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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)

Rocky Votolato

A Brief History (Reissue)
Second Nature (2007)

A Brief History is Rocky Votolato's second full-length, originally released in 2000 after his hard-to-find self-titled debut in 1999. At twenty minutes long, it's really more of an extended EP, but then, the 'brief' in the title should be taken quite literally. Newcomers to Votolato's alt-country/Americana sound might be surprised to backtrack through his releases and come across this, helpfully reissued by Second Nature. Opening with the Will Oldham-esque "One More Work Song Blues," we get some faint echoes of Waxwing due to the focus on electric guitar over acoustic. But Votolato's own style comes through recognizably in the more mellow moments like "Silent" and "In a Cabin", the latter of which features some evocative violin. Equally, "Plastic Jesus" is a pleasant cover, livened up midway through by the same jaunty fiddle. Votolato's later work has tended to show a range of instrumentation, with 2003's Suicide Medicine mainly focusing on solo acoustic songs, but other releases emphasizing a full band aspect. A Brief History has shadows of the urgency in Votolato's later work, but equal measures of the heartfelt and tender ballads present on 2006's Makers. Fans of Votolato's recent output should take advantage of this reissue and grab the … Read more

Fake Problems

How Far Our Bodies Go
Sabot (2007)

The comparisons are going to be made so let's just get them out of the way right now. As Against … Read more

Ryan Adams

Easy Tiger
Lost Highway (2007)

The artist of the album I reviewed made it difficult to include his name in the opening sentence without thinking … Read more

Irepress

Samus Octology
Translation Loss (2007)

Instrumental music that doesn't bore one to death is hard to come by, especially in a world like today. There … Read more

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Misericordiam

Unanimity and the Cessation of Hostility
Twelve Gauge (2007)

Unanimity and the Cessation of Hostility is six tracks of blistering death metal that lasts a mere fourteen minutes. And … Read more

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Crowd Deterrent / Creepout

Split
Hard Ass (2007)

Two of the world's most underrated hardcore bands team up for fourteen tracks of no-frills and no-fuss hardcore. First up … Read more

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One from the archives

Freshman 15

Throw Up Your Hands for One Night Stands
Standby (2009)

This is a tough one. At some point, there was a crossover between cheesy melodic pop-punk and the worn-out "scene" image of white belts and devil locks. It became cool to sound like Simple Plan as long as you listened to August Burns Red, and constantly posted pictures of how tough your band looks. I've done my best to avoid this topic as much as possible, because complaining about it only brings attention to a demographic I'd like everyone to forget. But I have also been known to pick through these millennial pop-punk manifestations, as a handful of them are not part of this strange metalcore aesthetic, or are simply capable of writing catchy songs that aren't lame. So I'll bite my tongue for the time being. Freshman 15 are … Read more

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200 Words Or Less

The Homefront

Sacrifice
Detonate (2007)

Massachusetts-based hardcore outfit The Homefront has quite a pedigree of previous bands: Have Heart, Guns Up!, and Verse. And if you've enjoyed the output of any those bands, you'll be greatly pleased with The Homefront's debut offering, Sacrifice. The Homefront play highly energetic and powerful hardcore with a melodic twist - not unlike With Honor or Modern Life is War. … Read more

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Limbeck

Limbeck
Doghouse (2007)

The fact that Limbeck call Orange County, CA home is a bit of a head-scratcher. Based on their home, you'd be more likely to expect a hardcore or punk band as opposed to an alt-country outfit. On their fourth full-length effort (third for Doghouse) the band continues to deliver a fun and upbeat mix of pop, country, and Americana. And … Read more

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Grave Robbers

Hell to Pay
GNP (2007)

Horror-influence hardcore-punk from Texas. That is something that I can get behind. Grave Robbers blast through eight songs in just under thirty minutes. While the majority of today's horror-influenced bands come off as nothing more than a second rate knockoff of The Misfits, this is not the case here. Grave Robbers do claim the mighty Danzig and company as a … Read more

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Taken Under

Silence Your Enemies
High Fidelity (2007)

