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)

Various Artists

Alpinist / Masakari - Split
Halo of Flies (2011)

Both Alpinist and Masakari have made alot of progress in becoming well known within the hardcore scene in a rather short period of time. Alpinist hail from Germany and over the course of 5 years have managed 2 full lengths and this split. While Masakari come out of Cleavland and have managed to release 2 EPs as well as a full length in a scant couple of years. So while splits are an iffy proposal when quality is concerned with most situations this may be an exception to the rule.Up first we encounter Alpinist over the last year America has taken notice and more importantly, Southern Lord, who re-issued the 2 prior albums together on cd for the North American record buying public. The band personally describe themselves as "heavylowfastslowdark hardcore" very rarely does a band describe themselves well but it would seem as though Aplinist have all of their bases covered. Their side begins with "Abgerichtet" which starts with a crushingly slow opening riff building into a breakneck metallic paced piece. The hoarse screams of their vocalist helping things feel more desperate before finally breaking into an almost 2 step part making the momentum shift slightly without killing it. … Read more

Mean Jeans

On Mars
Dirtnap (2012)

Whoa, is it 1994 again and someone didn't tell me? Much in the way Teenage Bottlerocket appropriated the early to … Read more

Drop Tank

Domina
Independent (2012)

Playing rock and roll, and playing it well, isn’t easy these days. So much has been produced and rehashed of … Read more

Municipal Waste

The Fatal Feast
Nuclear Blast (2012)

Municipal Waste is a crossover band from Richmond, Virginia who has captivated audiences from all different scenes. Whether you’re into … Read more

Brendan Kelly & The Wandering Birds

I'd Rather Die Than Live Forever
Red Scare Industries (2012)

I’ve never thought of Brendan Kelly as much of a singer. Sure, I’ve followed his career—hell, Slapstick played at the … Read more

Dragonforce

The Power Within
Roadrunner (2012)

Okay, I'll just come out and say it--I like DragonForce.I know, I know; just saying 'DragonForce' is a one-liner joke … Read more

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749 reviews

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One from the archives

Pound for Pound

For Our Fallen Brothers
Surprise Attack (2006)

Pound for Pound hail from Springfield, Illinois, not to be confused with the hometown of The Simpsons, as the true location of that fictional town has never been pinpointed. However, if Pound for Pound were to hail from that specific Springfield, I think the band would be best represented by the likes of Nelson, Kearney, Dolph, and Jimbo. Okay, I'm one person short, but there are only four "tough guys" on the show. What the hell, go ahead and add in Snake for vocals. Even if he is a little older than the others, he's got a bitchin' name comparable to Choke or Paul Bearer. For Our Fallen Brothers opens with the punishing "Losing Battle," a minute and a half of crushing metallic hardcore. The song isn't an intro, though … Read more

More album reviews

Jack White

Blunderbuss
Third Man (2012)

Ever notice the similarity between Jack White III and the modern-day Willy Wonka, portrayed by Johnny Depp? Put a top hat on Jack White and suddenly to the eye he appears to be this musical magician. Pulling stunts like launching 1000 helium balloons tied to flexi-discs containing the Blunderbuss highlight, “Freedom At 21”, to his left-field performances with the likes … Read more

High on Fire

De Vermis Mysteriis
E1 (2012)

California’s High On Fire let loose an album of gargantuan proportions with De Vermis Mysteriis, the follow up to 2010’s massive Snakes For The Divine. Similarly huge, De Vermis Mysteriis is a much dirtier affair; pummeling riffs and absolutely gigantic swells of sound make up this mystical journey into darkness. Based loosely on a grimoire written by Robert Bloch (the … Read more

Multiple Authors

Meshuggah

Koloss
Nuclear Blast (2012)

*Reviewers disclaimer – This is the most Meshuggah I have ever heard, so here you get two viewpoints – a fan perspective and, well, mine. Sweden’s Meshuggah (literally meaning “crazy” in Hebrew/Yiddish) have been the backbone of the extreme/technical/progressive death metal scene since their inception way back in 1987 and are usually credited with coining the term “djent” to describe … Read more

Anathema

Weather Systems
Kscope (2012)

