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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)

Sun Worship

Elder Giants
Translation Loss (2015)

Back in early 2014 Elder Giants dropped like a bomb in the midst of the black metal scene. The German outfit had previously released a couple of splits (with Earth Chaos and Unru) as well as an EP and a demo, but their debut album found them on a whole different level. Their work managed to encompass different aspects of the black metal realm, as well as the tendency to slightly move outside of its boundaries. The first instance where the black metal outlook rises to the surface is after the initial sample in “We Sleep,” immediately letting on a pessimistic quality. Even though the parts are fast and aggressive, the guitars do contain a certain amount of melancholy. The track slithers through this point of view, progressing and evolving through the blasts and digging deeper into despair with its lead work. The title track is also infected with this saddened essence, again in a blazing contrast with the faster and more aggressive parts, resulting in the band's ability to produce a great atmospheric cover for their black metal core.But that does not limit them when it comes to taking on a more direct approach. “We Sleep” makes switches to … Read more

Pas Musique

Inside the Spectrum
Alrealon Musique (2015)

Forming in Brooklyn in 1995 as a collective based around abstract sound, Pas Musique translates to “Not Music” in French, … Read more

Loud Boyz

Tough Love, Hard Feelings
Cricket Cemetery (2015)

Before I get started I’m going to dish out a rare complement. Loud Boyz have a good, fitting name. Even … Read more

Craig Taylor-Broad

For the Organs
Independent (2015)

Without doubt, one of my favorite musical discoveries of the past few years has been British singer-songwriter Craig Taylor-Broad. After … Read more

Foetus

Soak
Ectopic Ents (2014)

When you hear the term "industrial" in regards to music from the likes of Nine Inch Nails, Rammstein or Ministry, … Read more

PC Worship

Basement Hysteria
Northern Spy (2015)

There appears to be a quite mysterious aura surrounding the existence of PC Worship. The band itself has left a … Read more

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One from the archives

Total Control

Typical System
Iron Lung (2014)

Sometimes you get stuck on a review. Sure, I meant to delve outside my comfort zone a bit in grabbing this record, but I’ve been a little stuck on the details. The plus side, of course, is that means I’ve given it dozens of spins.Typical System is the second release from Melbourne’s Total Control. The band features some recognizable names who have played with Eddy Current Suppression Ring and UV Race, but they’re really their own project with a completely new focus on dark and synthesized music. While it’s beat-driven, calling it dance music is a stetch. It’s somewhere between mid-era Cure and very early Ministry in tone: haunting and atmospheric. The synths will shimmer through the clouds, but it’s always overcast while listening to Typical System. The vocals are … Read more

More album reviews

The Body & Krieg

The Body & Krieg
At A Loss (2015)

How much hatred can be produced within 48 hours? That is how long it took apocalyptic sludge outfit The Body and the main man of black metal sonic force Krieg, Neil Jameson, to record their collaboration. The Body are not new to the field of collaborative albums, which includes works with Braveyoung, Vampillia and Thou. However, there is something much … Read more

Denner/Shermann

Satan's Tomb EP
Metal Blade (2015)

Murray/Smith King/Hanneman Tipton/Downing These are just a few of the lead guitar duos from Iron Maiden, Slayer and Judas Priest respectively, that dominated heavy metal music of the 1980s and beyond. Perhaps lesser known, but by no means lesser in all other areas is the guitar duo do Michael Denner and Hank Shermann from Mercyful Fate, the band whose music … Read more

Various Artists

Post Teens / Rose Cross - split 7"
Dead Tank (2015)

Nice little split 7” here from Dead Tank that I’ve admittedly been sitting on way too long. Technically this is a 2014 release, although I don’t think it started hitting the shops until 2015. Rose Cross is really awesome. One of my favorite discoveries of this past year. They’ve been around for a while but I wasn’t acquainted with them … Read more

Make Do and Mend

Don't Be Long
Rise (2015)

