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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)

The Ergs!

Jersey's Best Prancers
Don Giovanni (2006)

Anyone who's been paying attention can see the writing on the wall: like Cock Sparrer in 1982, pop punk's coming back. Of course, it never really left; it's just seen a variety of mutations since the halcyon days of "Locket Love": The Descendents' heartsick catharsis, The Lillingtons' television city dreaming, and the thrift store angst of Saves the Day are only a few examples. But a look around the punk landscape at bands like Set Your Goals and Death is Not Glamorous offers ample proof that we're living in a post-Lifetime era featuring, ironically enough, a reunited Lifetime. And that's what makes the cover art and title of The Ergs' new EP so perplexing. Jersey's Best Prancers is packaged as an overt and affectionate homage to Lifetime, much as Hello Bastards paid tribute to The Housemartins. But here's the crazy part: The Ergs don't sound much like Lifetime at all, especially compared to some of their brethren. They're more Paul Westerberg than Dan Yemin, more "Alex Chilton" than "Francie Nolan." All they seem to share with Lifetime is a base of operations, and the EP lovingly provides an "Ergs Guide to New Jersey". It's interesting, because methinks our taste for … Read more

Janez Detd

Like Cold Rain Kills a Summer Day...
I Scream (2006)

Archetypal scene dude: So yeah these guys are like super huge in Europe; I am sure they are going to … Read more

Keene Brothers

Blues and Boogie Shoes
Fading Captain (2006)

Everybody's got a little something to say about Robert Pollard these days. Drunk, father, master singer-vocalist. Many years ago, long … Read more

Isis & Aereogramme

In the Fishtank 14
Konkurrent (2006)

By now all of should know who Isis is and what to expect from them in terms of their music … Read more

The Hope Conspiracy

Death Knows Your Name
Deathwish Inc. (2006)

For those that did not hear The Hope Conspiracy's recent teaser 7" Hang Your Cross (which was later released as … Read more

As Tall as Lions

As Tall as Lions
Triple Crown (2006)

It is an awful shame that so many great indie bands often go unnoticed. As Tall as Lions is the … Read more

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One from the archives

Heresi

Psalm II: Infusco Ignis
Hydra Head (2006)

In my experience, there is no such thing as a bad one-man black metal project. Every single one I have heard has impressed me in some way or another, and Heresi is no exception to this rule. Although Heresi shares the misanthropic attitudes of other black metal soloists like Xasthur and Leviathan, the sound is significantly more technical and thrashy. Created by multi-instrumentalist and vocalist Skamfer, formerly of Swedish black metal band Ondskapt, Psalm II: Infusco Ignis comes across as focused and well conceived. In fact, there are few full black metal bands that can put together as good an album as this one is. To be honest, sound-wise, this album is relatively upbeat coming from someone who is quoted as saying, "It is always the right time to do … Read more

More album reviews

Lamb of God

Sacrament
Epic (2006)

Lamb of God and I go back a long way. Their second album, As the Palaces Burn, was the album that really got me into them. Actually, it was the album that got me into metal in general. It is one of the select few albums from the so-called "New Wave of American Metal" that has stood the test of … Read more

Nueva Etica

Inquebrantable
New Eden (2006)

Spanish is a very musical language. It flows naturally with any rhythm and can accentuate the beauty of a melody like no other. For any artist, this particular romance language is a highly favorable ally. Nueva Etica, an aggressive hardcore/metal band from Argentina, fully embraces their native language. They are also relentlessly direct in their approach to the hardcore genre. … Read more

Theta Naught & Alex Caldiero

Sound Weave
Independent (2006)

Sound Weave is a collaboration between Theta Naught and poet Alex Caldiero. Combining cello and bass ambiance with occasional drum theatrics, bewildering soundscapes, and the ardour and insanity of improvisational poetry, it aims to combine a musical experiment "in a symbiotic form with creative language-based explorations." In other words, it sets the words of Alex Caldiero to the music of … Read more

