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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)

Planning For Burial

Leaving
Enemies List Home Recordings (2010)

Are late passes allowed in the internet age where people get to hear the latest music from musicians as soon as 2 minutes (give or take due to their proficiency with certain computer skills) and almost always before the record is released anymore? Leaving sat in an envelope in my house for several months (while I feverishly searched for the package) due in part to my consistent Alzheimer moment or mental block concerning this particular album as well as the package being moved from my designated in box (yes I have one, the entire side of my desk in my office); when I finally found this package, I heaved a sigh of relief that I would not be buying a second copy (I had been mulling this eventuality over in my head for three weeks prior to finding it) and would at last get to hear this debut from Planning For Burial. Essentially a one man project originating from the cesspit known as New Jersey (back off, I live here and am allowed to disparage this horrid den of corruption and general wickedness), Planning For Burial is a home recording outfit which eschews the slicker forms of high fidelity production … Read more

Burning Love

Songs For Burning Lovers
Deranged (2010)

Upon the dissolution of Cursed, many people (including myself) let out a proverbial “NOOOOOOOOOOO!” when we saw that it actually … Read more

Terrible Things

Self Titled
Universal/Motown (2010)

Terrible things are like an early 2000’s super group of sorts. As much as I hate relying on ex member … Read more

Blacklist Royals

Semper Liberi
Paper + Plastick (2010)

Paper + Plastick seem to release new albums by fairly new bands at a pretty regular clip. Blacklist Royals are … Read more

Imelda May

Mayhem
Decca (2010)

It’s been said that the second album is always a tough one. Following on from an album that you have … Read more

Iron Chic

Not Like This
Dead Broke Rekerds (2010)

There are albums that you listen to with headphones to catch every subtle detail in its production. Then there are … Read more

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One from the archives

The Dwarves

Invented Rock & Roll
Recess (2014)

I won’t say anything as hyperbolic as that the Dwarves invented rock ‘n’ roll, but I’ll still give them another borderline statement that fits on a press sheet: the 2014 Dwarves are a supergroup—not a supergroup side project of glossy mag pin-ups, but a supergroup that is honestly comprised of, well, Dwarves. While always performing as a 3-5 piece band (I think), they’ve had so many members over the years it’s hard to count. And why should you, except that most of them keep returning for another piece of the recording pie. The band that wrote and plays on The Dwarves Invented Rock & Roll is not the band you’ll see live. It’s become a living, breathing swarm of miscreants, 3-5 of whom will grace a stage near you. With … Read more

More album reviews

Coliseum

House With A Curse
Temporary Residence (2010)

One of the beautiful things about making music and sonic art, is that the artists and bands can take their work to interesting places at the drop of a hat if they so choose or are somehow led (by emotions, life changing events, calculated maneuvers, etc) to make such a sonic shift (through songwriting changes, production changes, personnel changes, etc); … Read more

Make Do and Mend

End Measured Mile
Paper + Plastick (2010)

This has been one the more highly anticipated records within the punk and hardcore scene in this year. How does a band overcome scene hype and shit talk to make a true album. The question is how does a band that has released to strong EPs parlay that into a complete full length. Many bands tend to fall short by … Read more

Various Artists

A Death Cinematic / Sons Of Alpha Centaurii - Split
Simple Box Construction (2010)

A good split record now and then is a great concept by two collaborating outfits, and even though people might be more familiar with one of the artists or groups more so than the other, such records could (and often does) introduce people to new artists and sounds that hitherto had gone unnoticed; in the case of this split album, … Read more

Various Artists

Fight Amp/Ladder Devils/Kowloon Walled City (Three-way split) – Lose Lose Lose
Brutal Panda (2010)

This three-way split features the New Jersey trio Fight Amp, Philadelphia’s Ladder Devils (former members of The Minor Times), and San Francisco’s sludgy Kowloon Walled City. While the three bands play three different styles of aggressive music, the sound of the split as a whole is entirely cohesive. Lose Lose Lose collectively is a great album from the three bands. … Read more

Cephalic Carnage

Misled By Certainty
Relapse (2010)

Cephalic Carnage have been around the block. For nearly twenty years they’ve been playing their unique blend of grindcore and technical death metal. When it comes to metal, these guys know what the fuck is up. Their previous album Xenosapien is one of my favorites from any genre to have been released in the past few years. That record was … Read more

Year of No Light

Ausserwelt
E-Music (2010)

Ausserwelt is the sophomore album from Year Of No Light following up their excellent debut, Nord; and while this outfit took a bit of time in between the two records, evidently some turmoil aided in the birthing of the four pieces to be heard on Ausserwelt; the band cleared these issues and underwent some lineup shuffling before finally laying this … Read more

The Brokedowns

Species Bender
Red Scare (2010)

Three long years after New Brains for Everyone rallied cynical drunks everywhere, the Brokedowns have returned with another full-length, this time for Chicago’s Red Scare Industries. From a stomping wooly mammoth adorning the cover to the shout-a-long climactic ending, Species Bender is a record that both celebrates and lampoons a civilization that bears more in common with its caveman founders … Read more

The Secret

Solve Et Coagula
Southern Lord (2010)

This four-piece crust/grind band hails from Trieste, Italy and formed in 2003. The Secret released their first record Luce on Goodfellow Records. After various line-up changes the band finally released their second record Disintoxication in 2008. Since then Goodfellow Records is no longer a functioning label. The Secret found a home in Southern Lord Recordings after an impressive demo was … Read more

Let Me Run

Broken Strings EP
Paper + Plastick (2010)

Let Me Run managed to get alot of recognition in 2009 very quickly. This maybe be because of their jersey roots and owing much in sound to one Gaslight Anthem. These things helped them gain alot of attention along with some touring and some very good songs. The songs were good but could notably use some work, as they never … Read more

A Wilhelm Scream

Self Titled
Paper + Plastick (2010)

A Wilhelm Scream are back. After a period of absence the mighty punks from the northeast are back. The band seemed to dissapear for a period after their last full length. While that record was good it felt like it wasn't up to their standard. Some songs didn't roll by as smoothly as others. Come 2010 and they are back … Read more

Swans

My Father Will Guide Us Up A Rope To The Sky
Young God (2010)

Sitting here listening to the new Swans album, My Father Will Guide Us Up A Rope To The Sky, difficult thoughts ripple through my mind because of how I personally feel about this record and because of how this album is being viewed by the multitudes of people who have been waiting with baited breath to hear what many people … Read more

Nadja

Autopergamene
Essence Music (2010)

Nadja has certainly outdone themselves on this one; Autopergamene is an absolute artistic triumph in every way imaginable (the deluxe CD version of the release is in any case, and at the time of this little expose there is no vinyl version available) from the breathtaking packaging to the sheer volume of visual artwork to the beatific sounds laid to … Read more

Autopsy

The Tomb Within EP
Peaceville (2010)

Autopsy are a band of legacy as one of the original death metal bands. Sure they had left for awhile to do other bands and whatever else. Now they return with a barnburner of an EP. Truly nothing has really changed for this band. They are still incredibly heavy have their noted gurgling death vocal style and strong leads. Certain … Read more

A Loss For Words

Motown Classics
Paper + Plastick (2010)

A Loss For Words are an above average pop punk band. That is a rather general statement but, noting that i have listened to their previous work i can say alot of things. Going into this cover album i was somewhat excited yet skeptical. Very rarely does a cover album come out to be more than a fun yet passable … 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)