Tennessee hardcore. I know what you're thinking; you thought everyone from Tennessee that was into music plays country. Well you're wrong. Although, the five gentlemen that comprise Taken Under may also dabble at playing country as a side-gig for all I know. Silence Your Enemies is the band's debut effort and is six songs (one intro and five actual songs) … Read more

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Sound the Alarm

Stay Inside
Geffen (2007)

Sound the Alarm is the latest in a crop of super-young musicians getting a major label deal. And on their debut full-length effort, Stay Inside, they serve up twelve tracks of pop-rock with an emo tinge that bring to mind acts like Jimmy Eat World and The All-American Rejects. And while the first couple of songs of this album had … Read more

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Spires

Spires
Independent (2007)

Spires hail from Oakland, CA and deliver a punishing blend of hardcore, metal, and grindcore, not unlike like The Number 12 Looks Like You and Pig Destroyer. But unlike most bands of this spectrum of music, Spires infuse their chaos with moments of melody, including post-rock inspired moments. The first track, "Burnt Offerings of a Poor Idea" is a perfect … Read more

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Step Forward

10 Song EP
Painkiller (2007)

I know it may be news to some people out there, but Mental broke edge. However, not all members did as Dance Floor Justin drums for yet another Boston straight edge hardcore band. Fast and (10 songs, no shit?) furious 80's styled hardcore that will bring as many circle pits as it will mosh pits. Every song seems to have … Read more

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Soul Control

Soul Control
Rivalry (2007)

Hardcore likes to recycle and reinvent itself about every decade, so yup, 90's hardcore is back. Soul Control sounds like every great 108 riff jammed into every wonderful Quicksand back beat. You know I just love this. Heavy melodic groove orientated hardcore done masterfully. The best thing is when hardcore bands like Soul Control decide to redo the past they … Read more

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Red Handed

Red Handed
Rivalry (2007)

Red Handed plays fast angry hardcore with pissed off lyrics about being pissed off about being pissed off. Red Handed isn't your regular emotional hardcore output you'd expect from Rivalry. This 7" is the perfect soundtrack for drained swimming pools and grinding curbs. Void cover included. I have no idea why hardcore kids aren't talking more about this band; this … Read more

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Meltdown

Demolition
Closed Casket Activities (2007)

Maybe the kids are just too young to remember, but back when hardcore bands were crossing over to metal and vice versa the hardcore kids hated it, really hated it. It was all poseur shit, bunch of fucking longhairs ruining the scene and what not. The worst thing a band could do was sign to Metal Blade or Megaforce. Having … Read more

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Get the Most

Common Goals
Crucial Response (2007)

From the German label that has been specializing in generic youth-crew since the early 90's comes yet another five song 7" of finger pointing stage diving positive hardcore that will have you singing along in no time. Ray Cappo yelps included. Get the Most has ex members and current members of Blue Monday and Go It Alone for those keeping … Read more

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Fired Up

When the Lights Go Out
Youngblood (2007)

Recently Youngblood Records expanded their roster by adding the metallic Iron Age and the Bad Brains influenced Lion of Judah but got back to what they are famous for by signing Fired Up. Connecticut's Fired Up is what I come to expect from Youngblood: fast, '88 influenced, positive hardcore with sweet breakdowns. Sure you know what you are going to … Read more

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The Draft

Stop Wastin' My Time/Up All Night
No Idea (2007)

As much as I have been disappointed with most of The Draft's output I really like this two song platter. "Stop Wastin' My Time" recalls mid-period Hot Water Music mixed with any number of rocking Springsteen hits. The B side "Up All Night" has a bouncy rhythm and almost as catchy as the A Side. This 7" is what all … Read more

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The Draft

The Draft
Epitaph (2007)

This self-titled EP from The Draft, a digital-only affair (No Idea also released two 7"s with the songs on them), is four songs that are leftovers from last year's In a Million Pieces, so if you didn't like the full-length, you won't like this, and if you did like it, you'll like this. Pretty simple. The first song, "Stop Wastin' … Read more

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