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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)

Baroness / Unpersons

A Grey Sigh in a Flower Husk
At A Loss (2007)

Baroness and Unpersons team up for A Grey Sigh in a Flower Husk. For Baroness, it serves as a precursor to their forthcoming album for Relapse Records and as a send off for former guitarist Tim Loose. For Unpersons, this split serves as some people's - like mine - first exposure to the band. The two bands have vastly different styles. The Baroness tracks kick the album off with a crushing arrangement. It is very heavy and the rhythms underlie the thick, ominous atmosphere that the stringed instruments convey so well. When the vocals join the fray, the song "Teiresias" basically explodes at the listener. Baroness' ability to straddle so many genre types, like producer Philip Cope's own band Kylesa, is on full display on the song. There are some very interesting high-pitched riffs that contrast well with crushing, distorted heavy riffs. "Cavite" is a longer track that tops the twelve- minute mark. It is more measured than the visceral nature of the other Baroness track. The rhythms are locked down tight. The guitars, bass, and drums are not just on the same page; they seem like extensions of the same mind. The effect is striking. There are quite a … Read more

Every Second Counts

Every Second Counts
6131 (2007)

Here's a band from Southern California that I'm not familiar with, and for the style they play I find that … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Matadors

Flame the Whisper
Devil Doll (2007)

Yippeeeee! It's Matadors time! Plug it in and lets party like it's 1992! Yes, that's right. 1992! Forget those bands … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Glorior Belli

Manifesting the Raging Beast
Southern Lord (2007)

See: Obscurus Advocam Just kidding. But let's face it. They are pretty interchangeable, no? Both bands are the vision of … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Obscurus Advocam

Verbia Daemonicus
Battle Kommand (2007)

I've been told that France has been home to a few good bands over the years, but like you, aside … Read more

200 Words Or Less

By Night

A Shape of New Desperation
Lifeforce (2007)

Where to begin, where to begin... For starters they're Swedish, which would normally be a plus, but in this case … Read more

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One from the archives

Overcast

Reborn to Kill Again
Metal Blade (2008)

I would say ninety percent of the fans of the current bands (Shadows Fall, Killswitch Engage, Seemless) that the members of Overcast are in weren't even out of diapers when these metalcore rippers were originally in action. While the members have seen significant success with their current musical endeavors, it is the time spent crammed into a van touring the U.S. for little to no money at all with Overcast that they'd likely cherish most. Reborn to Kill Again features fourteen songs from the band's back catalog, including twelve of which were found on Overcasts two very popular full-length recordings - Expectational Dilusion and Fight Ambition to Kill re-recorded. The album opens with the combo-track of "Diluting Inertia / Grifter" from Expectational Dilusion. Immediately I am thrown back in time … Read more

More album reviews

200 Words Or Less

Hell Within

Shadows of Vanity
Lifeforce (2007)

Taken verbatim from the initial notes of the reviewer: Starts out promisingly enough with Derek Jay beating the snare like he just caught it pooching his wife. Same energy as early Metallica (hey kids! remember them?). Vocalist reminiscent of the Avenged Sevenfold dude. Christ, I hope he looks cooler.) The song being referred to is the opening and title track … Read more

The Geeks

Every Time We Fall
Think Fast! (2007)

The Geeks: Korean straight edge hardcore with a youth crew twist. I know what you're thinking; the first time I heard it I didn't believe it either. After hearing mention of The Geeks, my first inclination was to write them off as a novelty band. But then I heard The Geeks' debut 7" What's Inside and I knew they were … Read more

Funeral Diner

The Doors Open
Independent (2007)

So far this year the genre that is 'screamo' hasn't been delivering much of anything. Luckily we have Funeral Diner, one of the few epic screamo bands still out there who are still alive and together, and still have time to pump out a new release here and there while they aren't at their shitty part time jobs doing nothing. … Read more

Multiple Authors

Do Make Say Think

You, You're a History in Rust
Constellation (2007)

