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)

Snailking

Samsara
Consouling Sounds (2012)

If you're going to name your band after a record by one of your genres chosen greats, then you better have the musical balls to back it up. And damn, do Snailking back it up. Taking their name from Ufomammut's second album, Snailking tread in their path whilst building their own identity as a massive and heavy prospect in the world of sludged out doom. Samsara courses with intent and beauty whilst also holding on to the knowledge that life is, well, pain, and Sweden's Snailking hit this point with measure and astute observation. "Shelter" rolls with languid pace and a preternatural dusk settles over the sounds like a cloak whilst Pontus Ottosson's voice weaves its way through the stoned melodies the instrumentation behind provides. The hue of prevailing sadness becomes ever more clear as the track progresses and this shadow follows Samsara through to the final notes with a melancholic stain on perception.Samsara is, evidently, meant to only be a demo, but the three tracks on this release are extraordinarily rendered. There is depth, and warmth and humanity beneath the waves of crunching guitar and soaring vocal shades, and second track "In The Wake" is a commanding and profound … Read more

Defeated Sanity

Passages Into Deformity
Willowtip (2013)

I feel the need to preface this review by declaring that I am a fan of death metal. I like … Read more

Various Artists

ROBOCOP / DETROIT - Dead Language, Foreign Bodies Split LP
Give Praise (2012)

sharing similarities that reside more than just their names Robocop and Detroit both play blinding fast powerviolence indebted grind. While … Read more

Tegan and Sara

Heartthrob
Warner Bros. (2013)

Canadian sisterly duo Tegan and Sara Quin seem to think they’re fools in relationships. Just look at some of their … Read more

Affector

Harmagedon
Inside Out (2012)

The multinational progressive metal act Affector certainly made a startling entrance to the prog metal scene last year. Their debut, … Read more

My Bloody Valentine

m b v
Independent (2013)

In what might be one of the longest case of collective breath holding since a band’s last previous album, My … Read more

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One from the archives

Gorgoroth

Ad Majorem Sathanas Gloriam
Regain (2006)

Disclaimer: Whenever a reviewer has no idea how to end a review - a more common occurrence than the reader might think - the reviewer is forced to employ the cheapest of literary tricks: the disengage. By taking the reader out of the narrative flow with an aside that is thought to be clever, but in reality is fooling no one and should be taken by the reader for exactly what it is. Dumb. The following is just such a review. Further Disclaimer Whenever a reviewer doesn't have the sac to admit his own inadequacies, he will hide behind the curtain of "all reviewers do this," when in fact, all reviewers do not, and sit, confused, along with the reader saying perhaps aloud, "What the fuck is this moron talking … Read more

More album reviews

Convul

سأكون رؤيتكم (I'll Be Seeing You)
Glory Kid (2012)

The band formerly known as Convulsions decided to set their sights pretty high apparently before writing their most recent record. Beyond shortening their name and deciding to use Arabic for their album title They may have looked towards their own outer limits. The band seemed to resind their previous influences and gestures for a more thought out but certainly different … Read more

Δ (ALT-J)

An Awesome Wave
Canvasback (2012)

Calling your band a shape is probably a bad career move. It’s corny, at the very least, which is part of the reason I didn’t pick up ?’s album sooner. It turns out you pronounce the delta symbol like “Alt-J” in the instance of this up-and-coming British indie rock group. Their debut, An Awesome Wave, is a special breed of … Read more

Kongh

Sole Creation
Agonia (2013)

As I begin writing this review, we have barely scratched the surface of the new year. Still, I somehow find myself compelled to proclaim that I have already heard the best album of 2013. In 2009, Kongh released Shadows of the Shapeless. The album was an impressive example of the band’s epic take on doom metal. Now, the Swedish trio … Read more

Continents

Idle Hands
Victory (2013)

