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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)

Wu-Tang Clan

8 Diagrams
Street Records Corporation (2007)

In 1993, nine MC's hailing from all over New York City came together to release one of the most influential hip hop albums of all time. With incredibly gritty production and razor sharp, kung-fu inspired lyricism, Enter the Wu-Tang; the 36 Chambers took the hip hop world by storm and rap as we knew it would never be the same. Fast forward nearly 15 years to the end of 2007, and the Wu-Tang Clan more closely resembles a soap opera fit for VH1's Behind the Music than the once cohesive unit that dominated East Coast hip-hop for the greater part of the 1990's. 8 Diagrams was finally released on the 11th of December, but only after weeks of criticism coming from inside the Clan (specifically from Raekwon and Ghostface). The two rappers, who are in equal parts responsible for one of the Wu's greatest releases in 1995's Only Built 4 Cuban Linx, were extremely critical of RZA's production on the Wu's latest LP. They questioned RZA's use of guitars in tracks like "While the Heart Gently Weeps", and singing choruses in songs like "Gun Will Go" and "Starter". Ghostface even went so far as to call the album "bullshit" in … Read more

Molia Falls

A Support Entry Title
THN (2007)

This is my first exposure to Molia Falls, as it may be for some others as well, and I am … Read more

Awake and Alert

Devil in a Lambskin Suit
Five One Inc. (2007)

Sometimes I think our beloved editor and all around swell dude, Michael, doesn't even bother giving our promo records a … Read more

Manatees

The Forever Ending Jitter Quest of Slow Hand Chuckie: An Introduction to the Manatee
Motive Sounds (2006)

I slept on Manatees' promotional disc for a very long time and I'm extremely sorry I did so. Their untitled … Read more

Lie and Wait

Led Astray
Thrashed! (2007)

Most within the hardcore and punk community are likely unaware of the existence of Lie and Wait. Sure, they are … Read more

Pyramids

Through the Hourglass
Protagonist Music (2007)

Fuck "emo," fuck "screamo." Let's talk about music with intensity and passion. Pyramids' second full-length release, Through the Hourglass, features … Read more

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One from the archives

Soup Moat

Enjoy Your Hobbies
Triple Eye Industries (2015)

200 Words Or Less

Doubled-up, sometimes indecipherable screamed vocals, waves of sludgy, growling guitar and a thudding, powerful rhythm section ensure that Enjoy Your Hobbies, a 7” vinyl release from Milwaukee, Wisconsin’s Soup Moat, is anything but dull. Containing five tracks falling in the one to two minute range, this album switches things up from assaults of mangled sound (opener “Comfy One”) to more recognizable songs (the goofy, breakneck-paced “Riddle Giggle Gang”) and even a track that lurches along to heavy metal riffage (“Band Practice”). Messy third track “nevernotfuckedup” begins with random blurts of recorder, then goes on to capture what sounds like someone struggling to defecate and/or coming close to vomiting before settling into a churning thrash section full of noise and hollering, while the gnarly and loud “Uptowner Girl” is surprisingly catchy … Read more

More album reviews

Illogicist

The Insight Eye
Willowtip (2007)

Similarities define genres, right? You can take a group of musicians, cite some sort of common threads through their records, and coalesce those into a genre. But when there are too many bands in a certain genre, things just get stale. And I feel this way about "technical/progressive death metal." Unfortunately, Illogicist's The Insight Eye is another entry into this … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Jinn

Jinn
SuperFi (2007)

Although this band shares their name with at least three other groups, this release is pretty solid. The United Kingdom's Jinn brings a little bit of punk and thrash to their metal sound, sounding somewhere between Mind Eraser and At the Gates. It's not too dissimilar from the rise of bands like Isis, in some of its slow, epic parts … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Georgie James

Places
Saddle Creek (2007)

Bridging elements of power/indie pop while harnessing a danceable sound reminiscent of the better radio friendly tracks from the 1950's through the 1970's, Georgie James gives us Places. The Washington D.C. songwriting duo consisting of John Davis, drummer of the disbanded Dischord act Q and Not U, and Laura Burhenn, a locally established solo musician, share vocal duties and instrumentation … Read more

200 Words Or Less

St. Vincent

Marry Me
Beggars Banquet (2007)

