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)

Vaura

The Missing
Profound Lore (2013)

Comprised by members of great acts such as Kayo Dot, Dysrhythmia, Gorguts and While Heaven Wept, Vaura find themselves in a strange territory. Somewhere between post-punk, darkwave and black metal, they unleash their second full-length, entitled The Missing. And just about a year after their debut album, Selenelion. The title track is introducing the band in the most suitable manner. Firstly because Vaura unveil the whole spectrum of their sonic identity in “The Missing,” managing to combine the harsh drums and sorrowful riffs in an intriguing manner, confusing you with a healthy dose of aggression mixed with bleakness. When “Incomplete Burning” comes in you are hooked to the band’s music. The attention to detail that has been put to the guitar work is astonishing, with the melodies making an appearance in every twist and turn of the album, spreading despair to the listeners. The black metal infused sorrow of the band makes another appearance in “The Fire” after the minimalistic intro is concluded. The contrast that the furious drumming creates to the more downtrodden theme of the track is a highlight on its own. The sudden change of the track to a more dreamlike outlook gives you some time to … Read more

Mind Spiders

Inhumanistic
Dirtnap (2013)

Maybe Minnesota is just a long way from Texas, but it seems that Mind Spiders are more of a studio … Read more

Bazooka

Self Titled
Slovenly (2013)

Bazooka hail from Greece and their tumultuous current situation has left its mark on the sound of this band. Lo-fi, … Read more

Tim Hecker

Virgins
Independent (2013)

Canadian sound artist Tim Hecker is no stranger to the more esoteric side of electronic composition. Continued experimentation with increasingly … Read more

Cloud

Comfort Songs
Audio Antihero (2013)

Cloud’s Comfort Songs is a collection of downbeat, gloomy works that create an atmosphere of utter desolation while somehow lifting … Read more

Direct Hit!

Brainless God
Red Scare (2013)

Direct Hit! get filed in the Midwest pop-punk scene and, while they deviate throughout the course of Brainless God, that’s … Read more

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One from the archives

Death Has Spoken

Call Of The Abyss
Ossuary Records (2021)

This is the second album from Polish death/doom metallers Death Has Spoken who formed in 2017. Taking inspiration musically from bands such as Paradise Lost, Swallow The Sun, Hallatar and My Dying Bride to name but a few this 7 track album gives us just over 40 minutes of dark, melodic doom metal. I've got to hand it to these guys they are just as accomplished as their contemporaries. This album captures the imagination and emotional responses perfectly. Whilst it does convey elements of depression, bleakness and desolation it really carries you head long into it as an immersive experience rather then just another doom album. Their first album Fade from 2017 is lyrically loosely based on novels written by Edgar Allan Poe and posed the question: Is death an … Read more

More album reviews

Mark McCabe

A Good Way to Bury Bad News
Cats? Aye! Records (2014)

On one end of an (unscientific) scale of popular male singer-songwriters sits Ed Sheeran, perched comfortably at the top of the charts while still maintaining an air of authenticity, and at the other end is pop supremo Bruno Mars, master craftsman of insuppressible earworms. Somewhere between these two sits Mark McCabe's brand of insular emoting, not quite hooky enough to … Read more

The Ruins of Beverast

Blood Vaults – The Blazing Gospel Of Heinrich Kramer (Cryptae Sanguinum – Evangelium Flagrans Henrici Institoris)
Ván (2013)

On first listen of The Ruins of Beverast new record Blood Vaults – The Blazing Gospel Of Heinrich Kramer (Cryptae Sanguinum – Evangelium Flagrans Henrici Institoris) you pretty much fall in love. On repeated listens however, you find much to dislike about it. It’s too long, there’s too much happening, there’s too much weird stuff going on. While weirdo black … Read more

Krang

Broken Waves
Profane Existence (2013)

In what amounts as no surprise whatsoever, the Profane Existence Single Series just keeps on delivering the goods.Broken Waves is the sixth P.E.S.S. release now and comes via Midwestern eardrum assassins Krang.A few years ago I saw these guys at a sports bar in Wisconsin. At the start of their set the singer spewed something undecipherable about “ancient religions,” then … Read more

