Back in the mid 1990's, there was one place to turn to for hardcore, and that was the thriving mecca of New York City. There was a plethora of talented and hard working bands coming from the NYHC scene. Today that work ethic can be rivaled by very few. Die Young are the latest export from Texas, the great state that has given us such things as The Alamo, Pantera, and Nolan Ryan - I like baseball so cut me some slack. Each city in Texas caters to a specific style of music. The Dallas/Ft. Worth area is home to the metal/metalcore crowd, while Austin and El Paso stake claim of the indie/emo kids. And then you have San Antonio and Houston, which are the havens for the traditional hardcore acts. Die Young are the latter, reigning from Houston and playing hardcore music similar to that of Terror. The Message, a full-length release, actually chronicles the bands first year and a half of existence. The release contains Die Young's two previous 7" releases and four brand new tracks chuck full of crucial sing-alongs and heavy dance parts. So for those of you that weren't previously familiar to the band, this … Read more
Why do we like this guy so much? He is a horrible songwriter, he has a mediocre voice, and the … Read more
Young Liars was one of the most exceptional releases that I have heard in recent years. It caught me completely … Read more
Prior to listening to Pawn Shoppe Heart, my exposure to The Von Bondies had been rather lacking, and the only … Read more
Choose a year to view reviews of albums released in that year.
755 reviews
43 reviews
25 reviews
300 reviews
5048 reviews
19 reviews
The Cavemen are a garage band from New Zealand with a ton of releases to their name. You know the style: it’s abrasive, it’s risqué, and full o’ swagger. But it’s also catchy, highly energetic and upbeat -- perversely positive, if you will.This 4-song EP runs at about 10 minutes (to be generous) and delivers a wallop. Fittingly titled Euthanise Me the songs are crude-but-kinda cute, balancing a tightrope that avoids shock rock while being clever and still relatable, with some human emotion and metaphor buried behind lyrics like “You ain’t nothing but roadkill to me…I wanna eat your heart and wear your face” or “It’s a nightmare/ Every time I see you/ I lose control.”Fans of fast, sloppy and machismo garage-rock should check this out. It checks all the … Read more
Super producer of such illustrious bands as McLusky, Nirvana, and Bush, (SERIOUSLY STEVE WTF?) Steve Albini recently said that McLusky is the best band working in England right now. Yeah, that may be his characteristic bravado and showmanship, but it also may be pretty close to the truth. On their third full length, The Difference Between Me and You is … Read more
Carina Round is too late for the Riot Grrrl movement, the only recent explosion of female artists. Although lo-fi indie princess Liz Phair and crazy Courtney Love of the now-defunct Hole were not considered true riot grrrls, they still benefited from the epiphany that females can rock. The movement has been strangled to death now that Liz Phair has gone … Read more
Pop quiz hotshot: You re in a mediocre rock band from Omaha whose fan base does not exceed the city limits. You have glorious dreams of standing on stage with brilliant lights illuminating your pale face. The idea of having awestruck roadies set up your equipment while you sip on Heineken's backstage makes you quiver. You have the drive, you … Read more
Every city has that one local band that should be signed to a label and off touring Europe because they are that phenomenal. For Cleveland, that band is a three-piece metal outfit named Dissolute. Previously, the band was restricted by the members additional projects, but with those endeavors out of the way, Dissolute can finally evolve into the musical juggernaut … Read more
Growing up in Cleveland I was more than spoiled when it came to hardcore bands: Integrity, The Spudmonsters, Committed, Ringworm, and countless others. I always found it odd that I rarely heard of hardcore bands from other cities in Ohio. Those that I did hear about were few and far between, not to mention they usually broke up by the … Read more
If legendary musicians were born today, what would they pursue? Would Buddy Rich attempt to create the fastest blast beats, rivaling even those of drum machines? Would Jimi Hendrix attempt to front a metal band and shred like none other? Would Bach sit behind a computer composing epic masterpieces for ravers to "roll" to? Most "musical legends" had no problem … Read more
Let's face it people, America is fat. They're also lazy. The two don't go together to form a very healthy society. I mean, look around you right now. Seriously, do it. What do you see? I'll tell you. Fat people. And not just any fat people, lazy fat people. These lazy fat people are trying to lose weight by cutting … Read more
Walk into a Boston hardcore show and ask a random kid if they like the Dedication, and there is a 95% chance they will do one of the following: A. Call you a faggot. B. Say, "You like that make up wearing band of faggots?" C. Turn around to their group of friends and say "Hey guys, did you hear … Read more
It seems as though the popularity of real hardcore has a formulaic ebb and flow that changes with the years. A style that may draw 500 kids to a VFW hall in 1988 certainly isn't going to get the same crowd in 2004, is it? Well, given the monumental growth of labels like Bridge 9, Martyr, Deathwish and others over … Read more
New York City looks so glamorous from afar, but when I get there I'm reminded that I don't belong with the constant honking, the frustrating one-way streets, and the crazy taxi cab drivers. When I leave, however, I am suddenly left with a longing to belong. I guess NYC is too hip for me, and sometimes it is too hip … Read more
There's this pretty great interview in the most recent issue of Chunklet magazine which talks to Pen Rollings of Honor Roll, more recently of Loincloth fame. In the article, he talks about how all those European metal bands that burn churches down and totally front like they're hard are, in fact, pussies who try too hard. As a result, he … Read more
Minneapolis' most crushing metalcore band are finally back with a new album and a new line up. After a few years on hiatus, Andy Hart and Karl Hensel, both from the recently defunct hardcore band Holding On, have joined Martyr A.D. on vocals and drums respectively. One of my biggest music related pet peeves is when a band I like … Read more
When I first undertook the task of writing the review for Dancing, I wanted to make sure I did the job right the first time. I own Shake Harder Boy, but something about this album was different to me. After a few listens to the album, I was able to establish that there was more experimentation this time around. While … Read more
I'm always in a mood. It's not always a bad mood, although it may be three-quarters of the time, but I'm always in a mood. I've found that certain CD's better suit certain moods. Like, if I feel like partying my ass off, I'll put in Echoes by The Rapture. The other day I was in a weird mood. I … Read more
Looking for the SPB logo? You can download it in a range of styles and colours here:
Click anywhere outside this dialog to close it, or press escape.