Those familiar with Sufjan Stevens or The Polyphonic Spree might recognize Annie Clark for her accompaniment to their most recent tours and discs. Earlier this year the multitalented indie rock darling released her first solo LP under the stage name St. Vincent. Like the aforementioned bands, Clark pushes forward her fair share of quirks in the triumphant debut that is … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Sounds Like Violence

With Blood on My Hands
Deep Elm (2007)

Alternative Press called Sweden's Sounds Like Violence "post-grunge." I don't know what the fuck post-grunge is supposed to sound like, but apparently it's catchy pop-punk "recommended for fans of: My Chemical Romance, Underoath, Refused, [and] The Hives." The music isn't as bubbly as your average pop-punk band, which is definitely a bonus, but the lyrics still drip with angst and … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Fjord

Lives Lives
Eulogy (2007)

Fjord are ex-Winter Solstice/The Takeover and have been said to play a brand of metal "for the fans of Converge and Botch." Lives Lives definitely sounds Botch-influenced, but that's not a very unique quality nowadays. The music isn't contrived; it's simply similar to many "metal-core" bands. Thankfully they don't fall into the mold of recycled As I Lay Dying riffs … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Light Yourself on Fire

Light Yourself on Fire
Kiss of Death (2006)

Light Yourself on Fire, a four piece from Tampa, Florida, play thrashy hardcore that they call "power death." The seven songs on this EP release are riddled with pinch harmonics and sludgy riffs played at breakneck speeds. The lyrics are unintelligible, but touch on topics such as bullshit on the radio, the ubiquity of neurosis, and global warming. Cover art … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Disillusion

Gloria
Metal Blade (2006)

Disillusion sounds like an even more radio friendly version of Slipknot. Actually, I don't know Slipknot well enough to call them that. Let's just call it radio friendly shit, the shit that kids in bondage pants will worship. The beginning of the second track, "Gloria," sounds like the singer of System of a Down trying to talk over a choppy, … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Passion

The Fierce Urgency of Now
Goodfellow (2006)

The Fierce Urgency of Now is a record from Philadelphia, PA's Passion. Fans of hardcore and metalcore will appreciate Passion's intensity and technicality; if you're looking for breakdowns and fast-paced music, you will enjoy this album. If you aren't, you'll hate it. "Statistics Show That We Do Not Care" packs a punch, delivering lyrics against child molestation and an ear-catching … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Scream Poet, Scream

Illegitimate Descendent of a Pope
Independent (2006)

Out of Chicago, Illinois, Scream Poet, Scream play energetic punk. Some songs, like "Trainwwreck," are harsh and dissonant while others - see "I Have Decided to Starve" - have pop sensibilities. They remind me of an opening band... not a specific band, just one of those groups you find yourself paying some attention to as you wait for the other … Read more

200 Words Or Less

This Door to Remain Closed During Work Hours

Achieve Albeit an Absence
Independent (2006)

This Door to Remain Closed During Work Hours sounds like a jam band who shows their metal influences every once in a while. The repetition of a jam band is there, but there's no soloing. In that case, I'll just call it boring music. Achieve Albeit an Absence could also be an attempt at post-rock; it turned out too mellow … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Ghost of the Russian Empire

With Fiercest Demolition
Thirty Ghost (2006)

Rock with horns that isn't ska? Oh, thank god. Ghost of the Russian Empire's debut EP, With Fiercest Demolition - produced by Erik Woffrod (Explosions in the Sky, Voxtrot) - is six tracks of catchy, but not poppy music. There's definitely a Radiohead-esque aspect about this group of Texans (imagine Thom Yorke and company before they started mingling heavily with … Read more

Crime In Stereo

...is Dead
Bridge Nine (2007)

I don't think there has ever been an album that I've liked that I have hated so much about. Case in point; not even fifteen seconds into Crime in Stereo's debut album for Bridge Nine Records there's a damn wah-wah pedal part. I hate wah-wah pedal parts. Does anyone out there like wah-wah pedal parts that isn't sitting in front … Read more

Defiance, Ohio

The Fear, The Fear, The Fear
No Idea (2007)

Defiance, Ohio are somewhat of a punk rock abnormality, having released a slew of records in a short amount of time, yet still maintaining the same lineup and same ethics, even as their popularity continues to slowly but surely rise, despite the band insisting on as little promotion as possible. Rather, the band's constant touring and commitment to the DIY … Read more

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