Blaqk Audio
CexCells
Interscope (2007)
I wanted to hate this. I really did. Don't mistake me for an elitist music journalist; A.F.I. is the band responsible for this webzine's founding. But A.F.I. or no A.F.I., I was determined not to like this record. Not being a listener of electronic or synth-based music, and being too embarrassed to ask what "EBM" stood for, I was a … Read more
Blaqk Audio
CexCells
Interscope (2007)
As a rock band who have become progressively more electronic throughout their career, A.F.I. might have gone some way to introducing their fan base to the influential artists that have inspired CexCells and may have even converted some of them over to the dark(wave) side. If I was feeling optimistic, I'd say that Blaqk Audio the much anticipated side-project of … Read more
Bonnie "Prince" Billy
Master and Everyone
Drag City (2003)
I am not one who can sit down and listen to a record that is just acoustic guitar and vocals. Call me shallow but, playing in Symphony Orchestras and the such has made me a sucker for instrumentation. The closest I come to such minimalistic music is Songs: Ohia's Didn't It Rain and some of the older Against Me! stuff. … Read more
Bonnie "Prince" Billy
Master and Everyone
Drag City (2003)
Four years ago to the present, record players everywhere have played the last note of "Raining in Darling," the final song on Will Oldham's Bonnie "Prince" Billy record, I See a Darkness. As his record burped and scratched to its end, newly-anointed or long-time fans of Will Oldham have eagerly awaited his return which would once again, hopefully, take us … 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
Brandtson
Death and Taxes
Deep Elm (2003)
Brandtson has always been a guilty pleasure type band. I have the Letterbox and Dial In Sounds CDs and listen to them from time to time. When I got the promo for this ep, I checked it out almost immediately. This cd was like a videogame that is alright but has so much shit to unlock it just gets tedious. … Read more
Brandtson
Death and Taxes
Deep Elm (2003)
Part of me says it's not Brandtson's fault. They formed way back in 1996, and as such, are quite possibly the last of these so-called "emo" bands left that hasn't broken up, gotten picked up by a major, or enjoyed some moderate degree of success. But part of me says fault or not, there's no excuse for a record being … Read more
Cave In
Antenna
RCA (2003)
Yes folks, this band is the same Cave In that released Beyond Hypothermia and played metal. Yes avid readers, this is the same Cave In that played space rock and released Jupiter. But the music that graces this compact disc isn't metal or space rock, but instead radio friendly rock music with nebula inspired riffage. At this rate Cave In … Read more
Cave In
Antenna
RCA (2003)
This is one of the many albums of 2003 that I love but am also dissapointed with. Cave In have managed to write numerous catchy, commercial rock songs without deviating from their style too much. I'm not saying 'catchy/commercial' with a negative connotation, this is a good album. However, I can't move past Jupiter. That album was brilliant, and they … Read more
Cave In
Antenna
RCA (2003)
If you have not heard Cave In yet, you are obviously living under a rock. That or you are just really stupid. Starting out playing "metal-core" in '95 or so, they have had one of the most obvious sound changes a band could ever have. It started with Creative Eclipses EP back in '99. It continued on and evolved with … Read more
Ceremony
Violence Violence
Malfunction (2006)
Hate is a tough thing to grasp for many people. They say they hate, but I'm not sure I believe it because the term "hate" is like love. It's thrown about haphazardly and used in offhand comments and that makes it lose it's true, immensely dark and angry feeling. So when a band aims to go for hatred as the … Read more
Ceremony
Violence Violence
Malfunction (2006)
My buddy Dave said it best: "This shit makes me want to punch a whale." Ridiculous? Perhaps. But Ceremony's first full-length, Violence Violence is completely ridiculous. And I mean that as a compliment in every way. They released their Ruined 7" not too long ago and the hardcore hype train started a-chuggin'. You'd see kids in Ceremony hoodies and tees … Read more
Children of Bodom
Hate Crew Deathroll
Century Media (2003)
This album is definitely one of the "odd men out" on this site. That is a good thing though. Sometimes you need a change of pace. The cheesy orchestra keyboard hits can get to you sometimes. The guitar work is fucking amazing. Constant double bass through the record. The vocals aren't all that bad either. Sometimes they can sound pretty … Read more
Children of Bodom
Hate Crew Deathroll
Century Media (2003)
When I first heard I was going to be reviewing this album, I automatically assumed I would hate it. My metal tastes hardly expand past a few Iron Maiden and Judas Priest records. While the lyrics and vocals are a little hard to get into for me, they aren't hard to get past. The guitar work involved some amazing metal … Read more
Children of Bodom
Hate Crew Deathroll
Century Media (2003)
So metal it has its own element on the periodic table! You can quote me on that B') I'm not familiar with metal enough to differentiate death metal, black metal, and cash money metal from each other, but I can tell this is good metal. Already I've used the word metal seven times in this review, and that probably means … Read more
Circle Takes the Square
As the Roots Undo
Robotic Empire (2004)
Nothing is more excellent than when a fairly unknown semi decent band out of nowhere transitions into a butterfly etched in silk and razor wire. What does this all mean? Let's jump back a few years, more in particular, when Circle Takes The Square released their original album, which strangely happened to be a demo. The concept of releasing a … Read more
