Recent reviews

Our latest album reviews, featuring the records we've most enjoyed (or not) over the past few weeks.

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

Iron Lung

Sexless / No Sex
Prank (2007)

Why in the hell did I sleep on this record last year? Given, this did come out kind of late in the 2007, and with all the hoopla surrounding end of year lists and such, I guess it just slipped under my radar. A couple of Saturdays ago while in my local record store, the Nick Blinko (artist for Rudimentary Peni covers) artwork on the cover caught my eye in a shock of surprise. Had Rudimentary Peni really put out a new record? Closer inspection revealed that this record was not the old time punk band but rather a new album by Iron Lung (their second full length and first for Prank amongst a host of many other EPs and splits that have been released on various labels), whom I had been hearing quite a bit of talk about recently but not had the pleasure of hearing or witnessing. One of the owners of the store, Carol, told me that I needed to hear them as it is right up my alley. Yes, they actually listen to good stuff at this record store although they have been known to watch Dr. Phil and Oprah to torture me. As it played, … Read more

U.S.S.A.

The Spoils
Fuzz Artists (2007)

U.S.S.A. is a relatively new project consisting of Ministry's Paul Barker, Tomahawk's Duane Denison and two other guys. Two out … Read more

NOFX

They've Actually Gotten Worse Live!
Fat Wreck Chords (2007)

"Ever done something you regret while drunk like...recorded a live album?" the press sheet states. As NOFX open the CD … Read more

Envy

Abyssal
Temporary Residence (2008)

Seriously, I think that I am still atoning for not paying more attention to this Japanese band earlier. I mean … Read more

The Dauntless Elite

Graft
Plan-it-X / Bombed Out (2007)

The Dauntless Elite hail from Leeds and hold the honor of being the first international Plan-it-X band. With Graft, their … Read more

Disfear

Live the Storm
Relapse (2008)

After what is quickly becoming a normative hiatus for this Swedish five-piece band, Disfear delivers their latest blast of d-beat … Read more

Browse our review archives

Reviews by year

Choose a year to view reviews of albums released in that year.

Reviews by artist name

Choose a letter to view reviews ordered by that letter (band name first).

Review categories

200 Words Or Less

755 reviews

Book Review

43 reviews

Classic Album

25 reviews

Multiple Authors

300 reviews

Review

5048 reviews

Video/DVD Review

19 reviews

One from the archives

Cremation Lily

Sexless Merit
Strange Rules (2011)

Sexless Merit is a release that I have been fixating on for some time (listening to all three tapes over and over again, much to the annoyance of some people that may or may not live in my house anymore) all the while enjoying every minute but not quite having anything to say about the six pieces that inhabit these tapes, and, as a matter of fact, I feel almost like my every conscious thought is completely obliterated whenever I start the cycle over again; while I would not necessarily term Sexless Merit as the definitive soundtrack to the oblivion at the edges of the known universe (you know, where Yog-Sothoth may or may not sleep), this Cremation Lily, this enigma of sound is equal parts mesmerizing and claustrophobic with … Read more

More album reviews

Creature Feature

The Greatest Show Unearthed
Sumerian (2007)

When reviewing an album, it can be difficult to summarize thoughts and feeling elicited from the music you're listening to, to organize these thoughts and feelings in written prose succinctly, honestly, and, above all, professionally. Using these guidelines as my template, I can say with all sincerity, fuck me running, this group is terrible. Creature Feature is the "brain"child of … Read more

This Will Destroy You

This Will Destroy You
Magic Bullet (2008)

It wasn't long ago that Texas natives This Will Destroy You were nothing more than a well-kept secret. But thanks to a solid debut album and a little luck the band went from practically unknowns to indie music darlings. As a result the band's debut full-length, This Will Destroy You, was placed atop many individuals lists of the most anticipated … Read more

Life Long Tragedy

Runaways
Deathwish Inc. (2008)

Evolution in the music world results in one of two things: fame or infamy. Life Long Tragedy have slowly grown from a group of young individuals writing blazing, punishing, and angst-ridden metallic hardcore jams into a group that has honed their craft to construct cathartic, brooding, and dark songs that blur the definition of hardcore music, all while maintaining a … Read more

