Bazooka hail from Greece and their tumultuous current situation has left its mark on the sound of this band. Lo-fi, double drumming, weirdo psych-outs – it all adds up to an assured debut that buzzes with early 90s garage vibes and 70s punk as well as a nice line in indie melody. “Ravening Trip” sounds like it could have come out twenty years ago but the modern edge is distinct and the fuzzy trip of the song bounds along on to the fun-filled rhythms of “Bye Bye Girl.” The catchy upbeat tempo does much to mask the words and most of the time the only lyrics you can pick out are the titles but hey, it’s good fun and that’s what counts here. Bazooka aren’t breaking down any walls with Bazooka but they’re pretty darn good at writing catchy hooks and the fast pace of the record makes it an enjoyable trip into a scene we don’t really hear too much about. “Shame Take My Brain” trips out on spacy guitar progressions and howling vocals while “Kortist Stin Akti” and its entirely Greek lyrics spin out into ever more psychedelic territory and Bazooka continue the trip into the unknown. Fun. Read more
Canadian sound artist Tim Hecker is no stranger to the more esoteric side of electronic composition. Continued experimentation with increasingly … Read more
Direct Hit! get filed in the Midwest pop-punk scene and, while they deviate throughout the course of Brainless God, that’s … Read more
On one end of an (unscientific) scale of popular male singer-songwriters sits Ed Sheeran, perched comfortably at the top of … Read more
On first listen of The Ruins of Beverast new record Blood Vaults – The Blazing Gospel Of Heinrich Kramer (Cryptae … Read more
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We all have artists we love, artists we want to emulate. That's part of what makes each person's music unique: we bring in elements of a wide array of influences, and the music we create is decidedly original. That's why two artists can be in the same genre and sound almost nothing alike. Of course, sometimes a band can get so enamoured with another artist that they seek to emulate them entirely. But generally this is the exception, rather than the rule.I bring this up because Portuguese metal act Confront Hate aren't merely in love with another band; they're basically <BEGIN METAPHOR DIGRESSION> the professional stalkers of djent-father Gojira (who, for the sake of this extended metaphor, will be represented by a large, masculine whale). These guys don't just show … Read more
In what amounts as no surprise whatsoever, the Profane Existence Single Series just keeps on delivering the goods.Broken Waves is the sixth P.E.S.S. release now and comes via Midwestern eardrum assassins Krang.A few years ago I saw these guys at a sports bar in Wisconsin. At the start of their set the singer spewed something undecipherable about “ancient religions,” then … Read more
Taking Side A on the Elgin, IL focused 7” are The Brokedowns, who last released Species Bender in 2010. After a slew of splits in their career and a few full-lengths, they’ve really settled into a distinct style. It’s punk with a verse-chorus-verse kind of structure at its core, but one that they take loosely, preferring to eschew the bridge … Read more
This is the type of release that you might find yourself anxiously waiting for if, one, you are a hopeless nerd for the band (in which case I am) or, two, you find elaborate and unique packaging to be completely in your wheelhouse (double check for me); so Monument Of Decay from Sutekh Hexen is a perfect confluence of these … Read more
We've finally come to the last of Dave Hause's EP series. The final EP comes from Side One Dummy and features covers of Flogging Molly's "Whistles the Wind" and Audra Mae's song, "The River." I'm sad to say, this was probably the most boring of the 5 EPs, but the covers save it. The acoustic version of "Resolutions" present on … Read more
Year Of No Light’s emotive instrumental approach is one that embraces the deeper, heavier side of post/sludge/atmospheric music and the cavernous melodies that they dredge up from the darkest pits of night are terrifying and weighty. The six strong French band boast two drummers amidst their ranks and on Tocsin here they utilise that strength to push the songs forward … Read more
After a successful gig at Fest 12 last month the Massachusetts based power trio The Young Leaves will hit the road to support their third release Alive and Well. With this release the band shows its here for the duration and also shows growth in their songwriting, musically the band is sounding louder and better than ever. A three piece … Read more
Since their inception, Iron Chic have had a steady rotation through out the years through my speakers and a special place in my heart. Following their full length debut, I was ready to have another album. It's finally arrived in the form of The Constant One, and it does not disappoint. Any fan of this band are going to find … Read more
If ever a band was created for an epic singalong, it was Iron Chic. There’s that big feeling at the core of their soaring melodies as they build and rage, starting with a verse from Jason Lubrano and building to a gang singalong at the chorus in nearly every song. They’re songs that transcend the performers, taking on the personality … Read more
Imagine my pleasant surprise when the reissue of the long out of print vinyl version of the Saturday Looks Good To Me album Every Night was announced, and even pleasant surprise might be underselling just how excited I was to hear that the LP was being reissued because I had been searching for this format of the album for quite … Read more
A void was left in the world for those that enjoyed the jangly indie pop of Saturday Looks Good To Me when the group disbanded sometime following a tour in 2008 leaving us all wondering if we would ever hear the fun and sweet music that only Fred Thomas and company had been providing since they started playing their unique … Read more
I still remember the first time I saw Universe217 playing live in Athens, back in 2008. They were the supporting act for Scott Kelly of Neurosis and I found myself thinking that this band definitely is on the right path in terms of what they are doing with their music. Considering they had just released their debut self-titled album at … Read more
Splits are a dilemma at times, as they inevitably will either inform you of a new band or have a couple of songs that are clearly overshadowed by their counterpart. I am happy to report that is not the case for this split. With two of the Northwest hardcore scenes' heaviest, this record is a rager from start to finish. … Read more
It's always cool when bands from opposite sides of the world do a split together. It worked great for Thursday and Envy. Here, we have UNFUN from Canada and Despite Everything from Greece. Both have a different brand of dirty punk-rock. In the case of this split though, the Canadians lost. UNFUN's songs have great material to dance and sing-a-long … Read more
Aaron & the Sea have come a long way from writing dinosaur-themed ballads. The Minneapolis band formed in 2008 when roommates Aaron Rice and Alex Brown started making music together, and later completed their line-up with the arrival of drummer Peter Leggett. Over a year after releasing their debut album Creature Creature the trio are back with their Cloak & … Read more
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