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Yesterday's Ring

Diamonds in the Ditch
Suburban Home (2009)

Some folks they tell me: "You just can't play country / You're a stupid young punk and you're from Montreal" / But I'll still make you cry with that song. - Yesterday's Ring - "Sad Songs" Good, heartfelt music wins in the end, not shtick. Yesterday's Ring doesn't succeed because they're punks playing country, rather it's because of the honest … Read more

Struck by Lightning

Serpents
Translation Loss (2009)

I've said it before: Translation Loss has an amazing knack for finding bands that are head and heels over most of the metal world. This time they saved a bunch of trouble. After a fall out between members of another band on the label one of the members left and formed this beast. Though this is a heavy band there … Read more

Black Cobra

Chronomega
Southern Lord (2009)

Black Cobra have quite an impressive sound considering they're only a two-piece band consisting of a guitarist and drummer. The duo consisting of Jason Landrian on guitar/vocals and Rafeal Martinez (ex-Acid King) on drums do a pretty good job of delivering a strong sludge metal sound that remains consistent throughout on their third album, Chronomega. Already with two albums under … Read more

Coalesce

Ox (EP)
Relapse (2009)

If ever the term spoiled could be used, do it now right now because that is what Coalesce is doing to its listeners with the release of their latest EP, aptly entitled Ox by the way. Following an extremely long layoff due to (of all things) breaking up, Coalesce return with a ton of new material which this EP is … Read more

Becoming the Archetype

Dichotomy
Solid State (2008)

So after receiving the Becoming the Archetype full-length Dichotomy, I checked out the CD book before listening to it, remembering great tracks like "One Man Parade" off of Terminate Damnation, I immediately went to the last page of the album art to check the credits and see if there were any worth-while guests, only to find that Devin Townsend produced … Read more

Ghostface Killah

Ghostdini: Wizard of Poetry in Emerald City
Def Jam (2009)

I'm a big Ghostface fan. Iron Man? Supreme Clientele? Fishscale? Love em'. The guy is by far the most consistent rapper of the Wu-Tang Clan. He's got great flow, can pull off the stream of consciousness rapping quite well, and his lyrics cover a nice variety of topics including the usual life on the street struggle, explicit sexual acts, as … Read more

Yog

Years of Nowhere
187 (2009)

Grind and technical metal are difficult types of music to pull off well as they are the kind of music that have rich histories of excellent examples of bands who do them well, and seeing as there are several very important touchstones which grind bands (particularly) seemingly must adhere to in order to fly the grind and technical metal banner … Read more

Run With the Hunted

Everything Familiar
Refoundation (2009)

When you name your band after a Charles Bukowski book, you are automatically selling yourself as an intellectual band, or at least a well-read one. This strategy can be either beneficial or cause negative affects on a band if their music and their lyrics fail to own up the intelligence level they wish to portray themselves. Luckily, Run With the … Read more

Ender

Ender
Darkroom (2009)

New Zealand is quite a long distance away from the United States, and whenever I hear New Zealand mentioned, Lewis Black's (the comedian and political commentator) sketch about performing there always pops in my mind " if you fly to New Zealand by plane from New York City it takes twenty-two hours if they really wanted to be more of … Read more

Baroness

Blue Record
Relapse (2009)

Much like their previous full-length, Red Album, Baroness' follow-up, Blue Record has been hyped quite a bit by the metal community. Red Album saw Baroness go in a very interesting direction as they shifted away from the straight-up heaviness of their EPs to a more drawn out and atmospheric sound, while still holding onto their sludge roots. Regardless, Red Album … Read more

White Mice

Ganjahovedose
20 Buck Spin (2009)

To start I took a whole bunch of notes on White Mice's Ganjahovedose and realized afterward that I missed something kind of big about this band, no guitars. White Mice operates as a three-piece and that may be the only truly normal thing about them. They use drums, bass and most oddly an oscillator to make some of the strangest … Read more

Stereotyperider

Songs in the Keys of F & U
Suburban Home (2009)

I've had a long-standing career of completely ignoring Stereotyperider even though friends have made valiant attempts to reassure me that I would like this band. I kept hearing whispers of Samiam, Seaweed, and other great rock bands from the 90's. So when I saw a promo for Songs in the Keys of F & U was available for review I … Read more

Lungs

Lungs
Esucha!/Self Inflicted (2009)

Being a firm believer that one's environment can affect one's mood and demeanor and then subsequently affect the music that one creates, it is always interesting to hear music from bands, groups, and people from areas that are not considered to be musical hotbeds. Isolation can cause some interesting music. Lungs hail from Minneapolis, Minnesota, and although consideration exists for … Read more

Austin Lucas

The Common Cold (Reissue)
Magic Bullet (2009)

In a time of ex-punkers going the acoustic, solo route, Austin Lucas offers something that differs from his Revival Tour circuit peers. Where artists like Chuck Ragan and Tim Barry offer rootsy tunes brimming with desolation, they hold a shadow of hope and optimism. Lucas, on the other hand, wallows in despair, taking more time to focus on the details … Read more

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