Recent reviews

Our latest album reviews, featuring the records we've most enjoyed (or not) over the past few weeks.

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Browse our album reviews according to score: Highest (9.5/10 or more) or Lowest (2/10 or less)

Sincere Engineer

Cheap Grills
Hopeless (2023)

You know those bands whose music you enjoy, but each record sort of sounds the same, just a little fresher? Well, Cheap Grills is the third LP from Sincere Engineer and it continues exactly as you’d expect from the Deanna Belos led band. The first five seconds of the album feature the lyric, “I’m a walking open wound,” in her trademark grimaced shout. It’s harsh, haunting and blunt. But by the one-minute mark you get more uplifting pop punk with a soaring refrain that reclaims that opening lyric as self-expression rather than sorrow. Belos’ songwriting has a lot to like but a few patterns have developed over the last decade. Simply put, this record sounds exactly like the last two Sincere Engineer records. She continues to balance pain, drama, and humor effortlessly in her vocal delivery, all set to driving and singalong punk melodies. You can hear the frustration (it ain’t subtle) but you can also hear when Belos smirks and laughs too. It’s equally pained and playful. One of my observations playing through this record on repeat is that there’s a manic sense to several songs. It’s on full display with “Inside My Head,” a song that mixes up … Read more

Video/DVD Review

Mike Schiff

The History of Metal and Horror
Independent (2022)

The History of Metal and Horror is an extensive dip into a world where two defining genres of audio and … Read more

Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros

Live at Acton Town Hall
BMG, Dark Horse Records (2023)

Most music fans were stunned when Joe Strummer passed away in 2002. I’d recently skipped out on a Mescaleros show, … Read more

Grischa Lichtenberger

Works for Last Work
Raster (2023)

Grischa Lichtenberger’s works are defined not only by their experimental foundation but also by relentless energy. Be it through glitch … Read more

The Stargazer's Assistant

Fire Worshipper
House of Mythology (2023)

Making their first appearance in 2007 with The Other Side of the Island, it felt like The Stargazer’s Assistant would just … Read more

Spanish Love Songs

No Joy
Pure Noise (2023)

I saw Spanish Love Songs before I ever dove into their catalog. And it was immediately clear they’re the type … Read more

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One from the archives

Bulletproof

Dynamite
Ossuary Records (2021)

Bulletproof started out as a band in 2017, playing the underground bar scene in their native Argentina. After a while of playing bar shows Bulletproof started playing with a youth organisation called Speed Metal Army who organise metal shows for the masses over a whole range of metal styles across the country. Polish based Ossuary Records picked up the band and they now bring us their debut 5 track EP Dynamite. The four piece consisting of Martin Debonis- bass/backing vocals, Ariel Garcia- lead guitar/backing vocals, Poli Serafini- guitar/vocals and Matias Pena- drums certainly fly the flag for heavy metal and bring us 5 tracks of classic metal in the style of bands like Running Wild, Accept, Blazon Stone, Manowar, Judas Priest and many other NWOBHM type bands but they do it with such enthusiasm that it's … Read more

More album reviews

Public Speaking

An Apple Lodged In My Back
Whited Sepulchre (2023)

It is always difficult to balance between creativity and immediacy. For Jason Anthony Harris, and his project Public Speaking, this is a much-welcomed challenge. Indeed, Harris’ new work An Apple Lodged In My Back does not shy away from its pop sensibilities. As “Swollen Feet” comes in, the soulful and intimate approach usually produced by mainstream artists comes through. It is catchy … Read more

Bankrupt

Illiberal Holiday
Independent (2023)

There can be many reasons to pick an album to review. Sometimes it is the description, sometimes it is a connection with another band and sometimes it is the artwork. Upon seeing this for the first time I thought: “This better be good, ‘cause artwork like this deserves something good!”. This thought got stronger and stronger after I discovered every … Read more

Les Lullies

Mauvaise Foi
Slovenly (2023)

I’m not going to pretend I know any French, but I can tell you that the rhythm of the language is perfect for Les Lullies. Mauvaise Foi (“Bad Faith,” according to google), begins with the title track, a barn burning guitar rocker with big licks and a repetitive chorus in 4/4 time. It’s immediately familiar in that garage rock way, but sounds … Read more

Be Your Own Pet

Mommy
Third Man (2023)

Retrospective genre creation by both grizzled music critics and TikTokers has had many victims, from the constituents of Twee to Yatch Rock; however, the rebranding of 2005 garage rock and punk to indie sleaze has to be one of the more egregious. Half aesthetic movement and half musical umbrella for any 2000s band with smudged eyeliner (that hadn’t already been … Read more

