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Reviews by Michael

588 total search results — Page 18 of 30

ASG – Win Us Over

Review — March 12, 2008

ASG stands for Amplification for Self Gratification. The name is rather fitting for this North Carolina rock group. On Win Us Over, their third full-length, the band delivers equal parts stoner metal dirge, guitar-rock speed, and punk attitude. As with most bands of this genre, it is the guitars that …

The Bakerton Group – The Bakerton Group

Review — March 12, 2008

What do you get when you take Clutch and tell Neil Fallon to take a hike? You get The Bakerton Group. While you might think you've lost a lot, and you have, you've also found something new, different, and unique. The Bakerton Group is the band' debut full-length and first …

Dead Will Rise – Entrepreneur

Review — March 12, 2008

Dead Will Rise is one of the recent signings to Twelve Gauge Records. While the label mainly sets it focus in the hardcore world, they do also dabbled in the spectrum of death metal/grindcore. And the latter is what you get with Ohio's Dead Will Rise. Entrepreneur is the band's …

Once Nothing – First Came the Law

Review — March 12, 2008

It's been a few years now since I first became acquainted with Once Nothing. They were just a local band playing shows wherever they could and having a good time playing to whoever would listen. Now the band is on Solid State, touring the U.S., and First Came the Law …

Landmine Marathon / Scarecrow – Split

Review — March 12, 2008

Level Plane Records is a quality label in all that they do. They've got the arty-punk and progressive hardcore bands, and they even tackle post-rock. Recently they've been taking on metal; this new split features three tracks from each Landmine Marathon and Scarecrow. Up first is Landmine Marathon who previously …

Sabertooth Zombie – Dance / The Prisoner

Review — March 13, 2008

Sabertooth Zombie is a band that has been waiting to explode for sometime now. After a few self-released efforts, the band release their debut full-length, Midnight Venom, in 2006, an album that brilliantly fused menacing hardcore with the fierceness of punk. The album received high praise here at Scene Point …

Ritual – Wolves

Review — March 23, 2008

I don't know what it is but Europeans love vegan and straightedge hardcore a lot more than us Americans do, or at least they come across as more passionate about them than the average hardcore fan here. I can't explain it nor will I attempt to do so. I just …

MGR – Wavering on the Cresting Heft

Review — March 25, 2008

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 …

Salt the Wound – Carnal Repercussions

Review — March 27, 2008

Cleveland-based Salt the Wound has been festering in the depths of the metal world since their formation in 2001. With the release of their debut full-length, Carnal Repercussions, the band will finally come to the attention of headbangers around the world. Carnal Repercussions is a twelve-track foray into the world …

Empire! Empire! (I was a Lonely Estate) – Year of the Rabbit

Review — March 27, 2008

Emo is a genre that often gets its name dragged through the mud. While there are artists now classified as emo that are pretty horrendous, it is those artists playing traditional emo that unfortunately are hurt the most. Empire! Empire! (I was a Lonely Estate) is one of those acts …

Sakes Alive!! – Presents

Review — March 27, 2008

Sakes Alive!! hails from Rochester, NY and this is the band's debut offering. Interesting enough, this recording actually started as the project of one individual, Chris Vandeviver. I'm not sure who told him to enlist other members and make this a full-time venture, but bravo to whoever did. The EP …

Attention – Stand Strong

Review — March 27, 2008

Pop-rock is a huge right now and Attention has a shot at being the next big thing. This four-piece group from Minneapolis contains members that did time in Gratitude and The Gloria Record, among others. Stand Strong is the band's latest offering, a six-song self-released EP filled with upbeat pop-rock. …

Smartbomb – Chaos and Lawlessness

Review — March 27, 2008

Members of No Trigger and Shock Nagasaki playing melodic hardcore in the vein of Kid Dynamite, Descendents, and 7 Seconds? Sign me the hell up! Heck, it really doesn't matter what bands these guys also play in when you write songs like these. Chaos and Lawlessness is Smartbomb's debut EP, …

Blacklisted – Heavier than Heaven, Lonelier than God

Review — March 31, 2008

Let's be honest, the vast majority of hardcore music is similar sounding. There is only so many ways in which you can arrange music that falls under the umbrella of hardcore. Sure, there are small variations in style and sound, but the moment a band redefines what hardcore is and …

The Alphabetical Order – I am Magically Happening!

Review — April 1, 2008

I get a lot of albums in the mail, a lot. Every one of them comes with one-sheet containing information and descriptions that suggest that they are the albums for me. And while most of them are filled with bombastic and over exaggerated wordage, every once in a while you …

Lair of the Minotaur – War Metal Battle Master

Review — April 2, 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 …

The Sword – Gods of the Earth

Review — April 21, 2008

The Sword is probably the first band to ever see their career catapulted thanks to a video game. Sure, lots of bands have had their songs featured as part of the soundtrack to a game, but none were an integral part of the game as "Freya" was to Guitar Hero …

Tempo No Tempo – Repetition

Review — April 21, 2008

Tempo No Tempo fit into that niche of bands that take equal influence from the worlds of indie rock and new wave. Musically speaking the two styles aren't that distinct from each other, so they go together rather well. Repetition is the band's second EP since forming in 2004. On …

Alone – Kiss Dreams Goodbye

Review — April 21, 2008

Kiss Dreams Goodbye is the newest offering from Alone, a melodic hardcore band hailing for Italy. This release is the band's follow-up to a split and features five brand new songs. Alone have a fairly unique sound as they're deeply rooted in the melodic hardcore, but they've also got a …

Insurrect – Fucking Infinity

Review — April 21, 2008

I've lived in Cleveland for most of my life and I've come to know the city as quite the haven for metal. I guess there is just something about this city that breeds the urge to grab a guitar and tear it up. Insurrect is easily the best-kept secret of …