Recent reviews

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)

Black Cross

Severance Pays
Auxiliary (2007)

What's wrong with more of the same, especially when what you've got is solid? If you're dating Scarlett Johansson, is Demi Moore really an improvement? Unfortunately, Black Cross' newest, Severance Pays, makes me question my acceptance of change and long for their days as a four-piece. With Evan Paterson's move from bass to guitar, Black Cross seems to have moved more in the direction of his other band Young Widows. Why they don't meet somewhere between that and Coliseum confounds me. Oh wait! That's exactly what Black Cross was before. Instead of exhibiting the youthful bouncy of Swiz (shown as recently as their EP last year Sink, Knives, and Chrome), now they've settled into a more laid back Jawbox-meets-Drive Like Jehu groove. And the problem I find is that if this were a brand new record from a band I had never heard, I would be amped. But with the proliferation of "Maximum Louisville" I don't need another band that drones and kicks - I want one that runs and screams. Honestly, it's possible the only problem with Severance Pays is my own expectations for it. Because, continuing in the same vein of honesty, I do find myself enjoying it … Read more

Black Cross

Severance Pays
Auxiliary (2007)

Where the hell have you been for the last four years Black Cross? The circumstances that have hampered this woefully … Read more

Torche

In Return
Robotic Empire (2007)

Without a doubt, this just might be one of the more beautifully packaged records to come out in recent memory; … Read more

Public Enemy

How You Sell Soul to a Soulless People Who Sold Their Soul???
Slam Jamz (2007)

Soul (noun) : A sense of ethnic pride among Black people and especially African Americans, expressed in areas such as … Read more

Burden of a Day

Pilots & Paper Planes
Blood & Ink (2006)

It might say something for my enthusiasm for this record that it has sat for almost a year in my … Read more

Never Looking Back

Fragile Hearts
Detonate (2007)

Here we go again. Once again we have yet another young hardcore band, this time hailing from Tacoma, WA, playing … Read more

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One from the archives

Lil Fame & Termanology

Fizzyology
Brick (2012)

Lil Fame of M.O.P., going by his producer moniker “Fizzy Womack,” has crafted soundscapes for a for the likes of Kool G Rap, Cam’Ron and the Wu-Tang Clan, as well as a number of songs in M.O.P.’s catalogue. So when Boston emcee Termanology set out to start work on another solo album he linked up with Fame to be his main man on the beats. At some point midway through the recording process Fame had ended up spitting verses and hooks on nearly every track. They realized that hewing an entirely collaborative project as a duo could result in a milestone record, benefiting both artists. And thus, in the new-ish trend of combined names (see: Liknuts, Wu-Block, MA_Doom, a million others.) Fizzyology was born. Although the majority of the production … Read more

More album reviews

The Good Life

Help Wanted Nights
Saddle Creek (2007)

Bands evolve and the fans have to deal with it. Their musical palette expands and the records change. This holds true with Cursive frontman Tim Kasher's music catalog. However, one aspect never changes, his bleak outlook on the world. It's always cynical, full of sarcasm, and consistently heartbroken. No matter what musical guise he wears, these sentiments are expressed through … Read more

Wisdom in Chains

Class War
Eulogy (2007)

A lot has been made lately of the throwback sounds that are ultra popular in hardcore these days. It seems that if you're not biting from the likes of Integrity, then you're probably ripping of Lifetime. Or, if neither of those are your cup of tea, you'll stealing a page from the early Revelation bands like Burn. Well, keeping with … Read more

Shipwreck

Shipwreck
Deathwish Inc. (2007)

Shipwreck burst onto the scene last year with their debut 7" on Rumble Records. The four-song release was an instant hit and eventually brought them to Deathwish's door. This release, another self-titled affair, is comprised of two new cuts and a reworking of "Heated" from their debut. "Mirage" kicks things off. The song is a rager deeply rooted in 90's … Read more

War of Ages

Fire from the Tomb
Facedown (2007)

