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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)

MGR y Destructo Swarmbots

Amigos de la Guitarra
Neurot (2009)

Amigos de la Guitarra is a collaborative effort from MGR - the solo project of Mike Gallagher of Isis - and Destructo Swarmbots' Mike Mare. The two have come together, focusing their collective minds on one forty-two minute song, "Amor en el Aire." If you have been following MGR's body of work to date then you have a good idea of what to expect from this collaboration. I wasn't aware of Destructo Swarmbots prior to this recording, but after listening to material from them online, I found the two to be a good match. Imagine the worlds of ambient noise, post-rock, and drone coming together and you'd get a good idea of what this song is like. It floats in an out of different segments, each focusing in on a more particular style while the others fall to the background. The lengthiness of one song this long might scare off a few listeners. But the song is made up of a number of pieces segueing in and out of each other. I prefer the previous MGR effort to this, but I can find myself putting on this record when I just want to drift away. Read more

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Explode and Make Up

Some Kind of Diplomat
Underground Communiqué (2009)

Any band that names themselves after a Sugar song automatically wins major points with me. And it doesn't hurt the … Read more

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Downpresser

Age of Ignorance
Triple B (2009)

Hailing from Santa Barbara, CA is the metallic hardcore attack of Downpresser. Six tracks of down-tuned, head cracking, thick skulled … Read more

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Defeater

Lost Ground
Bridge Nine (2009)

This is the latest EP from Massachusetts' Defeater, who had a little bit of notoriety by being a band that … Read more

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Crooked Ways

Crimes of Passion
Last Anthem (2009)

I have an unhealthy obsession with melodic hardcore bands and it's sad that when the term comes up in conversation … Read more

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Burning Empires

Burning Empires
Fuck City (2009)

I was admittedly pretty psyched about this as it marks Andy Hurley's (Fall Out Boy) return to hardcore. Unfortunately this … Read more

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One from the archives

Fennesz

Venice
Touch (2004)

My inner monologue: "Okay, this is your first review for the site. I should probably sound cool so I can get everybody's attention. Maybe I should start off by saying something really offensive. Yeah, let's do that. That always works. Hey, but remember that time you wrote that really offensive article on why you think the Asian diet consists purely of dead rats and rice? That didn't go over really well. Did it? No, it didn't. But you can't let that hang you up. Keep on track. Let's at least look at the CD you choose to review. It's Venice by Fennesz. Okay. That CD's alright. You can say a lot about that album. It's his fifth studio effort, right? Yeah, I think it is. But is electronic music even … Read more

More album reviews

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Beartrap

Fueled by Self-Hate
Double or Nothing (2009)

This release blazes through the listener at a ridiculously fast clip. Eight tracks of fast punk styled thrash madness. The label compares them to Trash Talk and Black Flag; I can't really disagree. I could see some craziness going down to this. They leave the experimentation to the last song which truly sets it apart almost seemingly written for a … Read more

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Backtrack

Deal With the Devil
6131 (2009)

This EP is fairly similar to another recent 6131 release from Bad Seed. This isn't a bad thing. This is a renaissance of sorts for heavy NYHC. Where Bad Seed seems to fail for most is that they don't exploit the grooves they can get into. On the other hand, Backtrack has yet to find a groove they don't like … Read more

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As We Let Go

Above the Clouds
Six Feet Under (2009)

This EP makes sense to be released by Six Feet Under and hence a member of Blacklisted. This is essentially a Japanese version of that band. Mind you there's nothing wrong with that, it just seems there is nothing to set them apart from that assessment either. I could see this band killing stages the world over with a plethora … Read more

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Bracewar

Whatever it Takes
The White Glove Group (2009)

I believe these four songs were released as a sampler for Bracewar's upcoming full-length. I could be wrong though. These demo tracks were released as a 7" at United Blood and hear it is playing through my speakers. Bracewar plays stompy angry hardcore with snarled vocals. There really isn't much to Bracewar's attack but it still hits in all the … Read more

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The Bonus Army

Negative Outlooks
Arrest (2009)

Well what do we have here? Ten songs on one 7", plus a cartoon image of a zombie getting their head lopped off by an axe. Yup, it's hardcore and the nastier side of it. Negative Outlooks reminds me of Think I Care with its heavy yet punishing fast hardcore with gruff shouted venom spewed vocals. Negative Outlooks is the … Read more

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Black Breath

Razor to Oblivion
Southern Lord (2009)

Holy Moses! Do you need a new recipe for a Molotov Cocktail of ROCK?! Mix one part Motörhead with two parts dirty, smelliest hardcore this side of Poison Idea. Shake vigorously. Then release it onto the headbanging masses. I am usually not into metal but when it is played with such vigor and with such a balls out attitude even … Read more

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Bane

Dublin 11:58 PM
Hurry Up! (2009)

Bane are currently not on Equal Vision Records so they decided to release a crop of 7"s on different labels throughout the world, each one with a different photo. The title comes from when the photo was taken. It is a cool undertaking if you ask me. Not like you would ask me. Anyhow, we have the Dublin 11:58 PM … Read more

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Bad Seed

Bad Seed
6131 (2009)

Members of Title Fight do a hardcore band, neat. The four songs on this platter remind me of early Merauder crossed with Cold World for a knockdown drag out testosterone fueled mosh fest. The songs themselves aren't bad as who ever writes the riffs is either brilliant or just knows what songs to rip off. If you enjoy NYHC played … Read more

Pelican

What We All Come to Need
Southern Lord (2009)

Pelican's new record What We All Come to Need is a gorgeous journey through sludge rock with some moments of beautiful calm. But does it hold your attention enough to be a repeated listen? I got into Pelican when I purchased 2005's The Fire in Our Throats Will Beckon the Thaw. Overall it was a great album, but few songs … Read more

Jodis

Secret House
Hydra Head (2009)

Jodis is finally making its way onto stereos after a bit of a wait since the group announced its existence. Jodis is a three piece outfit consisting of James Plotkin (Khanate, Khlyst, Atomsmasher, The Lotus Eaters, House of Low Culture), his former compatriot in Khanate Tim Wyskida, and Aaron Turner (Isis, Old Man Gloom, House of Low Culture, The Lotus … Read more

Pyramids with Nadja

Pyramids with Nadja
Hydra Head (2009)

How does a group of people who make a decent first album top that album (or theoretically top that album anyway)? Pyramids must have similar thoughts regarding sophomore records considering that their debut sparked much conversation and brought them a decent amount of attention. And when the time came for them to follow up their own record, they brought in … Read more

The Low Anthem

Oh My God, Charlie Darwin
Nonesuch (2009)

There where a few things that caught me about this between the record itself and the press release given to me with it. First, this release makes a great issue for continuing to buy records - the CD itself is packaged in a silkscreened cover that looks exactly like a gatefold LP cover. It definitely helps to convey the folky … Read more

Rot in Hell

Hallways of the Always
A389/Grot (2009)

If you're not familiar with Rot in Hell, then this collection of recordings is a great place to start. Hallways of the Always compiles all the recordings the U.K. hardcore band has in one package. This compilation includes their demo 7", split 7" recordings with Brain Dead, Hordes, and The Process, as well as additional tracks not found anywhere else. … Read more

The Guilt Show

Before They Know We're All Dead
Refoundation (2009)

Now this is more like it. After the slow burn of the opening track "Raise My Flag," The Guilt Show go for the throat with a violent thrashing attack of blitzkrieg type hardcore that reminds me of a cross between The Suicide File and Striking Distance. How awesome is that? Well yeah, it is awesome. The Guilt Show, like their … 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)