Able Baker Fox

Voices
Second Nature (2008)

A little over five years ago The Casket Lottery and Small Brown Bike released a collaborative 12" EP that proved to be more than a split recording as the two bands collaborated on most of the songs giving listeners quite a good record. Now, in hindsight, this effort served as a portent of things to come with the release of … Read more

The Mongoloids

Time Trials
Collapse (2007)

There's something about over-hyped hardcore bands that makes me want to hear them. It has something to do with my connection with the hardcore scene that when I hear the kids talk and talk about a new upcoming band so fervently that I think when I pick up the latest offering from "Oh my god this band is amazing" number … Read more

The New Dress

Where Our Failures Are
Red Leader (2007)

The New Dress certainly knows how to make a first impression. Twenty seconds into Where Our Failures Are the tandem sings out, "I'm setting of alarms and planning bombs instead of songs / And if the cops ask I'm their man!" The New Dress holds nothing back, singing stripped down folk-punk about socialism and society, covering Billy Brag and Ed … Read more

Come Sleep

The Burden of Ballast
Version Studio (2007)

That old saying attests that "you only get what you give." Nowhere does this apply better than heavy metal. The genre can somehow simultaneously be an embarrassing parody of itself and push musical boundaries to new creative planes. The resurgence of "thinking man's metal" came with an increased presence of amplifiers, New York Times profiles, and expensive LPs. It's safe … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Skeletons with Flesh on Them

The Fish Don't Mind
Independent (2007)

Some bands just have cool names. Skeletons with Flesh on Them, an indie rock band from Seattle, are one of them. This four-piece indie/rock group show obvious signs of influence from the pioneering and currently established bands of their neck of the woods - Modest Mouse, Built to Spill, Roy, etc. - on their debut EP, The Fish Don't Mind. … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Endgame

Distracted
Get Outta Town (2008)

Endgame is the latest band to emerge from the New Jersey hardcore scene. The four-piece outfit has returned after a split CD with Movement that was released last year. Distracted is a five song EP of upbeat melodic hardcore. Musically, Endgame have concocted a very catchy mix of fast-paced hardcore and melodic hardcore that draws similarities to Crime in Stereo, … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Orgone

The Goliath
Independent (2007)

Orgone is an interesting term that refers to the "life energy" of humans. It may exist; it may not. That's all up for debate. One thing that is certain is that Orgone, the metal band from Pittsburgh, plays some seriously intense tunes. This four-piece group of fellows fused together technical metal, grindcore, and even dashes of hardcore and drone metal … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Fight Pretty

Rewiring the Human Body
Dwell (2007)

How do you review an album plastered with a tagline from a review you wrote? We're both about to find out. Rewiring the Human Body is Fight Pretty's first full-length release following a slew of other recordings that were compiled on a discography release. The first thing that catches my attention about Rewiring the Human Body is the more focused … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Fire on Fire

Five Song EP
Young God (2007)

I have never been to Maine, but the visual in my head is that the state is a quite tranquil location. I know they have cities and I'm sure some of them are fairly large, but I can't help but picture a vastly rural landscape and unindustrialized setting. Fire on Fire is a group of five individuals that all live … Read more

200 Words Or Less

No Apologies

Survival
6131 (2007)

Survival is the debut full-length from No Apologies. This five-piece outfit comes from the land of koalas and aborigines. This album is filled with plenty of moshy New York-inspired hardcore, but there is also a hint of Westcoast flavor - not a surprise when one discovers Todd Jones (Terror, Carry On) wrote two songs for the album. Tracks like "Survival," … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Various Artists

Change!
Hopeless/Sub City (2007)

Change! is the latest compilation from the team of Hopeless/Sub City Records and Hot Topic. Included in this release are one CD and one DVD. The CD has twenty-one songs. The majority of the songs here are your run-of-the-mill screamo-core acts: Chiodos, Saosin, The Devil Wears Prada, etc. I despise this stuff. I would say there are only a handful … Read more

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