Back in 2010, Make Do and Mend were taking over top 10 lists with their debut, End Measured Mile. The band went on to shake things up with, Everything You Ever Loved. They slowed things down and focused on finding the right formula for their songs to burst and bloom. Their newest record, Don't Be Long, takes every chance it … Read more

Flotsam and Jetsam

No Place For Disgrace 2014
Metal Blade (2014)

I can remember very clearly when I first heard of Flotsam and Jetsam. As a young hesher growing up outside of Vancouver, Canada in 1986, some bands were on my radar and some were not. Flotsam and Jetsam were the latter. Until the end of that year, when I heard that their bassist, a certain Mr. Jason Newsted had left … Read more

Giorgio Moroder

Deja Vu
RCA (2015)

I admit it: arguably the guiltiest of my guilty pleasures is Euro disco, a genre which found (sometimes quite dubiously-talented) European musicians exaggerating the basic tenets of '70s dance music to the point of near-absurdity. Hard as it is to resist the infectious but undeniably cheesy keyboard lines in many of the genre's songs though, it also would be difficult … Read more

Daniel Menche & Mamiffer

Crater
Sige (2015)

In 2014 Mamiffer, the project of Faith Coloccia, released Statu Nascendi, which was described as a transitional album, leading to the next full-length the band would eventually release. Statu Nascendi definitely felt like an album of change, with Coloccia and collaborator Aaron Turner stepping further into the realms of minimalism and drone. It might still be a while until The … Read more

Basement Benders

Lydiad
No Idea (2015)

Side projects aren’t supposed to invite other band comparisons, they’re supposed to separate, to show artisticrange. Who are we kidding here? Basement Benders is a punk project out of members of This Bike Is A Pipe Bomb, Hidden Spots, Future Virgins, and Black Rainbow—DIY bands who live the scene, meaning that being themselves and having fun with friends probably outweighs … Read more

The Great Tyrant

The Trouble With Being Born
Relapse (2015)

In the time before Pinkish Black there was The Great Tyrant. The latest album of Pinkish Black came out a few days back, establishing them as one of the more interesting experimental acts out there, encompassing psychedelia, post-punk and new wave influences, a blackened perspective and even a doom approach. Their first, self-titled album was released through Handmade Birds, but … Read more

Dilly Dally

Sore
Partisan Records (2015)

Dilly Dally is a four-piece rock band from Toronto who describes themselves as “#softgrunge” on their Facebook page - I'm not sure how serious it is, but it seems to be relatively accurate (and in a good way, believe it or not!) Their debut Sore gives me two things I’ve been looking for in modern-day rock: (1) more girl rock … Read more

Extinction A.D.

Faithkiller
Good Fight (2015)

Extinction A.D. rose like hellfire from the rubble of the, now listless, Long Island hardcore outfit This is Hell. In a rare move, the entire musical backing of This is Hell packed up and moved into the world of thrash, leaving the band’s lead vocalist in the dust. The result was Extinction A.D., an immaculate four-piece thrash metal juggernaut. The … Read more

Baldruin

Portal
Wounded Knife Records (2015)

Baldruin, the brainchild of Johannes Schebler, is wondering through the psychic domains of ambient music. Even though the project is relatively new, Schebler has put out a number of releases, various split albums and cassettes. However, Portal is the debut of Baldruin in the vinyl domain, released through Wounded Knife Records. What attracts Baldruin to the ambient domain so much … Read more

Night Birds

Mutiny at Muscle Beach
Fat Wreck Chords (2015)

It’s getting tough to find new things to say about Night Birds. They’re as great as ever with third LP Mutiny at Muscle Beach, it’s just that the sound hasn’t changed all that dramatically from day one. Album #3 is supposed to be when they go all avant on us.Their career has filled out nicely, with textural differences and a … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Mercy Killings

Snuffed Out
Beach Impediment (2015)

This is the second 7” from this new-ish congruence of Richmond, VA old-timers. The band flexes a pedigree that includes Wasted Time, Government Warning, Direct Control and a whole bunch of others. Eight minutes in total of bulldozer USHC in the most straightforward sense. No fucking about whatsoever; just head down, get the fuck out of the way hardcore punk. … Read more

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