Continents from South Wales, UK are a Moshcore band that formed in 2010. Their self released video for “Trials” was released in 2011 and propelled them to the top of the UK hardcore scene sharing the stage with such bands as Emmure and Comeback kid. “Idle Hands” is their debut album on Victory Records.This album starts out like all too … Read more

The Bronx

IV
White Drugs / ATO (2013)

When we last left The Bronx, they were masquerading as their alter ego with the release of a second album under the Mariachi El Bronx moniker. This second helping of mariachi-style tunes confirmed that the venture was far from a gimmick. It also gave the band an opportunity to embrace their obvious love for the more melodious side of music. … Read more

Iroha

Shepherds & Angels
Denovali (2012)

Sometimes it feels strange championing a band, but I feel as though Iroha are one of those bands that deserve to be heard but people (at least here in the U.S.) seem to consistently overlook the three-piece outfit, in part because of their consistently being left in the shadow of another band almost to the point of being called a … Read more

Dawn McCarthy and Bonnie “Prince” Billy

What The Brothers Sang
Drag City (2013)

The Everly Brothers were a staple in my house musically when I was growing up back in the early ‘60s; they were one of the biggest duos around and were known for their soaring harmonies and fusion of the current country sound with rock and roll. They toured and recorded from the late ‘50s through the early ‘80s and amassed … Read more

Sonance

Like Ghosts
Independent (2012)

Like Ghosts is the debut from Bristol based Sonance, a band so disgustingly heavy that they are currently drowning the car alarm that's been going off in my street for the past half hour. Writhing with sickness and masses of doomed out symphony, Sonance curl around the psyche with a terrifying grip and their tightly woven structures spin out into … Read more

The Night Marchers

Allez Allez
Swami (2013)

Sophomore records tend to bring a unique level of apprehension: has the artist changed; can s/he maintain the momentum from the first release; etc. Night Marchers—led by John Reis (Rocket From the Crypt, Hot Snakes) and rounded out with another two Hot Snakes members, Gar Wood and Jason Sinclair and the not-to-be-overlooked Jason Sinclair (Delta 72, Mule)—do not face such … Read more

Flying Colors

Self Titles
Mascot (2012)

It's no secret that I have a love/hate relationship with former Dream Theater drummer Mike Portnoy. After leaving what was probably the best drumming gig one could ask for, he's been embarking on several different projects at once, trying to find some direction for his talents. Generally speaking, his new endeavours have been...less than satisfactory--I have written about my vitriol … Read more

Tomahawk

Oddfellows
Ipecac (2013)

It's been over 5 years since the world has been graced with anything new from Tomahawk, the pseudo-supergroup featuring the triumvirate of Duane Denison, Mike Patton and John Stainer. 2007's polarizing Anonymous was an earnest exploration down the less-travelled dirt roads of the Native American experience. The album saw the group working as a trio since ankling bassist Kevin Rutmanis, … Read more

Tomahawk

Oddfellows
Ipecac (2013)

In the summer of 1992, my older brother drove me to Tower Records to buy the new album by a band called Faith No More. Angel Dust was quite a departure from their previous album due to the increased influence of vocalist Mike Patton. As a 14-year-old burgeoning music fanatic, I was fascinated by the idea that such aggressive and … Read more

Fall City Fall

Victus
Victory (2013)

Meet Fall City Fall, the patron saints of Calgary Metalcore. Five years in the making and putting out their Major Label Debut, “Victus” through Victory Records, these guys have been working hard to get to where they are and this record shows it. Fall City Fall blends a melodic sensibility akin to bands such as La Dispute with a what’s … Read more

Ampere

Like Shadows
No Idea Records (2011)

Ampere is an emotional hardcore band out of Amherst, Massachusetts known for incredibly chaotic live shows done in short bursts, sometimes lasting less than 15 minutes. A DIY ethos and vegan politics course through the veins of this bands’ lyrics and image. Arriving shortly after the “Level Plane” era of bands like Saetia andNeil Perry, Ampere continued the path tread … Read more

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

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