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)

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 before the advent of the Internet a close friend remarked how Pollard could basically do no wrong as he has the gift of having the voice of a bell. True enough. Once again, it's all here on display in Blues and Boogie Shoes if there remained any shred of reasonable doubt. Is the man a genius? Hell no. But the quality of the songs and his music biz longevity suggest that he may be damn close. Do these songs suggest a new maturity or any of that bullshit many critics had hoped from dear old Bob for so many years? Who knows, and with songs this good, who really cares? These are fast-driving songs to drive fast to, "Heaven's Gate" and "Lost Upon Us," and contemplative strummers like "Beauty of the Draft" and the instrumental "The Camouflaged Friend." This from "Death of The Party," the lead single: "She used to be an American airline / Through hotels / parallels / Of the far out moon…" Tasteful as ever in the lyrical department, and the dueling guitars of Tommy Keene and … 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

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 … 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 … Read more

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One from the archives

GraveRipper

Seasons Dreaming Death
Wise Blood Records (2023)

Indianapolis based black/thrash four piece GraveRipper formed in 2019 and have previously released three EP's , one being a split. Seasons Dreaming Death is their first full length album release. GraveRipper have made sure they have well and truly smashed out a proper rager with Seasons Dreaming Death with ten tracks of masterful fusion of fast paced thrash interspersed with some classic metal and infectious riffage! Fans of Exodus, Slayer and other similar thrash legends will appreciate GraveRipper, however there are inflections of Kreator and definitely some Iron Maiden styles in the pacing, structure and instrumentation as well which makes for good listening. Seasons Dreaming Death is well structured and produced. A couple of tracks are a little muddy but not distracting. I love the high treble sound of Keegan … Read more

More album reviews

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

Jawbone

Hauling
Loose (2006)

Blues is a word all too easily thrown around these days; attached to the current clique of US indie bands, "bluesy" has become just another overused adjective used to describe over-hyped bands that don't actually sound all that bluesy. Jawbone, however, a one-man band from Detroit, actually does, mixing those blues up with splashes of punk guitar and garage rock, … Read more

Death Before Disco

Barricades
Lifeforce (2006)

I'll be the first to admit that I often judge a book by its cover the same way I judge a band by their name and cover art. Simply based on these indicators, Death Before Disco did not give me great first impressions. I mean, Death Before Disco; not only is it a terrible name for this bands sound but … Read more

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