On a Warpath

On a Warpath
Hand of Hope (2006)

Within hardcore there lies a style of music that has come to known as beatdown. It is an interesting but narrow-minded sub-genre to the whole hardcore realm. Musically, the bands that play this style of music rely heavily on having ridiculously huge breakdowns. I wouldn't be surprised if they wrote the breakdowns first and then surrounded them with the rest … Read more

Latterman

...We are Still Alive
Deep Elm (2006)

I haven't paid much attention to anything that Deep Elm has put out since Emo Diaries Volume #5. I always thought this label's marketing of the term "emo" was cheeky as they pawned off any band that had black-rimmed glasses as the next poster boys for shy teenage girls to adorn their room with. Then I heard a buzz floating … Read more

New Found Glory

Coming Home
Geffen (2006)

CAUTION: This review was written by someone who DID NOT agree with the Scene Point Blank reviews of New Found Glory's previous album Catalyst. I am all about New Found Glory's discography, start to finish. With that being said, here is the review. You have been warned! When I was younger and up until I listened to this album, I … Read more

Mastodon

Blood Mountain
Warner Bros. (2006)

Mastodon is on a major label. Does anyone else think this is weird? Good for them, I just think it is strange. So what do they have to show for themselves with their first record for Warner Brothers? Blood Mountain might be the perfect major label debut, well, at least it is for this band. While it is not one … Read more

Lostprophets

Liberation Transmission
Columbia (2006)

Lostprophets: a rock critic's dream? If it's not the glossy pop production and so-hook-laden-you-could-fish-with-them songs, we can go the other way and ridicule their male model good looks, painstakingly straightened haircuts and clothing deals, and apparent desire to appear American to unknowing fans. Of course, here at Scene Point Blank we're above such polarities, opting for the neutral middle ground. … Read more

The Paper Chase

Now You are One of Us
Kill Rock Stars (2006)

On their latest effort, Now You are One of Us, The Paper Chase's Congleton tells a story about a family trapped inside a ghostly house that is literally out to get them. And in the end they ultimately become one of them. Southern Records describes the album as "the sonic equivalent to George A. Romero's classic zombie films." That's not … Read more

Ima Robot

Monument to the Masses
Virgin (2006)

It seemed as though the robots had short-circuited after their debut release. They toured non-stop for a year or two and then disappeared. Many thought the junk yard was the fate for these robots, but it turns out they were just doing maintenance, upgrading and such. Best friends and the only remaining original members, vocalist, Alex Ebert, and guitarist, Timmy … Read more

Heavens

Patent Pending
Epitaph (2006)

Imagine the following scenario: After getting out of work, undoubtedly somewhere shitty such as an office position or a retail job at the mall that, despite the "amazing" discount you claim to get, sucks beyond human comprehension, you arrive at the club that resides just out of the heart of the city closest to you. You hand your ticket to … Read more

Lily Allen

Alright, Still
Regal/Parlaphone (2006)

Anyone from the United Kingdom that hasn't heard of young Miss Allen has either been living under a stone for the last four months or is at least fifty years old - not saying that fifty year olds haven't heard of her, just they are oooooolld. The daughter of "comedian" Keith Allen and "the newest face of the Myspace generation," … Read more

The Jonbenét

Ugly/Heartless
Pluto (2006)

The Jonbenét Ramsey murder case has weaved its way in and out of our news chomping lives since the latter part of 1998. This was the time when the world was flummoxed and enraptured by the eight-year-old beauty queen's slaying. Lately the case has returned from the abyss again to haunt us with dolled up pictures of a little girl's … Read more

Cataract

Kingdom
Metal Blade (2006)

Heavy metal and I have been struggling through a rocky love affair since I was thirteen years old. Aside from a few exceptions, metal in the 21st century has been rather disappointing. The most encouraging thing that I can say about Cataract is that their hearts are definitely in the right place. Kingdom begins with an intro that sounds dangerously … Read more

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