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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)

After The Last Sky

There's No Light at the End of This Tunnel
Power It Up (2011)

While this is not a particularly good album, as a band After The Last Sky does possess some promising attributes. It takes only one listen to realize they are undoubtedly talented musicians. A fact that is not surprising, considering the rate at which they genre-hop their way through There’s No Light at the End of This Tunnel. The two axe-slingers flex their skills in a variety of styles, whether it is lightning fast thrash, atmospheric riffing or tech-metal accuracy. In turn, the drummer is just as well-versed at providing the appropriate backdrops, ranging from a precision pummeling to machine gun-like blast beats. Whether it’s plodding at a stoned-out doom pace or approaching the rapidity of powerviolence, the bassist holds down the bottom end in whatever necessary fashion the particular song calls for. And while the vocals are predominantly your standard deep-growl-to-high-pitch interchange, the singer does furnish it with somewhat of an edgier feel. I’ve always kind of disliked the tag “extreme music.” And after giving this record a few spins, I think I understand why. Despite what their lyric sheet might say, musically ATLS don’t appear to exist for any other reason than to be extreme. They are not pushing … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Cape Of Bats

Transylvania
Holy Terror (2012)

Cape of Bats is probably the least known about band in the Holy Terror Roster. Cape has slowly been releasing … Read more

Classics Of Love

Self Titled
Asian Man (2012)

Classics of Love have a hill to climb. Considering that leader Jesse Michaels has been in bands like Common Rider, … Read more

NunFuckRitual

In Bondage To The Serpent
Debemur Morti (2011)

Just look at that album cover. It's stuff like this, guys, that explain why we can't have nice things. Good … Read more

Dr. Dog

Be The Void
Anti (2012)

These days, few musicians are fortunate enough to have released seven consistently pleasing albums, thrive on live performance, partake in … Read more

Cremation Lily

Sexless Merit
Strange Rules (2011)

Sexless Merit is a release that I have been fixating on for some time (listening to all three tapes over … Read more

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One from the archives

Frank Turner

England Keep My Bones
Epitaph (2011)

Despite being on tour, almost constantly, for the past couple of years, once again the affable folk-punk troubadour has found the time to release a new album. This, the fourth solo effort from the ex-Million Dead front man, is quite possibly his most polished work yet as he slowly works towards a sound that fully combines both his folk and punk-rock roots. In doing so, as the title suggests, this album is full of ruminations on his beloved England and the eventuality of death, at times intertwining these two themes.Opener ‘Eulogy’ is symbolic of this combination of sounds, starting with a more melancholic quality before a burst of bombastic noise as he proclaims, “well at least I fucking tried.” It’s a concise song, at less than two minutes, that disguises … Read more

More album reviews

Van Halen

A Different Kind Of Truth
Interscope (2012)

Let’s get right to it. I think we can all agree that lead-off single “Tattoo” is a shitty song. And any album that has the opening lyrics of I've got Elvis on my elbow would have any sane, reasonable consumer checking online for iTunes refund policies.* But this is David Lee Roth we're talking about. The man can get away … Read more

Pale Creation

Twilight Haunt
A389 (2011)

Twilight Haunt is an album that has been affecting me since before it was originally released in 1999 on CD by East Coast Empire (who I believe is now defunct), and when a demo of this was sent to the place that I worked at back then, I stole it from the owner’s “I am not paying attention to this … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Dead Swans

Anxiety And Everything Else
Bridge Nine (2012)

Good hardcore bands from the UK are a rare occurrence. Dead Swans, however, are one of the few exceptions. With a heavy melodic sound and powerful vocals from Nicholas Worthington, the band is able to pull themselves out of the realm of mediocrity. Anxiety and Everything Else is the first since Sleepwalkers three years ago, and does a good job … Read more

Metallica

Beyond Magnetic
Warner Bros. (2011)

