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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)

Strangers

Weight
Action Man (2007)

Earlier this year Strangers really grabbed my interest with their four-song EP, Holding. On that release, five individuals from New Zealand delivered a devastating aural assault. So here we are a couple of months down the road and Strangers have unleashed their debut full-length, Weight, upon the masses. The album begins with "Expositions," a two-minute number that picks up exactly where the band left off on Holding. The first half is an aggressive onslaught of metallic hardcore and d-bet grime; the second half features dominating drumming and extra awesome riffs. And when you factor in vocalist Rhydian Thomas' vicious vocals, the result is truly destructive. "Meursault Blues" is the first of the EP tracks that we have in re-recorded fashion. One difference that is noticeable when comparing the two is the quality of the recording on new version. As opposed to the grittiness of the EP, the LP has a slightly more glossy and produced sound - something that I feel does unfortunately bring the album's intensity and urgency down a notch. "You Crawl" follows and slows things down a bit and plods along in a Neurosis-esque type fashion. And even though the pace has been scaled back, the intensity … Read more

Chosen

Promo 2007
Independent (2007)

HEY YOU! Metal Blade! Century Media! Lifeforce! Earache! All you record labels down with the metal: LISTEN UP! Chosen is … Read more

Air

Pocket Symphony
Astralwerks (2007)

You know those bands that everyone talks about but you never get the chance to check them out? This is … Read more

Alkaline Trio

Remains
Vagrant (2007)

I haven't met anyone in my life that is affiliated with hardcore or punk that doesn't like at least a … Read more

Saves the Day

Under the Boards
Vagrant (2007)

Part two in the trilogy of concept (small C) albums, Under the Boards sees Saves the Day back on a … Read more

Tombs

Tombs
Black Box Recordings (2007)

Tombs is the latest project from Mike Hill (former member of the criminally underrated bands Anodyne and Versoma). Tombs seemingly … Read more

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One from the archives

These Days

Chained to the Lake
Twelve Gauge (2007)

Following the release of their debut full-length, one of my favorites of 2005, These Days went on indefinite hiatus. Needless to say, I was bummed out by the announcement. But after little more than a year off, the band decided to give it another go, and with a revamped lineup got to work on playing shows and writing new songs. Chained to the Lake marks their return with six songs (seven total tracks) of pissed off and aggressive hardcore. Chained to the Lake begins in a rather ominous manner - "The Lake" creeps in with eerie background noises, repetitious chords, and the use of feedback. "Brothers in Arms" drops in and things are really set into motion. It doesn't take long for me to give thanks that These Days are … Read more

More album reviews

200 Words Or Less

Spank Rock and Benny Blanco

Bangers & Cash
Downtown (2007)

The latest effort from Baltimore club/DJ/rapping outfit Spank Rock brings more to the table than one might think. The opening line, "Welcome to the fuck shop," gives you an idea of what you're in store for. Bangers & Cash is five tracks of sex and money, with Spank Rock rapper Naeem Juwan dominating the lyrical space. This is also two … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Terror

Rhythm Amongst the Chaos
Reaper (2007)

I love Terror. I don't care about what anyone has to say about this band being simple-minded or playing hardcore for the "wrong kids." Terror just flat out rules. Always have, and so far, always will. Rhythm Amongst the Chaos basically takes off where Always the Hard Way left off with Scott Vogel and company infusing the metallic overdrive of … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Provoke / Tempo 38

Split
Independent (2007)

This is going to be the last split CD I ever review for Scene Point Blank. Okay, this is going to be the last split CD I ever review of two unknown bands that I review for this site. Sorry, split CDs are becoming the bane of my existence as I try and think of something to say about two … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Kill Conrad

32 Short Films About Nothing in Particular
Independent (2007)

Boston's Kill Conrad sound like just about any other punk band on No Idea that doesn't want to be or is Hot Water Music. I am reminded of the sing-along bouncy pop-punk intensity that Against Me! once had. Actually, Kill Conrad remind of Atom's (you know from Atom and His Package) punk band Fracture with their off-key vocals and the … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Get Back Up

