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)

Lymbyc Systym

Symbolyst
Western Vinyl (2012)

Lymbyc Systym's third studio-album was released September 18th via Western Vinyl. This effort comes three years after the band's Shutter Release (Mush Records) and their split Field Studies with This Will Destroy You on Magic Bullet Records. So what were the Bell brothers up to during this three-year span? Traveling, living on separate continents, studying, and adding personnel to their line-up to record Symbolyst.The brothers' keyboard and percussion formula hasn't changed much from their previous work. We still get tons of tones from synths and varied drum beats to keep the output interesting over ten new songs. The drumming especially stands out on Symbolyst; where some of the songs fall flat, the percussion can always be counted on to keep up morale."Prairie School" kicks of the album in standard Lymbyc Systym fashion with busy key work and jarring-but-at-the-same-time-still-groove-inducing drum beats. The band has always successfully walked a fine line between genres. As soon as they lean towards a synth-soaked, electronic beat-filled track, they come right back half a minute later with pummeling live drums and maybe even slowly picked guitar (see "T-Ball" on Shutter Release).The end of "Falling Together" might turn any room into a dance floor: heavily layered, driving … Read more

Fist City

It's 1983 Grow Up!
Black Tent Press (2012)

Alberta-based four-piece Fist City continue to make a name for themselves with the genre-blending It’s 1983 Grow Up!, their second … Read more

Fire & Ice

Not Of This Earth
Reaper (2012)

Fire & Ice is a groove infused hardcore band out of Richmond, Virginia. Their newest release, Not of This Earth … Read more

Converge

All We Love We Leave Behind
Epitaph\Deathwish Inc (2012)

This is not a review but more a lament, and I am not sure exactly who or what this lament … Read more

Cadette

Flesh Without Hunting
Independent (2012)

If first impressions are what make or break an artist, Cadette is a whole bunch of angry. The Minneapolis, MN … Read more

Every Silver Lining Has A Cloud

Self Titled
Projekt (2011)

This French band may have one of the longer band names in recent memory. Let us gloss over this even … Read more

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One from the archives

Gogol Bordello

Pura Vida Conspiracy
ATO (2013)

Gogol Bordello, on their earlier releases, were one of those rare bands that everybody agreed was a must-see live band that and was able to capture a reasonable facsimile of that imperative on record. Later releases, in particular the band's 2010 release Trans-Continental Hustler, were not as successful capturing that live energy in the studio.Pura Vida Conspiracy is a step back in the right direction. We find lead vocalist Eugene Hütz in grand form here – riding that razor thin line between jester and huckster, frontman and con-man. The band that was dismissed by some to be a quasi-authentic parody of Balkan folk-punk, have proven beyond the shadow of a sumnivayusya that they're the real deal.PVC is the band's sixth full-length from start to finish has all the manic vitality … Read more

More album reviews

Enabler

All Hail The Void
Southern Lord (2012)

Enabler managed to make some big noise for themselves very quickly. after 2 eps and numerous splits the band got snatched up by the newly crust leaning Southern Lord. The question is after making such a big splash with these eps could the band manage to make nearly as big of a splash in the full length medium? The band … Read more

8MM

Between The Devil and Two Black Hearts
ChelseaGirl (2012)

8MM has been around for a while now and their sound is maturing with every release from their first EP 2004's Opener to the new album Between The Devil and Two Black Hearts they just keep getting better. Lead by multi-instrumentalist / producer Sean Beavan (Nine Inch Nails, Marilyn Manson, No Doubt) the band was able to raise $40K via … Read more

La Coka Nostra

Masters of the Dark Arts
Fat Beats (2012)

Masters of the Dark Arts marks the return of La Coka Nostra, a rap supergroup who were last heard from in ’09 on their then long-awaited debut album A Brand You Can Trust. LCN had originally assembled sometime in ’05 as a much larger entity than they are today. With a large contingent of Caucasian members in tow, the original … Read more

Split Cranium

Self Titled
Hydra Head (2012)

