Recent reviews

Our latest album reviews, featuring the records we've most enjoyed (or not) over the past few weeks.

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

Daughters

Hell Songs
Hydra Head (2006)

Man, The Jesus Lizard really left their mark. And as funny as it seems for such a quaint little band from Chicago, to this very day they're still firmly imprinted and can be spotted ever so clearly within modern music all across the board. Maybe its just that David Yow & Co.'s expansive sound was such a mishmash of punk, rock, attitude, and bizarre licks that it just seems like a lot of bands are trying to imitate it. Maybe their sound is so expansive and engulfs so many musical niches that every other band just happens to have sounds alike them. Or maybe it's just that the sound The Liz' patented reeks of an undeniable coolness and a certain brand of swagger and strut that comes from the testicles of well-fed men and the mind of a mental patient in the outside world. So why does that matter? Well in our terrified world of anti-substance, everyone wants to be just as cool as The Jesus Lizard. Including Providence, Rhode Island's very own little band, Daughters. You may remember the first incarnation of the members that make up Daughters from the later 1990's. The previous band was a crazy metal-core/grind … Read more

Heideroosjes

Royal to the Bone
I Scream (2006)

If the name didn't clue you in, Heideroosjes ("the Meadow Flowers") are one of those oft-mentioned European punk bands; they're … Read more

Black Hell

Deformers of the Universe
Hater of God (2006)

I'm from Arizona, so I'm not jumping at the chance to describe Black Hell as "crawling out of the sandblasted … Read more

The Pipettes

We are The Pipettes
Memphis Industries (2006)

Sometimes the best way to create something new and fresh is to look to the past and try to bring … Read more

Regret

Misery Brigade
Organized Crime (2006)

Organized Crime Records is branching out these days with the release from a band that isn't from the Chicago metropolitan … Read more

The Format

Dog Problems
The Vanity Label (2006)

In all honesty, I chose to review The Format's Dog Problems simply to avoid reviewing a hardcore album, which is … Read more

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One from the archives

Ceremony

Scared People
Bridge Nine (2007)

One of the better bands currently existing in hardcore returns with a new EP, their first release since signing to Bridge Nine Records. This time around Ceremony shows they've got more in their songwriting arsenal than just lightning fast demonstrations of hate a la Infest. Showing even more variance in writing than their last release, Scared People shows what promise Ceremony has as a still relatively young band, however there's something lacking in either the production or the performance itself on this seven inch that brings down the intensity of this records compared to others. While it still comes off as aggressive, there isn't that same feeling of uncontested rage heard on previous recordings. Scared People is still worth checking out nonetheless, if only for the Negative FX cover. Read more

More album reviews

Cursive

Happy Hollow
Saddle Creek (2006)

Cursive is one of my favorite bands. I was highly anticipating the release of their sixth LP, Happy Hollow. It had been over a year since their fifth release, The Difference Between Houses and Homes, a collection of b-sides, and over three years since the highly acclaimed The Ugly Organ. With all this time, I was sure Cursive would release … Read more

Cursive

Happy Hollow
Saddle Creek (2006)

After completing their tour in support of the 2003 release The Ugly Organ, Cursive went on what many fans feared to be an indefinite hiatus. During the break lead vocalist Tim Kasher and guitarist Ted Stevens took time to focus on their other projects, releasing The Good Life's Album of the Year and Mayday's Bushido Karaoke, well the rest of … Read more

Outkast

Idlewild
LaFace (2006)

Andre Benjamin and Antwan Patton have reached an interesting point in their careers. After a handful of exceptional albums, Outkast have finally hit their slump. Since their music is essentially created by two people, it is easy to look at their history as a relationship. Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik was their awkward but promising first date. ATLiens marked the moment they realized that … Read more

Turn It Around

These Days
This Blessing, This Curse (2006)