Liverpool's Anathema are a curious entity. Starting life as a death-infused doom band full of intense lamentation and a deep-seated despair they struck a path that no-one could see coming. Eternity heralded a change in direction for Anathema in 1996 and ultimately led them to the stratospheric height of We're Here Because We're Here in 2010, a record of loss-filled … Read more

Black Breath

Sentenced To Life
Southern Lord (2012)

Black Breath came out of the depths of the Seattle hardcore scene about 6 years ago and released a sole demo before getting the eyes and ears of the infamous Southern Lord. Since then they have managed to make a name for themselves playing a well thought out mix of hardcore and classic metal (in this case meaning Motorhead and … Read more

Multiple Authors

Meshuggah

Koloss
Nuclear Blast (2012)

Meshuggah is one of those bands I have an unnatural reverence for. Ever since I first heard Nothing, I've been in perpetual awe of their musical virtuosity and incredible technicality. Needless to say, when I heard they had a new album out, I emerged from my room, boldly risking such dangers as human interaction and contact with direct sunlight to … Read more

Pick Your Side

Let Me Show You How Democracy Works
A389 (2012)

Pick Your Side came out last year seemingly out of nowhere. The band was merely touted by many as the return of Beckman. The man best known as the throat that drove the infamous Haymaker. While this alone doesn't make the band It still is basically a who's who of the Toronto area metal and hardcore scenes. So when their … Read more

The Mars Volta

Noctourniquet
Warner Bros. (2012)

There are few bands as polarizing as The Mars Volta. And while I've found both good and bad in the band's discography, their recent release Noctourniquet unfortunately lies firmly on the weak end of the spectrum.The big issue? The songwriting is absolute aimless tripe. "Empty Vessels Make the Loudest Sound" just kind of plods along without really accomplishing anything, especially … Read more

Rise and Fall

Faith
Deathwish Inc. (2012)

Rise And fall are a hardcore band from Belgium formed in 2002 out of the ashes of bands The Deal and Kingpin. One of the more successful European hardcore bands, Rise And Fall have been consistently putting out albums since their conception. Faith is their 4th full-length album.Right off the bat with this album, you are pelted with some of … Read more

L'Assassins

7 PM Go!!!
Big Action (2012)

Big Action Records’ latest release, 7pm Go!!! from L’Assassins is definitely in line with their recent catalog. Instead of throwback garage, however, L’Assassins have a surf-rockabilly sound that’s takes inspiration from the original genre instead of the bastardized psychobilly that rules punksubgenreland today. This sounds like the kind of record your parents (or, for you younglings out there, your grandparents) … Read more

The Sidekicks

Awkward Breeds
Red Scare Industries (2012)

Cleveland, Ohio's The Sidekicks have always had it in them to make a record like this. It’s their most polished, mature, and best to date. There is not one bad track out of the eleven here. It’s musicality at its most honest.Taking the influences from past acts like The Replacements and Elvis Costello, The Sidekicks created 2009’s Weight of Air … Read more

Video/DVD Review

Iggy & The Stooges

Raw Power: Live In The Hands Of The Fans
MVD Visual (2011)

I am a monster Stooges fan, particularly from the Raw Power era on to their incendiary demise (not a long time period in any case, I know), and was immensely elated to hear that the reformed Stooges mark II lineup was playing in my back yard. I purchased tickets with quickness and spent several months chewing on my arm and … Read more

Pink Floyd

The Wall (Experience Edition)
Capitol (2012)

The last of the three major Pink Floyd albums to be expanded and reissued is their 1979 double-album opus The Wall. If you haven't heard of this album already, then...well, you're probably lying. I'm willing to bet that, when I type "WE DON'T NEED NO EDUCATION", literally all of you now have "Another Brick in the Wall, Pt. 2" stuck … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Shambles

Self Titled
Independent (2012)

Shambles is a pop-punk band from Boston, with a love for melody, circle pits and post ironic song titles. On the surface, they seem to be a fairly generic pop-punk band and I won’t completely dismiss that but there’s a lot of great aspects to this self-released EP. The best thing about this album is the honestly that really comes … Read more

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