Northwoods
Wasteland
Mothership Records (2018)
'[T]here the nightingale filled all the desert with inviolable voice and still she cried, and still the world pursues, "Jug Jug" to dirty ears.' And likewise, with dirty ears, the 'Jug Jug' of Northwoods' Wasteland will lose their hard earned respect, slowly. A respect sucked through a straw from the pool of distracted in-fighting popular music. The average listener, if … Read more
Norwegian Arms
Wolf Like A Stray Dog
Independent (2013)
I discovered Norwegian Arms the same way I discover most of the best music I listen to – with the pop of a facebook chat window opening accompanied by a youtube link. As the video for “Tired of Being Cold” loaded (I have satellite internet because I live in the woods. It’s very slow, comparatively.) My friend Cris explained that … Read more
Not On Tour
Outtakes EP
SBÄM Records (2021)
I can’t believe this is the first time Not On Tour is reviewed on this site. Not On Tour is a skate punk band from Tel Aviv, Israel. This band is insanely melodic and catchy. Not On Tour is one of those bands that master a certain art: they seem to effortlessly combine speed with catchy melodies. The band nailed … Read more
Nothing
Guilty Of Everything
Relapse (2014)
it would be perfectly simple to couple Nothing into the wave of modern shoegaze and close the book. They carry certain trademarks that point towards them owing their guitar sound and then some to Slowdive. This would show an immense degree of short sightedness. While it is clear what band their pedal board choices could be attributed to Nothing have … Read more
Nothing
The Great Dismal
Relapse (2020)
It’s strange, how the metal scene embraces certain genres as one of its own, enabling said genre to become “metal adjacent” and enjoy a somewhat wider audience in the long-term. Genres such as synthwave, shoegaze or dreampop, post-punk – all have a solid following from fans of much more extreme music and there’s surely an interesting study within that somewhere, … Read more
Nothing
Tired Of Tomorrow
Relapse (2016)
A relatively new band, started releasing music around 2010, Nothing display a strong grasp to alternative rock. Their debut album, Guilty of Everything, conjured and presented in great fashion elements such as shoegaze haze and alt-rock grooves, introducing the musical endeavors of the band, but it felt that there was still some way to go for Nothing to achieve their … Read more
Nothington
Borrowed Time
Red Scare Industries (2011)
I’ll be honest, I missed Roads Bridges & Ruins, even after guitarist Chris Matulich said it would be quite a transition from All In. While I liked All In, for whatever reason I never got to its follow-up. 2011’s Borrowed Time is surely a reflection of the evolution in between. The Social Distortion influence is more tempered (though it’s still … Read more
Nothington
In the End
Red Scare Industries (2017)
Few things are stable in this topsy-turvy world. One constant has been Nothington. With the release of In the End, the San Francisco band’s fifth full-length, they’ve continued down the road they started with All In. It’s classic chord-driven punk with a working class, heart on its sleeve aesthetic. Early reviews compared them to Social Distortion, which isn’t horribly inaccurate … Read more
Nothington
Roads, Bridges & Ruins
BYO (2009)
In what might be an early contender for "Most Improved Band of the Year," Nothington brings us their second studio album, Roads, Bridges & Ruins. Now, when we last left the band they released their debut record, All In. While it was a fun listen, it didn't carry much lasting value and I wore it out after a few spins, … Read more
Notwist
Different Cars and Trains
Domino (2003)
In many cases, EPs of new material from bands who have released prolific albums in the last couple of years are enfuriating teases and rehashes that offer the faithful listener little new material if any at all. It's also difficult to accept an artist's re-rendering of some of your favorite songs. In most cases, tracks are placed in unfamiliar hands … Read more
Notwist
Neon Golden
Domino (2003)
When Jeff suggested we get this cd for review I was like "Um ok. Who the hell is that?" So I got the cd and gave it a listen. Since then, I haven't doubted Jeff's suggestions once. This cd would be one of the better CDs this year if it weren't such a great year for music. Closest I could … Read more
Novembers Doom
The Novella Reservoir
The End (2007)
Hailing from Chicago, Illinois, Novembers Doom were first brought to my attention by a disgruntled Opeth fan, who, unimpressed with the band's last offering, was recommending Novembers Doom's The Pale Haunt Departure instead. He informed me that the vocals - clean and harsh - were just as good as Mikael Ã"¦kerfeldt's and the songs were simply "much better", his words, … Read more
Now or Never
Now or Never
Cock Suck (2007)
Now or Never features members of Gordon Ivy & The Jaybirds and play fast melodic hardcore that came from Scandinavia in the mid to late 90's. I see your Pridebowl and raise you a Wizo and a Satanic Surfers. Now or Never are completely nuts with the breakneck songs and completely inane lyrics. "Fuck this Asshole" includes this lyrical masterpiece; … Read more
Nowhere Bound
Demo
Independent (2009)
Nowhere Bound is a new hardcore band from the Chicago area and this is their four-song demo. They've got an Eastcoast flavor going on over these songs even though they hail from the Midwest. "Faith of the Faithless" is a bruising opener with crunching riffs; the solid breakdown makes this a great opener. "No Recourse" and "Joys of Winter" are … Read more
Noxagt
The Iron Point
Load (2004)
There's this pretty great interview in the most recent issue of Chunklet magazine which talks to Pen Rollings of Honor Roll, more recently of Loincloth fame. In the article, he talks about how all those European metal bands that burn churches down and totally front like they're hard are, in fact, pussies who try too hard. As a result, he … Read more
Nü Sensae
Sundowning
Suicide Squeeze (2012)
Whether it is rap music, hardcore or pop punk, it seems the ‘90s are forcing their way back into our unsuspecting eardrums thanks to a handful of well-versed history-appreciating up ‘n’ comers. And with that sentiment arrives Sundowning, the second album by Vancouver, BC’s Nü Sensae, a band leading the small charge of current alt-core revivalists. Now a three piece—with … Read more
Nueva Etica
Inquebrantable
New Eden (2006)
Spanish is a very musical language. It flows naturally with any rhythm and can accentuate the beauty of a melody like no other. For any artist, this particular romance language is a highly favorable ally. Nueva Etica, an aggressive hardcore/metal band from Argentina, fully embraces their native language. They are also relentlessly direct in their approach to the hardcore genre. … Read more
NunFuckRitual
In Bondage To The Serpent
Debemur Morti (2011)
Just look at that album cover. It's stuff like this, guys, that explain why we can't have nice things. Good thing I'm not religious, or I'd cry blasphemy in a heartbeat. Thankfully for my interest in black metal, I possess no easily offended sensibilities and can share with you the shockingly-named NunFuckRitual. Given that all of the band members have … Read more
