Illinois
What the Hell Do I Know?
Ace Fu (2007)
It's hard to talk about bands you don't know. I feel like there should be a mental block when you describe a band that has a solid fan base, but that you've only listened to a handful of times. Nevertheless, you have to start somewhere, and every band (well, most bands) deserves a listen. So I go forth into the … Read more
Illogicist
The Insight Eye
Willowtip (2007)
Similarities define genres, right? You can take a group of musicians, cite some sort of common threads through their records, and coalesce those into a genre. But when there are too many bands in a certain genre, things just get stale. And I feel this way about "technical/progressive death metal." Unfortunately, Illogicist's The Insight Eye is another entry into this … Read more
Ima Robot
Monument to the Masses
Virgin (2006)
It seemed as though the robots had short-circuited after their debut release. They toured non-stop for a year or two and then disappeared. Many thought the junk yard was the fate for these robots, but it turns out they were just doing maintenance, upgrading and such. Best friends and the only remaining original members, vocalist, Alex Ebert, and guitarist, Timmy … Read more
Imani Coppola
The Black and White Album
Ipecac (2007)
The lights, the sounds, the excitement If you've ever been to New York City, you know what I'm talking about. Regardless of the borough, walking around the city is exhilarating, bordering on overwhelming, keeping you hyper-vigilant for fear of missing something really, really cool. Imani Coppola sounds like New York. The Black and White Album is just like the city … Read more
Imelda May
Mayhem
Decca (2010)
It’s been said that the second album is always a tough one. Following on from an album that you have been creating for all your life with record label deadlines, baying fans and the increase in expectations often leads to a critical mauling and a mass wave of indifference. Mayhem; the second album by Irish Rockabilly come Jazz singer Imelda … Read more
Immolation
Harnessing Ruin
Olympic (2005)
Hey Immolation, I just received a call from 1989 and they want their music back. Harnessing Ruin is the sixth release from legendary death-metal act Immolation, and they show us once again why they're "legendary." The nine songs off this CD deliver 2005 a blast from the past. This death-metal time-warp makes me think back to when death-metal bands came … Read more
Immortal
Northern Chaos Gods
Nuclear Blast (2018)
Immortal’s career hasn't been the smoothest of rides their ninth full length comes after a protracted and tense battle with founding member Abbath, who finally left the band in 2015 before the Norwegian black metal masters could continue work on a follow up to 2009s All Shall Fall. The problems stemmed from who actually owned the rights to the Immortal … Read more
Immortal Technique
The 3rd World
Viper (2008)
With the likes of T-Pain and Lil Jon being the pop music representatives of hip-hop, it seems that the narcissistic materialist is officially the new standard. Fighting the power is just not all that cool. The average kid today associates rap with the glamor of Lil Wayne and Soulja Boy rather than the fury of Ice-T and NWA. Meanwhile, Ice … Read more
Impious
Holy Murder Masquerade
Metal Blade (2007)
For the most part, there is no concept to Death Metal other thanââ¬Â¦..well, death. Lofty ideas or "concepts" are usually left to the Power Metal bunch who just looooove to show off their epic sagas with tales of wizards and ghosts and pumpkins and whatnot. This also affords them the opportunity to tell a story, usually in great length, interspersed … Read more
Implodes
Reverser
Gilead Media (2015)
Implodes from Chicago is a very interesting act. Their debut album Black Earth which came out in 2011 was an unbelievable blend of noise, post rock and kraut rock which showed the band balancing all these different elements to find their unique sound. A couple of years afterwards this insane company was putting out their sophomore release, Recurring Dream, digging … Read more
Impure Wilhelmina
Antidote
Season of Mist (2021)
My girlfriend asked me, earlier this year: “why does all music you like sound so bloody serious?”. At first I denied this and listed a couple of bands and albums that sound more party-like, but after giving it some thought I had to agree. I really lean towards the stuff that sounds bloody serious. In comes Impure Wilhelmina, who can … Read more
Impure Wilhelmina
Radiation
Season of Mist (2017)
Why I choose to review Radiation I can’t exactly recall (perhaps sharing members with Rorcal and Vuyvr did the trick, perhaps it was just the description “post-hardcore” that triggered my interest); whatever it was, the album surprised me, let me tell you that. I was expecting post-hardcore from this Swiss band (as the promo said it would deliver just that) … Read more
In Control
In Control EP
Indecision/Martyr (2003)
A piece of hardcore music is going to die when In Control bows out later this year. They are one of the most loved, respected, and important bands in the scene currently and the West Coast is going to feel a bigger disturbance in the Force than Obi-wan Kenobi did when Alderon was blown to bits by the Emperor's Death … Read more
In Control
The Truth Hurts
Indecision/Martyr (2003)
When I first got into hardcore, I was exposed to the old shit'you know, Bad Religion, 7 Seconds, Minor Threat, DI'the stuff from when people still realized that hardcore IS punk. Slowly, as metal began to invade the scene, hardcore and punk split into, what seem today, two completely different genres. In Control bring it back to the old school, … Read more
In First Person
Lost Between Hands Held Tight
Paramnesia (2006)
A few months ago in Scene Point Blank's Mid Year feature I mentioned that Paramnesia Records had been the record label of the year up to that point, and that I was looking forward to their next release by In First Person. That release is now here, and with it comes the solidification of my belief that Paramnesia is the … Read more
In Flames
Come Clarity
Ferret (2006)
In metal circles, In Flames need little introduction, if any at all. The once vaunted band was at the forefront of the "New Wave of Swedish Death Metal" invasion that produced masterpieces like Jester's Race, Whoracle, and Colony. The band has been on somewhat of a decline over the last several albums, culminating in the critically panned, ill received nu-metal … Read more
In the Crosshairs
Partners in Crime
Blood Money (2005)
Partners in Crime opens up with a sound byte of god only knows what (I don't know, maybe something eastern-influenced? Is that PC? Who cares) and melts into metal. I know, I know, since when do things melt into metal? The laws of physics dictate that this is not possible, but the laws of hardcore dictate that it is both … Read more
In the Face of War
We Make Our Own Luck
Detournement (2007)
I remember this band; a few years ago I picked up Live Forever or Die Trying with false promises of sweet melodic hardcore. We all know how much I love sweet melodic hardcore. Unfortunately, I was rewarded with another bland disc of substandard metallic somewhat fast hardcore. The only redeeming factor on Live Forever or Die Trying was a good … Read more