Weathering the Storm
Organized Crime (2007)

Buffalo, NY's Get Back Up unfortunately sounds like every other new school hardcore band out there playing in local venues across the United States and probably Canada. They sound like a mixture of the heavy handed emotionally drone of Modern Life is War and the crunchy 90's hardcore metallic speed inspired Have Heart. I enjoy what I'm hearing as the … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Countime

Broken, Blinded, Betrayed
No Joke (2007)

Just about everything about this release offended me, from the cover photo a bloodied tricycle to one of the members flashing a gang sign in the band photo and Rick ta White saying, "No One! Fuck all you bitches and sorry ass motherfuckers out there!" in the thank-you list. If you haven't guessed, Countime is yet another run of the … Read more

The Catalyst

Marianas Trench
The Perpetual Motion Machine (2007)

When The Catalyst made a stop in D.C. over the summer, Mass Movement of the Moth's drummer perfectly described the band: "Welcome to Headbanging 101 with your instructor's, The Catalyst." The Catalyst then proceeded to break necks, and more than likely got drunk doing it. Rewind a few hours before, a front porch full of D.C. straight edge vegan punks, … Read more

End of a Season / Many Men Have Tried

Split
Refoundation (2007)

I've always enjoyed sampling international hardcore or punk. Sometimes it's nice to have a reality check. It seems like sometimes we're under the impression that hardcore is an expressively American creation or tradition, and though the genre certainly manifested itself in the states, predominantly, often times international bands have perfected it. I'd never heard of either of these bands before … Read more

Pet Genius

Pet Genius
Hydra Head (2007)

Stephen Brodsky is a shape-shifter. Throughout his musical career, the oftentimes-enigmatic frontman has been the main songwriting force behind numerous projects of all realms of music. He's tackled everything from metal and hardcore to acoustic and indie with Cave In, Kid Kilowatt, New Idea Society, The Octave Museum, and even his own solo recordings. Pet Genius is the latest project … Read more

Woods

At Rear House
Shrimper (2007)

It may seem a bit unproductive to review an album that came out in the early stages of this year, but that's part of what makes Woods the band they are: silently create an album that is noteworthy, but flies below any conventional form of radar. Just as their debut How to Survive In + In the Woods was filled … Read more

Radiohead

In Rainbows
Independent (2007)

What Radiohead have done with the release of In Rainbows will be talked about for years to come. At best, and only time will tell, it will be looked at as changing the industry as we know it, giving the consumer more power than ever before. At worst, it will be known as a failed experiment, but still remembered with … Read more

Jena Berlin

Quo Vadimus
Jump Start (2007)

Quo Vadimus is the sophomore effort from Philadelphia's Jena Berlin. Unfortunately, odds are that most of you reading this are unfamiliar with the group despite releasing an extremely promising debut in 2005. This, in my opinion, makes the title of the album all the more fitting. "Quo vadimus" is Latin for "Where are we going?" On the surface this phrase … Read more

The Great Deceiver

Life is Wasted on the Living
Deathwish Inc. (2007)

The Great Deceiver is the long running project of Tomas Lindberg, also of Disfear and formerly of At the Gates, The Crown, and others, and Kristian Wahlin of Necrolord. There is a great deal of parallels to Lindberg's past work in At the Gates, with a bit of commonality in the guitar sound but with a bit more simplicity and … Read more

The Polyphonic Spree

The Fragile Army
TVT (2007)

Calling The Polyphonic Spree a Flaming Lips knockoff would be lazy and unfair to the Spree's aesthetic, but the similarities are so blatant. Not using The Lips as a point of reference seems just as criminal. So what roads to both these bands walk? To begin, Spree vocalist Tim DeLaughter sings in a manner much like Wayne Coyne. It's the … Read more

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