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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)

Jesu

Infinity
Avalanche/Daymare (2009)

Is it strange that Jesu is finally releasing something new after a gap of some time longer than two months (a small exaggeration surely)? Infinity is an interesting direction for Justin Broadrick to go considering the trajectory of recent releases under the Jesu moniker, but his publicly proclaimed predilection for EP's and the opportunity for experimentation that they provide explain this record perfectly. Infinity is a single track that traverses more than forty-five minutes (Broadrick vehemently states that this is an EP) to play out over a wide reaching and carefully planned arc to demonstrate all of the tricks of the Jesu trade while introducing a few new ones at the same time seemingly is a likely culmination with brief glimpses of the future for the project. Infinity is equal parts soaring aural majesty that evokes an emotional response akin to ecstasy or euphoria as well as equal parts sonic brooding that seemingly bring despondent and depressive emotions from the speakers. Whether the music is heavy and discordant or calm and pensive, there is a semblance of an emotional trigger (that has seemingly been absent of the recent Jesu material) brought on by the composition. As the record plays, Jesu … Read more

We are the Living

Encouragement by Assault
Hungry Ghost Collective (2009)

Do not confuse this Louisiana band with the Tennessee band of the same name. Otherwise you will find yourself looking … Read more

Wolves in the Throne Room

Black Cascade
Southern Lord (2009)

Taking black metal by storm, or maybe pushing black metal out of the basements and into the conscious of many … Read more

Trigger Effect

Dare to Ride the Heliocraft
Signed by Force (2009)

When first opening this record, I glanced at the cover art, track titles, and album length and made the assumption … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Reaching Hand

Threshold
Chorus of One/Thorp (2008)

We are off to Portugal for this five-piece female-fronted hardcore band. Reaching Hand play mid-tempo to fast chunky hardcore with … Read more

200 Words Or Less

The Cold Beat

Dumbwaiter
Independent (2009)

Dumbwaiter is a decent enough EP from this Boston four-piece. The first track, "Watch and Ward" is the best one … Read more

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One from the archives

...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead

Lost Songs
Superball (2012)

The past decade has been an artistic whirlwind for the Austin, TX …And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead. After hitting a peak with Source Tags and Codes in 2002, the band has since struggled with their identity and the heavy expectations from critics. Or at least that’s how it feels in the eye of the beholder. Anyway, something about the past few releases has just seemed a bit off, a bit less interesting. And interesting, as cliché and it likely sounds, is a driving factor behind the band’s post-punk/prog/indie/pop blend.With their eighth album, Lost Songs on Superball Music, one has to wonder about the choice of title. Is it a harkening to their earlier records? The sound definitely suggests as much, with a number of points … Read more

More album reviews

200 Words Or Less

Golden City

Golden City
Magic Bullet (2009)

This eight-song EP is completely and utterly awesome. I really wasn't expecting much from former Christie Front Drive guitar player Eric Richter since last I heard he was in the coma-inducing Antarctic. However, Golden City is just great. I'm having a hard time expressing just great these eight songs really are, but I'm going to try, really, I am. Imagine … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Locked In

Walk the Plank
Hurry Up! (2008)

We head off to the land of pizza and the Pope for this full-length release by Locked In. I never thought of Italy as a hotbed of hardcore bands and Walk the Plank does nothing to deter that as I'm forced to review yet another run of the mill hardcore band. Locked In play metal influenced hardcore with high-pitched yelled … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Driving on City Sidewalks

Where Angels Crowd to Listen
Count Your Lucky Stars / Strictly No Capital Letters (2008)

Driving on City Sidewalks is a Canadian duo who play a heartbroken strain of indie post-rock, with a few heavy nods to folk. This five-song EP begins with "To Finish the Race," which has instrumentals heavily ripping off The Appleseed Cast. This band uses simple and slow vocal patterns, drawing out every lyric with a melancholy tone in this particular … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Government Issue

The Punk Remains the Same
DC Jam (2009)

