Various Artists
Low Culture-Needles//Pins - split 7"
Dirtnap (2014)
I’ve probably said this before for those 3 people who read all of my reviews, but I feel that the 7” is one of the hardest items to review. Not because they’re short, but because it takes a truly special 7” to jump from an 8 to a 10. It’s a hard format to nail, but it’s fairly easy to … Read more
Various Artists
Mamiffer / Pyramids- Split
Hydra Head / Sige / Daymare (2012)
Allow me to skip any wind bagging introduction here and just say that this split between Mamiffer and Pyramids is one of those pairings that two like minded musical acts lay down some of the coolest work that either has produced that somehow feels like a logical extension of each others work where none of the tracks would sound out … Read more
Various Artists
Mass vs. Cali
Heart In Hand (2008)
This 7" compilation partners two Massachusetts bands on one side and two California bands on the other side. Each band contributes one track each; with each band honing in on their own take of hardcore. The Effort leads off the Massachusetts side with "Steps Ahead." Musically they seem to fall between Modern Life is War and Shai Hulud. It's fast … Read more
Various Artists
Middle-Aged Queers / The Raging Nathans - DCxPC Live Volume 20
DCxPC Live, Wave Mage Records (2024)
Beginning with the layout of their album covers and continuing with the live recording theme, DCxPC Live releases are inspired by V.M.L. Records from the mid-1990s. Like that label, it’s about the energy and what it’s like to be in person at a show. While of course everybody wants a nice sounding record, the goal is more about mood than … Read more
Various Artists
Moloch / Ensorcelor - Split LP
Psychic Assault (2013)
This is a record resembling Clash Of The Titans. Both Canada's Ensorcelor and England's Moloch have been lurching in the darkest reaches of the metal underground for a few years. While some bands err to the side or fluid hooks in their riffs and others slink towards creating the most noise possible, somewhere in between lie these two.On one side … Read more
Various Artists
Moloch / Meth Drinker - Split LP
Feast of Tentacles (2013)
Moloch returns a second time for 2013 while Meth Drinker join them this time. Moloch remain relatively the same in that what they do is play a deep dark style of doom that embraces the blacker elements of the genre. New Zealand's Meth Drinker return the favor by playing something that can at one point resemble trudging doom and at … Read more
Various Artists
Moloch/Groak - split EP
Dry Cough (2019)
Sometimes, no matter how much you like a band, they just fall off your radar. Not because of you being uninterested. Sometimes it just happens. Moloch is such a band for me. After discovering them way back when I lost sight of what they were doing. Upon rediscovering them I tracked down what I could find of their discography only … Read more
Various Artists
Mooorree Than Just Another Comp
Lavasocks Records, Sell The Heart Records (2023)
Mooorree Than Just Another Comp is a 33-track double LP compilation from Sell The Heart Records and Lavasocks Records, covering the entire Operation Ivy catalog, with new takes from the likes of The Raging Nathans, The Chinkees, Eichlers, Flying Raccoon Suit, even We Are The Union w/ Eve 6. Very broadly speaking, the entire comp is pretty true to the … Read more
Various Artists
NEONAUTICS v.01
SkyQode (2014)
Running nearly 70 minutes in length, the Neonautics v.01 compilation from Russian label skyQode collects sixteen tracks (many of which in album-exclusive versions) from a variety of European synthpop artists who clearly know their stuff when it comes to making catchy, danceable electronic music. Full of bouncy rhythms, lots of flashy keyboard and synthesizer, and awkward but lovable “English as … Read more
Various Artists
New York vs. New Jersey: Punk Rock Battle Royal
Crafty (2007)
Throughout the 90's pop-punk was an essential part of most punk and hardcore kids' record collections. Even those whose tastes leaned toward the heavier side of the underground spectrum had a special place in their heart for certain Lookout Records gems. Throughout the early 2000's it seemed that the pop-punk of earlier years had been replaced by a soulless, overproduced … Read more
Various Artists
Northless / Light Bearer - Split LP
Halo of Flies (2012)
Lightbearer and Northless are two bands that tend to resemble parallel curved lines. They share bits and pieces stylistically but never quite touch. Where Lightbearer create atmosphere and spice in some brutality within their artistic and literate story-songs, Northless avoid pretense by creating brutally lurching pieces. So when you bring these two bands together it may be hard to see … Read more
Various Artists
Okkyung Lee & Christian Marclay Amalgam
Northern Spy (2016)
OK, here we are dealing with an absolutely stunning collaboration. In a live setting, cellist Okkyung Lee, an excellent improviser who has worked alongside artists such as Jenny Hval, Swans, John Zorn and Cecil Taylor, and Christian Marclay, a visual artist and composer, master of turntablism, meet to create an Amalgam, a combination of the most strange, bizarre metals that … Read more
Various Artists
Oneida & Rhys Chatham - What's Your Sign?
Northern Spy (2016)
Collaborations in the experimental music domain always bring something interesting to the table. Oneida is a great experimental rock band, encompassing elements of noise rock, psychedelia and krautrock, as a method of crafting a diverse sound. Having released a plethora of records, mostly through Jagjaguwar, they are now putting out their first collaborative full-length with Rhys Chatham. Chatham is a … Read more
Various Artists
Our Impact Will Be Felt: A Tribute to Sick of it All
Abacus (2007)
Let's face it; if you're a hardcore kid and you DON'T like Sick of it All, there's something really and truly wrong with you. For over twenty years, Sick of it All have been consistently releasing albums and 7"s of unwavering quality, and touring the world relentlessly. With the band's somewhat recent signing to Abacus Recordings, the label decided to … Read more
Various Artists
Our Roots Our Pride
Still Life/Youth Crew (2008)
This is a piece of history, as the name of the album might suggest. Our Roots Our Pride: History of Italian Positive Hardcore and Straight Edge Movement 1989-1995 contains thirty-two songs by six different artists that were all prominent during Italy's straight edge hardcore movement from the early-to-mid 90's. All of these bands are a completely new introduction to me. … Read more
Various Artists
Parasitic Skies/Losing Skin - Split
Headfirst records (2012)
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
Various Artists
Planning For Burial / Lonesummer- Split
Music Ruins Lives (2011)
Could there possibly be any more strange a pairing than the two artists that participate in this split release? Sure, there might be; but you would be hard pressed to find such a diametrically opposed sounding pairing than this split. Where they like a similarity in sound, Lonesummer and Planning For Burial display an intriguing level of mindset synergy not … Read more
Various Artists
Police Bastard & War//Plague - Attrition split LP
Profane Existence (2011)
Attrition brings together two punk bands from opposing sides of the Atlantic Ocean—England’s Police Bastard and the United States' War//Plague. Most of the material was recorded at various points in 2009 but not released on vinyl until May of 2011, when Profane Existence Records pressed up a couple thousand slabs of wax to unleash to patched-up masses. Former members of … Read more