Long story short: Beyond Magnetic is a collection of four tracks recorded for, and left off of, Metallica's 2008 album Death Magnetic. Dull description? Yes. Dull music? Not as much.Like Death Magnetic, there are a lot of great song ideas here, and I for one appreciate the return to their more complex thrash metal roots. All the songs here feature … Read more

Enforcers

End Of Time
A389 (2011)

Enforcers are a band out of Montreal. While the city has a long history of technical metal many forget about the hardcore scene that had been birthed there. The most notable bands include names such as A Death For Every Sin and Final Word. While these bands had their time and seemed overlooked by many, the members of the aforementioned … Read more

Blueneck

Repetitions
Denovali (2011)

I wanted to write an introduction that accurately conveyed the sound of Blueneck's new album Repetitions, but my editor wouldn't let me write in size 2 font. Stupid "legibility" rules.I'm not kidding about the comparison, though; Blueneck's brand of post-rock is even lighter than Sigur Rós, featuring incredibly minimalist instrumental and vocal arrangements. Sure, the pieces swell and (eventually) get … Read more

Servile Sect

Svrrender
Handmade Birds (2012)

Sitting down and listening to Servile Sect’s companion album to the great TRVTH has been a sincerely surreal experience in part because I have only just started diving into TRVTH on a regular basis in the attempts to suck all the marrow of its impressive soul and for the other part due to a nagging feeling in the back of … Read more

Buildings

Melt, Cry, Sleep
doubleplusgood (2012)

Buildings. Two syllables. Direct and immovable. It seems a fitting name for this Minneapolis three-piece and their second album Melt, Cry, Sleep. Their sound is tough to pin to a genre but, make no bones about it, the dudes are angry and loud. There are a lot of familiar elements at play in their work. The shout-speak vocals and headbanging … Read more

Junior Bruce

The Headless King
A389 (2012)

Bloodlet seem to be a sadly forgotten band. Even in their time they were overshadowed by the other bands Victory Records released. Sadly a band ahead of their time in a sense and far beyond typical hardcore constraints. What does this have to do with Junior Bruce? Well the booming voice of Bloodlet has returned as Scott Angelacos once again … Read more

La Dispute

Wildlife
No Sleep (2011)

La Dispute is a band that catches a lot of flak. People tend to jump to conclusions about their “whiney” sound, and the infamous song “Such Small Hands” doesn’t help their case. I myself took early judgment on the band and chose to dislike them. But once I checked my ego at the door and gave Wildlife a real shot, … Read more

Rodrigo y Gabriela

Area 52
ATO (2012)

Everyone's favourite thrash metal duo turned acoustic, Rodrigo y Gabriela stand out amongst their peers not only for their heavily metal-influenced Latin pieces, but also for their impeccable proficiency and astounding musicianship. Their latest album, Area 52, pairs the fiery duo alongside the ensemble C.U.B.A., the first time they've recorded their work with such full instrumentation.Let me tell you, the … Read more

Anne

Dream Punx
A389 (2011)

In a genre of little distinction, Anne’s Dream Punx delves deeper into their own capabilities than most would’ve thought possible. The melodies used and the intertwining riffs create a wall of sound that evoke a sense of nostalgia for when Slowdive was around without having the feeling of a cheap knock off. The most captivating thing about this album is … Read more

Sutekh Hexen

Larvae
Handmade Birds (2012)

If you have ever heard any Sutekh Hexen release prior to Larvae (and there is a multitude), than there is definitely a surprise in store for you because Larvae is a complete re-imagining of what this outfit has done from their first tape that they unleashed on the world; the mind bending riffing (of the black metal style) and the … Read more

Passiv Dödshjälp

Fasader
Power It Up (2011)

I’ll admit it; any band that requires key strokes to properly type their name has a good chance of ending up in my review pile. The reason is two-fold: It stems from my days as a Motley Crüe -worshiping adolescent, and the simple fact that I am a sucker for Scandinavian hardcore. Thus we have here the latest vinyl by … Read more

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