Cloudkicker
Hello
Independent (2013)
Ohio-based musician Ben Sharp (aka Cloudkicker) has made it clear time and time again that he has no intention on confining himself to something as pedestrian as genre labels. Though it's possible to identify trends (the progressive rock and post-anything labels seem to be fairly common for him), there's absolutely no way to tell where he's going next. That element … Read more
Cloudkicker
It's Inside Me, And I'm Inside It
Independent (2011)
Ohio prog-metal artist Ben Sharp, moniker Cloudkicker, has been in the forefront of the Internet-based free music community since the release of The Discovery in 2008. His new single “It's inside me and I'm inside it.” comes on the tail of his previous single “You and Yours,” which explored a lot of his Isis-esque post-metal influences. This track, conversely, explores … Read more
Cloudkicker
Let Yourself Be Huge
Independent (2011)
Frankly, I'm just as surprised as you are. Ben Sharp, known to many only as Cloudkicker, had warned earlier this year that he was not going to be releasing new material for a while. I guess Sharp's conception of a long time is drastically different from the norm, because the year hasn't even ended yet and he's already let loose … Read more
Cloudkicker
Loop
Independent (2011)
Following the release of Beacons in 2010, musician Ben Sharp began releasing a series of short, acoustic instrumental loops on his blog. At the time, they were nothing more than a set of enjoyable curios. They sounded like some of the earlier post-rock material he had released as B. M. Sharp before starting Cloudkicker in earnest, and they were far … Read more
Clown Core
Van
Independent (2020)
Who are Clown Core? Long story short – no idea and no one really knows. There’s a lot of speculation online regarding the fact that the duo may actually be drummer Louis Cole and saxophonist Sam Gendel. Although, both have denied being part of the band. As Clown Core continue to skillfully keep their identities a mystery, we can only … Read more
Coke Bust
Demo
Independent (2007)
It's an odd thing to look back on the things that helped shape us such as the music we listen to and just how long ago they initially took place. Looking back on the DC punk and hardcore scene, the time has flown by. It has been almost twenty years since Fugazi decided to form, and has been twenty-two years … Read more
Cold Snap
Didn't Your Mother Warn You About Creatures in the Night
Independent (2008)
A three-song demo of slow droning somewhat melodic hardcore named after a Suicide File song. Cold Snap tries to recall the heydays of Boston hardcore when American Nightmare and Panic ruled the roost, but come nowhere close to the emotional outpouring of either band. The vocals are highly annoying in their screeched running out of breath quality. The songs themselves … Read more
Coleman Hell
Stark Raving
Independent (2013)
Coleman Hell is a three-piece Canadian band from Northern Ontario. It consists of vocalist Coleman Hell along with Rob “La+ch” Benvegnu and Michah “Dustbuster” Dowbak. Along with being a band, it is a project that experiments with sound and also consists of their “behind-the-scenes” engineer Brendon “Stretch” McDonald, whom all together help to create, produce and perfect the beats and … Read more
Come Closer
We Died With Print
Independent (2022)
Members of Come Closer have played in Dan Padilla, Pinback, Tiltwheel, and more. While that background is helpful for setting the tone, though, it’s not really essential. They are a new-ish group and We Died With Print is their second album. J. Wang is the ringleader of the band, which is rooted in DIY basement punk but expands their sound … Read more
Condominium
Warm Home
Independent (2011)
The title of Twin Cities trio Condominium’s latest is quite misleading. Warm Home is not the record you put on for an evening in front of the fire place with hot chocolate and a novella. This is anything but comforting. Instead, imagine the following scenario: The clock strikes 2AM just as the pot cookie you ate between your first and … Read more
Corrective Measure
Demo 2015
Independent (2015)
Five song ripper from this quartet out of Maine. If the cover art is any indication these guys wear a lot of Nike. A cartoonish drawing of a baldy wearing both a Nike tee shirt and Nike sneakers adorns the J-card. Anybody who’s seen my recent drawings knows I can get down with that. The artists name is Chris X, … Read more
Craig Taylor-Broad
For the Organs
Independent (2015)
Without doubt, one of my favorite musical discoveries of the past few years has been British singer-songwriter Craig Taylor-Broad. After first unleashing an (apparently, now deleted) EP under the name of the noises we make we no one is around in mid-2014, Taylor-Broad has continued a string of undeniably difficult yet definitively fascinating work – 2014's three-track Suicide Song EP … Read more
Crayven
Colosseum
Independent (2007)
Some of the most memorable albums were created in the strangest fashion, The Doors' L.A. Woman comes to mind. Although not exactly a legendary album, the same goes for Crayven's debut EP Colosseum. Guitar and bass were recorded straight to the computer, vocals in the studio of a local radio station and the drums into a mic before going into … Read more
Creatures
Creatures
Independent (2008)
Orange County was a breeding ground for hardcore in the early 80's. While many might suggest that the scene there has died off, they couldn't be more wrong. Creatures is one of many upcoming hardcore groups bringing credibility back to the area. After turning heads with a demo, Creatures quickly recorded for a new EP. The six songs that make … Read more
Crimes of Passion
Demo
Independent (2005)
If you made a list of all the bands currently playing the style of music labeled as metalcore, you could fill up 30 or 40 pages in Microsoft Word. There are that many of them. Luckily, for every five bands ripping off At the Gates and Hatebreed simultaneously, there's a band doing metalcore right. Luckily for us, Crimes of Passion … Read more
Crowhurst
Aghoree
Independent (2012)
Some bands just don't know when to slow down. California-based dark ambient/electronic musician Crowhurst definitely falls into that category, as he and his small army of guest musicians are about to release his fourteenth (?!) studio album this year, the evocatively titled Aghoree.The album is named after the somewhat less-than-mainstream Hindu sect that can (regretfully) be accurately described using the … Read more
Culprits
Demo
Independent (2007)
Culprits is a band that you've likely never heard. What the hell is wrong with you? This New Mexico four-piece serves up five tracks of fast-paced and in-your-face hardcore in less than six minutes. The music is intense and the words are penned with quite the chip on the shoulder. "January 15th" is a minute blast of high octane hardcore … Read more
Dangers
Anger
Independent (2006)
It's all been done before. I'm not being jaded; I'm referring to what bands do to be "edgy." Hair in mohawks, boys wearing makeup, and eating your own (or someone else's) shit on stage, none of it is progressive and none of it is offensive. Actually...eating shit would still shake people up. But, anyways, Dangers realizes this and instead of … Read more
