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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)

Khann

Tofutopia
Black Market Activities (2007)

Seriously, Tofutopia? An album called Tofutopia? This is the album title of this record? Surely, this band has to be joking, does it not? As this record sits in my review pile, I find it increasingly difficult to take it seriously, even though that may be the point. Chris Owens - guitarist/vocalist of Lords and engineer of records by Achilles, Coliseum, and Young Widows among others - recorded this album, so it probably is nowhere near as bad as is running through my mind as I continue to stare at its excellent artwork courtesy of Josh Graham from Neurosis and Red Sparowes. Khann's debut album is a monstrous nineteen songs as well, which scares the living hell out of me. The beautiful sounds of "Meteor" serve as a tease as the album blows open the doors with the grind-esque assault of "Himalayan Green" and "Pralay." The vocal styles are all over the place and by the time the fourth track, "Anodynic Spheres," hits, I quickly realize that the whole album is stylistically all over the place as it showcases a more expansive but equally aggressive sound. "Bird" shows a band that has the ability to create emotionally and dynamically expressive … Read more

Another Kind of Death

Sleepless Every Night
Underhill (2007)

Anyone that knows anything about gun safety knows that no one ever stuffs a loaded gun down the front of … Read more

The Mars Volta

The Bedlam in Goliath
Universal (2008)

For a band that immerses themselves in creating such an uncompromising and complicated sound, The Mars Volta is a very … Read more

Reign Supreme

American Violence
Malfunction (2008)

Philadelphia's Reign Supreme burst onto the hardcore scene in 2006 with great intensity. Fronted by former Blacklisted member Jay Pepito … Read more

Oren Ambarchi

In the Pendulums Embrace
Southern Lord (2007)

When I hear this album I smell dust. It might not make sense to you, or to me for that … Read more

Ghost in the House

Ghost in the House
Edgetone (2007)

Sometimes one needs a good reminder not to let expectations run amok in order to avoid disappointment. In general I … Read more

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One from the archives

J Church

The Horror of Life
No Idea (2007)

With the passing of Lance Hahn, the fragile punk continuum lost one of its all-time greats. Smart, critical, and relentlessly prolific, Hahn's work provided a formidable example of what could be accomplished in DIY music: punk not as a costume contest or stale doctrine, but a design for living. Hahn refused to separate his art and his life, delivering record after record like he was ripping pages from his diary, tossing them over his shoulder as he circled the earth (both figuratively and literally). And it didn't hurt that he was first-rate songwriter, with a much higher batting average than most artists who make a virtue out of being prolific. J Church played an almost constant presence in stores, venues and mail-order catalogs for the last fifteen years, making his … Read more

More album reviews

200 Words Or Less

Son Lux

At War with Walls and Mazes
Anticon (2008)

Son Lux is the working project of one man, Ryan Lott, a multi-talented musician and artist. At War with Walls and Mazes is his debut full-length and over the course of it he dabbles in various worlds of experimental music. At War with Walls and Mazes can be described in simplest forms as experimental as throughout the album, Lott pursues … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Arson Anthem

Arson Anthem
Housecore (2008)

Arson Anthem has quite the pedigree with members of Pantera, Eyehategod, and Superjoint Ritual in tow. Phil Anselmo, who is joined by Mike Williams of Eyehategod, Hank Williams III of Superjoint Ritual, and Collin Yeo, spearheads the four-piece group. The project came to be after Anselmo and Williams sat around listening to lots of Negative Approach, Poison Idea, Discharge, and … Read more

200 Words Or Less

ANS / Seasick

Billy in a Bearsuit
Brain Drain / Headcount (2008)

Hailing from outside Dallas, ANS deliver a concoction of fast-paced hardcore punk that draws comparisons to the early days of hardcore: Black Flag, Bad Brains, and DRI. The foursome is a bit more aggressive than their forefathers though, as showcased in the minute-and-a-half blast that is "Paging Dr. Shiba." "Circle the Drain" is a nice blend of the early hardcore … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Lighten Up

I'd Rather be Snoring
Brain Drain (2007)

