¡Apeshit!
Cavalier Activity
Mother Chorizo (2009)
Two years back I reviewed ¡Apeshit!'s self-titled demo. The record contained thirteen songs in just about eleven minutes. This 7" EP - which the band has self-released on their own label - counts a modest seven songs in just a smidge over seven minutes. Cavalier Activity is an extension of the sound heard on their previous recordings, which also includes … Read more
...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead
The Century of Self
Richter Scale (2009)
Texas rockers ...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead return with their sixth full-length effort, The Century of Self. The band's newest long player is the follow-up to So Divided, which was a polarizing album for their fans. Following the release of that album Trail of Dead eventually split from their relationship with Interscope Records. As a … Read more
A Death Cinematic
A Parable on the Aporia of Vengeance and the Beauty of Impenetrable Sadness
Simple Box Construction (2009)
Limited to a number of 250, A Death Cinematic's most recent release features two discs and impeccable packaging. Comparisons can easily be made to certain output by A Silver Mt. Zion or Godspeed You! Black Emperor, but A Death Cinematic's sound is someplace else. It is distant, eerie, and always brooding. The long song titles such as "Their Blood Crawls … Read more
A Death Cinematic
A Parable on the Aporia of Vengeance and the Beauty of Impenetrable Sadness
Simple Box Construction (2009)
Every once in a long while there comes a release which takes several listens to sink in to one's thick skull (particularly my hard head can take time), but once that record sinks in, the record not only makes complete sense, but it seems to become a favorite release. Upon first listening to the latest release from A Death Cinematic, … Read more
A Kid Named Thompson / Altus
Split
Seafoam (2009)
Two newcomers from Texas team up for a split 7" release. You get one track each, generally falling within the bounds of the indie music circuit. A Kid Named Thompson is not a one-man emo guitarist - thank goodness. This three-piece outfit instead offers up "Fall Down," a three-minute venture of upbeat pop-rock. I'd liken them to Jimmy Eat World, … Read more
A Storm of Light
Forgive Us Our Trespasses
Neurot (2009)
Following an impressive debut album (And We Wept the Black Ocean Within) and a nice split and collaborative release (see their record with Nadja called Primitive North), A Storm of Light give their latest album Forgive Us Our Tresspasses to show just how far the band has progressed in the interim. The ten new compositions that Josh Graham (Neurosis, Red … Read more
A Storm of Light / Nadja
Primitive North
Robotic Empire (2009)
This split is completely unexpected but still very appropriate as both A Storm of Light and Nadja seem to be rather complimentary in several different ways, but, quite honestly, the record packaging for this is sure to grab you. A double LP that includes the CD of Primitive North with some rather unique looking artwork, which goes against the grain … Read more
Actors & Actresses
Arrows
The Mylene Sheath (2009)
There are certain labels as a music fan that I follow wholeheartedly. I could say The Mylene Sheath is one of these labels for me. They have a strong reputation for putting out spacey post-rock with a flair for nice packaging. So I was kind of excited to be able to check out one of the labels most recent signings. … Read more
Adams Dagger
The Ripper
Durty Mick (2009)
Adams Dagger - California by way of Florida. This reminds of the 80's hardcore scene when bands moved from all over to California or New York to make it big. So in a way, this is nostalgic and so is the music. Adams Dagger play an 80's-inspired hardcore punk. The guitars definitely remind me a lot of the first Bad … Read more
Advent
Naked and Cold
Solid State (2009)
Beloved was a band that I never really got into. I gave them a chance, but to me, they were just another band in the faux-hardcore/screamo scene. They were mediocre for what they were doing and living in the shadows of other bands playing similar styles of music in a much more dynamic way. They were like a less volatile … Read more
Afgrund
Vid Helvetets Grindar
Willowtip (2009)
Grindcore is tough genre to single most bands out of. There are standouts like Napalm Death and heirs to the throne like Misery Index (I know not just a grind band). Still beyond the few acts that truly stick themselves out above the scum there is little definition within the ranks. So in a way this makes any band doing … Read more
AFI
Crash Love
Interscope (2009)
Album number eight from the band now renowned for their genre-shifting and reinvention. Three years in the making, three producers in the studio, and twelve tracks long (given the band's penchant for Lost-esque symbolism, there's probably some deep significance to these numbers). What new style will be unveiled with Crash Love? Nothing too thrilling, is the answer. Opener "Torch Song" … Read more
After the Fall
Fort Orange
Raise Your Fist (2009)
As far as melodic punk goes, After the Fall are very good at what they do. They play a fast, aggressive style of punk that's similar to bands like Propagandhi, Good Riddance, and A Wilhelm Scream. Influence from said bands is evident on first listen to this record. In fact, they pay homage to their influences in some of the … Read more
Against Me!
The Original Cowboy
Fat Wreck Chords (2009)
I feel a bit silly for reviewing this since it's basically just the original versions of songs from my favorite Against Me! album, As the Eternal Cowboy, but I thought it would be interesting to hear rougher versions of songs on that album to see how different they are from the final product. The Original Cowboy was recorded before they … Read more
Agent
Awake in Their World
Run for Cover (2009)
Run Cover for Cover's label head Jeff and I like to go back and forth over his bastardization of the phrase "pop-punk" but the kid has a lot of heart and does a good job with his label. However, even though we will go tit for tat over our endless Screeching Weasel vs. Fireworks to everyone else's eye rolling disgust … Read more
Agoraphobic Nosebleed
Agorapocalypse
Relapse (2009)
The background of this band shouldn't need explaining - if you're at all tuned in to the world of grindcore and other extreme music styles, you've probably already heard Agoraphobic Nosebleed. If you haven't, just imagine the most obnoxious and abrasive mixture of lyrical obscenity and overdriven drum machine lunacy you can fathom, and that should suffice for now. The … Read more
Aidan Baker
Gathering Blue
Equation (2009)
The amount of work that Aidan Baker produces is absolutely staggering. Besides solo releases like Gathering Blue he releases records as part of Nadja and Whispering Room as well as collaborations with Tim Hecker, ThisQuietArmy, and others. A double LP, Gathering Blue is one coming via Equation Records and in limited quantities (so much so that these might all be … Read more
Alexisonfire
Old Crows/Young Cardinals
Vagrant (2009)
I've always considered Alexisonfire one of the "better bands" in the whole "post-hardcore" scene or whatever you want to call it. However, their last album, Crisis received a lot of mixed reactions among fans with a lot of them believing that the band had lost their fire and were aiming for a more "commercial appealing" album. While that may be … Read more