New live E.P. from these DC music legends. Featuring an earlier line-up than on their last live record (Strange Wine), this fits neatly on your shelf sandwiched between that record and Finale. Besides John Stabb on vocals and Tom Lyle on guitar, this release sports Marc Aberstadt (sans headband) on drums and Mitch Parker on bass. Two different live shows … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Jakob Dylan

Seeing Things
Columbia (2009)

I tried to listen to this one with an open mind. I know The Wallflowers never did anything for me. And Bob Dylan? Listening to his vocals is like having all your hair pulled out with pliers. I do have to admit that the musicianship is solid throughout on this release. But nothing here piqued my interest. "I Told You … Read more

Multiple Authors

Owen

New Leaves
Polyvinyl (2009)

Most people who listen to Owen are all-too-aware of what I like to call the Kinsella continuum. Chicago-based brothers Mike and Tim are responsible for some of the more infamous 90's Midwest bands, being the minds behind Cap'n Jazz, American Football, Owls, and the ever-revolving doors of Joan of Arc. Their prolific nature has even brought in younger brother Nate … Read more

Multiple Authors

Owen

New Leaves
Polyvinyl (2009)

Owen made being a self-deprecating, guitar-playing romantic a cool thing again. But its 2009 now, and maybe it's a little played out. Yeah, there will always be a sense of comfort in Kinsella's wistful melodies and twinkling arpeggios. However, the works of Owen were starting to sound too alike, predictable, or reused. Surprisingly, Owen expands its sound with its fifth … Read more

Chris Wollard & The Ship Thieves

Chris Wollard & The Ship Thieves
No Idea (2009)

Over the course of a period of time, Chris Wollard (of Hot Water Music, The Draft, Blacktop Cadence, and Rumbleseat fame) and a gaggle of friends (George Rebelo of Hot Water Music sits in on drums on some tracks) recorded a batch of songs composed by Wollard that were basically front porch jams that got fleshed out into more realized … Read more

Screaming Females

Power Move
Don Giovanni (2009)

All right, might as well just get this done and over with. There's been a lot of hype surrounding this three-piece Jersey group and I for one never thought it warranted. Then again, I'm not a hipster and never cared about the hype that came with any band. Hype is for people that need to think what they are about … Read more

AFI

Crash Love
Interscope (2009)

Album number eight from the band now renowned for their genre-shifting and reinvention. Three years in the making, three producers in the studio, and twelve tracks long (given the band's penchant for Lost-esque symbolism, there's probably some deep significance to these numbers). What new style will be unveiled with Crash Love? Nothing too thrilling, is the answer. Opener "Torch Song" … Read more

Raekwon

Only Built 4 Cuban Linx... Pt. II
Ice H2O (2009)

For whatever reason, it took me a little while to warm up to hip-hop. Maybe I was too into that guitar and percussion sound to really give hip-hop a fair chance. And I guess the whole "rap is crap" thing sort of rang a bell back then. Yeah, I fucked up. I'll admit that I never gave hip-hop a close … Read more

Marked Men

Ghosts
Dirtnap (2009)

From time to time certain friends of mine will make the same kind of declarations in the month of February that I do. And when statements like, "This might be the best record of the year," spew from their overexcited mouth while trying to tell me about a new album, I do indeed take notice. So, when such declarations of … Read more

Dead Swans

Sleepwalkers
Bridge Nine (2009)

Dead Swans is the U.K. hardcore circuit's latest export to reach American soil, currently being championed by the folks over at Bridge Nine Records. Sleepwalkers marks the group's debut full-length and continues down a similar path of gnarling metallic hardcore that the band churned out on their previous offerings, the Southern Blue EP and split 7" with Architects. The five-piece … Read more

Municipal Waste

Massive Aggressive
Earache (2009)

Municipal Waste's popularity blew up in 2007 with The Art of Partying, an album with almost every song revolving around drinking, partying, or just having a good time. It was the perfect soundtrack to any frat party but those who are looking for the sequel to that should turn the other way, as their new album, Massive Aggressive sees the … Read more

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