Various Artists

Brokedowns / Vacation Bible School split
It's Alive (2013)

Taking Side A on the Elgin, IL focused 7” are The Brokedowns, who last released Species Bender in 2010. After a slew of splits in their career and a few full-lengths, they’ve really settled into a distinct style. It’s punk with a verse-chorus-verse kind of structure at its core, but one that they take loosely, preferring to eschew the bridge … Read more

Sutekh Hexen

Monument Of Decay
Black Horizons / Belaten / Merzbild (2013)

This is the type of release that you might find yourself anxiously waiting for if, one, you are a hopeless nerd for the band (in which case I am) or, two, you find elaborate and unique packaging to be completely in your wheelhouse (double check for me); so Monument Of Decay from Sutekh Hexen is a perfect confluence of these … Read more

Dave Hause

Resolutions EP
Side One Dummy (2012)

We've finally come to the last of Dave Hause's EP series. The final EP comes from Side One Dummy and features covers of Flogging Molly's "Whistles the Wind" and Audra Mae's song, "The River." I'm sad to say, this was probably the most boring of the 5 EPs, but the covers save it. The acoustic version of "Resolutions" present on … Read more

Year of No Light

Tocsin
Debemur Morti Productions (2013)

Year Of No Light’s emotive instrumental approach is one that embraces the deeper, heavier side of post/sludge/atmospheric music and the cavernous melodies that they dredge up from the darkest pits of night are terrifying and weighty. The six strong French band boast two drummers amidst their ranks and on Tocsin here they utilise that strength to push the songs forward … Read more

The Young Leaves

Alive And Well
Baldy Longhair (2013)

After a successful gig at Fest 12 last month the Massachusetts based power trio The Young Leaves will hit the road to support their third release Alive and Well. With this release the band shows its here for the duration and also shows growth in their songwriting, musically the band is sounding louder and better than ever. A three piece … Read more

Iron Chic

The Constant One
Bridge Nine (2013)

Since their inception, Iron Chic have had a steady rotation through out the years through my speakers and a special place in my heart. Following their full length debut, I was ready to have another album. It's finally arrived in the form of The Constant One, and it does not disappoint. Any fan of this band are going to find … Read more

Iron Chic

The Constant One
Bridge Nine (2013)

If ever a band was created for an epic singalong, it was Iron Chic. There’s that big feeling at the core of their soaring melodies as they build and rage, starting with a verse from Jason Lubrano and building to a gang singalong at the chorus in nearly every song. They’re songs that transcend the performers, taking on the personality … Read more

Saturday Looks Good To Me

Every Night (Reissue)
Polyvinyl (2012)

Imagine my pleasant surprise when the reissue of the long out of print vinyl version of the Saturday Looks Good To Me album Every Night was announced, and even pleasant surprise might be underselling just how excited I was to hear that the LP was being reissued because I had been searching for this format of the album for quite … Read more

Saturday Looks Good To Me

One Kiss Ends It All
Polyvinyl (2013)

A void was left in the world for those that enjoyed the jangly indie pop of Saturday Looks Good To Me when the group disbanded sometime following a tour in 2008 leaving us all wondering if we would ever hear the fun and sweet music that only Fred Thomas and company had been providing since they started playing their unique … Read more

Universe 217

Never
Catch The Soap Productions (2013)

I still remember the first time I saw Universe217 playing live in Athens, back in 2008. They were the supporting act for Scott Kelly of Neurosis and I found myself thinking that this band definitely is on the right path in terms of what they are doing with their music. Considering they had just released their debut self-titled album at … Read more

Various Artists

Parasitic Skies/Losing Skin - Split
Headfirst records (2012)

Splits are a dilemma at times, as they inevitably will either inform you of a new band or have a couple of songs that are clearly overshadowed by their counterpart. I am happy to report that is not the case for this split. With two of the Northwest hardcore scenes' heaviest, this record is a rager from start to finish. … Read more

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