Pete Rock & Smif N Wessun
Monumental
Duck Down (2011)
Aptly-titled, Monumental brings together a legendary producer and two of the underground’s most revered MCs: Pete Rock—half of the duo (along with CL Smooth) responsible for early ‘90s classic Mecca and the Soul Brother—has been the monster behind the boards of your favorite rapper’s favorite rapper for a long-ass time; and Boot Camp Click members Tek and Steele— known collectively … Read more
Petty Larcenists
Stolen Chords and Lifted Riffs
Rad Girlfriend Records (2019)
You’ve heard of no depression music? I’m coining a new term here: depression punk.Opening song “Loud and Ugly” might be a good description of vocalist Jesse Thorson’s approach in general. His songwriting has always been outspoken and focused on personal flaws, pointing to the uglier elements in life. I always referred to the Pretty Boy Thorson bands as essentially country … Read more
Pharaoh
Negative Everything
A389 (2014)
Pharaoh’s debut full-length, Negative Everything, is an absolutely crushing release. The New Jersey three-piece play a blend of doom, sludge, hardcore, and crust that is generally slow, sometimes fast, never predictable, and always heavy. The record’s opening track, “Recease,” starts with a slow, chugging, unaccompanied guitar and effectively sets the pace for the record. Pharaoh has no need for frills, … Read more
Pharaoh Overlord
Lunar Jetman
Sige (2012)
Sweet jesus did this record ever hit my stereo at just the right time because Lunar Jetman is making its third consecutive journey on my turntable as we speak (after listening to it a few times without noticing just how good the album is, maybe due to some preoccupation with something else), and to be perfectly honest, Pharaoh Overlord lays … Read more
Pharmakon
Abandon
Sacred Bones (2013)
Phamarkon is a deep black pit inviting you to fall in. If you do, you will never want to climb out again. The girl behind the name Pharmakon is Margaret Chardiet, a not so typical 22-year-old from New York, active in the city’s underground diy scene, who embodies the sound of said darkness. According to an interview of hers (http://janepain.wordpress.com/2012/04/0 … Read more
Pharmakon
Bestial Burden
Sacred Bones (2014)
Just last year Pharmakon was putting out Abandon, tearing our brains apart. Margaret Chardiet (the artist behind Pharmakon) was collecting aspects of industrial, noise and power electronics, filtering all that through her mind and producing one of the most intense listens of (at least) 2013. Now how can you top something like that? Inspiration usually comes from personal experience and … Read more
Pharmakon
Contact
Sacred Bones (2017)
Back in 2014, Margaret Chardier came face to face with a life-threatening situation, which inspired her new record at the time, Bestial Burden. As was the case with her third record, her previous works were dealing with the human experience, the disconnect between mind and body, and the notion of one's mind being trapped inside their body. A young veteran, … Read more
Pharmakon
Maggot Mass
Sacred Bones (2024)
Pharmakon's body of work is a visceral etude on the human condition. Since 2013 with the release of Abandon, Margaret Chardier has explored the darkest sides of the human mind, psyche, and body through the fierce nature of power electronics. This path resulted in the absolute highlight with 2019's Devour, with Chardier perfecting her style. Noise storms raging, abstracted rhythmic … Read more
Phillip Roebuck
Fever Pitch
Manual (2006)
Phillip Roebuck will never be explained in writing. Writing does no justice to what Phillip Roebuck does. He plays a banjo at breakneck speed. He is a one-man band that bashes away at a bass drum and tambourine on his back. See, it just doesn't sound right, does it? It conjures images of Groundskeeper Willy yelling, "I'm a maniac, MANIAC!" … Read more
Philm
Harmonic
Ipecac (2012)
Philm is not Slayer. Yes, it is a side project of Slayer drummer/legend Dave Lombardo, but it is not Slayer. Lombardo’s other side projects Fantômas and Grip Inc. were not Slayer, either, but for whatever reason whenever this poor bastard does anything outside of Slayer, pissers and moaners alike, shamble out of the woodwork and complain that it isn’t. Grow … Read more
Phoenix
Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix
Glass Note (2009)
Phoenix has always been successful at lifting spirits and making people dance. Based out of Versailles, Phoenix has been going at it for almost a decade now, and their fourth full-length, Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix, came at the perfect time for Summer. And no, it's not a Mozart cover album. Apparently, the somewhat egotistical sounding title was a product of the … Read more
Pick Your Side
Let Me Show You How Democracy Works
A389 (2012)
Pick Your Side came out last year seemingly out of nowhere. The band was merely touted by many as the return of Beckman. The man best known as the throat that drove the infamous Haymaker. While this alone doesn't make the band It still is basically a who's who of the Toronto area metal and hardcore scenes. So when their … Read more
Picture Me Broken
Wide Awake
Megaforce (2010)
Here is a Cali band that has been performing together since seventh grade as a cover band doing Led Zeppelin tunes, now that they have matured and are seniors in high school it’s only natural that they release an album. I suppose it doesn’t hurt if your lead singer is the daughter of a famous musician like Layla “Brooklyn” Allman … Read more
Piebald
Accidental Gentlemen
Side One Dummy (2007)
I appreciate humor in music. Being a literary nerd, there's nothing more satisfying than catching a good pun or play on words in the midst of a steady rock beat. Unfortunately, little in today's music scene really delivers. Metalcore (a slowly dying dinosaur), and whatever you call it that Three One G puts out (art school grind-punk?) goes for the … Read more
Pierce With Arrow
Shatter
Dais Records (2021)
Troy Pierce has been creating off-kilter techno since the mid ‘00s, always opting for a non-conformist, adventurous output (just listen to his 2007 full-length, Gone Astray). Now, he is joined by another forward-thinking creative mind in Natalie Escobar, who has also stepped into the off-kilter experimental music realm with her project Poison Arrow. Their collaboration, Pierce With Arrow, finds them … Read more
Pig Destroyer
Book Burner
Relapse (2012)
The news that Pig Destroyer were to release a new record this year was met with much celebration, a lot of shouting and a resounding “fuck, yes, it’s about bloody time!” chorus from their devoted fans. Pig Destroyer have been extremely quiet since the release of their last full length, Phantom Limb, in 2007 and along with the EP Natasha … Read more
Pig Destroyer
Phantom Limb
Relapse (2007)
I unabashedly love Pig Destroyer. And while they are out of vogue with the kvlt grindsters, I think they are infinitely more interesting than the million other death/grind bands with illegible logos. 2004's Terrifyer is one of the few albums I would consider a modern classic, naysayers be damned. So when I heard they added a fourth (non-bass playing) member, … Read more
Pilkington
Pilkington
Independent (2020)
Pilkington's self-titled debut is at the same time their swansong. It serves as a testimony to the good time the band had together as a band. As they were recording this album back in 2018 the band members uprooted and spread out. This was basically the end of the band.Reading this information in the press sheet I was a bit … Read more
