Lafcadio
Kibosh
Joyful Noise (2008)
I truly don't know what to make of this band. Some reviewers might like to scope out the band before claiming the promo (Yes, that's how it works. Sorry to pull back the curtain kids.) But others, like myself, tend to claim a CD with only a rudimentary understanding of what they sound like - usually according to their PR … Read more
Lagwagon
Hang
Fat Wreck Chords (2014)
Punk rock veterans, Lagwagon, had been missing from the scene for quite some time. Sure, they had a tour here and there as well as reissues of their 90s classics, but it's been years since we've heard some fresh new music from the band. They released an EP in 2008, but most of that material had previously already been featured … Read more
Lagwagon
I Think My Older Brother Used to Listen to Lagwagon
Fat Wreck Chords (2008)
Closing in on twenty years as a band, Lagwagon presents us with new songs, perhaps aiming to revive that nearly defunct Fat/Epitaph sound. Having grown up on this band, I was giddy to hear they were releasing new material for the first time since 2005's Resolve, but found myself bummed after learning it was only an eight-song EP. Couple this … Read more
Lahar
Provide & Conquer
Spook City (2005)
The Northwest is breathing new life into its hardcore scene. They've got a lot of great bands right now - Go it Alone, Shook Ones, The Answer, Sinking Ships, Betrayed, Daggermouth, and so on. And while those bands lean towards the traditional side of hardcore, there are others that aim for something a bit more metal. Seattle's Lahar deliver just … Read more
Lair of the Minotaur
Cannibal Massacre
Southern Lord (2005)
In 2004 we were treated to Carnage, the debut effort from this throwback thrash/metal outfit from Chicago. If you heard it, good. If not, well, let's just say that the band is highly influenced by the likes of Celtic Frost. Fake metal fans should be sure to Google that name before continuing. Here in 2005 we are awaiting the band's … Read more
Lair of the Minotaur
Carnage
Southern Lord (2004)
It will take roughly 20-30 seconds of Carnage for you to come to the conclusion that it's no surprise that Lair of the Minotaur's debut ended up on Southern Lord Records. Oddly enough, this is actually a re-released effort, a vinyl version of the album that featured only six tracks. So it's quite a treat to have this version for … Read more
Lair of the Minotaur
Godslayer EP
The Grind House (2013)
Lair of the Minotaur is a band that managed to get their sound right and have stick with it since they first formed. With their doom/sludge/thrash hybrid they have managed to release four great albums: Carnage, The Ultimate Destroyer, my personal favorite War Metal Battle Master and their latest full length Evil Power. And now they are back with their … Read more
Lair of the Minotaur
War Metal Battle Master
Southern Lord (2008)
It is now five years into Lair of the Minotaur's existence and I think its safe to say that this band is not a gimmick or a novelty act in the least. Sure, their lyrics are based on Greek mythology and their sound harkens back to the 1980's, but Lair of the Minotaur is the real deal. This three-piece is … Read more
Lake Of Blood
As Time And Tide Erodes Stone
Human Jigsaw (2011)
Lake Of Blood hail from southern California, yet are producing the kind of metal you'd more than likely associate with a scene much further north than that; Cascadian black metal is a genre full of atmosphere, full of passion for nature and the preservation of the world we live in. Full of aggression. And Lake Of Blood have taken all … Read more
Lamb of God
Sacrament
Epic (2006)
Lamb of God and I go back a long way. Their second album, As the Palaces Burn, was the album that really got me into them. Actually, it was the album that got me into metal in general. It is one of the select few albums from the so-called "New Wave of American Metal" that has stood the test of … Read more
Lamb of God
Wrath
Sony (2009)
Virginia metalheads Lamb of God have been a very inconsistent band as of late. They struck gold six years ago with their sophomore effort, As the Palaces Burn but they seemed to have stumbled a bit with their past two records. Their latest offering, Wrath has been hyped by the band as a "rawer and real sounding" record and that … Read more
Lambrini Girls
You're Welcome
Big Scary Monsters (2023)
Red Hot Chili Peppers, Cake, Iron & Wine, Meat Puppets, Blind Melon, Peaches, Neutral Milk Hotel, Lemon Demon and The Sugarcubes. While stylistically these bands are essentially alien to one another they do have one unifying quality. Bands named after food and drink have a long lineage. As a side note, I have a major beef with online lists of … Read more
Lamella
Love Versus Dirt
Contract Killers (2006)
I'll openly admit to the fact that the vast majority of my music preferences fall to the heavy side of the medium. However, there are times in my life when I just want to get away from all of that and chill out to something that is non-threatening and created for relaxing. Love Versus Dirt, the first full-length from the … Read more
Lana Del Rey
Born To Die
Polydor (2012)
Elizabeth Grant, now better known as Lana Del Rey, aka the ‘Gangster Nancy Sinatra’, or as one of the more prominent faces in the ‘New Boring’ movement that threatens to dominate the charts for a considerable period of time, now releases her debut album, if you ignore the one released under her real name, Born to Die just a few … Read more
Landfill Crew
Landfill Crew
Pirates Press (2018)
I’m sure fictitious bands are a fun concept for the musicians writing the material, but I could care less if it's Tim Armstrong behind the mic or “Bagga” – they both sound the same. There are animated videos for this 4-song EP that develop the storyline of a fake 1980s punk band, which is the concept behind Landfill Crew. I’m … Read more
Landmine Marathon
Rusted Eyes Awake
Prosthetic (2009)
One of the biggest pleasures of listening to Rusted Eyes Awake was to hear the music and not walk away with the opinion that this is just another modern U.S. metal band labeled with the death metal tag that actually plays nauseating post-millennial death-core. Landmine Marathon still does have some of those influences interspersed but for the most part the … Read more
Lankum
False Lankum
Rough Trade (2023)
Dedication to tradition is tricky business. On one hand, adhering to existing norms carries on the legacy. On the other end, can this result in something novel? Folk music is, by definition, rooted in tradition. And while many have pushed its boundaries, they are instead labeled as experimentalists or neofolk. From the early works of Comus to the feverish interpretations … Read more
Laraigne
The Brightside Of It All
Snappy Little Numbers (2022)
Oh, Canada! Hailing from Geneva and now back and forth between Toronto and the beautiful city of Montreal, Greg Laraigne weaves well-crafted stories into a tapestry of lore and social commentary. The album apparently was ten years in the making while he also perfected his trade as a well-respected man in the field of tattooing. Easy comparisons are made to … Read more
