

Trust Your Gut
Ernest Jenning (2023)

Worriers, fronted by Lauren Denitzio, is an ongoing evolution. It’s earnest, personal and explorative, and the newest album Trust Your Gut continues that journey as Denitzio puts everything out there for their audience. The music is consistently emotional and relatable while being clearly rooted in personal experience. The magic of the entire Worriers catalog is how Denitzio manages to be … Read more

Perennial

The Leaves Of Autumn Symmetry
Independent (2023)

Earlier this year I reviewed In The Midnight Hour, the second album of Perennial, and I liked it. In fact, I liked it enough to check out their debut album The Symmetry Of Autumn Leaves. A debut that was nice, but pales in comparison with their sophomore record. If you ask me it missed focus in the song-writing and lacked … Read more

Hot Mulligan

Why Would I Watch
Wax Bodega (2023)

There are many things the Midwest is known for, and Hot Mulligan is making damn sure emo music stays at the top of that list. Their new album, Why Would I Watch, can be categorized as Midwest emo, post-emo, pop-punk, or all the above—one thing that’s certain is it’s emotionally charged. If you’re skeptical of a band with a silly … Read more

Spells

Loose Change, Vol. 2
Big Neck Records, Keep It a Secret Records, Motorcycle Potluck Records, Shield Recordings, Snappy Little Numbers (2023)

If you haven’t seen SPELLS live you’re missing out. It’s a high energy, one-of-a-kind experience -- probably even if you don’t dig the music. Fortunately, I’m into their hook-driven sound that I’ll loosely call pop-structured punk. It gets in your head quickly, but it exactly ain’t crisp and pretty. Sure, the lyrics are often a little light-hearted, but with deeper … Read more

Girls Like Us

Bitter 'Til The Bitter End
Independent (2023)

There’s the references with friends, right? The inside jokes. The glib comments only your inner circle knows to find funny. A real rocks and dirt moment- sorry, that’s one of mine. There’s another level too. The inside jokes you have with yourself. Sometimes you’re the only one who sees the strange roadside billboard or hears the radio DJ mispronounce a … Read more

The Telescopes

Of Tomorrow
Tapete Records (2023)

Tintinnabulation resounds through the astral planes pulsating waves of pleasure that wash over the mind's crevices. Electrical jolts of sensory disturbances alter perception guiding you through dark passageways toward doors with rays of light pouring through cracks and crevices for those brave enough to explore. Lawrie the high lord of shoe pondering kinship amongst psychedelic warlords has reinvented and suspired … Read more

GraveRipper

Seasons Dreaming Death
Wise Blood Records (2023)

Indianapolis based black/thrash four piece GraveRipper formed in 2019 and have previously released three EP's , one being a split. Seasons Dreaming Death is their first full length album release. GraveRipper have made sure they have well and truly smashed out a proper rager with Seasons Dreaming Death with ten tracks of masterful fusion of fast paced thrash interspersed with … Read more

The Oxys

Generation Irrelevant
Dead Beat Records (2023)

Arms outstretched in the desperate hope of fulfilling dreams that had dissipated, longing for when life was simpler devoid of political persuasion, social media meanderings and opinionated pigs snorting in their own shit hiding behind the keyboard shooting out grammatical inaccuracies chock full of hateful smiling emojis. Festering open sores, drool pouring from the cocked head unbalanced and teetering onto … Read more

The Crimson Ghosts

Forevermore
Ring Of Fire Records (2023)

Recently I admitted I am a fan of more conservative horrorpunk. It might come as no surprise that I am enthralled with bands like Misfits, Calabrese, The Other and The Crimson Ghosts. So here we are, five years after their previous album Yet Not Human I can share my impressions of their sixth album Forevermore. For the uninitiated, The Crimson … Read more

What Goes Up

Laws of Gravity
Brassneck Records, Rad Girlfriend Records, Waterslide Records (2023)

Based on the name, pop-punk sounds like a limited genre. There are a million bands that sound like the Ramones. There are also a million copycats of that stuff that hit big in the early Aughts. But we aren’t going there… What Goes Up proves that you can make emotional, driving, yet poppy punk rock tunes that vary in sound … Read more

Meet Me @ The Altar

Past // Present // Future
Fueled By Ramen (2023)

Meet Me @ The Altar has been THE pop-punk trio pushing us to the edge of our seats in anticipation of their debut LP, Past // Present // Future. The trio’s aptly named album is not only breaking boundaries within the pop-punk realm, but it’s bridging the gap between nostalgia and the present-day scene. MM@TA explores pop-punk in a way … Read more

Bruise Control

Useless for Something
TNSrecords (2023)

Bruise Control is a new-ish punk band from Manchester. The band definitely checks off the boxes of the style, mixing it up quite a bit though over their nine-song debut full-length. The lead song, “Useless” has jangly garage rock tones meets punk aggression that builds over the two and a half minute song. While that lead tone makes an impression, … 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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