Redshift

Worst Timeline Possible
Boss Tuneage Records (2022)

Wax the boards, Everybody Lets Go Surfing, Surfing US-DECAY. On the crest of a sea of plastics, discarded textiles. Built to replace and ready to feed the ever-reaching loving chubby sweaty dirty fingernailed hands of many a landfill. Discard, Destroy and Forget and repurchase. Articles of Waste Forget Faith! Bondi spits shards of coloured sea glass upon canvas recreating, rebirthing, … Read more

Worriers

Trust Your Gut
Ernest Jenning (2023)

Worriers, fronted by Lauren Denitzio, is an ongoing evolution. It’s earnest, personal and explorative, and the newest album Trust Your Gut continues that journey as Denitzio puts everything out there for their audience. The music is consistently emotional and relatable while being clearly rooted in personal experience. The magic of the entire Worriers catalog is how Denitzio manages to be both personal … Read more

Perennial

The Leaves Of Autumn Symmetry
Independent (2023)

Earlier this year I reviewed In The Midnight Hour, the second album of Perennial, and I liked it. In fact, I liked it enough to check out their debut album The Symmetry Of Autumn Leaves. A debut that was nice, but pales in comparison with their sophomore record. If you ask me it missed focus in the song-writing and lacked in the … Read more

Hot Mulligan

Why Would I Watch
Wax Bodega (2023)

There are many things the Midwest is known for, and Hot Mulligan is making damn sure emo music stays at the top of that list. Their new album, Why Would I Watch, can be categorized as Midwest emo, post-emo, pop-punk, or all the above—one thing that’s certain is it’s emotionally charged. If you’re skeptical of a band with a silly name … Read more

Spells

Loose Change, Vol. 2
Big Neck Records, Keep It a Secret Records, Motorcycle Potluck Records, Shield Recordings, Snappy Little Numbers (2023)

If you haven’t seen SPELLS live you’re missing out. It’s a high energy, one-of-a-kind experience -- probably even if you don’t dig the music. Fortunately, I’m into their hook-driven sound that I’ll loosely call pop-structured punk. It gets in your head quickly, but it exactly ain’t crisp and pretty. Sure, the lyrics are often a little light-hearted, but with deeper … Read more

Girls Like Us

Bitter 'Til The Bitter End
Independent (2023)

There’s the references with friends, right? The inside jokes. The glib comments only your inner circle knows to find funny. A real rocks and dirt moment- sorry, that’s one of mine. There’s another level too. The inside jokes you have with yourself. Sometimes you’re the only one who sees the strange roadside billboard or hears the radio DJ mispronounce a … Read more

The Telescopes

Of Tomorrow
Tapete Records (2023)

Tintinnabulation resounds through the astral planes pulsating waves of pleasure that wash over the mind's crevices. Electrical jolts of sensory disturbances alter perception guiding you through dark passageways toward doors with rays of light pouring through cracks and crevices for those brave enough to explore. Lawrie the high lord of shoe pondering kinship amongst psychedelic warlords has reinvented and suspired … Read more

GraveRipper

Seasons Dreaming Death
Wise Blood Records (2023)

Indianapolis based black/thrash four piece GraveRipper formed in 2019 and have previously released three EP's , one being a split. Seasons Dreaming Death is their first full length album release. GraveRipper have made sure they have well and truly smashed out a proper rager with Seasons Dreaming Death with ten tracks of masterful fusion of fast paced thrash interspersed with some classic metal and … Read more

The Oxys

Generation Irrelevant
Dead Beat Records (2023)

Arms outstretched in the desperate hope of fulfilling dreams that had dissipated, longing for when life was simpler devoid of political persuasion, social media meanderings and opinionated pigs snorting in their own shit hiding behind the keyboard shooting out grammatical inaccuracies chock full of hateful smiling emojis. Festering open sores, drool pouring from the cocked head unbalanced and teetering onto … Read more

The Crimson Ghosts

Forevermore
Ring Of Fire Records (2023)

Recently I admitted I am a fan of more conservative horrorpunk. It might come as no surprise that I am enthralled with bands like Misfits, Calabrese, The Other and The Crimson Ghosts. So here we are, five years after their previous album Yet Not Human I can share my impressions of their sixth album Forevermore. For the uninitiated, The Crimson Ghosts have been around twenty years now. … Read more

Reviews by score
Browse our album reviews according to score: Highest (9.5/10 or more) or Lowest (2/10 or less)