So, here we have Split Cranium an interesting project band formed by some of the people behind the acclaimed Circle with the addition of Aaron Turner (of Old Man Gloom, House Of Low Culture, Mamiffer, Jodis and formerly of Isis amongst others); and this band is nothing like anything else that these gentlemen are all known for churning out in … Read more

Behexen

Nightside Emanations
Debemur Morti Productions (2012)

Oh Behexen....what the hell (pun intended) happened? It was all going so well. My Soul for His Glory was a definite career high....those classic Finnish riffs, the evil sound, demonic undertones and the sense of something quite frightening occurring. Skip forward four years and we have Nightside Emanations – a record so mediocre that even the cover art looks second … Read more

Ace High Cutthroats

Black Fire
Independent (2012)

With a name like Ace High Cutthroats, it doesn’t take a lot of imagination to determine what the band is about. On their debut Black Fire, the group delivers rollicking rock with big guitars and a lot of swagger—keeping their rock’n’roll lifestyle close at heart underneath their black leather jackets. The band includes members of Nightgaun and Prosthetics, and the … Read more

Stiletto Assassins

Self Titled
Independent (2011)

I don't really know where to begin with this EP. Its groovy rock sensibilities throw back to 70's glam rock, but without the theatrics and clever satire. I don't think I get it. Part of me thinks it's intentionally a joke, while the other half of me believes it's to be taken seriously. I'm inclined to lean towards the former … Read more

Heinali

Air
Fluttery (2012)

I really wish I had the chance to review more classical music. While I don't consider myself an expert on the genre, I always find that listening to classical gives me musical experiences I truly could not get anywhere else, and when you've been listening to metal all day long, you can find it to be a welcome reprieve. That's … Read more

Joe Jackson

The Duke
Razor & Tie (2012)

Joe Jackson’s love of Jazz is no secret; with his new album being a tribute to the Jazz king Edward Kennedy “Duke” Ellington simply titled The Duke. Joe has been on the scene now for over thirty years putting out hits like his early pop work “Is She Really Going Out With Him” and “Sunday Papers” from the album Look … Read more

Horseback

Half Blood
Relapse (2012)

I remember distinctly the first time I was introduced to Horseback. It was by their 2012 album Half Blood, and I'm told that my experiences were pretty standard. For the uninitiated, your first few seconds of listening to Horseback will inevitably go something like this:"Hm. This is some pretty interesting post-rocky stuff. Oh, hold on, something's messed up with this … Read more

Vision Of Disorder

The Cursed Remain Cursed
Candlelight (2012)

It's not hard to figure that Vision Of Disorder were one of two Long Island Hardcore bands (along with Glassjaw) that have managed to influence a ridiculous number of current bands while remaining relatively dismissed outside of their scene during their original time as a band. The first 2 Vision of Disorder records had a sound all their own at … Read more

Inspire Influence

Planet Destroyer
Independent (2012)

Planet Destroyer, the debut EP from Toronto-based post-rock band Inspire Influence, is unhinged in execution, rising and falling like an endless wave of hopeless determination. Creating an atmosphere of desolation from the initial static of introductory track “Repairing,” the 5-song EP reads like a cohesive tale of intergalactic exploration through repetition, slow build-ups, and eventual climatic bursts of distorted frustration. … Read more

Devin Townsend Project

Epicloud
HevyDevy (2012)

You may never suspect it, but listening to the catalogue of Canadian musician Devin Townsend will cause you to run the gamut of extreme metal, new age, arena rock, ambient, and somehow even more. His last four albums, released under the Devin Townsend Project moniker, were supposed to be an exploration of the vastness of his artistic abilities, and they … Read more

Nathan Ellis

Self Titled
No Sleep (2012)

Mr. Ellis has already accomplished a great deal in his musical “career” (I say it this way because somehow I doubt Nathan Ellis is rolling deep in the dough from his various musical endeavors) that has carved a unique and impressive path amongst his myriad of projects which have included being one of the bassists in the ground breaking hardcore … Read more

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