Metallica
Beyond Magnetic
Warner Bros. (2011)
Long story short: Beyond Magnetic is a collection of four tracks recorded for, and left off of, Metallica's 2008 album Death Magnetic. Dull description? Yes. Dull music? Not as much.Like Death Magnetic, there are a lot of great song ideas here, and I for one appreciate the return to their more complex thrash metal roots. All the songs here feature … Read more
Metallica
Death Magnetic
Elektra (2008)
The Metallica debate has been one of the most hotly contested that music has ever seen. Pro or Anti. Sellouts or one of the few bands of the people and for the people. There's an argument for both sides, to be sure, but in the end, if you're not for them, you're probably against them. If we're going to throw … Read more
Metallica
Hardwired...to Self Destruct
Blackened Recordings (2016)
8 years. Jesus. That’s the same length of time as Barack Obama’s two-term administration. That’s the entire lifespan of an 8 year old child. That’s too goddamn long between albums, is what it is. Yes, Hetfield, Ulrich, Hammett and Trujillo have finally returned with a new album – Hardwired…to Self Destruct. We all know, given their rarity of appearance on … Read more
Meteor Police
New Type Destroyer
Independent (2023)
Ocean County, New Jersey four piece, Meteor Police, mean business and have gone above and beyond to ensure their debut album New Type Destroyer gets the attention it deserves. This ten track album showcases their talent not just as musicians but the whole package, from recording quality to the artwork and marketing of the finished product. New Type Destroyer arrived … Read more
Metric
Live It Out
Last Gang (2005)
The attention gained by The Arcade Fire last year has been a blessing and a curse for Canadian indie music. In one respect the scene has been put in the spotlight by the mass media, which have discovered what many insiders have known for years: Canada produces some of the best music in the genre. Unfortunately the amount of hype … Read more
mewithoutYou
Brother, Sister
Tooth & Nail (2006)
Is every member of mewithoutYou of the Christian faith? Beats me. I know that the lyrics portray the group as a Christian band, but said term manifests nothing of the actual music. So what does Christian music sound like? Jesus harmoniously praying to his Father? Dead Poetic? Christmas carols? Fuck, man. I don't know. mewithoutYou's music has always attracted me … Read more
mewithoutYou
It's All Crazy! It's All False! It's All a Dream! It's Alright
Tooth & Nail (2009)
The title for Philadelphia act mewithoutYou's fourth album comes from Parable 518 of Bawa Muhaiyaddeen's The Golden Words of a Sufi Sheikh where he writes, "It's all false, It's all a dream, It's all crazy, It's all over, It's all right, Let's see what's next." Perhaps better than any others, these words mirror the band's evolution from their screamish [A->B] … Read more
MGR
Wavering on the Cresting Heft
Conspiracy (2007)
Wavering on the Cresting Heft is the second solo recording from Isis guitarist Michael Gallagher under the moniker MGR. MGR is an acronym for Mustard Gas and Roses, which is taken from Vonnegut's classic novel Slaughterhouse-Five. This new full-length follows Gallagher's debut MGR offering, 2006's Nova Lux. If one were to loosely describe the music of MGR, an appropriate description … Read more
Micah P. Hinson
Micah P. Hinson and the Opera Circuit
Jade Tree (2006)
So, my brother calls me out of the blue one day and excitedly explains to me that he has discovered the most "amazing" singer-songwriter that he has heard in ages. I was skeptical, as he usually likes the absolute worst music imaginable within the punk, hardcore, and indie genres. Thus I returned his enthusiasm for this newfound artist, Micah P. … Read more
Micahel Gira
I am Not Insane
Young God (2010)
"Swans are not dead!" So went the headlines across certain dark alleyways of the blogosphere and on the Swans Myspace page and on the Young God web site (the record label ran by one Michael Gira of Swans). People were all a twitter with mixed emotions ranging from near euphoric excitement to horrified gasps of disbelief as the news that … Read more
Michael Yonkers with The Blind Shake
Cold Town/Soft Zodiac
Learning Curve (2009)
The Blind Shake are a power-garage trio from Minneapolis. They play highly synchronized, precision rock with guitar, tenor guitar, and drums. Michael Yonkers is a noise-guitar pioneer, having finally gained recognition when Destijl and, consequently, Sub Pop released the 1968 recorded, but never released, Microminiature Love in 2003. The record starts with haunting, dark, and heavy guitars and Yonkers' warbly … Read more
Michael Yonkers with The Blind Shake
Period
S.S. (2011)
Michael Yonkers has a fascinating story: getting dropped by the majors, personal injury, and being rediscovered a generation later. That story has already been told in almost every review I’ve read, though. Instead, let’s talk about the rock. Period marks his third record with Minneapolis trio The Blind Shake, and the two forces offer a full collaboration when they get … Read more
Mickey Leigh’s Mutated Music
Variants of Vibe
Wicked Cool Records (2022)
Hey Mickey you're so fine, You’re so fine you blow my mind Hey Mickey, Hey Mickey. “Do You remember lying in bed/ With the covers pulled up over your head/Radio Playing so no one can see”-Ramones I do remember getting my first cheap transistor army green radio and picking up on a local AM station that played the oldies/ goldies. … Read more
Microwaves
Contagion Heuristic
Crucial Blast (2006)
I don't think I've ever heard an album come from this far out in left field and still come together flawlessly. The general consensus seems to be that you can either have a totally bizarre album or a catchy, cohesive album, but you can't have both. But Pittsburgh, PA's Microwaves is living proof that they don't have to be mutually … Read more
Middian
Age Eternal
Metal Blade (2007)
I can think of very few albums I have ever purchased, listened to once, and sold back to the store. Generally, I am a pretty forgiving guy and I can find something worth listening to on a disc. However, YOB just was not my cup of tea. I don't know what it was, but after I listened to the latest … Read more
Mike Hale
Lives Like Mine
Suburban Home (2009)
In the Red frontman Mike Hale recently made the decision to be a musician full-time and he's been very busy at work considering that his solo record, Lives Like Mine, was recorded only two weeks after In the Red's second album was released. One would think that the album may have been rushed and the quality of the songs may … Read more
Mike Patton
A Perfect Place
Ipecac (2008)
It's been no secret that for quite some time now, Mike Patton has wanted to broaden his ever-widening horizons into the world of film scoring. Now, with Ipecac's 100th release, we now have the first film score composed by Mike Patton, and it's a doozy. A Perfect Place is a twenty-five minute black-and-white icy-cool neo-noir film directed by Derrick Scocchera … Read more
Mike Patton
From The Film and Inspired By the Book The Solitude of Prime Numbers (La Solitudine Dei Numeri Primi)
Ipecac (2012)
It's not much of a secret that Mike Patton is an odd fellow. Incredibly talented and carrying a relatively large fan base but, odd nonetheless. In the years since the demise of Faith No More and Mr. Bungle along with the extended downtime of his other bands (Tomahawk and Fantomas) he has managed to make a name for himself by … Read more