Instrumental music, I've found, requires patience to fully appreciate it. Sitting through detached, quiet parts of songs is by no means difficult, but it can definitely test a listener's musical patience. Canadian cohorts Do Make Say Think have been writing instrumental music since the mid 90's. Akin to label-mates Godspeed You! Black Emperor, they write extremely cohesive, powerful and moving … Read more

Multiple Authors

Do Make Say Think

You, You're a History in Rust
Constellation (2007)

In recent years, post-rock has become the urban sprawl of independent music. Invasive, bloated, and undeniably comfortable, it has steadily, albeit consciously, delineated from its richer, more substantive origins to assume the role of pleasant background music, antiseptically reliable but hopelessly predictable. Tortoise's feral meanderings and Mogwai's bulky, aggressive overtones have been replaced by Explosions in the Sky's brand of … Read more

Marnie Stern

In Advance of the Broken Arm
Kill Rock Stars (2007)

It took me a little while to hear the music in this music. At first and even tenth listen, Marnie Stern sounds more dedicated to experimentation, or newness, or maybe just weirdness than to melody or even song structure. Her ideas appear, collide, and disappear - she's less an architect than a demolition-woman. She presents a hook or riff and … Read more

Holy Roman Empire

The Longue Durée
Hewhocorrupts Inc. (2007)

The first time I heard The Longue Durée was driving back from the Holy Roman Empire's record release party. I was lucky enough to accompany a friend's band that was also playing and they invited me along. That was a nice gesture on their behalf since they knew I was a fan. Anyway, on some stretch of highway between Wisconsin … Read more

Profundi

Omega Rising
Profound Lore (2006)

I don't know much about the Swedish band Naglfar, but I get the impression that they are well respected in black metal circles. But what I do know is that Jens Ryden, ex-vocalist of Naglfar and a veritable black metal jack-of-all-trades, knows how to make an impressive album all on his own. Ryden did it all on Profundi's Omega Rising: … Read more

Child Abuse

Child Abuse
Lovepump United (2007)

Sometimes when a reviewer receives an album, it can be difficult to decide how best to approach the review. The "spin" so to speak. Is a band history in order? What are their associations with other bands? Is there a glib, irreverent take to be done on the music that will entertain the reader? Not unhindered by other commitments that … Read more

Mehkago N.T.

Mehkago N.T.
S.O.Y./Abort the World/To Live A Lie (2007)

Heavy music is back on the upswing in South Florida. Torche, forging on where Floor left off, has been making noise on both a national and European stage with their bomb-string-fueled stoner pop. Shitstorm has been wreaking havoc playing blastbeat-laden grindcore in the style of gems from the glory days of Slap-A-Ham and 625 Records. And Consular has been delivering … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Hostages

Legend in my Head, Failure to the World
Burn Bridges (2007)

Hailing from Philadelphia, Hostages play over-emotional guilt ridden hardcore in the version of American Nightmare, The Hope Conspiracy, Suicide File and other bands that once hailed from Boston. I would compare them to Knives Out if anyone outside of the City of Brotherly Love knew who I was talking about. Hostages are another band for lonely sleepless nights with your … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Everything Falls Apart

Escape
Independent (2006)

Everything Falls Apart gets big ups and putting this seven-inch out all on their own. Six songs of semi-melodic 80's styled punk/hardcore with snotty vocals. No chugga-chugga breakdowns, no useless slogans, no emo meanderings, just straight up fast hardcore that may be played a bit sloppy but most assuredly played with all heart. Read more

200 Words Or Less

Supreme Commander

120 Years in the Business!
A389 (2007)

Fast rocking hardcore that sounds like it wants to be on the late 80's Epitaph back catalog. Extremely catchy, it makes me want to grab my board and skate some empty pools even though I haven't touched a skateboard since I was five years old. At times 120 Years in the Business! has bit of old school NYHC type feel … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Kill Your Idols

Salmon Swim Upstream
Vicious Circle (2007)

I'm a little disappointed that this is the last release in the storied career of NY's Kill Your Idols. Maybe I'm sad to see them go and wanted one more full-length and not four songs and one Sheer Terror cover that were probably being demoed for the album anyhow. If you never heard Kill Your Idols, they played fast hardcore … Read more

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