Beast is the latest 7” vinyl release from Oakland’s hardcore punk band Replica. It's the first I’ve heard of them since their 2012 demo cassette, which I was big fan of. Likewise I’ve been spinning this one pretty regularly since it arrived this past summer via Prank Records. Replica were just here in Minneapolis earlier this fall (10/4) for Extreme Noise Record’s 30th anniversary bash but sadly I was unable to attend. By all accounts they tore it up.The first thing that’s noticeable is how much they’ve cleaned up their sound. Of course it could be a result of better production but their sonic blitzkrieg seems to be a little more streamlined than I remember. “Imagine Sisyphus” repeats a drum part that’s reminiscent of The Descendents’ “I’m The One.” This took me totally by surprise because it seems a little out of place but I like it nonetheless. It’s totally unfair to leave that as the only frame of reference, as Replica is more in line with DIY-minded patch vest hardcore than they are pop-punk. For instance, both the title track and the closer “Sandy Bottoms” recall the thrash punk revival of the early ‘00s.Take menacing bass lines; mash them … Read more
After a career spanning more than ten years and 4 critically acclaimed albums as the frontman of Manchester 3-piece Doves, … Read more
When Pallbearer released their debut album, Sorrow and Extinction, I was stunned. No matter how good their 2010 demo was, … Read more
Music is wonderful and is one of the few things that echoes across the world and can bring people together … Read more
Needles//Pins are something different in the punk rock realm. Well, that’s not true. They’re entirely familiar and warm, yet they … Read more
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Put together great musicians from diverse backgrounds and you are bound to get something special. That is what happens with Anatomy of Habit and their debut album. With an impressing line up which includes guitarist Will Lindsay of Indian, drummer John McEntire of Tortoise, percussionist Theo Katsaounis of Joan of Arc, bassist Kenny Rasmussen (previously of Radar Eyes) and of course fronted by Mark Solotroff of Bloodyminded, you can be sure that this is bound to be interesting. The band had already released an EP back in 2012, giving us a first taste of their sound and raising the expectations.It is quite difficult to pinpoint the style of Anatomy of Habit, since each member puts a piece in the musical identity puzzle. In the two songs of Ciphers + Axioms … Read more
United Nations have been locked away for a few years now. Members have come and gone and we aren't even exactly sure which ones. In those four years though, they created music, and that music is finally available to the masses in the form of The Next Four Years. While it's being released as a new full length, it's fair … Read more
Cara Neir have made a name for themselves by playing a suffocating blend of grind and black metal. while this may not seem like a particularly novel mix how the band does it and/or makes it work lends them enough credence to deserve a listen. From the discordant riffing of opener "Peridot" the band makes it's mark on the listener … Read more
Somewhere along the way (and it's hard to say when exactly), but somewhere along the way Electric Wizard became more than a band. They became an idea. They became an attitude. A state of mind. Words like "titans" and "legends" began to accompany the band any time they were mentioned in print or online. People who didn't before identify as … Read more
Proselyte return with their newest EP, Our Vessel’s In Need, which also marks the first release for Gypsyblood records ( the label of Stavros Giannopoulos of The Atlas Moth) and they really nail it. The insane trio from Boston throw everything they got in this EP, putting together their admiration for bands such as The Melvins alongside acts like Cave … Read more
I never learned German in high school, but Teenage Bottlerocket must have because their latest 7’’ is a nod to the punk side of the German language. It's been nearly a year and this is still the most currently release from Teenage Bottlerocket. People didn’t seem to expect much from it, and still don’t, unless you’re one of those middle-aged … Read more
They say that good things come to those that wait and for City States and their main member Joel Ebner, it's certainly true. Ebner has spent many years creating and perfecting his debut - Geography - and after forming in 2008, City States first record finally saw the light of day earlier this year. Geography is a lovely little record, … Read more
First showing up in 2012 and making waves in the underground music scene ever since, Sd Laika makes a brand of electronic music that seems to suggest what Richard D. James (i.e. Aphex Twin) might have been making had he turned up in the 2000s and 2010s as opposed to the 1990s. Hailing from Milwaukee, Wisconsin which seems about as … Read more
I’ve long felt there are fewer lesser art forms than the music video. It turns out I was wrong—or, at least pre-1990 it was another game. The Complete Truth About De-Evolution is a DVD compilation of all of Devo’s music videos (1976-1990, minus “Are U Experienced?”), running in chronological order, and it’s a spectacle to behold. Besides the high quality … Read more
Subrosa have managed to get lumped into the doom genre. While that genre tag isn't completely inaccurate it certainly fails to tell the full story of the band. The band certainly has doom elements at times heavy guitars and lengthy song structures may stick out the band refuses to stick to convention and allowing for a style that is more … Read more
The whole concept of one-man black metal projects is quite old. From back in the ‘90s you would have acts like Burzum and Ildjarn (although they would feature also Nidhogg occasionally.) Those acts were great and it was quite nice to see that other musicians today would adapt the same philosophy and try to create solitary projects, with excellent examples … Read more
This is Dirtnap Records.Not to pigeonhole anybody, but man does Steve Adamyk Band hit on that pop structure, garage chaos element that defines the label.Dial Tone is the fourth full-length out of Canada’s Steve Adamyk Band and I reviewed Third a while back. This time around, the band continues their well-crafted, energetic and generally positive vibes in the same fashion. … Read more
Two bands hailing from the US Northwest bring a Metalcore filled split from String Break Records. Seattle's, Balsa, take control of the first half with three tracks, while Portland's all-female act, Sei Hexe, fills out the rest of the split with two tracks. Balsa opens the EP with, "Rasputin." The track doesn't hesitate to play with the core of the … Read more
Having already released two albums showing great promise, Wolvhammer nail it with their third try. No matter how brutal and awe inspiring Black Marketeers of World War III and The Obsidian Plains were, Clawing Into Black Sun stands in a league of its own. It might just be the case that the band took their time for this one, since … Read more
Connecticut musician Pussy Cactus is more than just another quirky and boisterous noise pop girl. With her new five-track EP entitled He’s Fast, Pussy Cactus shows that she can lyrically be very wise and philosophical.On her glum “I Call My Dick Cheney,” Cactus preaches to the human race that “we are all a baby/ we are all a teenager/ we … Read more
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