It's been a while since Sacramento churned out a new band worth hearing, but Turn it Around is that band. Their four-song 7" is chuck-full of fast-paced hardcore with a dash of melody. "Live it Up" kicks things off in a sound that is reminiscent of Comeback Kid, which is ironic given the band's name in correlation to Comeback Kid's … Read more

Triple Twins/A Roman Holiday

Split
Rorschach (2006)

The A-Side of this split features indie rock outfit A Roman Holiday. Their first contribution to this split is "Octopus." The song is a fun and energetic indie rock tune that reminded me quite a bit of Cursive. "Apocolypse Part II," on the other hand takes to a more laid back approach. The first 30 seconds kind of turned me … Read more

Steel Trap

Cold.Dead.Broke.
This Blessing, This Curse (2006)

Steel Trap is the latest export from the highly talented Bay Area scene. This five-piece group serves up volatile hardcore that no doubt gets the dance floor moving. The 7" kicks off with your typical intro track of building guitars and a sing-along, this one is "T-S-M!" - not to sure on the meaning of that though, must be an … Read more

Shipwreck

Shipwreck
Deathwish Inc. (2006)

This 7" has launched Shipwreck to the forefront of the hardcore scene, and with their recent signing to Deathwish, further fuel has been added to the flames. Side A opens with a little acoustic number akin to the theme from Desperado before things really kick off. "Au Pach" draws heavily on the mid-90's scene that first combined elements of metal … Read more

Our Times

Our Times
Headcount (2006)

Buffalo has a rich history as far as hardcore goes. In recent years things have been a bit stagnant, but bands like Dead Hearts and Our Times are looking to change that. Our Times are a straightedge band that play ultra-fast hardcore punk. Musically, I could see them fitting in with the Youngblood Records catalog. They've got that youth-crew revival … Read more

Deep Sleep

You're Screwed
Grave Mistake (2006)

You're Screwed is nine songs of modern punk from Baltimore-based Deep Sleep. The songs on this 7" are quick and to the point and fueled by high-octane energy. Unfortunately, Deep Sleep just really isn't my thing, which is surprising as they claim to be heavily influenced by the Descendents, who are one of my old-time favorites. But unlike the Descendents, … Read more

Cloak/Dagger

Piñata
Grave Mistake (2006)

When you look at the pedigree of Cloak/Dagger, you really can't argue with it: American Nightmare, Striking Distance, Count Me Out, and Trial by Fire, among others. But what is refreshing is that Piñata really doesn't sound exactly like any of those bands. Cloak/Dagger deliver four songs of aggressive hardcore-punk, not hardcore, not punk, on this 7". "Daggers Daggers" sets … Read more

Right On

Reality Vacation
Malfunction (2006)

There are a grand total of twenty-four tracks on Reality Vacation, that's a lot of hardcore. However, like most bands on Malfunction their first release on compact disc usually serves as a discography of sorts, which is always nice for the record player deficit out there. So let's divide this up. Tracks one through nine are the actual Reality Vacation … Read more

Rob Zombie

Educated Horses
Geffen (2006)

It's been four and a half years since Mr. Zombie last released an album of new material. That album was The Sinister Urge and I didn't like it. It sounded like an album of Hellbilly Deluxe (Zombie's vastly superior debut solo album) b-sides. A group of orphaned songs that was never quite good enough to be adopted into a real … Read more

108

Creation. Sustenance. Destruction.
Equal Vision (2006)

108 may have been one of the major proponents of the "Krishna core" movement of the early to mid 1990's in the hardcore and punk scene, but the religious or ideological essence of their music does not even come close to overshadowing the energetic, passionate music that they produced over their short but relatively productive lifetime. At this point it … Read more

Panic

Strength in Solitude
Bridge Nine (2006)

At first listen, Panic seems like your stereotypical Bridge Nine band. In a way they are, and in a way they aren't. But I'll get to that in a second. Strength in Solitude is a comprehensive look at everything the band produced in its first two years as a band (2000-2002). This includes the out-of-print Dying For It EP (2001) … Read more

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