Philadelphia is always shooting out new hardcore bands. Lighten Up is one of the more recent products of the city of endless hardcore. The members of this four-piece likely have extensive collections of Revelation and Dischord records, or at least that's what one would guess while listening to their music. I'd Rather be Snoring is five tracks of super fast-paced … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Sequoia

Time to Change
Independent (2007)

The metropolis of Chicago, IL is home to many many artists. While listening to Sequoia, I found their sound to be somewhat fitting, but at the same time I could pick up influences that could easily place them elsewhere. Time to Change is the band's second full-length and features ten songs at just over thirty minutes of music. The opening … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Shout Magic

Ceiling Fan and Other Revolutions
Chief City (2007)

Shout Magic is a five-piece ensemble from Philadelphia. Though, if you were listen to the music of Ceiling Fan and Other Revolutions you definitely wouldn't guess that as their location. Perhaps a swanky lounge in Los Angeles or even some off-strip locale in Las Vegas would be more likely. Ceiling Fan and Other Revolutions is six tracks that clocks in … Read more

Hot Water Music

Till the Wheels Fall Off
No Idea (2008)

People who find this band excellent or entertaining have an intimate love affair with them and their blue collar, dirt under the fingernails, dyed in the wool punk rock. It was a sad day indeed when this foursome of the people called it quits (for the second or third time in their existence) after leaving behind a swath of full … Read more

The Out_Circuit

Pierce the Empire with a Sound
Lujo (2008)

Frodus is one of those bands that just didn't seem to get the recognition they truly deserved until after their breakup, and they're still extremely overlooked. Following their demise in 1999, bassist Nathan Burke started up his own project with friend Andy Gale. The Out_Circuit is what it became and the band eventually released its first album, Burn Your Scripts … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Final Verdict

Reaching for Something Better
Independent (2007)

Typical mid-tempo to fast metal-core that thankfully takes its queues from early 90's metallic hardcore than it does from the fashion inspired Sweden riff infested crap of the earlier part of this decade. The first track, "Cry Havok," is best of the seven songs on here with its sludgy yet melodic onslaught to the ears. It's heavy sounding, yeah no … Read more

200 Words Or Less

The Maine

The Way We Talk
Fearless (2007)

I could tell right away from the faux 60's hippie cover art to the band photo wherein three out of four members have the exact same swoop haircut that I was going to crap all over this five song CDEP. Okay, sometimes the swoop is on the left side of their acne scared faces versus the right, but still. Is … Read more

200 Words Or Less

The Mumlers

Thickets and Stitches
Galaxia (2008)

Busy! From the packaging onward, The Mumlers emit an adorably quirky vibe far too big to fit into their little debut album. The seven piece from San Jose bring us Thickets and Stitches, a blues inspired-folk fused indie rock ditty of a record. As one might expect from the aforementioned description, the disc sees a wide variety of instruments accompanying … Read more

200 Words Or Less

The Photographic

Pictures of a Changing World
Galaxia (2008)

Clocking in at just under an hour, Pictures of a Changing World is truly a cohesive release encompassing a gamut of emotions; a valiant task considering The Photographic don't have the luxury of words. Like most instrumental bands the two-piece is heavily reliant on reoccurring themes while expanding on such ideas with the help of loops. The effort comes across … Read more

200 Words Or Less

All Teeth and Knuckles

Club Hits to Hit the Club With
Lujo (2007)

This is what happens when trust fund kids with expendable bank accounts get their hands on keyboards and samplers: an album of weak dance tracks with sing-speak vocalists telling bad jokes about people they despise. I'm sure this is supposed to be a joke, but then there's some truth to it. These gentlemen thrive on bar and club culture. Imagine, … Read more

Multiple Authors

The Loved Ones

Build & Burn
Fat Wreck Chords (2008)

Build & Burn begins with what ostensibly sounds like an unsure Loved Ones. The first three tracks are throwbacks of three very different styles of punk rock. The first song "Pretty Good Year," a b-side from Keep Your Heart, finds the band treading ground already heard on previous releases, adding more of a pop element to the more rock than … Read more

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