Ian McNabb
Great Things
Fairfield Records (2009)
New solo record from the ex-Icicle Works frontman finds him stretching his wings creatively with spectacular results. Songwriting is the focus here, with guitar leads taking a back seat to the overall atmosphere of each song. For the most part, each song is given room to breathe (there's only one song under the 4-minute mark) and time to draw the … Read more
Ian William Craig
Slow Vessels
Fat Cat (2017)
The classically trained Ian William Craig released in 2016 one of the best experimental works of the year in Centres. Applying ample processing to his vocals, in effect enhancing the performance, he created an adventurous record without tempering with the underlying emotion. Today he returns with Slow Vessels, a long EP, which extends the concepts of Centres in a very … Read more
Icare
Charogne
Hummus Records (2022)
Swiss band Icare once started out as a studio project with no real intention to play live. Somewhere between their debut (Khaos) and their sophomore album, Charogne, this changed. The band wanted to play live. Of course you do that by playing one 43 minute long song. That sounds like solid logic right? It is a ballsy move indeed. What … Read more
Ice Dragon
The Soul's Midnight
Independent (2013)
As far as downright ass-dirty stoner metal goes, Ice Dragon are amongst the best. Their latest EP, The Soul's Midnight, sounds absolutely disgusting, and I mean that as a compliment. The tastefully low-quality production actually enhances the low, grumbling, psychedelic ramblings, creating an air of confused haziness about the album that I suspect could only be reproduced by copious amounts … Read more
Iceage
New Brigade
Whats Your Rupture? (2011)
This summer my girlfriend and I… Sorry ladies, I’m taken. That’s one less music nerd on the market. Bummer, I know, right? Ah, where was I? Oh yeah… So, this summer my girlfriend and I have a little Saturday morning tradition, so to speak. We get up early, pack a bag with towels and magazines we won’t read, and head … Read more
Iceage
Plowing into the Field of Love
Matador (2014)
If Danish punk band Iceage’s debut New Brigade gave us just that, then it looks like their third album Plowing into the Field of Love gives us another brigade. Indeed, if it weren’t for Elias Rønnenfelt’s distinct baritone vocals (think Jonathan Richman of The Modern Lovers or Ian Curtis of Joy Division), we probably wouldn’t recognize Plowing as another Iceage … Read more
Iceage
You're Nothing
Matador (2013)
The fact that this record’s release coincided with me preparing for and subsequently taking a vacation, and you know, having a life outside of writing record reviews, means you’re likely reading this well after numerous other Internet outlets have exhausted every possible way to dissect You’re Nothing, the sophomore outing by Denmark’s Iceage, and still come up with the same … Read more
Ides Of Gemini
Constantinople
Neurot\Sige (2012)
Ides Of Gemini probably seem to have come out nowhere to most. Looking at their members there isn't a long ex members of list or any long time battling it out with a ton of releases either. The band seemingly came from nowhere last year by self releasing an EP or demo. Said EP The Disruption Writ was a brief … Read more
Idle Hands
Mana
Eisenwald (2019)
The metal scene is one that moves in cycles, with sub-genres becoming the flavour of the month before the hot new thing moves in to take over the masses for a short time. Goth rock, however, always seems to stay the course. There’s something about the sounds, the feelings, the time period it evokes, and for those reasons the style … Read more
Idlewild
Warnings / Promises
Parlophone (2005)
In 2002, Bob Fairfoul walked out of Idlewild with a rain of misdirected punches. From that moment, it seemed impossible that the next album would be anything other than either a return to an older, easier sound, or a radical change. When bassist Gavin Fox from Irish band Turn and long-term tour guitarist Allan Stewart were drafted into the new … Read more
If Hope Dies
Life in Ruin
Ironclad/Metal Blade (2006)
Auburn is a tranquil town in upstate New York sitting about fifteen minutes outside of the city of Syracuse. You may not be a geography major, but this is relevant. Why, you ask? Because Auburn is the same town that spawned metal masters Manowar and Syracuse is the city that gave birth to hardcore legends Earth Crisis. It is likely … Read more
Iggy & The Stooges
Raw Power (Re-Issue)
Sony (2010)
"Raw Power’s got a son named rock n’ roll" Leave it to Iggy Pop to both boast about this record and succinctly describe what an album’s impact would be on music. Seriously, look at the cover to the album, and I mean REALLY look at it; get it out of your collection and look at it, and if it is … Read more
Iggy & The Stooges
Raw Power: Live In The Hands Of The Fans
MVD Visual (2011)
I am a monster Stooges fan, particularly from the Raw Power era on to their incendiary demise (not a long time period in any case, I know), and was immensely elated to hear that the reformed Stooges mark II lineup was playing in my back yard. I purchased tickets with quickness and spent several months chewing on my arm and … Read more
Iggy & The Stooges
Ready To Die
Fat Possum Records (2013)
The death of Ron Asheton in 2009 was a sad day in music. Considered by this critic and many others to be one of the best guitarists of all time, with his work on the first 2 Stooges album becoming the stuff of legend over the years. Having rejoined with Iggy and the Stooges a few years prior and appearing … Read more
Iggy Pop
Post Pop Depression
Loma Vista Recordings (2016)
When Iggy pop parted ways with The Stooges in the mid-seventies, no one really knew what to expect from the man next. If they had been taking bets in Vegas, the highest odds would have gone to: Moving to Berlin to collaborate with David Bowie. Nevertheless, that's exactly what happened, and the result was his first solo release, The Idiot. … Read more
Ignite
A War Against You
Century Media (2016)
Even after a decade, Ignite still managed to put out a record that was the logical step forward from Our Darkest Days. While it's not a "reunion" album, it certainly feels like it. Up until the last couple years, Ignite have pretty much been on and off when it came to performing. Front-man, Zoli Teglas, went on to join Pennywise … Read more
Ignite
Our Darkest Days
Abacus (2006)
It's been six years since Ignite's last full-length, A Place Called Home, so one might expect their return to be a bit rocky, it having been so long. It turns out that it's anything but rocky. Our Darkest Days is quite possibly Ignite's best work to date, and depending on your tastes, you may or may not agree. Vocalist Zoli … Read more
Ignite the Will
Words Fail
Double or Nothing (2006)
I sometimes wonder what motivates individuals to be in a band full-time. That's a lot of devotion to one thing, and it comes with a lot of sacrifice, especially if you're a younger band. Well, Ignite the Will have recently made the decision to become a full-time band and their reasoning is as good as I've ever heard: "We would … Read more
