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Cloudkicker

Fade
Independent (2012)

If there's any one artist who should make you happy to listen to music, it's Ben Sharp, aka Cloudkicker. Though releasing free music on the Internet isn't anything new, it's safe to say that, in terms of quality, Sharp's in a class all his own. He also voluntarily remains unsigned from a label, ensuring that his music will continue to … Read more

Japandroids

Celebration Rock
Polyvinyl (2012)

Japandroids, a Canadian two-piece rock band from Vancouver, British Columbia, has released their second full length album entitled Celebration Rock. The album begins with drumbeats and the first track, "The Nights of Wine and Roses," which showcases their garage-band sound with the voices of both Brian King and David Prowse. Following up their first album, the duo has maintained the … Read more

Periphery

Periphery 2: This Time It's Personal
Sumerian (2012)

I don't have a good history with Periphery. Their debut album, though it had a few good moments, left a very sour taste in my mouth. Given that a lot of the issues I had with it could be chalked up to growing pains of a new band, however, I decided it was only fair to give their second album, … Read more

Evoken

Atra Mors
Profound Lore (2012)

New Jersey quartet Evoken have consistently produced genre defining funeral doom throughout their twenty year career and Atra Mors is a grand and huge addition to such a flawless output. How they manage to outdo themselves every time is a mystery that only the band hold the key to and it allows Atra Mors to flow with a stately passion … Read more

Barren Earth

The Devil's Resolve
Peaceville (2012)

If there’s anything I love, it’s some fucking metal. And if there’s any band out there that can deliver some fucking metal with astonishing consistency, it’s Finnish power/folk sextet Barren Earth. In that respect, their latest album, 2012’s The Devil’s Resolve, does not disappoint.Like their previous release, there is a clear folk influence at work on their music, but its … Read more

Storm Corrosion

Self Titled
Roadrunner (2012)

Steven Wilson and Mikael Åkerfeldt are both two musicians I hold in incredibly high esteem. Wilson’s flabbergasting diversity of styles covered with Porcupine Tree or his various solo projects and Åkerfeldt’s amazingly thoughtful and moving compositions with Opeth both continue to astound me no matter how often I listen to them. It should go without saying they are both gifted … Read more

Aaron Freeman

Marvelous Clouds
Partisan (2012)

Rolling Stone didn’t do Aaron Freeman any favors in running their interview that announces the end of Ween before I got my hands on this record. Now, besides having to overcome the shadow cast by his band, it also has to overcome being the record that broke up Ween. Anyway, Freeman has been making music since the early 1980s and … Read more

Various Artists

Dan Andriano/Brendan Kelly - European Vacation
Red Scare Industries (2012)

To coincide with their romp across Europe, the split 7” from Brendan Kelly And The Wandering Birds and Dan Andriano in the Emergency Room, European Vacation, doesn’t cover much ground, but packs a hell of a lot in a short span. Those familiar with the two musicians won’t be surprised by either of their respective songs, but both leave their … Read more

Anthony Raneri

New Cathedrals EP
Gumshoe (2012)

While he’s best known as the front man for Long Island pop-punk juggernauts Bayside, Anthony Raneri has been making a name for himself as a solo artist for some time. Participating in the inaugural Where’s The Band tour a few years back, Raneri charmed crowds with acoustic renditions of Bayside songs and select covers of Death Cab For Cutie, Bad … Read more

Banquets

Top Button, Bottom Shelf
Black Numbers (2011)

New Jersey might get a lot of crap for being such an unlovable state, but Banquets is keeping the Jersey music scene fresh and alive with their debut album Top Button, Bottom Shelf. It’s pretty easy to get lost and washed away in the midst of melodic pop-punk bands, but Banquets sits on the shores by proving themselves to be … Read more

Momentum

Whetting Occam's Razor
Halo of Flies (2012)

Momentum is a melodic hardcore band from the UK that writes music with a message. Whetting Occam's Razor is a full length that explores many different ideas with smart lyrics. Front man Alex (of Light Bearer and formerly Fall of Efrafa) writes with reason and intent combined with powerful music. At times, this album comes together to be something special. … Read more

Cynic

The Portal Tapes
Season of Mist (2012)

In order for me to talk about this album, you're going to need some [CONTEXT].If there's one thing I absolutely hate about Cynic, it's their squandered potential. In 1993, right in the middle of the technical death metal craze that bore the likes of Atheist, Nocturnus and Suffocation, as well as refined the raw sounds of Death, Sarcófago and Meshuggah, … Read more

Lento

Live Recording 8-10-11
Denovali (2012)

When a band releases a live album, there's usually some great importance behind it, whether it be documenting an important performance, showing off some otherwise unreleased material. or just the band sharing a once-in-a-career quality set. Live recordings released for the sake of releasing a live recording otherwise tend to be bland, boring, and unnecessary, and if they're not handled … Read more

Rotting Out

Street Prowl
6131 (2011)

There's something generally referred to as a summer record. That elusive album that you can blast out of the windows of your car and feel perfectly in that time frame and state of mind. Most of the time these records are otherwise questionable pop albums that may be slightly embarrassing otherwise. Rarely it works out that these records are just … Read more

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