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)

American Werewolves

1968
Fractured Transmitter (2005)

If you were to randomly walk into a concert venue while American Werewolves were performing you would be extremely fortunate. The four-piece punk outfit from Cleveland delivers a unique blend of Misfits-worship punk, but with an oh so sweet twist. That twist is their incorporation of early - I'm talking 1950's - rock-n-roll, B-movie keys, and hints of early hardcore. 1968 beings with "Untamed Youth," an upbeat punk anthem not unlike mid-career AFI charged with infectious sing-along choruses. Things keep moving with "American Werewolves," which features eerie organ notes and lots of "whooooooa"s throughout. "Nothing in the Dark" and "1968" both follow in similar fashion, the later of which contains hardcore-esqe sing-alongs. American Werewolves change up the pace with "For Your Blood." The song opens with vocalist Trevor Moment crooning "If these tears could form a stairway / I would come back from this hell / And I would be right there to catch you / When the devils angels fell / Tears filled by eyes when I first realized that you would bleed" in his best Elvis voice before screaming "for me!" And while the remainder of the song is the essence of punk, that opening segment is what … Read more

A Day in Black and White

Notes
Level Plane (2005)

On Notes, A Day in Black and White's debut full-length, they get to point quickly; in one minute and twenty … Read more

Logh

A Sunset Panorama
Hydra Head (2005)

Is Sweden even cold? Whenever I think of Northern Europe, I think of mountains, yodelers, and folks with Princess Leia … Read more

Ulver

Blood Inside
Jester (2005)

Have you heard the myth about prisoners stubbing out cigarettes into a bucket of water in order to create enough … Read more

Maria Taylor

11:11
Saddle Creek (2005)

A spotlight can show a lot about a person. Over the course of her career Maria Taylor has been, arguably, … Read more

Project X

Straight Edge Revenge (Reissue)
Bridge Nine (2005)

"I'm as straight as the line that you sniff up your nose / I'm as hard as the booze that … Read more

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One from the archives

The Sawtooth Grin

Cuddlemonster
Dead By 1918 (2004)

The only thing that kept repeating in my head the entire time I listened to this record was "Wow, the Locust certainly do this whole 'chaos' thing a lot better." And that's my opinion of the whole thing, really. It's a big mess of high-pitched (we're talking exceedingly high-pitched) vocals and drums pushed all the way to the front. The whole record sounds like a band trying to be a chaotic grindcore band, but with less focus, poorer production skills, and a lack of any real threat. The band hasn't gotten the realization that what makes a good chaotic grind band is a focus on dynamics and structure, which this band certainly doesn't have. Part of me thinks this is a big joke, due to song titles like "Please Shit … Read more

More album reviews

Killing the Dream

In Place, Apart
Deathwish Inc. (2005)

It wasn't too that ago that Killing the Dream was just a band with a demo. Upon first hearing said demo, I shared it with every single person that I knew telling them "this band is going to be huge." So maybe they're not selling out amphitheatres, but Killing the Dream are signed to one of hardcore's largest labels and … Read more

Dead Blonde Girlfriend

Dead Blonde Girlfriend
Art Monkey (2005)

Joie Blaney is, or at least, was a musical anomaly. Under the guise of Joie Dead Blonde Girlfriend, he plays an acoustic guitar faster and louder than any punk band. He sings his songs with the soul of a poet and with the voice of a cement mixer. He writes from the heart. He writes honestly and never once complains. … Read more

The Distance

If You Lived Here You'd be Home Already
Think Fast! (2005)

When middle-school seemed too far away and Goosebumps represented literature, birthday parties were the fucking shit. I'd eat cake, party hard and take the occasional peak up a dress. Okay, 33% of that was a lie. The only negative aspect was having to get a birthday present for the little sucker. But, by the end of the night I would … Read more

Test Icicles

For Screening Purposes Only
Domino (2005)

If you believe the hype currently going around then you must think that the UK music scene is at its strongest since Oasis and Blur fought over the Brit-pop crown or perhaps even when The Stone Roses and The Happy Mondays were teaching the kids to take drugs and dance. Test Icicles are seen to be one of those leading … Read more

Coliseum / Doomriders

Not of This World
Level Plane (2005)

At a recent Coliseum show, vocalist/guitarist Ryan Patterson made mention that Glenn Danzig was a big influence and source of inspiration for him for years. On Not of This World both Coliseum and Doomriders pay tribute to that man. Although short by most standards, this split EP packs enough of a wallop that it shames a majority of the full-lengths … Read more

Ringworm

Justice Replaced by Revenge
Victory (2005)

It's rather sad that a band as influential as Ringworm has been reduced to being promoted as 'featuring members of Terror.' By no means is this a knock at Terror, they're a solid band and extremely entertaining in a live setting. But Ringworm is a band that has been around for over a decade. During that time the band released … Read more

Anchorage / Lies in the Effort

Split
I Ate Her (2005)

I don't like split releases. They annoy me because I would rather hear an EP by the two separate bands to digest it completely before I am being forced to listen to another band's output on the same disc. Also, you never hear anyone say that a split is their favorite record of all time because quite frankly splits just … Read more

Grace Gale

A Few Easy Steps to Secure Heli-Camel Safety
Blackout! (2005)

At any point in time you may catch me watching television, usually an Aqua Teen Hunger Force DVD, Comedy Central, or Cartoon Network. However, lately, I've been watching The Food Network almost nonstop. No, seriously. So with my diligent viewing of shows like 'Food 911!' and 'Inside Dish with Rachael Ray' I've decided to present you with the following recipe. … Read more

Byla

Byla
Translation Loss (2005)

Byla is an ambient duo consisting of members of Dysrhytmia, Behold the Arctopus, and Infidel?/Castro!. The two started to work together in 2003 and have put out their debut full-length this year on Translation Loss Records. Despite the fact that their other bands are known for making either noise (Infidel?/Castro!) or being a technical debauchery (Behold the Arctopus), this band … Read more

Exodus

Shovel Headed Kill Machine
Nuclear Blast (2005)

We've all heard the stories. Someone leaves your favorite band and the remaining members have two choices.... carry on or pack it in. It doesn't mean shit to a tree why the member left - whether they were kicked out, quit, or had a bus roll over on them, the point is they're gone, and as popular as the band … Read more

Neshamah

Communicating in Heartbeats
Witchdoctor (2005)

If you ask me, there's no musical genre more ripe to be picked from the tree of potential and placed into the basket of commercial acceptance than South African Christian Hardcore (SACH). Yes, a bold and untapped market is just waiting for us to shell out our Krugerrands and spread the joys of Jesus. What's that you say? You're not … Read more

Sunn 0)))

Black One
Southern Lord (2005)

This is the sound of being stalked by some unnamed horror that you are too afraid to turn around and see. The suspense builds and wanes and builds more to the harrowing climax leaving you with only the droning aftermath to contemplate that anxiety attack that you may have just experienced. What a deliciously terrifying opening to an album. Sunn … Read more

Kill Your Idols

Live at CBGB's
Blackout! (2005)

I'm a fan of Kill Your Idols, hell I rock their hoodie every cold day in myriad of cold days that I endure in the frozen tundra of Minnesota. I've even been privy to see Kill Your Idols twice in the last five years, which by Twin Cities standards, that's like seeing them every week. Kill Your Idols is a … Read more

Ian Brown

The Greatest
Polydor (2005)

Ian Brown is held in high regard by many, many people; which I guess you can sort of expect for the man that was the lead singer of The Stone Roses. With the release of his greatest hits album under the imaginative title The Greatest, Brown is pretty sure of himself and his music. God knows why. Seriously the guy … Read more

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