Erie has a long-standing tradition of hardcore: xDisciplex A.D., Brothers Keeper, Shockwave, and Abnegation. Continuing that tradition is War of Ages, though they definitely mix their hardcore influences with a significant amount of metal riffage. Fire from the Tomb is actually a re-recording of the band's debut effort. Some might question the band's decision to go back and re-do their … Read more

Daymares

Cant Get Us All
Self Made God (2007)

Daymares hail from Poland. Yes, that Poland. Prior to this release, the band had nothing more than a roughly mixed demo, which mixed 90's metallic hardcore with brooding metal. And here's why you should take notice Can't Get Us All is the band's debut full-length. Comprised of eleven songs, three of which are re-recorded from their demo, Can't Get Us … Read more

The Fire The Flood

Truth Seekers
No Sleep (2007)

The Fire The Flood hails from North Carolina, a state home to metalcore greats Prayer for Cleansing. Unfortunately, the music that makes up Truth Seekers is nothing worth mentioning in the same sentence as one of the purveyors of modern metalcore. Truth Seekers is comprised of thirteen tracks, of which only two clock in over the two-minute mark. Musically, the … Read more

Lewd Acts

Dark Days
Independent (2007)

Dark Days is a discography release that compiles the San Diego-based hardcore outfits previous material into one neat package. The CD opens with "The Bridge," one of three new cuts. The song is fast-paced hardcore song that is centered on individuals that travel to The Golden Gate Bridge only to commit suicide. "Holy Hands" and "Fun in Funeral" follow in … Read more

Mekons

Natural
Touch & Go (2007)

Some critics may think that their age gives them more credit and validates every opinion they have. I am on the lower end of the age spectrum when it comes to critics, but that doesn't mean I have no clue what I'm talking about when it comes to music. Hey, I'm not a worldly expert but I think I can … Read more

One Starving Day

Broken Wings Lead Arms to the Sun
Planaria (2007)

Hailing from Italy, One Starving Day are a four-piece band that, at times, sounds more like ten or fifteen people playing music. Their sound is full and emotive conveying enough raw moods and feeling in each musical piece that begs for one to pay attention. The only time prior to Broken Wings Lead Arms to the Sun that I have … Read more

Municipal Waste

The Art of Partying
Earache (2007)

Municipal Waste likes to party. How do I know this? Well, there's the album title. Couple that with songs like "Beer Pressure," "Born to Party," and "Chemically Altered" and you don't exactly have to be Veronica Mars to connect the dots. It also goes without saying we're not exactly dealing with subtle music open to the interpretation of the listener … Read more

Breakfast

Six Packs Classic
625 Thrashcore (2007)

Westerners tend to love Japanese pop culture almost as much as Japanese kids love western (read: American) pop culture - especially rock and roll. And punk is no exception to this phenomenon, as each side doesn't hesitate to make a fetish out of the other: American punks work themselves into a lather bidding on GISM LPs, while Japanese punks go … Read more

Under Pressure

Come Clean
Escape Artist (2007)

Winnipeg's Under Pressure is a dirty 80's sounding hardcore band with a dude singing like he's trying to hold in his bong hit for the longest time while gargling glass. Saying he sounds a little gruff is like saying the people that have smoked Pall Mall Non-Filters for thirty plus years are a little raspy. Musically, the band either goes … Read more

The Swede

And the Swede
Shoddy Merchandise (2006)

God bless Matthew William Kohnle. Kohnle is The Swede. While I'm not sure if the name is a reference to his nationality (or if he is in fact a root vegetable), this project is solely his. With the exception of some bass clarinet by Todd Knapp and some vocals by Mrs. Kohnle, all songs are written, performed, and even recorded … Read more

Foo Fighters

The Colour and the Shape (Reissue)
RCA (2007)

The Colour and the Shape was the Foo Fighters second full-length release, though it was the first album in which Grohl enlisted a full band to back him in the writing and recording of the album. Grohl gathered an ensemble of musicians to surround him for what would become the band's breakthrough album: bassist Nate Mendel of Sunny Day Real … Read more

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