Pandemix are new to me, and they’re difficult to sum up in just a few words. That’s a complement. It’s punk by genre, but a few subgenre adjectives aren’t going to capture the band. In Condemnation isn’t exactly complex (we’re talking punk rock here), but it’s diverse in subtle ways that keep the energy level high and fresh as it shreds through 10 tracks in 28 minutes.There’s a 1980s bluntness, along with vocalist Shannon Thompson’s general style that’s a speak-sing-shout with vitriol, spite and, yes, condemnation. But the music is far from the predictable verse-chorus-verse singalong where you know the words on first listen. The lyrics tell a story instead of a catchphrase and the music builds up and shifts gears accordingly. The guitars here are as much The Jesus Lizard as they are Black Flag.Those unpredictable turns give extra power throughout. “No Monuments” sets the tone early. After a brief intro, a heavy beat segues into fierce aggression with a few breathers interspersed before a hellacious breakdown kicks it into overdrive to finish. That energy transfers in “Can’t Assimilate,” one of many standouts on the record, which is a little more chord-heavy but with some quick change-of-direction moments that … Read more
Every now and then I come home from the supermarket and think to myself, while unpacking: I should not have … Read more
Spirit Adrift may have only been a band for five years or so, yet their output has been consistent (Divided … Read more
I came to this book through it’s author. Ian Lawrence Campbell Swordy aka Pony. His involvement in Bent Outta Shape, … Read more
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n theory, this band should be really, really fucking good - a supergroup composed of three accomplished artists already involved with various supergroups of their own. Dan Bejar (Destroyer, New Pornographers), Carey Mercer (Frog Eyes, Blackout Beach) and Spencer Krug (Wolf Parade, Sunset Rubdown) collaborating and throwing around their signature esoteric surrealist sounds like a aural feast. Buzz surrounding Enemy Mine was understandably substantial. Sure, their first record, Beast Moans, was a lukewarm effort, seemingly thrown together in a couple chemically-fueled jam sessions - but it did hint at the trio's full potential. It was mangled by a disproportionate allocation of audio space between the three singers (Bejar's influence felt much more substantial than Krug's or Mercer's), but there were moments of genuine genius tucked away in some of the … Read more
Is artwork an important part of a record? I tend to think so. I am bit old-school and like to listen to a record with the cover in my hand looking at the artwork or reading along with the lyrics. The Carvels NYC must feel the same. Their previous EP Everything With You Is A Travesty had a real gem … Read more
At the height of the Northwest music explosion of the early 90s, L7 were among many bands branded with the ubiquitous tag of “grunge”. They weren’t from Seattle, but they had just enough distortion on their guitars to be regarded as such. This put them in a unique situation, as they were really the only all-female band to be inducted … Read more
Experimental drone alchemists Sunn O))) have defined two decades of extreme music with their slow, dark offerings. Starting in the early ‘00s, the duo comprised of Stephen O’Malley and Greg Anderson proved to be the most talented disciple of Dylan Carlson’s early sonic investigations with Earth. In those early days the music of Sunn O))) was a cataclysmic experience, highlighted … Read more
As a record reviewer, sometimes I find it hard to review different works by the same artists. There comes a point when I just say “this sounds like that,” which doesn’t help anyone. So as much as I’m trying to avoid that angle here, I’m going to start out by mentioning that Rivers Edge features members (and the same vocalists) … Read more
Vaura is an interesting act for multiple reasons. Firstly it is the brainchild of four incredible musicians in Joshua Strawn of experimetal, dark pop explorers Azar Swan, Kevin Hufnagel of technical death metal beast Gorguts, Toby Driver of elusive post-everything act Kayo Dot and Charlie Schmid, previously of extreme avant-metallists Tombs. What is even more intriguing however is that Vaura … Read more
With a name like Wristmeetrazor could assume what you would be getting with this record before heading in and pressing play. While you may not be entirely wrong you would most certainly be partially wrong at best. While you could assume the record treads in emotionally raw lyrics and you would be correct but to also assume there is a … Read more
Music is a form of expression and therapy and often times the only way an artist can make sense of the events going on around them. It's something Bob Mould makes very clear when he steps up to the mic. After years of dealing with loss and delving deeper into a darkness that surrounded him, he's letting his new album, … Read more
In the early ‘10s it felt like the progressive sludge scene had produced all of its great records, and that moving forwards the genre would settle in a plateau state. But in the underground, there was one band that was still not contempt with the confinements of the genre, and they displayed that with their debut record Sundown. Inter Arma’s … Read more
Chicago’s Oozing Wound have been riding the thrash train since their inception in 2011, yet this trio are more than just that label, instead they are a band that incorporates many different aspects of the metal world into their music and in doing so create high energy vibrations that enable them to put their points across in a fun and … Read more
From the start of Collecting Misery it’s clear that Nadir is one of those bands fronted by someone who is usually on a different instrument. Sure, the DIY production also influences the sound, but the vocals are just a bit less fluid than in most bands. It’s not a slight against the band, just that it sounds a little less … Read more
Much of what I listen to on the regular is of the three-chord punk variety. While I want the bands in that field to switch up their sound, to develop and grow, the differences are usually pretty subtle in that world. The Coathangers, though, are something else and for some reason I’m always surprised when I put on each new … Read more
Recently I picked up my longboard from the barn where it was in hibernation for quite some time. I have been cleaning the bearings and other necessary maintenance. All the while looking out the window checking if the weather was adjusting to the meteorological time of the year: spring! Why this urgent need to skate? A long answer short: this … Read more
Nightmarathons are a tough band to pin down. Sure, they fit somewhere under that ever-widening punk umbrella, but it pulls from different areas without fitting neatly into any single substyle. To make a blanket statement, I’d say its heavily influenced by ‘00s punk across the board, with different singers who take the songs in different directions. There’s some first wave … Read more
It had been a long time since I’d listened to The Bananas – and I have to ask myself why. It’s that peppy, poppy, yet underproduced DIY thing that I basically groove on. A few seconds of “La Touraine” is all it takes to get the leg bouncing and a smile on my face. I’m not going to say that … Read more
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