Boris
New Album
Sargent House (2011)
New Album is a bit of a misnomer, at least on this side of the pond. It was actually released all the way back in March in Japan, two months before Heavy Rocks and Attention Please were released globally. The rest of the world had to wait until November to get their paws on it. Somewhat frustratingly, there are actually … Read more
Boris
Pink
Southern Lord (2006)
Initially released late last year on Japanese label Diwphalanx, Pink now finds a worldwide release through Southern Lord. It also see's the band at their scuzzy rock best. Similar in sound in many ways to their 2005 Southern Lord release, Akuma No Uta, but upping the ante considerably with tighter more memorable songs. Tracks like "Regardless it is not Separable" … Read more
BÖRN
Drottningar Dauðans
Iron Lung (2022)
It seems like genre definitions change based on the era. I swear people were calling Sonic Youth post-punk for a while, but nowadays the tag seems to apply to a dystopian style with distant-emotionless vocals. Of course, genre is a tricky beast. It’s often useful for description and concept, but some artists fall into the trap a little too deep. … Read more
Born from Pain
War
Metal Blade (2006)
Born from Pain's fourth full-length, War, is the next logical step for the Dutch masters of hardcore. The music still draws heavily from the 90's New York hardcore scene as well as hints of late 80's thrash metal. But in addition to what you'd expect from Born from Pain, the band has thrown in a few surprises to spice up … Read more
Born/Dead
The Final Collapse
Prank (2008)
Ah, Born/Dead is one of the more notable crust/hardcore bands in the vein of groups like Tragedy (kind of but I would not say this is a good comparison as Born/Dead is a beast all to themselves. They also adhere to a heavy political message in their songs. Touring is also a huge part of this band as they play … Read more
Bosch's With You
Dreams That Come a Thing Part II
KNVBI (2008)
I believe that Bosch's With You is the first Russian band I've sat down and actually listened to. I can't help but make the excuse that Russia is half a world away from where I reside, but on the other hand, the Internet has made it so easy for us these days. This LP is the second in a trilogy … Read more
Bosse-de-Nage
Further Still
Flenser (2018)
The San Fransisco based band, Bosse-de-Nage, was one of the acts to popularize the post-black metal style in its current form. It all begun with their release of their debut, self-titled record in 2010, with the band showcasing not only a way of combining the nihilistic black metal tone with the haze of shoegaze, but rather a more holistic approach … Read more
Bosse-de-Nage
iii
Profound Lore (2012)
Pushing the black metal blueprint ever further from its roots, San Franciscan four-piece Bosse-de-Nage deliver a record of complex intensity and distraught emotion with third full length iii. The enigmatic group very rarely play live and are averse to revealing their true identities, yet iii is a deeply personal collection and portrays an increasingly downward spiral and a descent into … Read more
Botanist
Collective: The Shape of He To Come
Avantgarde Music (2017)
Botanist belongs in this new generation of black metal bands, of acts attempting to reinvigorate the genre by expanding its scope. Post-rock influences and avantgarde notions find their way into Botanist's music, leading to a very successful series of releases, with 2014's VI: Flora standing out in particular. At the same time, stylistically the band departed from not only the … Read more
Botanist
VI: Flora
Flenser (2014)
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
Botch
Unifying Themes Redux / American Nervoso / We are the Romans (Reissues)
Hydra Head (2006)
How does one measure the influence and impact of a band on music? Sure, you could look at album sales, which in the case of The Beatles is a corollary that works, but then you could see how many albums a band like Godsmack or someone like Kenny Chesney has sold and just throw that idea out the window. Truly, … Read more
Boxcar Satan / The Graves Brothers Deluxe
Black Water Rising
Dog Fingers (2007)
Charity records are always a tough breed to review; on the one hand you don't want to say anything bad because they are for a good cause and you have to respect that. On the other hand though, most are a big pile of shite that the majority of people with taste ignore with intent. So it was with some … Read more
Boxcar Satan & Ghostwriter
Hobo Nouveau
East of the West/Dogfingers (2008)
I'll admit - I have a bit of a problem with modern blues. For me, blues, real blues ended in the 1940's with the likes of Robert Johnson and Hudie William "Leadbelly" Ledbetter. When you're a black man in the deep south, you best believe you're gonna have the blues. Nowadays, what the fuck are you bitching for? Boxcar Satan … Read more
Boxcutter
The Ill Testament
Screaming Crow (2009)
I'm probably the last person that should be do a review on the latest album from Pennsylvania's Boxcutter. I haven't had a rough life. Both my parents raised me. I've never seen a friend die. Moreover, even though I wasn't the best kid in the world I never had any run ins with the law. Even today I live in … Read more
Boy Sets Fire
The Misery Index: Notes from the Plague Years
Equal Vision (2006)
In 2001 Boy Sets Fire recorded an album that many consider to be the band's finest hour, After the Eulogy, for Victory Records. The band was becoming bigger and bigger, and were ultimately snatched up by major label Wind-Up Records in 2002. The following year brought an EP, Live for Today, a teaser for an upcoming full length. Later that … Read more
Boy Sets Fire
Tomorrow Comes Today
Wind-Up (2003)
The best way I can sum up my sentiments for this record is by saying that this is a Boy Sets Fire record, while at the same time, is definitely not a Boy Sets Fire record. It's basically the same band as before, but they've traded some of their post-hardcore sound for a sound that fits in more with the … Read more
Boy Sets Fire
Tomorrow Comes Today
Wind-Up (2003)
I used to have Boy Sets Fire's After the Eulogy. I thought it was good at the time, but in retrospect, it was pretty awful. I thought I'd give them a second chance by reviewing this CD. Bad Idea. Since BSF signed to a major and claimed they'd never sell out or change their music, they were, for the most … Read more
Boy Sets Fire
Tomorrow Comes Today
Wind-Up (2003)
Whenever a band signs to a major label(or in this case, the closest thing to) you always have naysayers who say, "Oh they are so going to change their sound. Sell outs." Well in 98% of cases, that is wrong. Welcome to the 2%. Now don't get me wrong. I am not calling BSF sellouts. Not at all. What I … Read more
